By Shelley Sturgeon

We’re easing into those lazy, dog days of summer (here in North America at least!) where the cool shade of trees and comfy outdoor lounge chairs beckon us to sit a while and read a good book. If that’s how you like to spend your Sundays, while you’re stretched out and relaxing, take a couple of minutes to check out this week’s articles, too. You’ll be glad that you did.

Anne R. Allen on Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
Authors Beware! 6 New Writing Scams to Watch Out For
“These days, I look at my email inbox the way I do my landline phone. It’s not mine anymore. Mostly it belongs to spammers, scammers, and crooks. 90% of my landline calls are scammers (mostly robots), and it looks as if “Primary” email is headed that way too.”

Lee Foster on Foster Travel Publishing
The Gradual Empowerment of Modern Writers/Authors: How Writers/Photographers Can Market and Monetize Successfully Today
“With the rise of print-on-demand technology for printed books and with the prominence of inexpensive ebooks, replicated at no manufacturing cost, all the aspiring writers/authors in the audience could publish their own books. I use “books” here to suggest broadly their specialized content, whatever that might be.”

David Gaughran on David Gaughran
When #Cockygate And #Tiffanygate Collide
“I don’t know about you guys, but recently I’ve found it hard to maintain my membership of Team Hope. Trademark trolls issuing threats, scammers running rampant, clickfarmers hitting #1, innocents getting sanctioned while stuffers receive All Stars, narcissistic boxset promoters throwing lawsuits in every direction, plus Amazon generally acting like an absentee landlord during the Great Famine.”

Judith Briles on The Book Shepherd
Get Your Print Books Reviewed Pre and Post Publication
“The Library Journal, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and ForeWord Revie/s are the gold standard in book reviews. Some (Publishers Weekly, ForeWord Reviews and Kirkus have also created a paid for review service—this doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed a blue ribbon with your payment for it.”

Jessica Fender on Your Writer Platform
Social Media for Authors: Quick Tips to Get It Right
“Have you managed to finish your book and are you publishing independently? Great! Now, for the hard part – getting people to read it. ‘The hard part?’ you mumble. ‘Do you know how difficult it is to write a book?’”

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In Case You Missed It…

Announcing the 2018 IndieReader Discovery Award Winners!

The 2018 winners are here, after a hard fought “battle of the books!”

The judges on the IRDA panel included top people in all areas of the publishing industry, in concert with IndieReader’s trusty reviewers. Judging was based on the quality of writing and the originality of the story. There was a first, second and third place winner in each of the fiction and non-fiction categories, in addition to winners in various sub-categories.

Check them out at the link above.

 
Photo: BigStockPhoto