Hi Everyone –
First off, I’m happy to announce that the winner from last week’s blog (selected by random.org) is Terri Dion!!!! Congratulations!!! Please email me at LdyDisney at aol.com J
I’m so excited to finally be able to announce that Forgotten Treasures: 25 Short Fiction Tales is finally available everywhere… I think? LOL
That’s the crazy thing I’ve found with self-publishing. 
I’m never sure if I’ve done everything “correctly”.
How can you be sure when you’re busy being the author, publisher, publicist, distributor, art department, etc.?
Then once the book is out in the world, you try so hard to make an impression, like making angels in the snow and wondering if anyone other than you will ever admire the winged beauty you just created.
And since this is my first indie publishing short story anthology, I also wonder about the best way to market it. Are there good pick up lines for Anthologies?
“My new book is just in… Justincredible!!” Ba-dum-dum
Or maybe…
“My book is like a broom… It’ll sweep you off your feet!!” LOL
Okay so those were lame, but you get the idea, right? J
With the publishing world changing so rapidly, how do you stand out? Some writers go the traditional route with an agent, some are trying eBook publishers, and some are self-publishing with crazy low pricing or even offering their work for free. There no longer seem to be rules, or maybe the old rules are meant to be broken?
I’m going to try sharing a little of what’s inside the cover and hoping you’ll be enticed enough to take a chance on me and the stories lurking inside the cover.
Forgotten Treasures was a labor of love that came about after I completed a challenge issued to me by Ray Bradbury. It’s available as a 242 page eBook for $2.99 (That’s just about 10 cents per story! Such a DEAL! LOL) or in trade paperback for $10.00.
And here are a few handy links! J
http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Treasures-ebook/dp/B006T68NOY
ß Kindle
http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/lisa-kessler/forgotten-treasures/_/R-400000000000000557611
ß Sony
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/forgotten-treasures/id488838677?mt=11
ß Apple
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-forgottentreasures25shortfictiontales-667999-172.html
ß All Romance eBooks
https://www.createspace.com/3723393
ß Createspace (Trade Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Treasures-Short-Fiction-Tales/dp/0615567223
ß Amazon (Trade Paperback)
At this point, I want to send out a huge grateful thank you to my blogging family who helped cheer me on to write many of these stories… Blogophilia gave me writing prompts that really helped me during weeks when I felt uninspired, and they always encouraged me every step of my publishing journey! I feel very blessed to have found such a nurturing online group of writers. You’ll find them in my Acknowledgments at the end of the book, and if you’re curious, you can find the group on MySpace and Facebook now too…
So here’s a sneak peek inside the cover…
Author’s Note
Short stories were my first love in school. I remember reading The Lottery and The Most Dangerous Game for the first time, and being shocked at the emotions they inspired. Later I moved on to Edgar Allen Poe, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King and marveled at the ability they had to make characters come alive in so few words.
I was lucky enough to meet Ray Bradbury a few years ago, and I was struck by his passion for his craft. He actually made me cry when he talked about how deeply he loved writing.
Love. Fall in love and stay in love.
Write only what you love, and love what you write.
The key word is love.
You have to get up in the morning and write something you love,
something to live for. – Ray Bradbury
He gave me some amazing advice. He challenged me to write 52 short stories in 52 weeks. At first, I ignored his advice. I’d sold short stories before, and there wasn’t much money in it.
Then I realized that money couldn’t be the motivator. It was love. Pure love.
And every week I wrote.
As the year went by and I looked over the mass of stories, I realized what a gift he’d given me. Story after story, filled with new characters and places. His challenge helped make magic for me as a writer.
More importantly, he reminded me why I write.
The answer is simple…
Love.
Table of Contents:
Afraid of the Dark
The Curse of Hamelin
Invaded
Outbreak
Hunted
Forgotten Treasures
The Diva
My Prison
The Chariot Race
Demons and More
A Demon on the Drums
Internet Dating Secrets
The Bet
Sci-Fi Tales
Going Home
Desert Storm
Invaders
Fantasy
The Aviator
In the Dead of Winter
Unemployed Muses Anonymous
Love and Loss
Last Dance
Stranded
The Mission
Halloween
A Pirate’s Treasure
1530 Archibald Street
The Caretaker
Christmas
The Third King
The Business Trip
The Demon’s Christmas
I hope you’ll take a chance on a little indie-pubbed short story anthology! J And thanks SO much for all your support!!! You all fill this publishing journey with magic!
