Polls, Decisions, and a Bit of a Tease

November 13, 2016November 13, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 9 Comments

I must admit writing the headline for this post made me chuckle, and I can only imagine what thoughts ran through your mind reading it. As amused as I was at my cleverness, this post has nothing to do with what you might have been thinking. I wanted your attention.

It was also a way to share, with those of you voted in my recent poll, the results and an opportunity to tease you a bit more about my story collection.

First, the results: Select the Preferred Cover?

Beware the fury of – A Patient Woman Vs. Darkness reigns in Maybe Next time.

69%

Now, for the tease…. from, the back cover of my book.

Brace yourself to feel uneasy as you open the pages and step over to the dark side of murder, justice, and revenge. Squirm a bit as you recall that fleeting thought or secret fantasy when you thought no one was listening.

Here is the old poll

Did the excerpt from the cover give you a different vibe or change your choice? If so, vote in my new poll and tell why in my new

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

November 3, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 10 Comments

I don’t know what’s happening lately, but making decisions is like pulling teeth for me. Today, I waffle over the simplest things. The worst, according to my husband, is choosing from the menu whenever we go out. Food doesn’t have the same appeal, it once did, but even I had to laugh last night – when the waitress ordered for me. God love her; I guess she had other patrons waiting (the nerve).

I haven’t always been cursed with indecisiveness, especially when I worked. As a nursing administrator and single mom, with two young children (at the time), I didn’t have the leisure of hemming and hawing. I had to make decisions and make them quickly. Those days are long gone; my children are grown, and I left the workforce a long time ago. However, having to make decisions didn’t disappear or magically become easier. If you’re alive and breathing, you make decisions every day; some minor, others difficult, and a few that has the potential to shake the ground on which we stand.

There are things in this life worth taking our time over deciding – food or what to wear are not those types of decisions and truthfully, neither is my latest quandary. To you, it may seem silly; especially with all, that’s going on in our world. Nevertheless, I hope you’ll humor me and give me your opinion.

As you may recall, I mentioned weeks ago; I was planning to publish a short story collection. Well, it’s ready, but for the love of God, I can’t decide on which cover I want to use. That’s where you come in – I need you to vote in my poll.

Which cover do you like best? If you decide not to participate, I understand and appreciate your reading. It’s always a pleasure to see you here in the pasture. For those who vote, here’s a hint about the story collection:

“It has been said that darkness dwells within even the best of us. In the worst of us, darkness not only dwells but reigns.” ― Dean Koontz. Tweet this.

Vote and tell me what you think. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I’d love to hear from you.

Short Story Collections – A Good Investment?

September 14, 2016October 22, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 20 Comments

I realize it’s been a few days since my last post, but I’ve been busy working on a short story collection. At present, the collection is out to beta readers which has given me time to toy with cover designs (via Canva) as well as consulting with profession designers.

This is my first foray into self-publishing, and while I’m excited about the prospect, I’ve also discovered the process can be costly, especially when you factor in ISBN’s, Editors, and cover designers (if you choose to go the professional route).

Which brings me to my question – Is it a worthwhile investment?

Short story collections are a huge category on Amazon, ranging from literary, romance, erotica, Christian to crime. You’ll find collections and singles from classic authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway, to name a few and a large selection of Kindle Singles and Kindle Short Reads listed by reading times (from 15 minutes to 2 hours or more). How cool is that?

In doing my research, prices ranged from free to $9.99 for the Kindle version with other formats running as high as $22.47.

Now, I’m no Fitzgerald or Hemingway and probably won’t break even for a long time to come, but it’s not about the money – it’s about sharing my stories.

I’ll tell you more about my short story collection in the coming weeks but in the meantime, here’s a hint.

“Darkness dwells within even the best of us. In the worst of us, darkness not only dwells but reigns.” ― Dean Koontz (Tweet This).

What do you think? Short story collections- are they a good investment?

All Writers Need Encouragement and the Occasional Win

August 22, 2016October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 16 Comments

bigeducationape.blogspot.com

All writers, regardless of their level of expertise, need encouragement and the occasional pat on the back. Today, I awoke to a pat on the back and a congratulatory email.

“Congratulations! Thank you for your submission to Donut Factory. We would be delighted to include “Maggie’s New Beginning” in the upcoming Fall 2016 print issue, as well as the 2016 year-end collection.”

To say I’m thrilled is insufficient. This story is one of my favorites and one I always believed I would, eventually, find a home. Thank you Donut Factory Press.