SPR | Self-Publishing Review

How I Approached Writing My First Novel Like a TV Script

Many of you may not know who I am, but I am one of those character actors that generally has a few scenes here and there and often appear on YouTube, in independent films, and recently on UpTV or PureFlix. With the pandemic, 2020 was a rough year for most actors and I was not the exception. I decided to just double down on my own creative projects first by producing my own kids animated series called Kindly Kenney and then by writing my first novel, Jon Bragg Blue Essence, a Norse myth. I had always wanted to attempt […]

SPR2021-04-30T06:22:29+02:00April 30th, 2021|Categories: Member Blog|Tags: Writing Tips|

An Interview with Evan McMillan: Author of Raw Mind Volume 1: Growing Pains

Evan McMillan is the author of Growing Pains, the first volume of his Raw Mind series. McMillan is a born-again Christian striving to grow, leaving his old self behind and finding balance in the life God has designed and desires for him. McMillan wishes to continue helping others in their struggles and pains as he himself searches for those elusive answers to the tough questions in life.

Tell us about your book.

Raw Mind, Volume 1, Growing Pains is in a collection of poetry comprised of chapters that are introduced and led by elements of prose with specific subjects […]

SPR2021-06-08T10:33:30+02:00April 27th, 2021|Categories: Interviews|

No Secrets Allowed by Kana Wu

Rory and Peter’s love story continues in the wholesome drama No Secrets Allowed, the sequel to Kana Wu’s entertaining debut in the series, No Romance Allowed. While the plot is familiar, Wu offers a relatable tale of a couple struggling to adapt to a long-distance relationship, along with Peter’s struggles with his family and Rory’s loyalty to love. Peppered with intriguing dynamics of co-workers who threaten fidelity, and judgmental family members sowing doubt, there is palpable tension sustained throughout this compact novel. The main characters are loveable and endearing, if not saccharine at times, and Wu’s handling of […]

SPR2021-04-22T07:11:07+02:00April 22nd, 2021|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Passion, Purpose & Profits by Courtney Hunt and Emily Scheyer

Authors Courtney Hunt and Emily Scheyer, dubbed The Prosperity Sisters, challenge readers to examine their aspirations in Passion, Purpose & Profits: An Interactive Guide to Figuring Out What the Heck You Want Out of Life.

The commonly dispensed advice about finding and following one’s passion and purpose is sensible, but many of us don’t know how to follow through, which the authors try to unveil in a dynamic process of questioning and journaling. When asked what we want from life, we may respond with vague generalities, such as a nebulous idea of happiness. But to lead a passionate and […]

SPR2021-06-16T08:50:52+02:00April 22nd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: The Authentic You by Kristina M. Holle

A human resources coach, Kristina M. Holle, has devised an original method for developing our finest qualities by looking into our emotional and psychological self-image, in The Authentic You: Unleash Your Leadership Potential.

A curious mixture of self-help and business manual, Holle combines some familiar self-help tenets with the tenets of leadership and management, which are often held separate. As one might behave much differently in an office environment than at home or with friends, it can be difficult to meld these two “selves” together, so Holle takes an interesting approach to this conflict.

Holle asserts that just as […]

SPR2021-06-15T09:05:39+02:00April 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Leadership Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Amaranthine by John Eric Ellison

A mind-boggling sci-fi epic. Summoning philosophical questions through an extreme sci-fi lens, this story is a prophetic parable for our times. The blending of technology with the natural world, and questions of computers becoming a part of human evolution, is a primary message that will continue to resonate for any curious thinker who makes their way through this densely packed explosion of creativity and outside-the-box storytelling.

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SPR2021-04-16T03:36:22+02:00April 16th, 2021|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Amazon Starts New Royalty-Driven Story Platform

Amazon has announced a new platform called Kindle Vella in which authors can earn royalties per chapter.

A new way to earn royalties.

To access episodes, readers will purchase Tokens and use them to unlock episodes. Authors will earn 50% of the money readers spend on the Tokens used to unlock their story episode.

To make it easy for readers to find stories they love, the first few episodes of every story are always free!

As authors have often revealed short teaser books in a series in order to grab readers, this may be an alternative to that model. In […]

SPR2021-04-14T07:49:59+02:00April 14th, 2021|Categories: News|Tags: Amazon News and Tips|

Review: In the Company of Wolves by Erick W. Nason

Melding fact and imagination, author Erick W. Nason provides vivid scenes of warfare and snippets of the daily lives of America’s earliest settlers in In the Company of Wolves: The New Campaigns of Ranger Captain Jacob Clarke, an impressively detailed and entertaining work of historical fiction.

Having arrived in the continent of North America in the 1700s, both French and English colonials have territorial claims. By mid-century, the zeal to acquire more lands drives the two nations into war. As part of their defense, a stalwart band of special British operatives is formed. Roger’s Rangers are intrepid, fearless, and […]

SPR2021-04-14T00:38:25+02:00April 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|