Derek Murphy

When angels fall like shooting stars, who can be certain of their fate? Thousands of years ago, Zeus created a legion of hunters to rid the world of magic. They're deadly, inescapable, and blindly loyal to their master. And now they're after me. My name is Kaidance Monroe, and sometimes when I touch people, I see how they die. I've always considered it a curse. After I saw my little brother's death but failed to stop it, my parents abandoned me to a juvenile detention facility. I don't let people touch me any more. Not my fingertips, not my skin, not my heart. Just before I turned 18, I got a visit from a guy with piercing eyes and a devastating smile, who tricked me into giving up my secrets. He said I was special, but he wasn't the only searching for me. I barely escaped with my life. Now I'm in a creepy mansion full of dark secrets, learning how to control abilities so powerful, even the gods are jealous. I didn't mean to make anyone fall for me. Certainly not my would-be killer. And I never imagined how far he would fall. He opened his heart to let me in, and I destroyed his universe. I'll do anything to make it right again, even if it means challenging my own fate. Luckily, I'm the only one who can. Broken promises. Shattered dreams. Bitter remorse. He's taken everything from me. I come to him bare, naked, revealed. Trembling in the darkness. But I can't ask for forgiveness, and I'm not looking for mercy. All I want is revenge - and when I see him again, face-to-face, I know, next time, I'll be strong enough to defeat him. The Scarlet Thread is a dark fantasy for fans of Greek mythology and Gothic romance. Fans of Fallen and Percy Jackson will be captivated by this mashup of fallen angels and forgotten gods. This is PART ONE of the first book in the Fated Destruction series.

The Scarlet Thread

Everybody wants to write a book, but most authors fall short. If only there was a clear, systematic, structured approach to crafting bestsellers that would... help you organize your creative ideas unravel the messy writing process save months of editing and revision increase engagement and get more book reviews keep readers glued to each page with dramatic tension impress your mom (and everyone else) with your genius When I started out as an author, I read every book on craft, plotting and writing techniques I could find - but they left me more confused than ever. I ended up quitting, and spent a decade as a developmental editor while earning my PhD in literature. I was terrified to publish. What if nobody likes it? What if I'm a failure? How do I know a book is good before I publish? I needed a way to identify weak, amateur writing, and replace it with prose that enthralled readers. I wanted to take a good story, and turn it into a riveting manuscript. Rather than give up the quest forever, positing Great Writing up to some mysterious, invisible source I could never achieve, I developed my own framework for writing, which has allowed me to write and publish several dozen books over the past few years. What began as a simple guide to plotting became a detailed, chapter-by-chapter cheatsheet, and some brand new techniques on adding intrigue, suspense and conflict to cast a spell over readers. The truth is, there are things that great books have in common - and even more informative, there are definitely signs of weak or bad writing, which can be easily identified and avoided. Based on the lessons I've learned from editing over a hundred books and studying nearly universal writing mistakes, as well as feedback on my writing tutorials (with over 2 million views), I've reverse-engineered a structured approach to writing that will help you quickly map out your book, write it well the first time, and avoid months of painful revision. These simple, easy to follow rules, tactics and cheatsheets to help you easly improve your writing craft and unleash your inner genius, without a nervous breakdown or a drinking problem. You'll end up with a deeper understanding of the craft, and a more marketable book that readers can't put down. This book will help you to... Write compelling books readers love Create dynamic characters readers will root for Plot your book without stifling your creativity Hit crucial turning points to keep readers engaged Improve pacing & backstory without info-dumps Increase stakes, drama and conflict Double your word count and stay motivated Avoid common amateur mistakes & lazy writing Heighten intrigue & suspense to keep readers invested How to know your book will sell before you write it 3 types of conflict you need in every scene Why readers stop reading and how to fix it Simple plotting and outlining strategies so you can write faster with less procrastination Revise and edit your first draft and identify problems fast Save thousands of dollars on editing and increase book sales Ready to move from the slush pile to the bookshelf? Take your writing... ✓ from contrived to compelling ✓ from rubbish to riveting ✓ from mediocre to masterful Scroll up and improve your writing today! ★ BONUSES INCLUDED: a guided 12-week plan to writing your best book yet!

