A Summer of Indie Curtain Call!

I’m Robert Stanek and I’m your host here at Go Indie - Read Indies. You know you're in the right place in life when you wake up every day with a smile on your face. You know you're in the right place as a writer when that smile is because you're eager to get to the keyboard, eager to get the thoughts racing through your mind down on paper.

That eagerness to capture thoughts on paper has carried me through many days, many years, and many books. As a writer, that eagerness has made the blank page a friend rather than a foe. That blank page can be your friend too--if you let it. And if you let it, you can fill it with everything that's inside you, everything that you can wonder about, everything that you can dream about, and everything that you can imagine.

Over these past many weeks, I've featured the books of many authors who weren't afraid of that blank page either--or maybe they were but they figured out how to turn that fear into something magical, if only for a time. That magical thing being a filled page, a page of letters and words. Words that dance and sing. Words that make your heart swoon or soar. Words that make your thoughts chase the heavens or scatter to the winds. Words that make your very breath catch, slow or race.

As Summer of Indie nears the end, I want to thank those who have supported the event faithfully, for it was their support that inspired me this summer, and their strength, as much as anything else, that made Summer of Indie possible.
 
Summer of Indie was a journey as much as anything else. A chance to learn about new authors and new books, and perhaps discover new favorites. Whether this is your first or hundredth visit to the Read Indies blog, I hope you'll now take a moment to read through posts you may have missed, bookmark your favorites so you can find them again, and make a few reading lists.

I hope your list will include some of my books as well, and I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to my works.

My day job is as a tech writer, a job I've been doing full-time since 1996. You can learn more about my William Stanek books at http://www.williamstanek.com/. Windows 8 Pocket Consultant is one of my latest tech books.

 

 

Before I wrote tech books, I was in the military and I wrote a true account of my war-time service in a book called Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of Electronic Warfare in the Gulf War. The book isn't as popular as No Easy Day, but I'd like to think it just as vividly depicts the sacrifices of the men and women I served with in the Gulf War. Learn more about this book at http://stanek.reagentpress.com/.

I started my writing journey in 1986 when I penned Keeper Martin's Tale, the first Ruin Mist book and my first full-length novel. As an instant, indie bestseller, Keeper Martin's Tale shook trees and rattled cages when it debuted in print in 2002--and it's still shaking trees and rattling cages today. Journey to Ruin Mist by visiting http://www.ruinmistmovie.com/.

Another project I worked on for many years before publication is the tale of a big, little place called Bugville. Originally, I wrote the Bugville stories for my children who delighted in them so much they urged me to publish them for other children to enjoy. Buster's story begins with Visit Dad & Mom At Work, but I think it's more appropriate to share with you one of the the more recent stories. It's called Have a Spooktacular Halloween and it features Buster's friend Lass.

Journey to Bugville by visiting http://www.bugvillecritters.com/








If you decide to read my books, and I hope you do, one thing I hope you take with you afterward is the sense that anything's possible. You can dream. You can achieve dreams. All those years ago when I began writing, I had no idea where my dream would take me and yet I dared to dream because I believed the impossible was entirely possible. And, it is.


-- Robert Stanek

Summer of Indie with Robert Stanek

I’m Robert Stanek and I’m your host here at Go Indie - Read Indies. I’ve been writing professionally for many years and will celebrate the publication of my 150^th book next year. That’s a lot of books, a lot of years, and a lot of readers.

Summer of Indie kicked off in grand style with a party on April 28. More than 35 indie authors turned out for the event.

Beginning in June and continuing throughout the summer, Summer of Indie featured indie authors and their books. Nearly 100 indie authors were featured in all, along with their many, many books. In fact, as many featured authors had written several books, hundreds of books were introduced and talked about.

How far indies have come in so few years. How many naysayers are eating eggs. Back in 2001 when my first indie book was released as an ebook serial there were very few indie books and even fewer indie success stories. I'd like to think I helped change that when my Ruin Mist books quickly became top sellers on Amazon. Like the little engine that could, the Ruin Mist books are the little books that could.

Year after year the books have had steadily increasing readership. Interest from movie production companies has come and gone. New editions and new books have been introduced. A graphic novel and comics are out. I work now on a script that may some day be the first Ruin Mist movie (or it may not). Who knows for sure what the future may bring...

I thought 2002 was a banner year when print sales soared beyond my wildest expectations and I was living with a smile on my face. I thought that year would never be topped, never be achieved again. Until I brought Ruin Mist to audio in 2005 and the books catapulted to #1 on Audible for FOURTEEN consecutive weeks and then stayed on the Kids & YA Top 10 for the next THREE YEARS.

 

When that massive run ended, I thought, "Oh man, this is the end of the ride, but what a ride it's been." Then sales rocketed again and I had my best few years ever as a writer. That was nirvana. That was magical.

By 2011 I thought for sure the ride was over. That this was it for Ruin Mist, but it wasn't so. The 12 months from Oct 11 to Sep 12 has brought more new readers to the world of Ruin Mist than any other 12-month period. Ever... Who knew books published so many years ago could still have best years ahead of them.

