Sunday, December 23, 2012

Saturday, December 1, 2012

What's the Difference?

This is another one of my most highlighted quotes. Is there really a difference between how most men and women feel loved? Yes! 


Click the pic to enlarge

Find out more by reading The Missing Piece on Kindle or NOOK   

A Nice Surprise!

As you may or may not know, I am a huge Tolstoy fan. So when the opportunity arose to enter an online contest (to win gifts related to the new Anna Karenina movie), I signed up. This morning, I received an email from the reading group center at Knopf / Doubleday, telling me that I was one of the (12) grand prize winners!


Friday, November 30, 2012

What Most Men and Women Really Need


This is one of the most highlighted quotes in my inspirational love story.


The Missing Piece on Kindle or NOOK   

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Trying Something New :)

I heard someone say that authors should post quotes from their books onto Pinterest and other social sites, to promote their work to others. So here we go...


The Missing Piece on Kindle or NOOK   

Profound...


"Books are a window to two souls: that of the writer, and that of the reader" ― WisÅ‚awa Szymborska

What are you reading or writing today?


Monday, November 19, 2012

KND is great too :)

I don’t mean to inundate you with all my eBook news, but I don’t know what to make of some of it. I just found my eBook The Missing Piece listed on the Kindle Nation Daily. http://kindlenationdaily.com/knd-quality-99-centers-religious-fiction/ 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Barnes & Noble is Wonderful!

I have no idea why, but I sure am grateful. Barnes and Noble featured my book for the past two days on their “NOOK Books for Under $5." And, The Missing Piece has made it as high as #52 on their Top 100 books in the entire store. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/eBook-Deals-eBook-Offers/379003092

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Kindle on Fire :)

On a roll today. The Missing Piece feature spot and revolving banner is on Kindle Daily Deals.

Also on the front page of Addicted to Books!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Christian eBooks Today

My ad just went live on Christian eBooks Today. A top Spot for a very resonable price. My cover matches their color theme : )

Monday, November 5, 2012

The Missing Piece featured on Kindleboards!

My book THE MISSING PIECE is featured today for $0.99 on Kindleboards! Click the link and follow through to the blog. (My eBook is towards the bottom of the page.) Thanks!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

What eReader News Did For My eBooks Sales

I left a quick note the other day, saying that eReader News Today was a great promo tool. I was so busy refreshing my page every few minutes :) that I didn’t take time to tell you why, but this is what happened to me. I found their site long ago, but I had the link tucked away in one of my desktop folders to look at “someday.” I finally pulled it up again and checked into it more closely then filled out their online form. Within a day ENT replied back to me and said that my novel, The Missing Piece, would be featured in a few weeks, or possibly up to a month later.

Almost two weeks later, I received an email telling me to be sure that my book price was 99 cents, because it would be on the next day. Great! I knew from previous experience of being on the bestseller lists that, because I ranked fairly high already, I only needed a few fast sales to bump me up onto Amazon’s category bestseller lists again. (It’s all about the speed of sales.)

By mid-morning, I had quite a few sales. By mid-afternoon I had a lot of sales, and then it happened. The ranks hadn’t changed for a couple of hours (this was the day after the hurricane), but then about 3 PM, my novel shot up onto three category lists. The numbers continued to climb into the night, and when I woke up the next morning, this is what I found.
 


Ranked #2 on three different lists.
   


Earlier in the morning the rank was #153 in the entire Kindle store.
The ranks stayed at #2 in all three categories until the next day.
 

 


 Four lists on Amazon's Author Rank.
   


#16 Rank for Most Popular Author in Literary Fiction.
  
In order to be featured on the ENT site, authors must lower their eBooks to 99 cents during the two day promotion, and they must have at least 10 reviews with high ranks overall. ENT also receives a percentage of the sales that are clicked onto Amazon from their site. I highly recommend eReader News Today! You can find them on facebook too (they have 383,000 followers!).

