From July 1 until July 7, I'm giving away five copies of Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises as part of the YABC Festival celebrating the first six months of the Young Adult Book Club (YABC) on Goodreads.com. YABC
This giveaway will be available for the first five YABC members that post a comment here asking for the books.
Readers can find much more about both books at my Anabar Series Blog: http://anabarseries.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Shameless Comparison to Pottermore
I know some of you might accuse me of trying to take advantage of J.K Rowling's announcement of her new Pottermore website venture, but (here goes) I believe I have been trying to do a similar thing with my Anabar Series blog. Since I began working on my blog several months ago, I have been trying to make it an interactive immersive experience for readers of my Anabar series.
I carefully read Rowling's press release announcement of Pottermore, and I was happy to see her include ideas similar to what I am doing with my my blog.
The press release states: "J.K. Rowling has written extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories, which will inform, inspire and entertain readers as they journey through the storylines of the books."
Well, everything on my blog is new material I have written, and I hope it will entertain my readers and add to the experience of reading my books.
Rowling's press release also states: "In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned illustrations and interactive ‘Moments’ through which you can navigate, starting with the first book..."
Again, I am trying to do much the same thing. My blog now has new photographs, posters, notes, a map, and a journal. I believe these feature will bring my stories to life. I also have plans to continue to add to my blog every week in the foreseeable future. To be honest, I am having fun working on my blog - I hope readers and potential readers will have fun there too.
I think Pottermore is great news for those of us trying to promote our ebooks. Rowling had injected a huge amount of legitimacy to ebooks with her announcement. That can only help us all.
Please check out my blog. I would love to hear what you think.
http://anabarseries.blogspot.com/
I carefully read Rowling's press release announcement of Pottermore, and I was happy to see her include ideas similar to what I am doing with my my blog.
The press release states: "J.K. Rowling has written extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories, which will inform, inspire and entertain readers as they journey through the storylines of the books."
Well, everything on my blog is new material I have written, and I hope it will entertain my readers and add to the experience of reading my books.
Rowling's press release also states: "In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned illustrations and interactive ‘Moments’ through which you can navigate, starting with the first book..."
Again, I am trying to do much the same thing. My blog now has new photographs, posters, notes, a map, and a journal. I believe these feature will bring my stories to life. I also have plans to continue to add to my blog every week in the foreseeable future. To be honest, I am having fun working on my blog - I hope readers and potential readers will have fun there too.
I think Pottermore is great news for those of us trying to promote our ebooks. Rowling had injected a huge amount of legitimacy to ebooks with her announcement. That can only help us all.
Please check out my blog. I would love to hear what you think.
http://anabarseries.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 23, 2011
New horror short stories and blog
I've just opened a new blog at Bad Dreams From Will Granger where I am promoting the first of my new horror short stories.
The Deadly Path is the tale of five-year-old Cindy, who often watches from her bedroom window as an old man passes by her house in the middle of the night. Strangely drawn to the man, Cindy sneaks out of her house and finds him by following a golden path that only they can see. She watches as he buries strange coins by the corners of several houses.
What Cindy does not know is that people start dying in those houses. Cindy's life changes when her best friend dies in a fire, and she finds one of the coins buried under the ashes.
Gladitorium Immortuos takes place in Ancient Rome. Soldiers capture some Immortuos (Zombies), which are then used in a new form of gladiatorial combat where the audience gets to participate. The Roman crowd loves the new games, and everyone is happy until...well, ah, when do things ever end well with Zombies?
The Deadly Path is the tale of five-year-old Cindy, who often watches from her bedroom window as an old man passes by her house in the middle of the night. Strangely drawn to the man, Cindy sneaks out of her house and finds him by following a golden path that only they can see. She watches as he buries strange coins by the corners of several houses.
What Cindy does not know is that people start dying in those houses. Cindy's life changes when her best friend dies in a fire, and she finds one of the coins buried under the ashes.
Gladitorium Immortuos takes place in Ancient Rome. Soldiers capture some Immortuos (Zombies), which are then used in a new form of gladiatorial combat where the audience gets to participate. The Roman crowd loves the new games, and everyone is happy until...well, ah, when do things ever end well with Zombies?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Anabar's Run featured on Indie Snippets Blog
Thanks go to Bryan for posting a snippet feature on Anabar's Run at Indie Snippets Blog. Bryan runs a great blog where he promotes many authors with interesting "Snippets" or excerpts of 200 words or less. He provides a great service for writers and readers alike. Please check out his blog at http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/ follow it, and help spread the word about it.
Getting featured on Indie Snippets is my latest step in promoting my books and my Anabar brand. I also just moved my Anabar Series blog to Blogger at http://anabarseries.blogspot.com/ . I believe I have succeeded a creating a fun and interesting site for my readers, especially the Middle Grade readers. I will continue to add to site site.
