Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!!

First a reminder, Halloween is the last day to enter the giveaway for the final Zombie Survival Kit. There's tons of other great contests to be found over at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer's Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

I'm also going to take Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB) off free tomorrow. It will probably take Amazon at least a few days to change the price (they won't change it until it changes everywhere else first). So if you'd like a copy, better grab it in the next day or so.

Check out the photo of it ranked #55 on Amazon's Freebie Bestseller List, right above Dracula and bellow some book called The Holly Bible. You better watch out J.C, I'm right behind you! Actually, there's zero chance of people skipping their Bible study in favor of reading SZJMB; as soon as the price returns, it will go back to a more normal ranking.

Last, blogger David Stantos posted a great review of SZJMB yesterday. Here's an except:
"We aren't told what the kids did while they were gone. It turned me away a bit. I thought, well if this book is going to jump or skip 'scenes' it's probably not going to be very good."

Here's another:
"Anyways at first the two main characters Nate and Misty were kind of dull, no real personality."

Sounds bad, huh? Well, he goes on to say that it turns out he liked it so much he read it in one sitting--he gives it 5-stars. David actually warned me before I sent the book that he's a really frank reviewer. Hey, you know the critiques are going to come; it's a lot easier to swallow then they love the book!

Now I just have to wait for that 1-star critique--I don't mind waiting.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!!!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Free Copies of My eBook For EVERYONE!!!


This year, rather than passing out candy, I'm giving out free copies of my debut novel Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB). It's a great way to get into the Halloween spirit!

I'm running this promotion until Halloween, so if it looks like something you might want to put in your 'To Be Read' pile, better grab a copy now.

Speaking of SZJMB, Ken over at Paperless Reading, just posted a great review; here's an except:
"Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb is targeted at all ages so it is not as horrific as The Walking Dead but has enough gory scenes to satisfy zombie fans."


Happy Halloween!!!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop


I'm excited to be part of I Am A Reader, Not A Writer's Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

As part of this hop, I'm going to be giving away the last Zombie Survival kit.

This is a kid friendly kit that induces not only a copy of my book, Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb, it also includes the following items to help you survive the coming Zombie Apocalypse:
  • A high-powered water gun
  • Lemonade mix
  • Zombie snot (decontaminated)
  • Recipe for making your own zombie snot
  • LED flashlight
  • Duct tape
  • Personal first aid kit
  • Rope
  • Misty’s strawberry flavored lip-gloss
  • Emergency glow stick
  • Water balloons for making zombie juice bombs
Enter by Midnight October 31st PST. A winner will be picked by random on or around Nov. 1st. His/her first name and last initial will be posted online shortly thereafter. The winner will also be notified via e-mail and will have 30 days to claim their prize. Unclaimed prizes will be given to charity, re-listed, or disposed of.

Contest valid in the continental US only and void were prohibited by law.
The winner will be required to provide a valid US shipping address. E-mail addresses will not be disclosed, except as required by law. I will not use your e-mail as part of my mailing list, give it away, or anything like that.


Update (11/24): The winner of last week's kit is: Cathy R. I think only one Cathy R. entered, so if that sounds like you check your inbox for an e-mail from me.

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly (aka Sales Update)

The Good:
Kitty at Great Minds Think Aloud posted a great interview with me on their blog. A review and giveaway should follow sometime in the future.

JJ, an Amazon top 500 reviewer, gave SZJMB a great 5-star review. Here's a quote:
"The humor was excellent as was the light horror, and I absolutely loved every second of reading it."

Last, SZJMB is currently number 75 on a Goodreads list of The Best Independent Novels. Thanks to the reviewer who nominated me (hope it's okay that I also voted for myself :-)

The Bad:
I know my blog is read by a lot of other authors, so I've made a commitment to myself to post the ups and downs of indie publishing. I've been reporting increased sales month over month, with the last two months both breaking over 200 books sold.