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Saturday, October 27, 2012

One of the Greatest Authors of all Time

Although Leo Tolstoy is one of my favorite authors, I am especially fond of the stories he wrote after his conversion to Christianity. Tolstoy had an intuitive gift for delving into the human psyche and unfolding characters' unconscious motives. His stories probe the mind of man, dissect his heart, and extract the good and the bad that reside therein. One of his greatest works, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, describes a man of power and wealth, who knows that he is dying. Tolstoy skillfully portrays the inner-dialogue and turmoil in the mind and soul of this affluent man, as he comes to realize that his life was a waste. While Ivan is suffering, he sees that all the things he strived for, the things he previously thought important, were really trivial and meaningless in the end. The Truth that he discovered, when viewed through the lens and light of eternity, was completely opposite of everything he had previously thought significant and meaningful. 

Even though Count Leo Tolstoy is considered one of the greatest novelists of all time, and War and Peace is considered the greatest novel ever written, he gave away his land and publicly renounced the copyrights of all he had written after 1881 (the time of his spiritual conversion), and refused all royalties from his previous works in order to live a life more fully like Christ.

Tolstoy also believed that, “If a considerable minority followed Jesus’ commandment of non-resistance, never resisting evil with evil, never using violence, they would have a corrective effect on society. If there was only a small minority, they might have to put up with some contempt; yet all the time the world would be growing wiser and better from their quiet influence. Even those who died for their beliefs would leave their teaching behind.” Tolstoy’s influence, as he lived out Jesus’ teachings on the Sermon on the Mount, had a far-reaching effect, as he became a non-violent, peace-loving example to Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. many years later. 

Tolstoy had also said, “A writer is dear and necessary for us only in the measure of which he reveals to us the inner workings of his very soul.” Writing is a powerful tool. We see what a difference it made after Gutenberg’s printing press put words and ideas and messages into the hands of the common people. It sparked the Reformation. This is how I hope to write someday. Not that I'll start a reformation, but this is how I hope to share God's message of love and grace. I strive to write, not just to entertain, but also to teach and inspire and enlighten.

So, while contemplating my intentions, I asked myself, what is the primary purpose of my writing and promotion? Am I in it for the money or the message? And this is how the answer came to me: Would I rather sell 10 books to 10 people for $100,000 (if it were possible) or would I rather make $10 and reach 100,000 people? Not that either way is realistic or probable, but that was my mindset concerning the matter. And I choose the latter. I would rather reach more people with the life-changing message of the Gospel and make less money, than make more money and only reach a few people. So after coming to this realization, I have lowered the prices on all of my books. 

“A writer is dear and necessary for us only in the measure of which he reveals to us the inner workings of his very soul.”   Mark 8:36

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Inspirational Love Story ~ 99 Cents Special!

My novel The Missing Piece (Inspirational Love Story) is on sale for .99 cents for a limited time only at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Free 10 Year Anniversary Edition of my Children's Book

On Friday and Saturday, October 5th and 6th, my children’s fiction eBook Window Pains (Modeling Positive Behaviors) will be free on Amazon.com.

Window Pains was originally published as a short story in Winner, a scholastic magazine that was endorsed by a former president and two former first ladies. The aim of the periodical was to teach children preventative measures and to instill positive behaviors that contribute to success in life.

Window Pains is about a young girl who is involved in an act of vandalism and how she remedies the situation by making amends to an elderly couple after their window is broken.

