In the End I WIN!

This is a Short piece that just kinda came to me.

So sue me for wanting to be successful.

Or better yet, thrash me for desiring life not filled with misery.

Condemn me for needing to feel loved.

Maybe you’d even want to hang me, for deciding not to be a pawn in your evil game.

I know you hate me for setting standards that you can’t reach.

So maybe you should just try to hang me and get it over with.

But wait, my fate is NOT in your hands.

My destiny you CANNOT hinder.

The plans for my life are greater than you can ever imagine.

Whether you try to sue me, thrash me, condemn me, or hang me,

The plans of my God will still go unhindered.

Didn’t you hear, greater is he that is in me, than he that is in you!

Didn’t you hear, No weapon that you form against me can win!

Didn’t you hear, His plans for me are plans of peace!

Didn’t you hear, He’s already written my book,

I decided to sneak a peek at the last chapter,

And guess what, world, in the end I WIN! 

1000 words a day

Sometimes it can be really difficult to balance a busy life with a passion or a hobby. Few of us are lucky enough to turn our hobbies into careers so for those of us who haven't a day job is the best way to keep clothes on our backs and a roof over our head. We get older, our priorities change and before you know it, we've forgotten our passion. So how do we get to do what we like to do and still have time for other things?

Obviously my passion is writing and for many years I had absolutely no time for it. Until I discovered that it took me only about an hour to come up with 1000 meaningful words. So I set a goal, a reasonable one, write 1000 words each day. I stuck to it as best as I could, there were days when I barely got one word in, but I'd make up for it when I could. Before long, I had two stories good enough to be published. And publish I did! Here's the proof http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005JTP7OG!

Writing is still just a hobby, and certainly shouldn't quit my day job just yet, but I've found time in my busy schedule for my passion and I'm still writing 1000 words a day. 

Now on Nook!

Yay! Finally my books can be found on Barnes and Nobles as NOOK books! Progress!

Each step in this publishing process is great for me, a lifelong dream come true. And to think that I'd lost all hope of ever getting published. I was moved to tears today to see my work on another website. I hope I don't cry every time I get placed in a new store! I almost took a print screen and used it as my desktop image, but I'll chill for now. I should probably concentrated on getting the new one available to you by December like I promised. So I guess it's back to work for me. In the meantime, celebrate with me....http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/joana-james?keyword=joana+james&store=allproducts

Success as an Indie Author

It's really hard to be an independent author but there are several tools that make it a lot easier. I stumbled across Kindle Direct publishing almost by accident one day. Whilst scrolling through my twitter timeline i saw something that said I could get my stuff on kindle. A surge of excitement gripped me and my finger raced across the keyboard trying to find that site. Two weeks later, my first book, Alana was available to the public. My friends oohed and ahhed,  said they were proud of me, the internet savvy ones rushed to download kindle for pc and bought copies. Sales took off steadily and eventually simmered down to a slow crawl.

I experienced what every independent author does. If you don't have a large marketing budget like that great big publishing companies your book basically does not sell. It's worse being a virtual unknown on a teeny-tiny Caribbean island. But where there's a will there's a way. Google became my best friend. That's how I discovered Smashwords. It's amazing what's out there if you look. So now my books are being prepared for Apple, Sony, Kobo, Scrollmotion, Diesel, Barnes and Nobles and others and I'm super stoked. But there's still the little hurdle....or the really big hurdle depending on which side of the fence you're sitting. Marketing.  Again Google and I sat and had a consultation and I came across www.virtualbooktourcafe.com. Hmm...so the world still is my oyster, a book promo site that is actually affordable. Now to determine if it actually works.

I guess you'll find out eventually. If you never hear of me and my books outside of this forum then it failed. Hopefully in the coming years with new titles and the passage of time you'll see me somewhere else.

Till then............

Sneak peek into my latest project

Malcolm raced toward the end of the hallway. He had to get to that back exit. If he remembered correctly, it was down the hall and to the right. Maybe if he ran fast enough his assailant wouldn’t realize what direction he’d gone in and he might be able to escape. Suddenly the hallway felt longer than he remembered. It felt like he’d never get to the end. He ran and ran, but the corner seemed to be getting further away. Suddenly the scene around his changed and he was in a room full of boxes. He could see his assailant near the doorway looking for him and he ducked behind a tall stack. He tried to move with stealth but he was exhausted and landed hard against the stack and sent the whole thing crashing. His assailant saw him and fired two shots in his direction. Malcolm wasted no time and vaulted over the falling boxes. His assailant was right behind him. He ran in a zigzag across the room hoping to tire out the shooter, but his energy seemed endless and Malcolm’s was running out. At least his zigzag tactics took his assailant away from the door and Malcolm took the first opportunity he could get to run throw it. He was back in the hallway and again running toward the exit, this time he ran even faster, as fast as his weary legs would take him. This time it felt like he would make it. That corner was in sight. He took a quick look over his shoulder; he didn’t hear his assailant and he hoped that he wasn’t too close. He didn’t see him. There was nobody there. Malcolm was confused but turned to run anyway, one right turn and the door to freedom would be right there.....




That's all for now folks! You'll have to wait to buy the book!