Wednesday, December 17, 2014

It's a Christmas Holiday Promotion!

It's the holiday season everyone!  I hope everyone is ready for the holiday, whether you live in an area where you'll be celebrating a white Christmas or an area that doesn't get any snow, it's time to be festive!

Many of us, myself included, enjoy the holiday season.  Kids opening their presents, running around wildly from too much sugar, snowball fights, building snowmen, and looking at the twinkling lights of houses and trees is all part of the holidays.

It's also a time to reflect on the year.  Like every year, it's had its ups and downs.  For me, this year had quite a bit to look back on and smile about.  I made a decision to move my publishing to Amazon.com, and have had a wonderful experience with them.

I finished the second book in my Tal'Avern fantasy series, and had that published on Amazon.  In August, I had the delightful experience of being able to speak at the Marshfield Public Library in Marshfield, WI. about my passion for writing, and met some wonderful people.

I've connected with several others along the way through my Author Page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/saborgman), on Twitter (@ScottBorgman), and had several mentions on Vision and Verse, an amazing site that focuses on art and authors (www.visionandverse.blogspot.com).

The year would not be complete, however, if I did not do something to show my appreciation for everyone.  As I am fond of saying, I breathe life into each and every character within the stories that I write.  But it is the reader who gives them their souls.

Because of the readers, Tal'Avern has come to life not only within me, but in others.  Currently, I'm working on the third book in the Tal'Avern series.  In light of that, I am running a special holiday promotion on Amazon.com.


Starting at 12am PST on Dec. 20, and going until 12am Dec. 25, both digital books on Amazon.com in the Tal'Avern series (Province of a Thief and Darkness and Dragons) will be on a Countdown Deals.



What does that mean?  Well, for the first 2 1/2 days, both books can be purchased for only $.99 each.  At 12pm PST on Dec. 22, the price will increase to $1.99 per book, and the promotion will end on Dec. 25 with the two digital books returning to their regular price of $2.99.

Here's a quick link to get you where you need to go when it starts!  http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Borgman/e/B00KROBR4W

With that, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!  Thank you for your support, and trust me - I'm working on the third book as much as possible... I want to find out what happens too!  (I've already had a few shockers and unexpected twists that even I was surprised at!)


All My Best,

Scott

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Whoops, I better update!

Hey everyone!

I had no idea it's been about 2 months since I last posted a blog!  Where does the time go?  So I need to catch everyone up on things!

First and foremost, the world grew a little dimmer, while the sky grew a little brighter.  My wife's nan, Gwen Howse, passed away recently, so we've had some sadness to cope with.

Though I never had the privilege of meeting her, I know she was a strong, loving, and wonderful person.  I see that in her granddaughter, who I am lucky enough to call my wife.

In honor of her, my latest fantasy book which I am currently writing is dedicated to her.

As for the book itself, work continues on it.  Whether it's going fast or slow depends on one's point of view I suppose.  I'm one day closer to completing it, I know that!  What day that may be, however, still remains a mystery.  At least at this particular point in time.

The story is a continuation in my Tal'Avern series, which some of you may know begins with the first book, Province of a Thief, and follows with Darkness and Dragons, Volume I, taking place immediately following the ending of Darkness.  Some of you may know that there was a time span of roughly two years between Province and Darkness.

Of course, I can't give any spoilers (sorry!), however, this is by far my biggest project to date, larger than Darkness was.  Multiple story lines are taking place as the companions that you have met and travelled along with have been forced apart along different paths.  Some are together, while others are on their own.

I just hit the 50k word count mark last night, which of course means very little since who knows what the end count will be!  More often than not I really don't use word count for any reason, since it really doesn't matter.  A story is done when it's done, whether it takes two thousand words or two hundred thousand words.

I will say that thus far, however, it has been an AMAZING journey.  Some interesting twists, turns, revelations... ahh, I better not say anything else, lest I break my 'no spoilers' rule.

I did post an excerpt from the book on my Facebook Author Page if any of you would like to get a teaser on the new book.  However, please remember that the book is still in the writing stages, and anything could change during the editing stages.