Recently, Amazon changed a couple things in the way they promote books and my sales tanked. I can't even giveaway books on Amazon anymore (I went from giving away 4-5,000 books a month to less than 500). It happened mid-month, so my monthly sales don't look as bad as they could have. My sales on Amazon.com were down about by about 2/3rds, but thankfully my sales on other sites were up. So for August I sold just over 170 books.

In October, my sales on Amazon are up a little, thanks mainly to my Monster Mashup Short Story Omnibus finding it's way onto several "also brought" lists. Assuming my Apple sales remain the same, I'll be between 175 and 200 sales for the month--if SZJMB gets a few Apple sales, I might get back to 200 sale in October.

The most interesting takeaway from all this: Amazon.com sales now total less than 50% of my total ebook sales.

Now for the UGLY:
My debut novel SZJMB has sold a grand total of 12 copies this month (and it's still priced at just 99 cents). It's a little hard not to get down about this. But the truth is it's getting great reviews running between 4.25 -4.5 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads. It just takes time to get the word out and I'm sure the sales will pickup thanks to everyone who's participated in my blog tour, left a review, or even just picked up a copy--Thank You!

Last, try as hard as I might, I can't seem to keep from posting on controversial topics. On top of that it seems I don't do a good job of tempering my words.
My last blog post about the toddler in China has apparently angered some living in that country. I do apologize to anyone I offended.
The message I was trying to get across is that the Chinese are, at their core, exactly like you and me--they are a good, moral people. However, by trying to control all forms of media (especially the written word) the Chinese government has fostered the profound and disturbing apathy shown in that terrible story. My words are meant as a warning, not just about censorship, but about the unintended consequences of trying to control the way a people think.

Oh, and on a lighter note: Don't forget today's the last day to enter to win the second to last Zombie Survival Kit.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

What the Hell is Wrong With China?

You may have seen the story about the little girl in China hit by a van, whose driver stopped, then after realizing he hit someone, sped away, in the process running over her again, and who--after about a dozen people walked pass her tiny broken body, ignoring her cries and the trail of blood--was ran over again by a second vehicle, only have another half-dozen more people walk past her before a 58-year old woman who makes her living (if one can call it that) by picking up discarded rags and other pieces of cloth (which are then cleaned and re-used as stuffing in teddy bears and such) finally stopped and moved her out of the path of traffic before getting help.

Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly given the extent of her injuries, she died early this morning (Friday the 21st).

I was unwilling to watch the internet video showing the girl being hit, but I did watch the CNN after accident clip which, except for tiny sporadic movements, almost seems to show people walking around a small sack of bloody clothes. Only, of course, it's a human child and not a sack of soiled clothing. Which led me to ask: What the Hell is Wrong With China?

Having made at least 9 trips to China, and in fact, having shopped in the same industrial city where this little girl died, I find myself in the somewhat unique position of possibly being able to answer this question.

The first thing one needs to understand is that Foshan is Poor (with a capital P). Small children, like little Wang Yu, wander the streets in pants without backsides because thier parents can't afford diapers (yes, they can't even afford cloth diapers). While most toddlers eventually learn to use the gutter, this makes for quite the hygiene problem--if you ever visit Foshan, or anywhere in Guangzhou for that matter, always watch where you step. The child's parents were almost certainly working at the time of the accident. It's quite common for parents to take their kids to work, even in factories and, since the parents are working, no one is around to watch them--at least not very closely.

Tragically, little Wang Yu probably slipped unnoticed out the front door of a small business (it's clear from the photo that the street is a (one-way) back or side-ally--the kind of place Westerners avoid after dark.

My first thought was that China's mentality--one of the whole over the self--simply tolerates this sort of death--a blind eye to a single child's plight. While this is true of China as a society (think of Mr. Spock's 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few') it doesn't explain why so many people could simply walk or drive around a child we know from eye witness accounts was crying out and moaning in pain.