Lisa
For Marvin Martian aka Blogophilia’s fearless leader…
I included “Angels in the Snow”, I also included not one but two pick up lines (LOL) and “rules are meant to be broken”.
WOO to tha HOO!! I’ve got my ebook copy from Barnes & Noble… now… we just need to get it in the system to order at Books-A-Million so I can get copies for my friends 🙂
I’m so happy for you… one step closer to a household name, my dear!!
Everyone this is the fabulous Jennifer who helped me to edit EVERY SINGLE story!!!
Thanks so much for all your help on this project!!! 🙂
It would be the coolest if you can get it in the Books-A-Million system too!
My paperback copies are supposed to arrive this week…. Can’t wait!! 🙂
Lisa
*choking back tears* Consider me amongst the admirers of your winged beauties! Congratulations on your ongoing success!!
8 points, Earthling!! 😀
Awww thank you Marvin!!!! *HUGS*
Even though I’m buried in edits and book deadlines, it was SOOOOO fun to write up a Blogophilia blog again… 😀
Thanks for the good wishes!!!
Lisa 🙂
: ) Good to see you posting again!
And….so happy for all that you’ve accomplished.
Awww thanks Irene!!! It’s been a crazy whirlwind…. 🙂
But it was really fun to work for the bonus point blog again! LOL
*HUGS*
Lisa 🙂
Woohoo! All the best with this release, Lisa! I just liked it on Amazon, marked all the tags there, added it to my Goodreads to-read list… I can hardly wait to read it!
Yay!!! Thanks for adding the book and tagging it Linda!!! You rock!!!
I hope you enjoy the stories!!!
Lisa 🙂
Yay. Congrats. Super excited for you. Enjoy the journey!!!!!
Thank you Lynn!!! This one was such a labor of love, I’m ecstatic to have it finished.. Finally! 🙂
Hope you enjoy the stories!
Lisa 🙂
lol I got a notice from amazon about it. To answer your recent question, no I have not stopped writing. Good to see you back
No way??? Amazon sent you an email about it??? That’s so cool!!! 🙂
I’m glad you’re still writing Sue!!! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!!! It’s always great to see you!!! 🙂
I hope you enjoy the stories!!! (You’ll probably recognize some of them! LOL)
Lisa 🙂
This looks really cool, Lisa–and I love that cover! I’m a huge fan of short stories (and *you*), so this is *very* appealing!
Thanks Chris!!! I’m so glad you like the cover! 🙂 Panda took that photo in a phtotography class and I loved the oddity of the little forgotten flower…
Anyway, I found a great cover designer who took the photo and my forgotten treasure concept and when she showed me her design I flipped! LOL
So I’m glad I’m not the only one who likes it…. 😀
I hope you enjoy the stories Chris!!! Writing them was quite a journey…
Thanks for commenting!
Lisa 🙂
*huggs ya hecka tight* So proud of you pretty lady!! Congratulations!! I need to get copies of your books too! Happy to see you in Blogophilia this week!! 😀
LETA!!!!! *TACKLEHUGS*
How have you been??? 🙂 I was happy to post with the Blogophiliacs this week!!! SInce i wrote most of these stories with you, it felt only right to make this a Blogophilia blog! LOL
Thanks for commenting!!! And I hope you enjoy the book!
Lisa 🙂
Congratulations!!! Okay, funny but true story. I’ve got to wait to buy your book because I think my new kitten just purchased it for me. Not kidding. I’ll have to check to see if it auto-delivered to my Kindle.
OMG best impulse buy story ever!!! LOL
So did the kitty buy my book? LOL My sweet hubby bought for his kindle so I got to oggle it! 🙂
Thanks for commenting Ciara!!! I hope you enjoy the stories!
Lisa 🙂
Amazing – I hope it takes off for you and just the first of many books. Of course I might just be hoping that you’ll have to go back to writing a story a week here
Hi Chuck!!! *waving*
This has been so great to see everyone this week!!! 🙂 Thanks for the good wishes!!!
And I hope you enjoy the book… You’ll probably recognize some of the tales… LOL
Thanks for stopping by!!!
Lisa 🙂
A story a week huh? Maybe Ray Bradbury had Blogophilia as a vision! lol
congrats at your success!
Thanks Joanie!!! It was so fun to participate again this week!!!
I hope you’re having a great new year so far!
*HUGS*
Lisa 🙂