Here is the link to my Author Page on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/saborgman

If you haven't had a chance to step into the world of Tal'Avern yet, there's no better time to do so!  The cold weather keeps us all indoors for the most part, and what better thing to do than curl up with a book?  Digital copies are available on Amazon.com, and actually now is the PERFECT time to pick them up.  Province and Darkness are only $2.99 now.

If you're looking for something a little different, then grab the Exiled trilogy.  Each of those three books are only $.99 each!  They're a unique blend that mixes modern day, angels, mythology, some fantasy/supernatural and adds a touch of thriller/horror.

http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Borgman/e/B00KROBR4W

So that's where things are at.  Book 3 in the Tal'Avern series is being written (just came off a 10 hour writing session in fact), books 1 and 2 are available on Amazon (digital only, physical copies are on my list of things to do, though!), as are the three books that make up the Exiled trilogy.

With that, I am off!  To write some more, to sleep, to get something to eat, or maybe just to relax and perhaps play a game.  Have a great day everyone, and if I don't blog again before the holidays, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

All My Best,

Scott

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

3-Day Promo Wrap-up

Well the 3-Day Promo where readers could pick up the first book in my Tales of Tal'Avern fantasy series, Province of a Thief, has ended.

I'd like to say thank you to everyone who took advantage and picked up Province for free.  I hope you enjoy your first steps into the world of Tal'Avern.

Province takes place in only a part of the world, and introduces you to characters that I hope you enjoy reading about and following along with as they are thrust into a dark plot that has been planned for long years.

If you missed out on the special promotion, that's okay!  Province is available in digital format on Amazon for only $3.49.  Part of the reason why I chose the digital path is because it allows you, the reader, to pay far less than you would for a physical copy.  I'm a firm believer that digital books are the way to go.  Without adding in printing costs and other factors, it gives you the opportunity to read the same story for much less than if it were in print.

That's not to say I'm opposed to print books!  I'll be the first to say that there's just something about holding a book in your hands that can't be duplicated.  And yes, I am very seriously considering making the books available in print eventually.

Right now, I'm concentrating on working on the 3rd book in the Tal'Avern series.  I'm only about 25k words into it as of this blog, but already I wish I could type at 1000wpm. 

I'm truly excited about where this next part in the series is going, and I hope that those of you who have read/are reading/are going to read Province will continue on with the follow-up, Darkness and Dragons: Volume I.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't invite you to let myself and others know what your thoughts are on the books by leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

I appreciate every thoughtful review, whatever rating you give the books.  Some of you may love them, some may not.  That is the nature of reading.  But by all means, let us know!

At the end of my books are several links:  My Twitter, my Facebook Author Page, etc.  Don't be shy!  Get in touch with me if you'd like to!  That is why those links are at the end of my books.  I write because I love being a storyteller, but it is my greatest honor and pleasure that you allow me into your lives and give me the opportunity to entertain and delight you.

My readers truly mean a lot to me, and I love hearing from them and connecting with them.  Even if it's just a simple hello, I always take time to respond to my readers.

With that, I shall end this particular blog.  The world of Tal'Avern is in turmoil, and I must get back to it and write down the events so that you can read about them!

Have an amazing day everyone!


All My Best,

Scott

Saturday, September 20, 2014

3 Day Promotion

Hello everyone!

It's been some time since I posted anything.  Life sometimes has that side-effect.  So a quick update - the Library Campaign ended Aug. 31st.  It didn't do nearly as well as I had hoped it would, however I did do a speaking engagement at the library on Aug. 14th which generated some nice donations toward the library, so overall while it all wasn't as successful as I had hoped, it was a success nonetheless.

On to new things.  I've begun working on the third book in the Tales of Tal'Avern series.  Province of a Thief is the first book in the series, and Darkness and Dragons: Volume I follows up.

I mention this because yesterday (Sept. 19th) was my birthday, and so to celebrate I'm giving all of you a gift!  I've begun a special 3 day promotion, which I just checked and it HAS gone active, so from now through Sept. 22 you can pick up the first book in the series, Province of a Thief

FOR *** FREE ***

Note the capital letters which suggest shouting and the asterisks which highlight the word FREE even more.  Because the promotion is only going for 3 days, everyone.  So take advantage!!!

