.99 Ebooks by Shawneda Marks

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CNET turned the spotlight on indie authors in a way that made me smile despite being hurt because a fellow author said it made them want to cry. In years past this would have left me upset for days. My mind would be riddled with questions of why? Apparently I’ve grown because I had none of my past reactions. It’s easy to recognized how new technology if untapped could be seen as a threat to traditional authors and publishers who benefit from the elite and exclusive atmosphere of the publishing industry before the invent of POD and ebooks.

Quick Twitter Tips for Black Book Chats

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Quick Link to Twitter Party/Black Book Chat –> http://www.twebevent.com/blackbookchats **If you run into any problems tonight, send a tweet to @rawsistaz and I’ll do my best to walk you through any problems, but do try to test it out a bit early.  If you’re attending and already set up, pls take a minute to send [...]

Authors & Book Reviews

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For those who don’t know already, I organize and lead The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers, a group of 20+ team members and guest reviewers (all unpaid volunteers) who review on behalf of RAWSISTAZ.  In January, we will celebrate our 10-year anniversary with over  7000 reviews completed.  Yet, even after almost a decade of doing this, we’re still having [...]

Queen of American Publishing

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This week’s topic at RAW4ALL yahoo group (our literary hang-out) is on  the literary industry. What are your overall thoughts on the literary industry?  What about as it relates to African-American authors?  What do you think we’ll see in the next 5-10 years and what one thing would you do if you were in charge [...]

Waiting on Prince Charming by Katrina Spencer

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I have a red indicator light on my Blackberry that glows when I have a new e-mail. I’ve looked at my phone a record twenty six times today. And it’s not even lunchtime. “E-mail me!” I want to scream. “Tell me something!” Being a writer, you’re always waiting on something or someone. You have to [...]

Story Structure: And The Crowd Roars, An Unforgettable Ending (Plotting Your Novel – Part 4) by Tyora Moody

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Story Structure: And The Crowd Roars, An Unforgettable Ending Plotting Your Novel Series – Part 4 by Tyora Moody Have you ever watched a basketball game and your team was down by a few points? They have possession of the ball and the clock is winding down fast. Whether you are sitting in the bleachers [...]

Just Write! by Yolanda M. Johnson-Bryant

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I’ve been writing for several years now, and I constantly hear people make the same statement over and over again; “I have a story to tell, but I don’t know where to start.” My advice is usually not to make it a bigger deal than it has to be. If you have a story, just [...]

And the reason you don’t have a website? by Yolanda M. Johnson-Bryant

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I got the inspiration to write this article in regards to a conversation that a few people, including myself had on a Facebook post. Someone responded to a RAWSISTAZ post regarding websites. And a respondent asked, in my words not hers, “what if your domain name is taken?” I, along with Tee C. Royal, gave [...]

6 Tips for Parents:Encouraging Your Teen to Read by Shelia M. Goss

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As parents or guardians, finding ways to encourage your teenager to read may be difficult but it’s not an impossible task. Below are a few tips: 1. Show by example. Let your kids see you reading—newspaper, magazine, books, etc. 2. Find out your child’s interest. Find a way to connect his or her interest to [...]

To Curse or Not to Curse by Katrina Spencer

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To Curse or Not to Curse? That is the Question “Get your %&* off the couch and do the dishes!” “Get your butt off the couch and do the dishes!” Which sentence is better? In truth, that’s like comparing apples to oranges. It really depends on the opinion of the writer. Writing is difficult, with [...]