The story briefly deals with peer pressure and restitution. Discussion questions are included. Ideal for 7-12 year-olds. www.amazon.com/dp/B007K3E50G

"I wholeheartedly endorse the LISTEN / WINNER program of the Home Health Education Services."  ~ Former President, Jimmy Carter

"My congratulations and heartfelt thanks to each one involved in WINNER. I want to encourage you to keep up your good work." ~ Former First Lady, Nancy Reagan

"Education is the key to so many social problems. Your publications can contribute in a significant way toward this goal of educated youth." ~ Former First Lady, Barbara Bush

Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Missing Piece Book Trailer on Youtube

The book trailer for my novel The Missing Piece is now on Youtube. Click the title if you'd like to see it. It's also on the bottom of my blog.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Your Special Gift Book Trailer

Same book with a bright new look! Your Special Gift (A Preteen Primer to the Facts of Life) has the same important message for children, but it now has images and a video too. Click the link to see the Your Special Gift Book Trailer

Monday, August 6, 2012

Saturday, July 28, 2012

You Can't Please Everyone

I originally posted this message on my lifestyle and weight management facebook page about looking to others for validation, but it bears repeating because the lesson rings true in the writing realm too. You can’t please everyone, so it's best to be true to yourself and to God.

The Miller, his Son, and their Donkey by Aesop

A miller and his son were walking their donkey to a fair to sell him. They had not gone far when a group of women said, “Did you ever see such fellows trudging along on foot when they might ride?” The old man hearing this, made his son mount the donkey, and continued to walk along merrily by his side.

Presently they came to a group of old men who said, “What respect is shown to old age these days? Do you see that lad riding while his old father walks?” Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and got upon himself.

They had not proceeded far when they met a woman who said, “You lazy old fellow. How can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace with you?” The good-natured miller immediately took up his son to ride behind him.

They had almost reached the town when a citizen said, “One would not have thought this was your donkey by the way you load him down. You two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than he you.” So the old man and his son alighted, and they tied the legs of the donkey together and carried him on a pole on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to the town.

This sight brought the people in crowds to laugh, and the donkey not liking the noise, nor the strange handling, broke the cords and tumbled off the pole into the river. Upon this, the old man made his way home again, convinced that by trying to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost his donkey in the process.

Jesus did not “please” the Scribes, Pharisees or politicians. He stayed true to his Father’s will throughout his entire life on earth. Since we cannot please everyone, we should seek to please God, since His opinion is the only one that will matter in the end. Ask for wisdom and then listen to the still small voice within for guidance.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ ~ Galatians 1:10

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Batavia Daily News Interview

The Batavia Daily News offered to feature my interview in their newspaper back in March, but it just went live today. (Since March, some of the stats have changed for the better, so some of the information is now outdated.)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Key to Knowledge

I always taught my children that if you can read, you can do just about anything. I still believe that this is true.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Part of the Process

This little comic strip depicts how I’ve felt the past few months. My normal writing schedule has been consumed by creating media streams and social roads, to bring people like you, to places like this.

I once heard someone say that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. It seems that way when you're very busy too.

This year has been a blur for me as I’ve spun, whirled and twirled around blogs, twitters, and sites to learn the authors' happy dance that comes after successful promotion.

I realize that promotion is all part of the process, but I've made up my mind right here and now, to get back to my writing. I will get back to my writing…I will get back….I will, I will, I will! :)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Regional Radio Interview

On Tuesday, May 29th, my author interview will air on Family Life Network (Christian radio) at 12:15 PM. The map below shows the radio coverage for the New York and Pennsylvania areas. (Click the pic to enlarge.)

Making Memorial Day Memorable :)

So there we were, Mom and me, hauling things from her shed. The lawnmower came out, and then gloves, a long lost water bottle, and small garden tools were emptied from the wheelbarrow so we could take it to my car. Being younger and more agile, I lifted the wheelbarrow with a youthful attitude and quickly backed it out of the shed and right up onto the lawnmower. I went down and my legs went up, as Mom with arms aflutter, yelled, “Are you okay?!” I was half laughing because I couldn’t get up since I was sitting between the lower part of the mower handles with my legs up on  top of the motor thingy. She grabbed my hand and I still couldn’t get up because of the awkward position, so she used two hands to hoist me heavenward. After we stopped laughing, I thought, Gee, if she could lift me like that, she probably could’ve handle the bag of mulch without a wheelbarrow : )