For convenience, here is the link to the US Amazon site:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KR140EO/

UK readers will need to go to the UK Amazon site which is here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KR140EO/


And now, if you will all excuse me, the world of Tal'Avern is in turmoil, and so I must return to it and get back to working on the third book in the series!  Have a great day everyone!

Monday, August 11, 2014

20 Days Left

A month ago I began my Library Campaign with high hopes.  In that month, those hopes have begun to sour.  True, there is still 20 days left - the campaign runs through August, but if the next twenty days are indicative of the past month, it will end with disappointment.

The whole focus behind the campaign from the very beginning has been to donate a healthy portion of digital book profits to a local area library (50%) that needs close to $2mil in order to begin construction on a new building that is needed in order to meet the changing times and technology.

From the very first day, I had hopes that the campaign would be a success.  I was sure that the support would be there.  I posted about it on my Facebook Author page, my personal Facebook page, and took to Twitter, where most of my focus was aimed, since Twitter has the potential to reach an unbelievable amount of people.

The catch with Twitter is that people have to respond.  They have to retweet in order to help spread the word.  Such a simple thing to do, nothing to lose and so much to gain for the library.

But the hard truth is that as simple as it is, only a few people have stepped forward and supported with retweets.  One person more than anyone else.  One.  Among how many?

'Why retweet?  There's nothing in it for me.' 'I don't have the time.'  'Someone else will do it.'  'I'm not interested.'  This is the general feeling I've gotten from the Twitter community.  And if I sound harsh, it's because I guess I had high expectations.

I thought others would feel as strongly about helping a community, doing something worthwhile.  I've been disappointed, and feel like there's more selfishness than selflessness in the world.  Part of the reason for the campaign was not just to help the library, but to turn heads and show the world that with all the bad that goes on, we are still capable of doing something great - together.

The pyramids weren't built by a handful of people.  Neither was the Great Wall of China.  These are extraordinary examples of what we can accomplish together.  Each person doing a small, seemingly insignificant part of the greater picture, but each one as important as the next person.

We are surrounded day in and day out by negativity, yet every day there are sparks of kindness throughout the world that are done.  And though these small acts of kindness are rarely seen by the masses, they are remembered forever by those that were affected by them.

Buildings are built every day, but for the most part they are funded by a company, or perhaps a small group.  That's why I had such high hopes for this campaign.  It went against the grain.  The funds would come not from a company or a small group of people, but by the masses that pulled together, each doing a small part.  Together, those small parts would add up to something extraordinary.  A single building that not only was funded by a mass of people, which in itself is an amazing accomplishment, but a building that would be a place for generations of children and adults to come to - to study, to read, to learn... to grow.

And maybe a part of this campaign could be looked at as a social experiment as well.  An experiment in humanity.  Do we exist for ourselves, concerned only with what we can get?  Or when an opportunity passes our way, do we seize the moment and do something that will benefits others?  The answer to that as I write this, is the former.

But we still have time.  Time to make a difference.  Time to do something extraordinary.  In all honesty, last month I thought that together we could hit that mark, that seemingly impossible amount of money needed yet for the library.  Do I think so now?  That would take a miracle, like winning the lottery.  It's possible, but sadly, I don't think practical.  It would take millions of people who truly care about making a difference as much as I do.

Is that harsh?  No.  It's hard truth.  We're all so used to the negativity that bombards us every day, that when something good and decent and worthwhile comes along, we're blinded to it for the most part.  Or we don't care, because there's nothing in it for us.

So, we have 20 days left.  20 days where we can still make a difference.  The opportunity is slipping through our fingers, but it's not quite out of reach.  We can still make a difference.  But it takes effort.  It takes people caring enough to take a few seconds to retweet, and pass the message on to their followers, who can pass it on to their followers, and so on.

And obviously, the retweets are not what increases that donation amount, but the digital book sales.  But the retweets gets the message out there.  It gets it to those who will choose to help do their own small part, either with their own retweet or perhaps picking up one or more of the digital books.

