Alan O'Hashi's memoir, "Views from Atop My Bedpan," unfolds in reverse, beginning with his senior years and retracing his healthcare misadventures. From Medicare issues to quirky remedies, the narrative reveals the paradox of healthcare reliance on chronic conditions. O'Hashi humorously chronicles life experiences, ending as a zygote.

📚 You finished your draft—congrats! But don’t hire an editor just yet. First, self-edit like a boss. Then choose the right editor for the job. Not sure where to start? This post breaks it all down—tools, timing, and types of editors you actually need.✍️ #AmEditing #WritingTips #IndieAuthorLife #SelfEditing #EditingTips #Grammarly #ProWritingAid #WritersOfInstagram #WritersCommunity #FinishTheDraft #WritingJourney #HireAnEditor

By Jennifer Braddock - Editor When I first started reading about query letters, one piece of advice kept popping up: agents and publishers want to know your genre. At first, I resisted. “My book doesn’t fit into a neat little box,” I thought. “It’s unique!” But here’s the truth: uniqueness and marketability aren’t the same thing.

November marks the beginning of the winter holiday season, highlighting the importance of supporting local artists and businesses. Spending within the community boosts economic vitality, cultural enrichment, and community bonding. Each purchase contributes to a cycle of support that nurtures talent and stimulates growth, enriching the neighborhood and enhancing quality of life.

Let’s face it: The publishing industry reflects the same economic divide we see everywhere else. The rich and famous receive substantial advances, national interviews, and prime shelf space. The rest of us? We’re bootstrapping book tours, setting up folding tables in the corner of a bookstore, and hoping someone picks up a copy. This isn’t just about books. It’s about art, access, and whose voices get heard. The creative economy has its own top 1%. So if you're tired of seeing the same celebrity memoirs dominate the conversation, you can do something about it: support local authors. Champion the storytellers in your own backyard.

Perhaps you write romance stories or young adult fiction, and then set them in a historical context. If you're writing a memoir, reflect on historical events that happened during the experience that changed your life. Fantasy and science fiction can be set in historical contexts of the earthly world.

By Jennifer Braddock - Editor It’s November. You’re stirring gravy with one hand, and wrangling kids in turkey costumes with the other. Somewhere in the back of your mind, your novel is begging for attention. School pageants and office parties are demanding your attention. You are also planning Thanksgiving dinner for twelve, plus the mysterious “plus ones.” Writing can feel like a luxury you…

📚 Got a new book? Time to read it out loud! Pros, cons, and how to set up your first book signing event like a pro. #AuthorTips #BookLaunch #WritingCommunity #IndieAuthor #BookEvents #BookSignings #ReadingsDoneRight

Boulder is brimming with creativity, yet too often that energy remains confined to silos — scattered studios, one-off events, and bursts of activity that fade without continuity. ArtLink Commons is a collaboration between Boulder Community Media and Distributive Creative, two 501(c)3 organizations. ArtLink is designed to complement, not compete with, existing resources.

The October No Kings March saw increased participation, highlighting a surge in activism despite mixed messages. While past protests reflected familiar outrage, younger voices and diverse crowds are now crucial. Change transcends mere visibility—true progress involves ongoing engagement, community mentoring, and meaningful dialogue beyond the rallies.

Small presses like Best Chance Media now collaborate with authors for marketing due to limited budgets. Authors manage social media, events, and direct sales, enhancing their personal brand. Contracts often assume author participation in promotions, with profit-sharing on sales. Authors must adopt a marketing strategy and engage readers directly for success.

This summer’s headlines have been wild: P. Diddy's booty calls, Beyonce's boots, political zingers hotter than July asphalt, and the WNBA finally getting the ESPN primetime treatment it deserves. Let’s talk about something even messier: family. A New Dawn at Libby Flats is what happens when old secrets, broken friendships, and a long-forgotten promise come crashing into the present. It’s not a coming-of-age story—it’s a coming-to-terms story. And it starts, like a lot of stories do, with a funeral.