In fact, the more time I spend in China, the more I get to know individual Chinese, the more I realize they are just like you and me. They love their children just as much; they routinely sacrifice much more than we in the States can even imagine, just for a shot at something better for their kids. And it's not just a generation unemphatic youth. I know young Chinese who put off buying their own homes, so they can first buy one for their parents to retire in.

Could you imagine 20-somethings in the US, saying, "Oh, I can't buy a house, I haven't purchased one for my parents yet"?

So, what is it that could cause such callous behavior? Could it be that this sort of thing might happen anywhere, in the US, maybe Europe? After all, the proverb of The Good Samaritan is, well it's proverbial. But to ignore a dying child? And by so many people over and over--No, we wouldn't do this.

What is it in China's makeup that allowed this to happen. After much contemplation, I'd like to offer my opinion: it is a lack of Faith. And no, I'm not talking about Christianity or Monotheism. It's much deeper, it's a lack of Spirituality. In the US even most atheists consider themselves spiritual--especially when compared to the average Chinese.

All of the Chinese I know are Buddhist, but they aren't Buddhist like the people we might know who belong to that religion. In fact, they aren't even like Christians who only go to mass on Christmas and Easter; they lack even that level of faith.

Buddhism is just something someone stamped on their ID cards when they were born--they have no real connection to it.

But it's not for lack of interest. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked about Jesus, or God, or prayer. But here's the problem: it's always once I've gotten to know someone, and always in private, or in hushed whispers in the corner of a restaurant.

The Chinese people aren't free; not just free to vote and determine the course of their lives. They aren't free to determine the course of their souls. If the Chinese government would let people find God, Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha, whomever, then China would find her own intrinsic morality. China can't force Buddhism on its people, or even tell them what type of Christians they can be.

Faith would look different for each person, but it would be something they truly believed in--believed in deeper than they can now even comprehend.

Sure, it would vary in each person, some literally wouldn't hurt a fly. A few might push an old lady aside to get a seat on the train. But I doubt a single individual would rush by a dying child--they'd have a connection to something inside of them that wouldn't let them.

Without the freedom to look inside themselves, to question their existence, and to find their own answers, China will forever walk with a blind-eye past by all of its dying souls.

Update (10/23):
It seems this post has apparently angered some living in China. I do apologize to anyone I offended.
The message I was trying to get across is that the Chinese are, at their core, exactly like you and me--they are a good, moral people. However, by trying to control all forms of media (especially the written word) the Chinese government has fostered the profound and disturbing apathy shown in that terrible story. My words are meant as a warning, not just about censorship, but about the unintended consequences of trying to control the way a people think and while I didn't mean to offend anyone, I do stand by them.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Second Zombie Survival Kit Winner!

The Second Zombie Survival Kit Winner is:
Amy E.

The good news is that if you didn't win, your entries will be carried over for next week's zombie survival kit.
Also, the number of entries have been lower than I anticipated, so the odds of winner good.

If you haven't entered the contest yet, there's still 3 chances to win. Just enter below:




Also, I'm giving away 5 more print copies via goodreads. Enter here:







Goodreads Book Giveaway













Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by MJA Ware













Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb









by MJA Ware













Giveaway ends October 21, 2011.





See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.















Enter to win










Sunday, October 16, 2011

SZJMB Review and Upcoming Guest Posts

Angela Fristoe, on her blog Turning the Pages, has given a great review of SZJMB. Here's a couple quotes:
"This book was the perfect blend of 'B movie' humor and the zombie gore I love, and I say that with all the positive feeling I can. I loved this book!"

"I was surprised by the ending, and had thought it would end a bit differently, with a perfect happy ending that most lighthearted children/middle grade/YA novels do, but Ware gave us a happy ending that is still sad... I would definitely recommend this for ages 9 and up, particularly boys."

Visit Turning the Pages to read the entire review.