So we have 20 days.  If you want to help with a retweet, please follow me on Twitter @ScotttBorgman and retweet any of my tweets that deal with the library campaign or link to my blog.  If you choose to help increase that donation amount, all of my digital books are available on Amazon (5 in all, ranging from $2.99 - $3.99.)

How this campaign ends, ultimately, is up to each one of us.  The opportunity to do something extraordinary is there, but it's fading fast.  Seize it, or let it slip away?  Let it slip away, and it will be forgotten in a matter of days.  Seize it, and what was done will be long remembered.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Update on the Library Campaign

Hello, everyone!

It's been about 2 weeks since I started the Library Campaign.  For those of you who don't know what that is, please check my blog on July 13th, titled 'Special Announcement' for all the info on that.

The campaign has started out slow - slower than I had hoped, but it is going until the end of August, so there's still time to really heat things up.

You can follow along and keep updated on how it's doing yourself by going to my Facebook Author page here:  www.facebook.com/saborgman.  Don't forget to give it a 'like' while you're there so you can check on the status easily!

My cover image on the page has the current amount that will be donated.  I do change the cover image when the amount increases.  Also, I altered the cover image slightly the other day, adding in the amount that the library needs, which is $1.9m.



Now, I know the amount they need is high.  That's why this campaign is SO important to me.  It's why I'm pushing so hard to get word out about this campaign to as many people as possible.

In all honesty, I want us to hit their needed goal. I know it's a difficult goal, but I don't believe it's an impossible one. It will take a lot of effort, but together, we can reach that star - no matter how high up in the sky it appears to be, we can reach it - together.

Some of you may be thinking 'I'm only one person.  One person won't make a difference.'  Imagine though, if one person thinks that, another one does - perhaps hundreds or thousands of others.  Those single drops of rain add up very quickly. 

The same idea applies to Twitter.  A single retweet on Twitter could echo out to thousands of others, ten of thousands... perhaps millions.

I also wanted to let you know that when this campaign is over, when it's all said and done, when it's time to hand that check over to the library, it will be you that is getting recognized for the effort, not me.

It has always been my intention from the moment this campaign began that I would not be taking any of the credit for whatever amount ends up being donated.  The credit doesn't belong to me.  It belongs to everyone who has helped this campaign with their shares on Facebook, their retweets on Twitter, and of course, the digital book purchases which increase the donation amount.

We have just under a month left in the campaign.  We have a lot of work to do in order to reach that goal.  But I know it can be done.

As Kaly says at the end of The Exiled: Infinity: "I have faith in you."

So take a moment to follow me on Twitter @ScottBorgman and help spread the word with retweets.  Give my Author page on Facebook a 'like' and share my posts.  And please, head over to your country's Amazon (different countries have different Amazon sites) and pick up a copy of one or more of my digital novels.  Just type 'Scott Borgman' in the search field and click on my Amazon Author page, which can get you to each novel's page easily.

You may enjoy them, you may not - but the donation amount will increase with those purchases regardless.  That's what this is all about.

If you don't own a Kindle, there are a lot of apps out there that allow you to read the novels on other devices such as iPhones, iPads, even personal computers/laptops.

Thank you, everyone.  I can't tell you how much this campaign means to me, and I honestly appreciate your support.  I think this campaign can really show what's truly important.  While governments spend money building bombs - we're building libraries.

All My Best,
Scott



Saturday, July 26, 2014

A Birthday Message

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Birthday to someone very close to my heart, my youngest son, Cameron James Borgman.



Cameron James Borgman
7/26/07 - 10/18/10

Almost four years ago, Cami received his angel wings.  He would have been 7 today.  And though I and my family miss him more than anything, we are grateful for the short time that we had him in our lives.

Cami taught me that life is so precious, and so often we take even that simple miracle for granted.  We often define our lives by what we can get, but our lives are enriched and made extraordinary by what we can give back, what we can do for others.

It is for that reason that I feel so strongly about the Library Campaign I am running.  But it is not only my campaign.  It is all of ours - yours and mine.  Your shares on Facebook, your retweets on Twitter, and of course your purchases of my books on Amazon all help this campaign.

I know Cami is proud of me for following my childhood dream to be an author.  And I am proud of him - and of each and every one of you who chooses to help such an important campaign with your shares, retweets, and your purchases.

