Paulette
Harper is an award-winning and best-selling author. She is the owner of Write
Now Literary Virtual Book Tours and is passionate about helping authors succeed
in publishing and marketing their books. Paulette has been writing and
publishing books since 2008. Paulette is the author of That Was Then,
This is Now, Completely Whole and The Sanctuary. Her articles have appeared
on-line and in print.
We are a Christian Network that promotes Christian books through press releases, social networking, blog showcases, and charities, including the orphans in Nepal and Wakulla Correctional. Don't forget to check out the free books on the site - right column following book trailers.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
How Do I Customize a Bitly Link, by Lorilyn Roberts
A link that is customized looks more professional than one that isn't, and people are more likely to click on it than a link with weird combinations of letters and numbers. Check out this video on the link below for how to do it. It's very simple.
http://bit.ly/customize_bitly_link
Friday, January 24, 2014
A Taste of Friday with Eliza Earsman and Days of Elijah
Eliza Earsman
Publisher: Eliza Earsman
Date of Publication: 2011 updated 2013
Scottish author Eliza Earsman is a committed Christian who enjoys family, clean air, and fresh people. Her autobiographical—sometimes brutally honest—depictions have helped to raise international awareness about Freemasonry.
1
One Day at a Time
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds
blew
and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because
it had its foundation on the rock.
(Matthew 7:25)
Looking,
as some might say, as if I’ve just hopped in from a turnip field, it’s always
best not to confuse decency with stupidity.
I
used to live with my husband and two daughters in a pleasant and reasonably
sized sandstone Victorian semi-detached house at 42 New Abbey Road, Dumfries,
Scotland. Four bedrooms, lounge, dining room, fully fitted kitchen, and
bathroom—it was clean, bright, cheerful, and comfortably lived in. The dwelling
was furnished with bunks, books, cats, plants, and children. The door to our
cosy home was seldom closed for long for it was a welcoming place.
At
the back was the garden—an expanse of earth, grass, and flagstones, sixty feet by
forty feet, and mature. Vegetables thrived there, and honeysuckle and roses
bloomed in profusion, sharing their fragrance in decency, daintiness, and
delicacy with anyone who passed by.
Our daughters tended their own small patch. The garden swing took up one small
corner, and the rope from the tree swung low. In earlier days we’d used the
sandpit often, and the children scattered toys about the lush green grass.
All
in all, it was a safe place for children to play.
We
parked our car at the end of the garden next to the large shed that bordered
the greenhouse. The parking facility was good; it allowed for easy access. The
forests were nearby, and beyond them sandy beaches hosted seashell-festooned
shores, alive with picnics, driftwood, and campfires.
It
was home.
What
more can I say?
It
was a peaceful home and a garden of solitude, sunshine, shade, and quiet.
Sheltered from the main road at the front of the house, we spent tranquil
evenings working in the garden or sitting in a companionable quietude, accepting
the warmth and silence outside the home walls. Many a winter’s night I stood
beneath the stars as I brought in frostbitten clothes from the drying line.
November air was crisp! Life was serene but not dull—two growing children made
sure of that.
That
was before.
Now,
in this unadulterated story, I show how I necessarily went from being a
peaceful wife and mother to an older, and wiser, (but still peaceful) writer
and pro-activist.
#
In 2002, as that older, wiser, and reasonably
good-looking fifty-four-year-old, I lived—easily, I may say—in a shoddy and
shabby Salvation Army hostel for the homeless. Food was kept in the cupboard
under the sink and—brightened by effort—the ten-by-six-foot
bedroom-cum-washroom/cum-anything-else room was reasonable for anyone not
wanting or needing a home or family life.
In common with many, I’m not one.
“Hope House”, or “Hopeless House”, as it is known by
those of us who have stayed there, serves also as a busy annex for those in
transit from the “Riddrie Hilton”, the Victorian and (by all accounts)
barbaric, Barlinnie Jail in Glasgow. Decent folk live in Hope House, Clyde
Street, Glasgow, and so do many others. None of them has caused me any problems
… so far.