My point being, you never know. That first or next book you write may be the one. Then again it might not, but you never know until you put yourself out there.

I had no idea nearly a million people would read the Ruin Mist books over the past 11 years. But they have...

I don't know if a million more will read the books in the next 11 years. But they may...

And if this inspires you... Hit a few out of the park for me and tell the world Robert Stanek sent you.

Thanks for reading!

 

Got an indie success story to share, send it in and I'll share it right here at Go Indie - Read Indies.

-- Robert Stanek

 

Robert Stanek -- Thank you Chicki Brown, Carole Gill, Brian Bigelow, and Tammie Gibbs!

After a brief hiatus, Summer of Indie continues. I was off working through the wee hours to finish up two new books for my publisher: Windows 8 Pocket Consultant and Windows Server 2012 Pocket Consultant. It was a down- to-the-wire finish on the final review to update the books for the Release version of these new operating systems.

 

As I get back to Summer of Indie, I want to thank Chicki Brown, Carole Gill, Brian Bigelow, and Tammie Gibbs for continuing to be Summer of Indie's BIGGEST supporters.

This BIG event wouldn't be possible without such great support!

THANK YOU!

Have you read their blogs yet? All worth a read I think:

•  Brian Bigelow's Blog (http://brian-bigelow.blogspot.com/)

• Chicki Brown's Blog (http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com/)

• Carole Gill's Blog (http://carolegillofficialauthor.blogspot.com/)

• Tammie Clarke Gibbs' Blog (http://authortammieclarkegibbs.blogspot.com/)

 

My official Robert Stanek blog is here: http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/. If you want to read that too... :-)

 

Thanks everyone!

Summer of Indie talks with Vickie Johnstone

Summer of Indie Kicks Off With Featured Author Vickie Johnstone

 

Summer of Indie starts today with our first featured author Vickie Johnstone. Vickie Johnstone is an indie author who chose to showcase her talent as a writer by discussing with us her children's series and her poetry.

We asked Vickie about herself, her interests, and her work, and here's what she had to say:

Hi, I live in London and have a thing about fluffy cats, or rather fluffies in general. I have spent the last 16-odd years working as a sub-editor on business magazines, enjoying the delights of such things as insurance, computers, mining, money (though not how to make it, alas) and the environment. My favourite things include reading, writing, films, the sea, taking photos, art, music, animals, nature, dancing like an eejit, travelling, birdsong, custard tarts, baileys, sleeping (if it was an Olympic sport, I’d be a contender) and gallons of tea. I have written stories and poems since I was a kid, but only started publishing my first books in 2011. During that year, I wrote two books and a nanowrimo, so I think this was my busiest year - inspired by such writing groups on FB as Book Junkies! My dream would be to write for a living, dwell by the sea and never run out of Milky Bar chocolate.
Happy reading and writing :)

Here are some of author Vickie Johnstone's works that she wished to share with readers:

Kiwi in Cat City

Book 1 in Kiwi series.

Amy and James live in a house with their parents and their little black cat, Kiwi. One dark night, Amy cannot sleep and she looks out of the window into the garden to see Kiwi transfixed by the moon, which has taken on a weird, glowing shape like a cat's claw. Waking her brother, Amy suggests they follow Kiwi that night to see where she goes... whether it involves a hunt for mice or something else. Little do they know that, with a flick of her tail, Kiwi is going to lead them on the adventure of their lives to a land they never knew existed in their wildest dreams. In the blue-lit world of Cat City, they gain an understanding of what it's really like to be a cat and walk on four paws. There they get to help Inspector Furrball solve the mystery of the missing catizens and find out what happened to Madame Purrfect.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55227
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YKSZMM

Kiwi and the Missing Magic

In the second book of the Kiwi series, James and Amy embark on another adventure with their little black cat, which will take them to the Land of Giant Mice in search of the missing Magic. The children return to Cat City to help their friends from the first book and meet some new characters along the way, including the Worry Bee, Whiskers and Moggie. Can James and Amy help Kiwi save the day? More importantly, will James' pet hamster find his true calling in life?

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/71030
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005AL3D7Q

Kiwi and the Living Nightmare

In book 3 of the Kiwi Series, Amy, James and Kiwi embark on their spookiest adventure yet - on Halloween. What begins with an eerie dream about a three-legged cat will take the budding detectives on a quest to find an old house in the middle of the woods, meeting some familiar characters and some perky squirrels along the way. Little do they know that there awaits an angry, restless ghost that will do anything to stop them leaving. Meanwhile, Inspector Furrball and Siam discover the human world, and some surprising news.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95345
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UF4V6E



Kaleidoscope

A collection of 119 poems, arranged under the following chapters: figures; nature; abstracts; love; haiku; darkwave; childhood; and creatures.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/51234
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SY5VZ8

Travelling Light - a free preview book of poems

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/61290
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0055U9PEW











A Flash of Inspiration - A collection of very short stories by indie authors (anthology)

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66603

Her books are also at listed at http://publishmybook.ie/

You can find Vickie Johnstone online at the following places:

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorVickieJohnstone
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4788773.Vickie_Johnstone

https://twitter.com/#!/vickiejohnstone

http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.com