Life isn't about what we can get, how big our homes are, how fancy our cars, or how much we make.  It's about making a difference in the lives of others.  It took the loss of someone very close to my heart to see that.  That is why I want this campaign to succeed.  The new library will make a real difference in the lives of countless people, which means we will make a difference in the lives of countless people.  And that is something we can all be proud of.

Please take a moment to read my Special Announcement blog (July 13, 2014), and help support such an important cause.  Thank you, everyone.  I am truly proud of each and every one of you.


All My Best,
Scott A. Borgman

Sunday, July 13, 2014

*** Special Announcement ***

This is a very special blog for me, one that I've been looking forward to writing with excitement and anticipation.  As an author, I have the privilege of being able to reach out to people all around the world.  Now, I want to take that one step further.

In the area where I live, there is currently a project running to raise money needed for building a new library.  I want to help out, and being an author gives me such an amazing opportunity to do so that I simply cannot pass up the chance to give something back.  One of the most fulfilling things in life is not what we can get, after all - it is what we can give.

My latest digital fantasy novel, Darkness and Dragons, Volume I, will be going live on Amazon within a matter of days, on July 15th.  In conjunction with that novel, I am running a campaign where a portion of the sales will be donated to the library project.

From July 15th, 2014 to August 31st, 2014, I will be tracking my sales on Amazon.  All of my books will be included in this campaign, not just the new release.  Those books are:


The Exiled


The Exiled: Continuation


The Exiled: Infinity


Province of a Thief


Darkness and Dragons, Volume I



Here is a breakdown of how this will work:  For every digital book sale in the Exiled trilogy, $1 will go toward the donation fund, which is a little under 50% of what I receive.  For each digital book sale of Province of a Thief, it will be $1.25 (about 51%).  And for every digital book sale of Darkness and Dragons, Volume I, $1.50 will go to the donation (just under 55%).

During the time while I'm running this campaign, I'll keep everyone updated through Twitter and my Facebook Author page with how much will be donated, along with the link to this blog.  So if you're on Twitter, follow me @ScottBorgman and give me a like on my Facebook Author page at (www.facebook.com/saborgman).

This is where I need your help: Retweet, share my Author page on your own Facebook pages, and of course, pick up a digital copy of one or more of the books!  While I certainly hope you enjoy reading them, the goal of this campaign is focused on donating a healthy portion of those book sales to the library project.

I've been in touch with the library's Director, a wonderful lady named Lori.  I'd like to take this opportunity to give a personal thank you to her for providing me with the information about the library project, and where they're currently at.  Right now, the library project still needs just under $2mil in order to reach it's projected goal.

Below is a link to the library project.  Please take a few minutes to take a look at it.  There are several other links on that page as well that will give you in-depth information on the plans and goals for the library.  One of those links in particular is the Case Statement, which I highly recommend taking time to look at.  Here is the link:

http://mplcc.marshfieldlibrary.org/

In all honesty, I would be ecstatic for my campaign to go viral.  I truly believe our lives are defined not by what we can get, but what we can do for others.  In this day, when technology is such a large part of our lives, when our kids are spending more time staring at the TV, playing video games, and texting, I believe libraries are needed now more than ever.  Books have evolved from traditional to digital, and the library must evolve as well to meet the changes.

I'm honored to have such an amazing opportunity.  Please, follow me on Twitter and my Author Page on Facebook so you can stay updated on how the campaign is going.  Share the link to this blog on your own Facebook pages, tweet the link to your own followers.  And of course, from July 15th to Aug. 31st, head on over to Amazon and pick up a digital copy of one or more of my books.

I'd love to help the library get closer to reaching their goal.  Okay, I'd love to be able to not just get them closer to their goal, but to reach it.  Is that hoping for something that seems impossible?  I don't think so.  With your help, I believe it can be done.

Every tweet and every share that links to this blog helps, and every digital book sale on Amazon will get a little bit closer to the library project's goal.  Ultimately, that's what this is all about - giving something back.

My deepest thanks to each of you.
 

All My Best,
Scott

Friday, July 11, 2014

Cover Reveal

Here it is, the cover reveal for my latest fantasy novel, the follow-up to Province of a Thief.