For
several years I have followed a direct and Almighty calling to stand against
and expose the delusionary and unsustainable criminal practices of Freemasonry,
commonly known as the Masonic fraternity.
I
have no option.
If
I don’t, we—as a family—go under. If I do, we go on.
If
ever anyone wants to know why Britain is in the mess it’s in—brimming with
corrupt leaders and maxed out on grime and crime—look at the size of the
nation, and then look at the concentration of the malpractices within that
nation.
The
church is at fault, yes, but don’t disturb them. Oh, no, their walk is in
tandem with the word, and the work, of the world.
Swimming
against the tide of deliberate Masonic maliciousness and oppression, I have
been shackled and held, filled full of anti-psychotic drug cocktails, and
forced to slum/sleep in central London’s mucky shop doorways. I’ve been
illegally detained and imprisoned. I have traveled far and wide, faced British
Law Societies toe-to-toe—where naivety was shoved out the window—and I
continued to speak the truth.
The
cost has been great, but the privilege is greater. Life savings, home, family
life, pension rights, and a number of work and educational opportunities have
been sucked dry, but despite the warring factions, I will press on. There is
too much involved to stop now, as I firmly pronounce in Chapter 15—“No
Surrender!” Subsistence living in this situation only means that God-given
talents have been suppressed, but they are not extinguished.
My
message will not be extinguished. History and records are proving why.
The
more I have had to deal with, the more has been brought to light. In opposition
to having the details dealt with privately, Freemasons—and church leaders who
have shown strong Masonic affiliations—have hindered that approach.
With
an ultimate aim of establishing a “new world order”/one-world government
and—via World War Three—another attempt at “the final solution” (remember
Hitler?), Freemasons have forced an urgent and heightened global awareness. Days of Elijah: A True Story is
certainly going a long way to providing that awareness as I recount gritty
details that spurred my pen to paper!
Why
Elijah? The figure Elijah plays an essential role in several prominent
religions. As revered by the monotheistic faiths, the work of the Old Testament
prophet Elijah is identifiable by Christians worldwide and also by Jews and
Muslims. Elijah is known as Ilyas in the Koran. In 1 Kings 18 of The Holy Bible, Elijah’s tussle with the
priests of Baal is recorded, and it is in context that he can easily identify,
clarify, and discredit man’s polytheistic strategies. By Christian witness, I
can vouchsafe that he is right.
Eschatological
and historical evidence shows that the “end age” days of Elijah are in context
and on time! Freemasonry is the loosely disguised cult of the Canaanite god
Baal and the female branch of Freemasonry, the Eastern Star, is identical to
the cult of Jezebel, wife of the Old Testament’s King Ahab.
Freemasonry—as
the institutions, rites, and practices of Scottish Ritual Freemasons is
known—is an international fraternity of deists housed in Lodges. It maintains a
smokescreen of misinformation and engages in extensive criminal and speculative
interconnections. It contains ambiguities that feed on the need for social
prestige, brotherhood, and self-importance. Freemasonry employs occultism and
symbolic forms of idolatry, borrowed principally from the stone and cathedral
mason’s trade.
The
“Grand Lodge of Scotland of Ancient, Free and Accepted Freemasons” (criminals)
has its headquarters at 96 George Street, Edinburgh http://www.grandlodgescotland.com.
In this book I emphasise the word “Ritual” as an expansion of the word
“Rite”—and of the devious practices of “Rite” Freemasons. The word will be used
throughout this book as a point of easy reference.It
is noteworthy that this same Grand Lodge is the one at the seat of Scottish
Ritual Freemasonry, which has spread its tentacles throughout the world.
Satan’s desire is for world domination. It is no wonder that Scottish Ritual Freemasonry’s
satanic intentions regarding “New World DISorder/scripted World War III” are
now evident and becoming increasing public. It is no wonder also that there is
and will continue to be accruing international dissidence.