Tomorrow is the last day for the second Zombie Survival Kit, be sure to enter and spread the word. Enter until midnight, PST. Remember, if you've already entered, all non-winning entries carry over to the next week.

This week I am going to be doing guest posts and giveaways over at Dragon Views with my list of the best books to get you into the Halloween spirit. And also the Teenage Reader with a list of Killer Zombie Movies You Haven't Seen. Be sure to check out both sites!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Sheila Deeth's Flower Child Blog Tour


I’m thrilled to be hosting author Sheila Deeth. Sheila is an author, blogger, and book reviewer, who graciously takes her time to review tons of book (including several of mine). I can only imagine how much time she devotes to helping other authors get the word about their books out. So, I’m honored to be part of the blog tour for her new book Flower Child. I’ve asked her a few questions about herself and her writing; after reading the interview, I hope you take a few minutes to read a sample of her book (links below).

What Inspired you to write Flower Child?
That’s a question with lots of different answers. Our local writers’ group held a contest to write something inspired by music. John Denver’s Rhymes and Reasons, in particular the line “the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers,” reminded me of a childhood memory, which inspired a first paragraph, which inspired a character. Then other memories and questions took over, but by then the story’s protagonists were in charge.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing stories ever since I could hold a pencil. I used to tell stories before I could write, and I remember sitting in front of strange classes in elementary school, keeping the older kids quiet while the teacher stepped out.

What (one) genre do you write in?

Hmm. Choose one genre? I’ll go for spiritual speculative fiction (a fairly expandable genre). I’m not sure it covers my children’s Bible stories, but I think it works for my ebooks. I have a “real” book—paperback, the sort of thing you can thump on a desk and hear the noise—coming out next summer. I suspect that one’s more in a contemporary literary genre.

For you, what's the hardest part of writing a book?
The writing’s not hard—I can’t help writing; it’s getting the finished piece to a place where I still like it that I find difficult. Sometimes I edit too much and all the characters start to sound like me. Then I throw away page after page and try again.


What's the best piece of advice you have for other writers?
Keep writing, keep editing, and don’t be afraid to throw stuff away.

About Flower Child: When Megan miscarries her first pregnancy it feels like the end of everything; instead it’s the start of a curious relationship between the grieving mother and an unborn child who hovers somewhere between ghost and angel. Angela, Megan’s “little angel,” has character and dreams all her own, friends who may or may not be real angels, and a little brother who brings hope to her mother’s world. But Angela’s dream-world has a secret and one day Angela might learn how to be real.

Where to find Flower Child:
Her website
Amazon
Smashwords


About the author: Sheila Deeth grew up in the UK and has a Bachelors and Masters in mathematics from Cambridge University, England. Now living in the States with her husband and son, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, telling stories, running a local writers' group, and meeting her neighbors’ dogs on the green.


Sheila describes herself as a Mongrel Christian Mathematician. Her short stories, book reviews and articles can be found in

VoiceCatcher 4, Murder on the Wind, Poetic Monthly, Nights and Weekends, the Shine Journal and Joyful Online. Besides her Gypsy Shadow ebooks, Sheila has several self-published works available from Amazon and Lulu, and a full-length novel under contract to come out next year.

Find her on her website: http://www.sheiladeeth.com

or find her books at: http://sheiladeeth.weebly.com

UPDATE: Sheila graciously offered to host the SZJMB blog tour today.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

First Zombie Survival Kit Winner & more chances to win!

Sorry, I'm a day late on making the announcement. Adding all the extra entries along with a last minute rush of entries make it a little more difficult to count the number of entries.
The Winner is:
Jeana K.



If you didn't win, don't dispair, your entries will be carried over for next week's zombie survival kit. Thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who posted the link, which is what really made the contest a success!