Two nights at Yankee Stadium, a city in mourning, and a friend I’ll never forget. In October 2001, just weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Center, I felt an undeniable pull to New York City. Coincidentally, my favorite team, the Yankees, was in a heated race and in contention for the postseason. Major League Baseball postponed play until September 19th, and consequently, the postseason was also delayed.

To enhance dialogue in writing, avoid repetitive tags like "he said" and "she said." Replace them with action beats or body language to create a more engaging narrative. Identify common overused words, keeping a list for reference. Turn editing into a game to improve creativity and maintain reader interest.

With winter approaching, cruising offers a warm escape without the hassles of traditional travel. The Frequent Floater’s Handbook provides essential tips for first-time and experienced cruisers, covering cabin selection, embarkation, dining packages, and insider advice to enhance the experience. Embrace cruising for a smoother, enjoyable vacation.

"Views from Beyond Metropolis" is a memoir that explores the significance of Superman's narrative in today's multicultural environment. The author reflects on personal experiences with racism faced by Japanese Americans and draws connections to America's oppressive history. It emphasizes empathy, inclusion, and strength through diversity, offering strategies for cultural competency.

By Jennifer Braddock - Editor There’s an old saying in publishing: Your first page sells the book. The last page sells your next book. In an era where readers are bombarded with e-books, podcasts, and streaming shows, capturing attention is a challenge. Social media and endless repeats further add to the clutter. You have only seconds to convince consumers that your story is worth their time.

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour blended music and political satire, revealing humor’s potential to critique war and civil rights. This sparked political engagement in the author, who recalls collecting campaign memorabilia. Contrasting Lyndon Johnson’s humor with Richard Nixon’s paranoia, the piece examines how satire challenges political figures and its First Amendment implications.

Jennifer Braddock, an INFP introvert, reflects on the challenges of book selling, contrasting it with the ease of writing. He shares insights on leveraging introverted strengths to connect with readers, advocating for low-pressure strategies like casual promotion and authenticity. Ultimately, he emphasizes the value of quiet creativity over extroverted hustle.

Just finished your first draft and wondering if it’s time to get a literary agent? Not so fast.✋📚 Before you query, know the history behind agents, how they used to work the system—and what new writers still need to watch out for today. Louisa May Alcott repped herself. Should you? Read this before you sign anything. #WritingTips #AmWriting #WriterBeware #LiteraryAgents #FirstDraftDone #PublishingAdvice #WritingCommunity #LouisaMayAlcott #KnowYourWorth #WritersLife #IndieAuthors #QueryTips

September is always a month of transitions. It begins on a somber note. Like many of you, I remember exactly where I was when I heard about the planes crashing into the Twin Towers on 9/11, 2001. I took the picture at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan on October 30, 2001. The Yankees won the American League pennant, and I decided to make the trip for the World Series and to see the carnage firsthand. I'll provide more details next month.

Writers should focus on authenticity over perfection, sharing their messy, relatable experiences rather than polished narratives. True stories resonate more with readers, fostering connection through shared vulnerabilities. Embracing awkward moments and failures enriches writing, allowing for genuine expressions of truth. Start with one honest sentence to unlock deeper storytelling.

A New Dawn at Libby Flats by Alan O’Hashi is a multigenerational novel set in Wyoming, exploring themes of love, loss, and reconciliation. It follows Elizabeth Steiner's 2006 road trip to fulfill her mother's dying wishes and confront family issues, while interweaving the lives of her parents and their friends from the 1960s.

For new authors navigating the wilds of the publishing world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Vanity press? Hybrid publishing? What do all these mean—and more importantly, who can you trust? In this post, we’ll break down what a hybrid publisher is, how it differs from a vanity press, how authors are compensated, and how to tell if a hybrid press is legit or just lipstick on a scam.

There's been a lot of talk over the past year about the state of healthcare in America. I’ve lived through seven, going on eight decades, tangled in the tubes, pills, forms, and fees of the American healthcare industrial complex. December 16th marks 12 years since I went to the hospital, where I spent a month on my deathbed. That was the inciting incident for my memoir, Views from Atop My Bedpan, which begins with my death — or at least what will likely be my last dance with the Grim Reaper, then travels backward through time. I figured I'd get the pain out of the way first.