How to Write Books Readers Love, from First Draft to Final Polish

Book Craft

How to sell a ton of books (even if you're starting with no platform). If you've found this book I'm assuming you have or will soon have a book out on the market, and are exploring ways to turn it into a best-selling powerhouse that will slaughter the competition and pay for your retirement. The indie publishing world is thrilling because of the possible returns, and I hope you and your book do well. You're probably searching for things like "book marketing" and "book promotion" so you can learn how to find readers and convince them to buy your book. But almost everything you read will be wrong. That's because marketing in general is dead. Advertising is dead. Selling and convincing people to buy: also dead. The new law of book sales is this: if you're talking about your book, promoting your book, sharing your book... you're screwing it all up. Don't make "Old School" marketing mistakes that will sabotage your efforts! This book will help you to... Avoid the common mistakes that kill book sales Set up an author platform quickly that will triple your results Use Social Media (like an expert) without being annoying Advertise for maximum impact (at the lowest cost) Make powerful friends online who can move thousands of books Before you spend a lot of money on book marketing services or author publicity... Make sure you've plugged all the holes in your sales funnel so you're not throwing money away. If you're looking for a "Bestseller Campaign" but don't have a big budget... This book will show you plenty of ways to improve sales without spending a dime.

Book Promotion Secrets You Must Know Before You Publish

Book Marketing Is Dead

What if I told you you'd be dead in a year? That a food corporation would experiment with genetic modification, and nearly destroy the human race. Would you believe me? Sounds crazy, right? Because nobody can see the future. Nobody but me. And what I see isn't pretty. A dystopian wasteland. Bodies rotting to nothing in the streets. Humans on the brink of survival. The wilderness eating away at what used to be my hometown. A shadow organization rounding up children. Bands of warring tribes. And let's not forget the modifieds - the zombie-like remains of what used to be the human race. Civilization is destroyed. There is no chance to undo the damage. No one can save the world... except me. Because for me, it hasn't even happened yet. For me, it might never happen. The only thing is, the more time I spend in the future, the less I want to erase it. Stopping the future might break me... I'd be erasing a face, a smile, that I never want to forget. This is Part One of Prescient, a dystopian time-travel based on the Oracle of Delphi.

A Time Travel Dystopia

Prescient

the fascinating parallels between two of the world's most popular literary characters

Jesus Potter Harry Christ

An Adult Coloring Book for Authors!This book will help you paint powerful visual scenes that stick with readers long after they're finished your book. The techniques described within are simple and easy to use. Think of this as a guided coloring book adventure. YOUR adventure.There are lots of systems and guides to plotting, but if you're like me you have journals filled with notes, scenes and description... it can get overwhelming. I've based this book on traditional three-act story architecture, but it's greatly simplified. Plotters and pantsers can use the guided exercises to gain greater visual clarity and build more meaningful scenes with resonance. This book will help you get organized and unlock hidden potential in your scenes that you didn't know was there, by going beyond words and focusing on drawing and coloring your scenes until you have a full outline.This book makes an excellent workbook for writing retreats, is simple enough for children to use (it's never too early to write your first novel), and introduces a new, and hopefully useful, way to organize your novel, improve your writing, and create unforgettable scenes that will make a deep and lasting impact.

A Visual Guide to Plotting Your Novel and Creating Unforgettable Scenes

The Plot Dot

I always knew music was powerful. Even though I rebelled against the marathon forced practice sessions that turned my adolescence into a prison camp, there were moments-even in the mechanical repetition of practice-where I stopped being a robot and felt a kind of transcendence, a connection to something deeper. I wasn't raised to be religious, but in those fleeting spaces, often between beats in the tempo, my body seemed to go on playing by itself, while my awareness shifted to something greater. Almost like I was outside my body, sitting in the audience, feeling the music wash over me like a pounding surf, telling me to relax. To let go. To give in. But that was before I learned what music really was, and that it was capable of more than just pretty feelings and a mystical connection to a transcendental Other. That it was a weapon, which could cause great pain and destruction; that it was deeper and older than humanity; and that there were forces in the world that wanted to reclaim it for themselves. Orpheum is a young adult dark fantasy romance based on Eastern European history, the myths and literature of Orpheus and Pythagoras' theory of Musica Universalis, or the music of the spheres. This is PART ONE of the first book in the series.

Orpheum (Part One): a Dark Fantasy Romance

MERMAIDS ARE REAL... And they're going to kill us all. My life was ripped away from me when my parents died in a car accident. After moving to Ireland to live with a grandfather I didn't even know existed, I discovered my mother's past was filled with unresolved drama - dark secrets screaming to be uncovered. Strange things keep happening around me. Happening to me. Is it because of Sebastian, the golden-haired hunk who showed up in town at the same time as I did? Or Ethan, the brooding hottie locals whisper plays with dark magic? Maybe both... or neither. But someone is definitely out to get me, and I need to figure out why, and fast. I'm discovering powers of my own--powers I can't contain. If I don't discover who is after me or the real reason my mother fled Ireland, more people are going to die. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING "A thrilling urban fantasy romance set in Ireland. The story revolves around Irish mythology and the clash between an ancient race of witches and the merrow (mermaids), who are preparing to wipe out civilization. Fans of Percy Jackson, Nancy Drew and Twilight will love this epic adventure that keeps you guessing till the last page." -Imlovingbooks.com "Not just another Twilight--even though we do have sparkly mermaids instead of sparkly vampires. But the story itself is well told and the characters act and respond like real people instead of cardboard cutouts. The mystic premise of the mer-people is even almost believable in the context of the Irish coastal culture, and the interactions between the characters are more encompassing than just the make-believe of the story. Although it's written for young adults, as a mainstream adult I found the story entertaining and readable, and even subscribed to the author's site to get the next installment as well as his other books." "The author's writing and editing is impeccable, and his research is substantial. I feel like I'm at the exotic locales described. His backstory and science behind the mermaid phenomenon is solidly explained and more than adequate to suspend my disbelief. The author also presents a lot of this backstory as not an info-dump, so kudos for that." >"Part One" of this book was made available last year.