I think my Anabar Series blog is an example of what writers can now do with our books to add to the overall experience of reading. I believe we will see more and more writers creating interesting websites to compliment their books.
Getting featured on Indie Snippets is my latest step in promoting my books and my Anabar brand. I also just moved my Anabar Series blog to Blogger at http://anabarseries.blogspot.com/ . I believe I have succeeded a creating a fun and interesting site for my readers, especially the Middle Grade readers. I will continue to add to site site.
I think my Anabar Series blog is an example of what writers can now do with our books to add to the overall experience of reading. I believe we will see more and more writers creating interesting websites to compliment their books.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Continuing YA discussion on Wall Street Journal boards
There is an enthusiastic discussion going on at the Wall Street Journal web page at this page.
Many people are debating Meghan Cox Gurdon's article Darkness Too Visible
Her subheading, "Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?" should give you a good idea of what she says in her article.
I agree that some YA fiction is excessively vulgar, and I think the best way to deal with this is for parents to pay attention to what their children are reading.
Whatever your position on this, post a comment so we can discuss it. Also, if you agree with me, join me on the WSJ site - I need some backup there!
Thanks,
Will
Many people are debating Meghan Cox Gurdon's article Darkness Too Visible
Her subheading, "Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?" should give you a good idea of what she says in her article.
I agree that some YA fiction is excessively vulgar, and I think the best way to deal with this is for parents to pay attention to what their children are reading.
Whatever your position on this, post a comment so we can discuss it. Also, if you agree with me, join me on the WSJ site - I need some backup there!
Thanks,
Will
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Free ebooks! My First Giveaway of Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises
Hi everyone,
I know other authors offer giveaways from time to time, so I decided to offer free copies of my books. Hopefully some of you will take advantage of my offer and enjoy read the books. If you post a reply here or send me a message on Twitter at my Twitter page by June 23, I'll be happy to send you a Smashwords.com coupon code for free copies of both Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks,
Will
I know other authors offer giveaways from time to time, so I decided to offer free copies of my books. Hopefully some of you will take advantage of my offer and enjoy read the books. If you post a reply here or send me a message on Twitter at my Twitter page by June 23, I'll be happy to send you a Smashwords.com coupon code for free copies of both Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks,
Will
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Profiteering Instead of Therapy in Vulgar YA Literature
There is an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal titled "Darkness Too Visible" (Link to article) by Meghan Cox Gurdon in which she includes the sub heading, "Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?". She makes the point that there is too much extreme violence and explicit sexual content in YA literature today.
I agree with her to a point. While I am not in favor of censorship and banning books, I think parents have the responsibility to know what their children are reading and to control it if they do not feel it is appropriate. It is also not responsible parenting to have no idea what your kids are reading. That is not permissive or enlightened - it is lazy parenting.
Some argue that Ms. Gurdon and others who agree with her cannot see that writers of such depravity are helping young readers by teaching them about what the world is really like.
I say that it is a bullshit excuse to say that this extreme violence and sex is being written solely with our kids' best interests in mind. These writers are not some sort of quasi-therapists or inspirational figures who are seeking to enlighten our youth - they are simply profiteering and taking advantage of the market.
Still writers should write what they want, and they should do so to try to sell their books. You have to be honest if you want to be a writer.
That's why I think it is the parent's responsibility to make the decisions about what is appropriate.
I agree with her to a point. While I am not in favor of censorship and banning books, I think parents have the responsibility to know what their children are reading and to control it if they do not feel it is appropriate. It is also not responsible parenting to have no idea what your kids are reading. That is not permissive or enlightened - it is lazy parenting.
Some argue that Ms. Gurdon and others who agree with her cannot see that writers of such depravity are helping young readers by teaching them about what the world is really like.
I say that it is a bullshit excuse to say that this extreme violence and sex is being written solely with our kids' best interests in mind. These writers are not some sort of quasi-therapists or inspirational figures who are seeking to enlighten our youth - they are simply profiteering and taking advantage of the market.
Still writers should write what they want, and they should do so to try to sell their books. You have to be honest if you want to be a writer.
That's why I think it is the parent's responsibility to make the decisions about what is appropriate.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Editing complete on Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises!
Thanks to some excellent suggestions, I spent the last two weeks editing Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises. I fixed some grammar and spelling issues, but more significantly, I corrected some details and made everything a bit more concise and clear.
I enjoyed this process. It was fun getting back into my stories and getting to know my characters again. Try rereading something you wrote over a year ago - it is a unique experience.
I am confident both books are now in much better shape, and that readers will enjoy them more. Now that I am into my summer break from teaching, I have plans to do several things to build up my writing career.