Releasing in a matter of days:  Darkness and Dragons, Volume I





A special announcement will be following in a few days!  Don't forget, you can find me on Twitter as well @ScottBorgman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saborgman



Saturday, July 5, 2014

Special Plans in the Works!!!

Hi, everyone!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be having some very special news coming up within the next few weeks.  I can't reveal anything right now, as I still have some details to work out, but I can let you know what's coming up.

First, there will be a cover reveal for my next novel, 'Darkness and Dragons, Volume I' which I will be posting on here, on my Twitter (@ScottBorgman) and on my Author page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/saborgman).

After that will come the announcement, hopefully about a week before the book goes live on Amazon, which I will of course write a blog up for, as well as mention on my Facebook page and tweet about.

I want to let everyone know beforehand though, that this is something that I feel is very important, something that I feel very strongly about and am fully dedicated to doing.  I'm truly excited about it... I wish I could say more right now (believe me, it's hard not to reveal much info right now, as much as I would like to!) but I will keep you updated.

I'm going to try and pair the cover reveal with the announcement, so stay tuned!  If you're on Twitter, pop on in and give me a follow @ScottBorgman.  If you're on Facebook, drop on by www.facebook.com/saborgman and give me a 'like' so you can stay up to date!

I hope you'll be as excited as I am when the time comes.  Keep an eye out, the cover reveal will be coming shortly!!!

All My Best,
Scott

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Think About It

The other day a story went viral - chances are you saw it, but for those that may not have read it, here is a link to a follow-up story.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julia-wykes/the-disturbing-trend-i-noticed-when-my-breastfeeding-story-went-viral_b_5551589.html


Take a moment to read the story.  Don't worry, I'll wait :)
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Okay, I assume you've read the story, or already knew about it.  I'm writing this blog because I feel that I should voice my thoughts on this incident.

First, to the barista of that Starbucks, my thanks go out to you.  To the mother, my deepest thanks and respect to you for having the strength to stand proud against the backlashing you received from this incident.

Of course there are those out there who for one or more reasons find that seeing a mother breastfeeding in public offensive, disgusting, and not something they want to see.  There are those that fully support the practice as well.  I count myself among the second group, personally.

In the center of this story, we had an infant who was hungry.  That is the most important issue here.  An infant that needed to be nourished/fed, however you want to describe it.  Surrounding that infant, there was a woman (and possibly others in the store) who was disgusted at seeing the infant's mother breastfeeding him and wanted her to leave, go somewhere else, cover up... do SOMETHING so she didn't have to see it.

And that is the point of this blog.  For you Trekkie fans (and even if you're not a fan you've probably heard this famous line) remember Spock's line in Wrath of Khan?

'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.  Or the one.'

I'm altering that line slightly for this situation.  On one end, we have an infant that needs to be fed.  On the other, we have people that don't want to see the mother breastfeeding in public.  Infant needs, peoples' wants.  Needs and wants.

'The need of the one outweighs the wants of the few.  Or the many.'

We all have wants, and we all have needs.  We want material things, money, etc etc.  We need the basics:  food, water, air, clothing... you get the idea.

To the mother who put her child's needs above someone else's wants, you have my thanks, my respect, and my best wishes.

I hope the next time this kind of thing takes place, that there will be a pause, and that someone who doesn't want to see a mother breastfeeding her child in public for one reason or another will realize that the needs of the child outweigh their feelings of not wanting to see it.  Think about it.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

When Opportunities Arise

Well, it's almost the end of June already... where does the time go???  I've had to make some decisions these past few weeks on what's best, not only for me, but for you as well.

I'll be forever grateful to Smashwords for giving me a home when I first stepped onto the path of the Indie Author.  But like most things in life, opportunities come around and changes are made.

So in a sense, I've moved into a new home, one that better suits me, as a writer, and I hope suits each of you who have read my work.  While my collection of poetry and my other free book will always be available on Smashwords, my novels are now available exclusively through Amazon.

These include my Exiled trilogy (The Exiled, The Exiled: Continuation, and The Exiled: Infinity), and my first book set in a pure fantasy world, Province of a Thief.  If you've been following along on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saborgman) you of course know that my new novel is close to release.