For
too long, the British Masonic empirical stock exchange has been aiming to oust
the good old Scots’ customs of honesty and integrity. My grandfather knew that
very well, along with his immediate line … such as myself. So do many others.
However,
dim-witted as British Freemasons (of the cult of Baal) may be when brain cells
are arrayed in all their glory, and satiated in the snake venom (poison) that
tries to give corruption a different face, the “fiddlers rally” (gathering of
thieves) is really not adept enough to keep their “knocking shop” (occult
practices, séances, den of thieves) criminal activities hidden.
Scottish
Ritual Freemasonry’s roots burrow deep near my hometown of Moffat, Scotland.
Freemasonry has been very active in that small tourist town and the surrounding
sheep farming areas of Dumfries and Lockerbie in southern Scotland. Hence the
reasons for this book—to set the record and to further protect the innocent
from their influence.
And
hence the reason my great-great-grandfather, John Gibb Campbell, who was a
master stonemason and sculptor in Glasgow, left in stewardship a financial
legacy—and God-given teaching—quite specifically to the fourth generation of
his female line.
That
trust was to come to fruition in the fortieth year of that person.
I
am that person. See Appendix D—there is no other in that generational line—and
this is the true story of why.
#
Note:
this information is expanded upon later in this book, but it is right that
readers be aware, from the outset, of:
- The concentrated 1987 (my fortieth year) Masonic movement/“reshuffling” of properties in the Moffat, Lockerbie, and Dumfries areas, of Scotland, and the reasons for that movement. Details/names/addresses can be checked via for example a consolidated local reference point—the Dumfries Solicitors Property Centre—and via local newspaper property pages/archives.
- How easily the Masonic fraternity is pandered and catered to by those within the British police and legal systems, who are paid to withhold law and order.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Am I Okay, God, by Lorilyn Roberts - Six Print Copies Being Given Away
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Am I Okay, God?
by Lorilyn Roberts
Giveaway ends February 28, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Friday, January 17, 2014
A Taste of Friday with Carole Brown and The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman
Carole Brown loves to weave
suspense, tough topics, a touch of romance and whimsy in her books. Together,
she and her husband enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the
simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?
The Redemption of Caralynne
Hayman
Carole Brown
The Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas September 2013
Carole Brown
The Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas September 2013
The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman
Chapter One
Twenty years earlier
The shadow creatures on
the wall shook their wings and legs. Heads with horns nodded. Scary, dark faces watched.
The little girl clasped
her floppy-eared rabbit against her chest and stared into the dark.
“Mmm …” Mommy’s murmur
reached to her through the walls, and the giggles from her mother tiptoed in,
shooing away the fear.
Whoosh. She blew out a
breath and squeezed her rabbit tighter. “Mommy has a friend with her, Ramsey.
She loves me just like I love you and will give me hugs in the morning after
the man leaves.”
Ramsey said nothing. She
ran her fingers over his face and could feel his black button eyes staring at
her, trusting her to protect him.
“And she’ll read to us,
and I’ll sit on her lap and we’ll snuggle—all of us together.” She nodded and
tugged on Ramsey’s left ear.
She rolled over.
Real live whispers and
laughter floated into the room.
Opening her mouth in a
wide yawn, she patted Ramsey’s tummy and whispered again, “Don’t be afraid. I’m
right here.”
“Please. That hurts.”
“Mommy?” The little girl
frowned but her eyes wouldn’t open. Just like when she and Mommy put cucumbers
slices on their eyes.
“Stop it—”
Rubbing at her eyes, the
little girl sat up. Mommy had never sounded like this before, and neither had
any of the men—the men who brought flowers and candy and money. What were they
doing? Maybe Mommy was angry at the man and had sent him away.
She slid her feet to the
floor and hesitated. Mommy didn’t like her to leave her room whenever any man
visited.
“Come on, Ramsey. We have
to go check on Mommy.” She tucked her rabbit under her arm then padded barefoot
to her door and edged it open. Mommy’s room was the next one, and a second
later she’d tiptoed to it and pressed an ear to the crack. Someone grunted and
whispered in an angry voice.