First, I will move my Anabar website over to Blogger and plan to continue to add to the content. I want the site to be a very interesting and enjoyable place place for readers. My goal is to add a ton of content over the summer
I am also writing a horror short story that is vastly different that Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises. It is the story of a little girl and an old man who share a nasty talent. I have had the basic story in my head for some time, and I am enjoying finally writing it. Actually sitting down and writing is still the best part of all of this.
I enjoyed this process. It was fun getting back into my stories and getting to know my characters again. Try rereading something you wrote over a year ago - it is a unique experience.
I am confident both books are now in much better shape, and that readers will enjoy them more. Now that I am into my summer break from teaching, I have plans to do several things to build up my writing career.
First, I will move my Anabar website over to Blogger and plan to continue to add to the content. I want the site to be a very interesting and enjoyable place place for readers. My goal is to add a ton of content over the summer
I am also writing a horror short story that is vastly different that Anabar's Run and Anabar Rises. It is the story of a little girl and an old man who share a nasty talent. I have had the basic story in my head for some time, and I am enjoying finally writing it. Actually sitting down and writing is still the best part of all of this.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Major revision to Anabar's Run
I know I rushed Anabar's Run when I published it as an ebook. I had too many errors, and I know a writer establishes credibility by writing clean, error-free pages.
Now that my summer break has begun, I have the time to take a close look at the book and to fix the problems I found. They are mostly typos, but I am fixing a few details as well. I am confident readers will enjoy the story much more after I clean it up. Thanks to those who already bought Anabar's Run. I will also scrub Anabar Rises and make it as good as I can.
Now that my summer break has begun, I have the time to take a close look at the book and to fix the problems I found. They are mostly typos, but I am fixing a few details as well. I am confident readers will enjoy the story much more after I clean it up. Thanks to those who already bought Anabar's Run. I will also scrub Anabar Rises and make it as good as I can.
Will Indie books make us readers again?
It is exciting to be getting involved in Indie publishing of ebooks. I think the best part is that we can do something every day to give ourselves a chance to become successful. We can revise and edit our books, work on our blogs and websites, promote our books on Facebook and Twitter, and best of all, we can write more stories.
With the traditional method of trying to attract an agent, and then hoping to find a willing publisher, there is too much waiting. You send a query letter and wait; you have no control over anything.
Who knows what this will all lead to? I think I can say for sure that more people will be writing and publishing books in the coming years. Will we get to the point where traditional bookstores will be gone as some are predicting? This is a surprising possibility for some who say young people are not reading enough.
As an English teacher and college professor, I do see many students with poor vocabularies. They don't read enough for fun. They have too many distractions and are growing up without reading, but this may be changing. Maybe, just maybe, as more and more people get Kindles, Nooks, iPads and other similar devices, they will start reading again. I sure hope so.
With the traditional method of trying to attract an agent, and then hoping to find a willing publisher, there is too much waiting. You send a query letter and wait; you have no control over anything.
Who knows what this will all lead to? I think I can say for sure that more people will be writing and publishing books in the coming years. Will we get to the point where traditional bookstores will be gone as some are predicting? This is a surprising possibility for some who say young people are not reading enough.
As an English teacher and college professor, I do see many students with poor vocabularies. They don't read enough for fun. They have too many distractions and are growing up without reading, but this may be changing. Maybe, just maybe, as more and more people get Kindles, Nooks, iPads and other similar devices, they will start reading again. I sure hope so.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Why my books are different-even unique
I realize this title might sound a bit arrogant, but I'm just trying to promote my book. It is that simple. I've been thinking about why people ought to read my books, and I believe I have written a unique story. My character, Anabar, has no magic powers, he's not a vampire, and he has not been destined to be "the one".
Even with that, the decision he faces at the end of Anabar Rises is what really makes my story different. While at first it might seem like it is just story about fighting and war, or a young man facing difficult choices, it really has a strong message of peace. I want my readers, especially the younger ones, to see how a hero can sacrifice everything, risk everything, in order to try to bring peace. Peace is worth any cost. That is the message in my books.
Even with that, the decision he faces at the end of Anabar Rises is what really makes my story different. While at first it might seem like it is just story about fighting and war, or a young man facing difficult choices, it really has a strong message of peace. I want my readers, especially the younger ones, to see how a hero can sacrifice everything, risk everything, in order to try to bring peace. Peace is worth any cost. That is the message in my books.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Anabar Rises Now Published!
Anabar Rises, the second novel in my Anabar trilogy, is now available! You can buy it at Amazon.com for Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com for Nook, and at Smashwords.com. I am very happy to have published Anabar Rises. I am convinced it is better that Anabar's Run.
