Two Books are EPIC Award Finalist

It was nearly 10 years ago that I began publishing books electronically. In 2002, my nonfiction book Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom won a Finalist ebook Award from EPIC (now known as the Electronically Published Internet Coalition™), and in the previous year, the crime novel, Roulette by my husband Don Pendleton and me (then titled One Dark and Stormy Night) was also chosen as an EPIC ebook Award Finalist. This year I decided to enter the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards Competition™. And again, two of my books have been chosen as Award Finalist! The winners will be announced at the EPIC annual conference, held in historical Williamsburg, Virginia, March 10-13, 2011.

The popularity of ebooks has increased tremendously and will continue to do so now with the Kindle, iPad, Nook, and numerous electronic devices. Looking back over the decade, I knew back then it would be the technology of our future, and although it has happened a little slow, it is taking off and is becoming more popular month by month. I hope Amazon’s Jeff Bezos is prepared for Kindle sales this Christmas as I believe they will go through the roof. That means many of our books will sell as well. And for those of us who have chosen to publish with Kindle, Smashwords, and other distributors, we now have the opportunity to publish, have control of our work, and enjoy a sense of freedom. I am a self-published author and am proud of my work. It is also nice that the stigma of self-publishing is dropping by the wayside. Works of quality are being self-published, electronically and in print.

Jon Guenther and I (and a few other authors) for many months have protested among ourselves (and at times publicly) about the uncalled for attitude of writer’s groups, other successful authors, who were or are against those of us who have chosen alternative ways to publish. In other words, to self-publish, without agents, or the NY Biggies. I’m reminded of the Paul Anka song, My Way. And yeah, we are doing it our way. Good for us.

Shattered Lens: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator by Linda Pendleton

2011 EPIC Award Finalist, Mystery and/or Suspense Novel Category

The Cosmic Breath: Metaphysical Essays of Don Pendleton, Introduction by Linda Pendleton
2011 EPIC Award Finalist, Non-fiction Category

I’m delighted. Both books are available at Amazon Kindle and at Amazon in print.

Interview with Stephen Tremp, Author of the Suspense Thriller, BREAKTHROUGH

Interview with Stephen Tremp, Author of the Suspense Thriller, Breakthrough Blogs.

I’ve invited author, Stephen Tremp to answer a few questions about his new thriller, Breakthrough.

Linda: Hi Stephen. Your suspense thrillers sound fascinating. Tell us a little about the Breakthrough trilogy and what motivated you to write the stories.

Stephen: Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation are basically a “What If …” scenario. I have taken this premise and developed a trilogy that incorporates mainstream and proposed theories of physics. This includes Einstein-Rosen Bridges, or wormholes as they are commonly known. Wormholes are only the beginning and open a Pandora’s box of breakthrough discoveries that threaten our world as we know it.

Conflict drives a story. I introduce conflict based on breakthroughs mankind may be on the cusp of discovering but not yet ready for. The discovering party wants to use these breakthroughs for the advancement of mankind. However, greed rears its ugly head, and a group of misguided zealots steal the breakthrough and use it to kill important global figures. The protagonist, Chase Manhattan, understands he needs to stop more murders and destroy the breakthrough before he himself is killed. The setting is M.I.T. in Cambridge, MA and Orange County, CA.

Linda: When did you first decide you would become a writer or at least dream about being a writer?

Stephen: Although I wrote a lot as a kid, art was my first love. I loved drawing and painting. It wasn't until shortly after high school I knew I wanted to be a writer.

Linda: While growing up what book or books inspired you?

Stephen: Mysteries, especially suspense thrillers. I remember my first book report was Mystery by Moonlight, a YA novel by Mary C. Jane. This stirred something inside me to write, but art was still my first love.

Linda: Who has inspired you most in life? And what books have influenced your life and world view?

Stephen: This would be a blog all its own. The Bible has inspired me. Think of all the crazy events that happened, or are prophesied to happen. What if they can be explained scientifically? Jacob’s Ladder, Jesus appearing in the center of a room after his resurrection, angels and demons appearing and disappearing at will, the events of the book of Revelation?

Linda: As most writers, I have read books on writing. Are there any you found helpful and would recommend to aspiring writers?

Stephen: Yes. I refer often to You Can Write A Great Mystery by Gillian Roberts . I even wrote a blog from her book called The Seven Cs of Writing.

Linda: Of the elements that go into a novel such as characterizations, dialogue, action scenes, plotting, sex scenes, and setting, among other things, which do you find easiest for you personally in your art of writing? In other words, what do you consider your strength to be?

Stephen: One of my strengths is research. I like to use Google and Google Earth a lot. I also research Web sites and articles from renowned people like physicists. If I’m using a Starbucks location in Cambridge MA (I live in Southern California), I need to be accurate down to the intersecting street names, if there’s a crosswalk in front of it, and if the sun is shining through the front windows at 11:00 a.m. I also visit the same establishments my characters frequent and eat the same meals and drink the same beer and wine they eat and drink in the story. It's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

Linda: The publishing industry is going through a change and currently there is a lot of controversy about ebooks and self-publishing. And many of us welcome that change. What made you decide to self-publish rather than go the traditional route?

Stephen: Believe me, I’m diligently searching for a New York publisher. And a reputable agent. Until then, I’ll do the best I can via self-publishing.

Linda: What is your favorite quote?

Stephen: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Linda: Are you currently working on your next book and if so, what can we expect?

Stephen: Breakthrough is the first book in a trilogy. I currently have Opening and Escalation, the next two installments, over half finished. I’m excited to start working with my editor in a couple months.

Linda: Thanks for taking the time to share more about your book and I wish you much success with it and the ones to follow.

You can visit Stephen at Breakthrough Blogs. Breakthrough is available at Barnes and Noble and for download to Kindle and other eReaders .

~Linda

Don Pendleton's EYE TO EYE, Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective

I have put videos up at my new youtube channel. Here is a book trailer on Don Pendleton's EYE TO EYE, Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective




At Amazon in print and Amazon Kindle

~Linda

SHATTERED LENS: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator Novel

I spent the weekend making book trailers to post at my new youtube channel.

Kindle and the California Gold Rush

Tonight I was wandering around Amazon.com and checking on a few of my Kindle books, ones I did Introductions for and recently published. Books on California History and on the California Gold Rush.

I was delighted to see several of mine on their best seller lists tonight:
California History # 16 and # 19 and # 40.
California Gold Rush, I have three: # 7, # 10, # 14.

Prospecting and Mining # 9
Gold Rush # 4, #15 and # 21.

See all Linda Pendleton's Kindle Books

All of these are Kindle only, with the exception of Gold Hunters of Early California, which is also available in print. Of course, the positions can change hour by hour at Kindle, but it feels good right now. Out of over 700,000 Kindle books, that ain't too bad.

~Linda

Mark Twain Autobiography Release

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense."
~Mark Twain

The Mark Twain Motherlode Festival in Angels Camp, Calaveras County, California, will be the first to offer and display the much anticipated autobiography of Mark Twain.

He published his first book in 1867 - "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."

Twain asked that the autobiography be suppressed and not published for 100 years following his death. The 737 page book is the is the result of the work of the Mark Twain Project conducted by UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library and University Press.

During the Twain Motherlode Festival several of the scholars and editors who worked on the project will take part in a symposium, and for the first time ever, the complete, authoritative and uncensored autobiography of Mark Twain.

The festival is scheduled for October 15-17th.

Born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835,.he wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain until his death April 21, 1910. Several of his manuscripts were published posthumously.

The book will be released November 15 and is available for pre-order at Amazon.

~Linda