“Serves you right,
whore.”
Horse? The little girl
frowned. That wasn’t Mommy’s name. Was the man calling Mommy a bad name? She
touched the door, and it swung open wider.
The man was on top of
mommy, leaning over, his hands wrapped around—her neck.
The big eye on his arm
glared at her, scaring her, making her want to run back to bed. But she had to
help Mommy. Tiptoeing closer—behind the man—she peeked around him at her
mother.
Mommy’s mouth was open as
if she was screaming, but she wasn’t. Mommy stared at the man, her eyes wide
and blank. Every once in a while he jerked her and said words Mommy always told
her not to say.
She whimpered. “Mommy?”
The man’s head turned,
his eyes scary and mean, and not at all like Mommy’s laughing ones. His lips
twisted into a snarl. “Who are you? Are you this—is she your mother?”
His hands released their
grip on Mommy’s neck. He crawled out of the bed, grabbed for a pair of pants,
and slid into them, turning his back to her. Then he straightened.
She backed away and
raised a fist to her mouth.
“Come here, girl.” His
voice had softened, but not his eyes.
She backed another two
steps and whispered. “Mommy?”
“Your mommy can’t talk
right now.” The man flipped a glance at the still figure in the bed. “You have
a pretty barrette in your hair. Come let me see.”
She lifted a hand to the
barrette. Mommy always let her wear it when she was with a man ’cause it was a
special treat for a special girl. “No.” She shook her head. “Go away. I don’t
like you.”
The man growled and
sprang at her. Ramsey dropped to the floor as she sobbed and dodged the groping
hands. “I want my mommy.”
The man said a bad word
and stopped chasing her. “Come here and let’s talk about your mother.”
Her mother hadn’t moved,
hadn’t spoken. “Did you hurt her?”
“Of course not.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Your mother’s sick.”
“You hurt Mommy.”
Bad words spilled from
his mouth in a steady stream.
She wanted to clap both
hands over her ears. Mommy told her over and over she shouldn’t say those kinds
of words.
He folded his arms across
his chest, the big eye rippling on his arm, never blinking, only staring. “You
keep your mouth shut. Do you hear me?”
She closed her eyes and
opened them—fast. The eye still stared.
“If you talk, your mommy
will die. Do you want to kill her? Do you?” His lips spread into a clown’s
grin.
Her stomach hurt. Her
eyes burned.
Go away, you.
All she wanted was to
climb on Mommy’s lap and have this bad man go away.
“Remember, it’ll be your
fault if she dies, and everyone will know you killed your mother.”
No. She didn’t want to
kill Mommy.
He eased forward, crept
closer, capturing her, holding her tight with his eyes. Like the snake that’d
almost bitten her last summer.
Closer.
Closer.
His hand shot out and
touched her shoulder.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Why Authors Should Make Their Own Audiobooks—and How Do You Do That Anyway? by Lorilyn Roberts
Making an audiobook is not as
daunting as it sounds. All you need is a computer and an IC recorder. After
installing the editing software onto your computer (that comes on a disc when
you buy your hand-held IC recorder), you can narrate your own audiobook. Basically,
the only expense involved was the purchase of the IC recorder from Best Buy, which
also included the software to edit the audio-files. The total cost was about
$39.
What is the advantage of you, the author,
recording your own audiobook? You save the money of paying a narrator. However,
it’s more than just financial. Recently I was talking about my YA Christian fantasy
book Seventh Dimension – The Door to
a friend. I asked him if he would read it and give me some feedback before I
published it. He said, “If you give me the book as an audiobook, I will listen
to it in the car when I drive to work.”
Did I want to narrate my own book? It’s
time-consuming for one thing, and would anyone want to listen to me anyway?
When I told him how I felt, he said, “I much prefer to listen to an author narrate
his own book.” He continued, “In fact, almost all of the books I’ve listened to
have been narrated by the author, including John MacArthur and Richard Stearns
(Hole in the Gospel).”