This book was why I started this series; I pictured the climax for a long time, and I really like how it turned out. Anabar faces an impossible choice and proves himself to be a different kind of hero. Here is a brief synopsis:
In this, the second book in the Anabar trilogy, Anabar begins his new life as a Scout and finds excitement, success, and even fame. Unfortunately, fame is the one thing a Scout, duty bound to remain secretive, should never achieve. He is then banished to the dangerous border region as war threatens to engulf Semdela and Ricamar. Soldiers capture Anabar and send him to prison, an event that ultimately leads him to the arms of Princess Astrida. In the end, Anabar faces his most difficult decision: whether to perform his duty as a Scout, to seek the love of Astrida, or to risk everything to try to bring peace to the land.
You can buy both books on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and Smashwords.com:
This book was why I started this series; I pictured the climax for a long time, and I really like how it turned out. Anabar faces an impossible choice and proves himself to be a different kind of hero. Here is a brief synopsis:
In this, the second book in the Anabar trilogy, Anabar begins his new life as a Scout and finds excitement, success, and even fame. Unfortunately, fame is the one thing a Scout, duty bound to remain secretive, should never achieve. He is then banished to the dangerous border region as war threatens to engulf Semdela and Ricamar. Soldiers capture Anabar and send him to prison, an event that ultimately leads him to the arms of Princess Astrida. In the end, Anabar faces his most difficult decision: whether to perform his duty as a Scout, to seek the love of Astrida, or to risk everything to try to bring peace to the land.
You can buy both books on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and Smashwords.com:
I have uploaded photographs, maps, and other information you cannot find in the books. I think you might enjoy taking a look.
Thanks,
Will Granger
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Amazon Bestseller Book Launch for Completely Whole
Hi everyone,
Please check out this new book from Paulette Harper!
Oftentimes, many people try to seek fulfillment from money, relationships, accomplishments, or material things. Others choose to cope with difficult problems by using drugs or alcohol, but they often come up short and soon have to realize that such things do not bring true happiness and fulfillment in life. How then can we successfully solve the problems that we face and find true happiness and peace in our lives? Well, author, Paulette Harper, in her latest book, Completely Whole, shows readers how to overcome suffering caused by alcoholism, substance abuse, poverty, and other obstacles blocking the path to a life of wholeness in spirit, soul, and body.
Completely Whole Book Launch
Please check out this new book from Paulette Harper!
Oftentimes, many people try to seek fulfillment from money, relationships, accomplishments, or material things. Others choose to cope with difficult problems by using drugs or alcohol, but they often come up short and soon have to realize that such things do not bring true happiness and fulfillment in life. How then can we successfully solve the problems that we face and find true happiness and peace in our lives? Well, author, Paulette Harper, in her latest book, Completely Whole, shows readers how to overcome suffering caused by alcoholism, substance abuse, poverty, and other obstacles blocking the path to a life of wholeness in spirit, soul, and body.
In her well-written, resource-filled guide, Harper provides readers with practical and biblically-based solutions to overcome everyday problems. Completely Whole features prayers, meditations, and powerful scripture passages to allow readers to interact with the text and to apply it to their own lives. Harper uses personal experiences and biblical principles to place readers on a path to be in connection with God. This life-changing book will help readers to transform their spirit, soul, and body through Jesus Christ, so they can live a life of peace, joy, and fulfillment.
Special Today Only! May 9. Buy a copy of Completely Whole by Paulette Harper and get immediate access to amazing Free Bonus Gifts and contest giveaways.
Visit the link below for more details:Completely Whole Book Launch
Sunday, May 1, 2011
And So They Wrote Blog features Anabar's Run and Will Granger
Many thanks to Dona Wording who is featuring Anabar's Run on her excellent blog, and so they wrote.... She posted my bio and a long excerpt, chapters 12 - 19, from the book. See the blog here:
And So They Wrote: ANABAR'S RUN, by WILL GRANGER
And So They Wrote: ANABAR'S RUN, by WILL GRANGER
Friday, April 29, 2011
Anabar's Run website almost ready
I've been working on the website and hope to start promoting it next week. I plan to begin with Omalof's training log, a map, and some pictures. My plan is to create an Anabar world and throughout the summer, when I'm not teaching and have more time, I am going to add maps of the cities Beral and Chorazatt, flags, a Scout training manual, a page devoted to to drail with video, pictures, history, statistics, and mining, and other items that are also featured in Anabar Rises, book 2 of the Anabar trilogy.
My hope is that readers will enjoy this additional material, and I would especially like to add items that they suggest.
I have included some information on Semdela and Ricamar on my Shelfari book page at this link: Anabar's Run Shelfari Page
My hope is that readers will enjoy this additional material, and I would especially like to add items that they suggest.
I have included some information on Semdela and Ricamar on my Shelfari book page at this link: Anabar's Run Shelfari Page
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