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Serendipity

I’ve been thinking about this whole book publishing and promoting business, and the most unexpected bonus that I have discovered is that there are some amazing people out there. Readers have written fantastic reviews that have truly blown me away. Twitterers have retweeted my tweets, and readers and authors have “liked” my facebook book page. I’ve been interviewed on one awesome blog, and read some others that are chocked full of information and encouragement, all of which have helped propel, someone like me, down the bestseller path. At this time, I don’t have a lot of followers on my blog, but I know people are reading it. So to those of you who fall into any of these categories, I would personally like to thank you! I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

LOOK! It's on NOOK! :)

For those of you with NOOK readers, my novel is now available at Barnes and Noble.

Friday, May 18, 2012

A Few Bits of Trivia About THE MISSING PIECE

I thought I'd share a few facts about my novel for those of you who are interested.
  • The novel is set in Fredonia, NY, with a few shorter scenes in Dunkirk and Forestville. Jamestown, NY, and Erie, PA, are also briefly mentioned.
  • The novel began as a five page assignment in a creative writing class at Jamestown Community College in the late 1990s. I dabbled with the story for a few years before it was published, and then a couple years later, I attended SUNY Fredonia for my English degree. Talk about putting the cart before the horse : )
  • The book version was originally released exactly nine years ago this past February.
  • The character named Connie in the novel is based on my sister’s vivacious personality. Some of Connie's comments, especially those about cheeses, are exact quotes from Donna's witty banter.
  • Some of Dylan’s struggles were taken from actual experiences in my own life.
  • If you liked the movie Fireproof, you may like The Missing Piece.
  • Jim  Kelly’s (former Bills quarterback) wife, Jill, sent me a thank you note after receiving a copy of my book from the hostess, Linda Pellegrino, when I appeared on AM Buffalo (morning television talk show) in 2003. 
  • A few years later, Jill Kelly spoke at the Chautauqua Suites in Mayville, NY, and I had my picture taken with her (see above).
  • One of the quotes in my book (“Friends don’t let friends wear puffed sleeves”) was featured on a site, alongside a dozen famous people, like Naomi Judd and Bill O’Reilly, who also skewed the original quote of "Friends don't let friends drive drunk."
  • The revised version of The Missing Piece in eBook form contains a few additional scenes and is 40 pages longer throughout. (If it were in book form it would be 280 pages.)
If you have read The Missing Piece (and if you wouldn't mind), I would really appreciate an honest review on Amazon's product page.

Thank you! <3

Monday, May 14, 2012

If You Liked the Movie Fireproof...

If you liked the book (or movie), Fireproof, you may like the The Missing Piece, although it's more intense.

One reviewer states, "The interaction between Dylan and Lorraine evoked feelings similar to Kirk Cameron's Fireproof, but this is more involved and more developed than that healing romance. The author beautifully shows how worldly love, loss, regret, substance abuse and physical pain are necessary for change and can be redeemed for God's glory. Fresh, vibrant, polished prose is used throughout which makes every chapter a joy to read." http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006SP46GU

Last Day to Enter Drawing

Enter the Christian Bookshelf Reviews contest for a chance to win my inspirational love story THE MISSING PIECE (contest ends today with the drawing the 15th).  http://christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-giveaway-carol-mccormick.html

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

My Interview on Christian Bookshelf Reviews

Melanie from Christian Bookshelf Reviews does a great service for authors. She  posted my interview  on her blog, facebook page,  and twitter  today. What a wonderful birthday present :) http://christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-giveaway-carol-mccormick.html

Friday, March 30, 2012

Newspaper Interview

My interview in the Chautauqua Star if you click on the arrow and then the third thumbnail on the bottom.
http://issuu.com/chautauquastar/docs/032912?mode=window&pageNumber=1

Friday, March 23, 2012

My Favorite Quote about Writing

"A writer is dear and necessary for us only in the measure of which he reveals to us the inner workings of his very soul." ~ Leo Tolstoy