If you haven't entered the contest yet, there's still 3 chances to win. Just enter below:



Monday, October 10, 2011

Blog Tour Update

I was planning on posting something on the 8th, which happened to be World Zombie Day. However, I was in bed with a case of the flu that had me thinking I might actually be turning in to a zombie myself.
Anyway, I'm well on my way to recovery (and no cravings for brains), but I've been remiss in updating the blog:

First, today is the last day to enter to win the first Zombie Survival Kit. And, in answer to a reader's questions, it's a enter once contest, so if you don't win the first week, there's no need to re-enter. You (and your extra entries) will automatically be part of each of the four giveaways. I'll post the name of the first winner tomorrow.

Second, last week Rebecca and Scarlett at Everything To Do With Books posted a great review and giveaway (yes, there's still time to enter).

Also, you might have missed my guest post with Zombie Survival Tips over at Death, Books and Tea where there's another chance to win the book.

Tomorrow, they'll be yet another chance to win a copy over at: Guerrilla WordFare.

And later this week, Angela at Turing The Pages is going to be doing a review and giveaway.

That's about it for this week. I just want to thank everyone who has participated in the blog tour, has reviewed, or read SZJMB!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Win a Zombie Survival Kit

Okay, I've finally got the link for the first Zombie Survival Kit ready. Only your name and e-mail address are required to enter.

There are 3 opportunities for getting more entries:
-Plus 1 for following this blog.
-Plus 1 for "liking" my Facebook page.
-Plus 3 for posting a link on your website, blog, twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads account.

I really want to try to get the word out, so I'm including two chances to get 3 entries for posting a link to the contest (6 entries total). Link here: http://themissingword.blogspot.com/2011/10/win-zombie-survival-kit.html (a bit.ly link is okay).

A winner will be picked by random on or around Oct. 10th. His/her first name and last initial will be posted online shortly thereafter. The winner will also be notified via e-mail and will have 30 days to claim their prize. Unclaimed prizes will be given to charity, re-listed, or disposed of.

Contest valid in the continental US only and void were prohibited by law.
The winner will be required to provide a valid US shipping address. E-mail addresses will not be disclosed, except as required by law. I will not use your e-mail as part of my mailing list, give it away, or anything like that.

Finally, after they read the book, your kids might be inclined to put lemonade in the squirt gun; don't let them--you'll end up with crying kids and red eyes!

Good luck and help me spread the word!



Don't forget to enter to win a copy of the book at Jackie B's blog!

Update: In answer to a reader's questions, It's a enter once, contest, so if you don't win the first week, there's no need to re-enter. You (and your extra entries) will automatically be part of each of the 4 giveaways.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Blog Tour List

I just got back from Disneyland late last night and I still have a bit of a Disney hang-over. I have a question about that place: If it’s really the happiest place on earth, why is there a kid balling his eyes out like every twenty feet?

I’m going to try to get entry for the first zombie kit up tomorrow. But as promised, here’s the list of sites hosting the SZJMB blog tour. This includes the giveaway dates for the Zombie Survival Kits too. I might add a couple other sites, or add another contest or two. All the sites are doing giveaways, most are giving away a copy of the printed book, so they’ll be lots of chances to win!

Blog tour:

Oct. 3rdJackie B’s Housewife Blues & Chihuahua Stories
Oct. 5thDeath Books & Tea
Oct. 9thEverything To Do With Books
Oct. 10th – Zombie Kit Giveaway #1 (here)
Oct. 11thGuerrilla WordFare
Oct. 14th – Sheila Deeth, Author of Flower Child
Oct. 16thTurning The Pages
Oct. 17th – Zombie Kit Giveaway #2 (here)
Oct. 18thLady D’s Dragon Views
Oct. 19thTeenage Reader
Oct. 23th – Zombie Kit Giveaway #3 (here)
Oct. 24thManga Maniac Cafe
Oct. 26thM.Pax, The Wistful Nebulae
Oct. 30thFantastic Adventures
Oct. 31st – Zombie Kit Giveaway #4 (here)

Let me add a big Thank You to all the sites that agreed to host me!