I paused when he said those two
names—suddenly the idea of narrating Seventh
Dimension – The Door seemed more appealing. I didn’t have to have the voice
of an actress to make an audiobook.
My friend continued, “The author is
just sitting in a chair reading his book—nothing fancy.”
I went home and gave it some
thought. I had narrated one chapter from my Children
of Dreams book and posted it on my website, but I would cringe every time I
listened to the recording. I’d pick it apart mercilessly—after all, I am not a
trained narrator; but I had to agree with my friend, if I were to listen to an
audiobook, I would rather listen to the author narrate his or her own book than
even an excellent narrator.
I hunted around to find my long,
lost IC recorder in my closet, eventually found the disc, and shoved it into my
computer. Surprisingly, everything worked—even the IC recorder with the three-year-old
batteries.
I had picked up a few tips about how
to record an audiobook and I tried dictating the first chapter. Yuck—I sounded like I was dying—I was too
nervous. The hardest part was getting used to hearing my own voice. After a few
more false starts, I finished one chapter that didn’t seem too bad. I told
myself, with a little more practice, I would get better at it
If you are willing to try, let me
share with you how I did it. I now have an audiobook of Seventh Dimension – The Door listed at http://audible.com,
http://amazon.com, http://itunes.com, and https://www.acx.com/ . My audiobook became available a couple of days ago
and yesterday my first sale was posted. If you are ready to get started, here
is what I did.
First, go to Best Buy or another
similar store and buy a handheld recording device. I bought a Sony IC Recorder
for $39.99 (that is now three years old). Then you will need to look at the
instructions and learn how to turn it on and off. The hardest part is figuring
out how to use the thing. At least it was for me. I get frustrated with
technical gadgets that have more than one button to push.
Here are two important hints. First,
find a set of earplugs similar to what you would use to listen to music on an iPhone.
It doesn’t have to be one of those bulky ones. The earphones will allow you to hear
your voice and the sound quality of the recording. You will be able to detect
any outside noise that might be picked up as you are narrating. Turn off your
computer, an overhead fan, or anything nearby that might make any noise (even a
purring cat). The closet works quite well. Make sure you tell your kids what
you are doing so they won’t disturb you. It’s not much fun to have to start
over because your child’s voice has been included in your book narration.
Don’t narrate your book off a
computer screen. The recorder will pick up the humming from the computer. Mine
sounds like a jet engine sometimes, so I had to turn it off. I had my book
printed and bound in a three-ring binder so I could easily turn the pages
without making a sound. That cost me about $25. You can squeeze a lot of lines
front and back on an 8-by-11 sheet of paper, thus reducing the number of page
turns.
You want to split up your chapters
by recording session. In other words, between each chapter, stop and make an
audio “chapter break” or “file break.” Later, these chapters will be merged
into one or two or three files, depending on the length, but you need to break
down the book into chapters as you are narrating. At http://acx.com, the site will ask you to upload each chapter
individually. So to make it easier later, split up your files by chapter. You
will also need to make a separate file for the opening credits and the closing
credits. In the opening credits, you will say the name of your book, the ISBN
number, and some other identifying information that ACX will ask that you
provide. In the closing credits, you can say something like, “This is the end
of my book and thank you for listening.”
Now, there is a wee bit of technical
information I need to cover, but don’t let it deter you. If I can do this,
anybody can. In order to meet the audio quality for ACX, you will need to make
sure your audio recording meets professional standards. Here is a quote from
the ACX website.
Audiobooks should be recorded in 16 bit / 44.1 kHz wav file
format, which is considered CD quality and is best for archiving. Once you have
fully produced your audio file it should be saved as a 192kbps mp3. This is the
format that you will upload to ACX. Generally, audiobooks are recorded by one
of two methods.
It’s not as bad as
it sounds. First, if you have bought a new device for recording that is not the
cheapest thing hanging on the Best Buy sales rack, chances are it will record
at 16 bit / 44.1 kHz or better, so you won’t need to worry about what all that
jargon means. How can you determine if yours does?