Shearwater

Let me be the first to admit this book is not remarkably life-changing. It is also true that much of the material in this book is freely available online (I know, because I put it there). So why publish this book? A) Free material is useless if nobody finds it. B) Organizing and making sense of online content takes time and effort. I'm reaching out to you through Kindle to share some publishing tools I've made that will save you time and money, while increasing the quality of your finished book. If you don't think that's worth the price of this book - ask for a refund (or better yet, don't buy it). Publishing a book, but not sure where to start? DEREK MURPHY has been a book cover designer, writing coach and publishing consultant for almost a decade, helping thousands of authors put their books out into the world. In WRITE, FORMAT, PUBLISH, PROMOTE Derek reveals the free or low-cost tools, tips and strategies that successful authors can use to get an edge - drastically cutting costs from the expenses of book publishing. Learn how to... WRITE faster and finish more books EDIT your book by identifying common errors FORMAT for print and eBook, with free templates PUBLISH your book and put it up for sale PROMOTE your book with powerful marketing tricks ALL WITHOUT SPENDING ANY MONEY! (The screenshots were made on a Windows PC, although MAC users can still download the free templates and tools, the workflow will be different).

How to Write, Format, Publish and Promote Your Book (Without Spending Any Money)

Love YA paranormal, urban fantasy, science fiction and dystopian books? We've gathered a handful of thrilling stories from all of your favorite genres and put them together into an epic anthology of young adult fiction. Some of them are just the beginning of a unique adventure, while others are complete stories that will spark your imagination. With over 200,000 words (about three full-length novels) That Moment When will provide weeks of reading pleasure.OUR THEMEHave you ever reached a moment in your life when everything changed? A crossroads of sorts... a point of no return. An event or realization so enormous you knew it would impact you forever in ways you couldn't begin to understand? Discoveries so momentous they changed everything you thought you knew about the world, and yourself?That Moment When is filled with exactly these kinds of moments. If you read the stories in this anthology, I guarantee you'll find at least a few that thrill and excite you. Make sure to follow the authors if you want to read more - most of us have at least one free book on our sites.The Alliance of YA Authors is a community of over 1000 young adult writers. Many of us are award-winning, bestselling authors; others are brilliant debut authors just starting out. We team up to make it easier for you to find your new favorite reads, with book giveaways, contests and joint book promotions.

That Moment When: an Anthology of Young Adult Fiction

Jennifer Leo

Azalea Dabill

The Soul of Speculative Fiction and Fantasy Adventure

Fantastic Journey

TRAIN THE INTERNET TO SELL BOOKS FOR YOU Book marketing doesn't need to be an exhausting hamster wheel of promotion and publicity. Put your book sales on autopilot... so you can focus on writing your next bestseller. FAST AND EFFECTIVE BOOK MARKETING This book is a crash course on some of the more creative book marketing strategies I've discovered in my first year of publishing fiction. It will provide simple, actionable, measurable steps to publishing a high quality book quickly, doing only as much marketing as is necessary to launch your book like a rock star, and keep it selling enough to support you while you write another. I only mention the things I actually use, that I know work, and ignore options that don't get results. We'll discuss paid advertising, release strategies, pricing and pre-orders, book giveaways, how to target your audience, viral exposure and press coverage, marketing hacks, and how to reach your first $1000 on Kindle. LAUNCH BIG EVEN IF YOU'RE STARTING SMALL Guerrilla is a style of warfare intended to surprise and harass enemies. It can also mean using unconventional and usually inexpensive means to generate interest or raise concern among the public. That's basically how I'll use it: book marketing strategies from the trenches to help you win the publishing war. However, instead of "surprise and harass" I will focus on "surprise and delight." First you need to show up and get in front of the right people. Then you need to surprise and delight them. You need to be remarkable enough to be noticed. Few authors are using these strategies (yet) so it's relatively easy to outrank your competition, get more visibility and reach new readers.

Derek Murphy

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