On the editor
software that came with your IC recorder, you should be able to tell. Once you
upload your audio-files (chapters) from the IC recorder to your computer via
the cord included in the box (assuming you have inserted the disc into the
computer and installed the editing software already), you should see your files
listed similar to how mine are listed: file name, mode, user/artist, message
name and recording date. You want to look under the mode, and it should tell you
something that looks like this: SP (44.1kHz …) If you have that, you can keep going.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Unfortunately, I
discovered that while I had no issue with the 16 bit / 44.1 kHz, I did have an
issue with the 192 kbps (the number that follows the 44.1 kHz). 192 kbps is the
minimum standard for CD sound quality. I exhaled deeply when I read this
because Seventh Dimension – The Door was
not recorded at 192 kbps. What could I do besides re-narrate my whole book? If
this is an issue for you also, be patient. You can fix this, and I will tell
you how.
First, though, in
order to remedy this, you need to download your chapter narrations onto CDs. If
your book is more than 70 minutes long, you will need multiple CDs. I needed
six for Seventh Dimension – The Door.
Do this now so you will be set up for the next step. (If your recording was
done at 192 kbps, you can skip the next two paragraphs).
After your book is
copied onto CDs (make sure you label the CDs in order), reinsert your first CD
back into the computer.
Here’s how I found
out how to do this. I went to YouTube and did a search for “How do I convert an
audio file to 192 kbps?” I found a video recording by a knowledgeable DJ who
showed me how to do this using iTunes.
He had to repeat himself a few times because he forgot some steps, and
on his third repeat, profusely apologized for his not-so-perfect video. By the
third time, though, I actually “got it” and could do it myself.
Here is how you
can convert an audio file to 192 kbps. Go to iTunes through your
computer—everyone has iTunes loaded on their computer that I know of, but if
you don’t, now is the time to download it off the Internet and install it. Once
you are ready, click the iTunes icon on your computer and you will be taken to
a screen that will have iTunes Library in the upper right-hand corner. In the
left-hand corner, you will have an option in your library for music, podcasts,
books, apps, and audio CD. You want to click on CD. You might need to use the
up arrow or down arrow to get to the option for CD.
Now go back to the
right-hand corner, and underneath iTunes Store will be a down arrow for import
CD. Click on that. A small new screen will open up with some options. For
import, choose MP 3 encoder. For the setting, use high quality, 192 kbps. Go
ahead and check mark for “error correcting when reading audio CDs” and then
click okay. iTunes will now convert and import your audio files from your CD for
your book at 192kbps. You will need to do this for each disc.
Now you have all
of your audio-files—opening credits, each chapter, and your closing credits—uploaded
on your computer at 192 kbps at 44.1 kHz.
You are ready to
go to http://acx.com and upload your audiobook one chapter at a time. Initially, of
course, you will need to create an account with ACX and enter some other
preliminary information, but you are well on your way to creating an audiobook
you can sell.
After you upload
your audiobook, ACX will review your audiobook and make sure everything is in
order. Once ACX approves your recording, they will distribute it for you on
several sites including Amazon.
One other minor
detail I don’t want to forget to mention is that the cover of your audiobook
needs to be square and not the traditional book size. ACX will reject any cover
that is not sized correctly, so make sure you do that ahead of time. You don’t
want to get “stuck” like I did. When my book cover designer does my next book cover,
I will ask her to create a square cover also so I will have it when I narrate
and upload my audiobook.
More and more
people are listening to audiobooks, particularly those in the upper
socioeconomic classes. You can listen to audiobooks through iPhones, iPads,
Kindles, computers, and CDs. Audiobooks are another way to add to your passive
income. As my friend told me after listening to my audiobook, “I feel like you
have been with me all week in the car,” there is something intimate about
hearing an author’s voice read his book. It’s another way for readers to
connect with the author personally and feel like they “know” you through your
story.
To get in audiobook format on Amazon, go to: Seventh Dimension - The Door in Audiobook
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