The new novel is set in the same world as Province, and takes place roughly two years after that.  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about it.  If you're a fantasy fan, I invite you to pick up a copy of Province.  (www.amazon.com/Province-Thief-Scott-Borgman-ebook/dp/B00KR140EO)

I hope the move to Amazon benefits you as much as it does me.  If you're an Amazon Prime customer, you've got an amazing chance to pick up those books for free with the Lending Library through Amazon.  If you're not a Prime member, I invite you to check it out, it truly is an amazing program.

I hope you're all having a wonderful summer so far!  I'll update again when the follow-up to Province goes live at Amazon.  No set date yet, but almost certainly sometime in July!  And of course, I'll post the cover image on here when it goes live for those of you who happen to check my blog before you hit the Amazon store ;)

Don't forget to check out my Facebook page, and give me a like while you're there, as well as my Twitter @ScottBorgman

All My Best,
Scott

Sunday, June 8, 2014

The Art of the Book Review

I wanted to take time out from editing my latest novel to talk about something very important - book reviews, and just how important they are to Indie Authors.

As an Indie Author, I can attest that I look forward to readers taking the time to review my work, and I'm sure every author, traditionally published and Indie Author alike, feels the same way.  Certainly we love to see book sales, but a review of the books that we write means just as much to us.

When we see book sales, it's really nothing more than a number to us.  That number represents a copy of our book that was sold, but that's all it does.  But there's a reader behind there as well, someone who is more than just a number.  It's a person who lives and breathes and has thoughts and opinions about the book.  We want to know what those thoughts and opinions are.

Book reviews are the absolute best way for the reader to let both the author and other readers know what they thought of the book.  However, like books that can be both good and bad, reviews walk that same path as well.

Now, I'm not talking about the rating that the reader puts on the review.  I'm talking about the content of the review itself.  Certainly no one expects a review to be its own book, and it shouldn't by any means give anything away (it's a review after all, not a book report), but it should convey the thoughts and opinions the reader had about the book.

To show what I mean, here are a few examples:

'This was a good book, I loved it!  5 stars!'

Or on the flip side:

'Didn't finish it.  I got bored after the first two chapters.'

Two reviews (and those were merely examples), one good, one bad.  But they lack depth, and in general are not taken seriously by anyone, reader or author alike.  Now here's two other examples to compare the first two against:

'This book captured my attention from the first page.  The story is filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.  (Author) brought the town and the people to life, and the characters' struggles were so believable that I felt as if I were right there, feeling every emotion along with them.  Though I felt the book ended sooner than I wanted it to, it was a wonderful book nonetheless, and I'm looking forward to the next one!  4 Stars!'

And the second one:

'I struggled with this book.  Though the characters are described pretty good, they felt bland - like they were just going through the motions without feeling.  The story bounced between time periods so often that it became confusing, making it difficult to understand most of the time.  There were some interesting moments in the book, but they seemed to be over quickly, while other parts that I thought were kind of dull and pointless seemed to drag on forever.  1 1/2 Stars.'

See the difference?  The first two examples simply say 'I liked it' and 'I didn't like it', but nothing else.  No explanations or reasoning why.  They don't give enough of an opinion to help either other readers or the author. 

The second set of examples are what other readers in general take more seriously, and what we authors hope to see in every review.  The examples not only say that the reader enjoyed the book or didn't, but they expand on those feelings by giving some of the reasons why they did or didn't enjoy the book they reviewed.  In addition, whether they enjoyed the book or not, they point out both strong and weak points in their review. 

The second set of examples are the kind of reviews that I personally pay more attention to when I'm curious about a book.  While ultimately the decision to read a book lies in my hands, I like to know what others thought about the book as well.  And they do play a part in my decision.  10,000 people that give a book a 5 star informative review tends to raise an eyebrow, after all.  And truthfully, as a reader, reviews like those first examples I typically scroll past without any consideration, because there's simply nothing TO consider.

Switching back to the author's viewpoint, sure we love to see glowing reviews painted in gold, but no book is perfect, and we know that.  WE'RE not perfect.  We want to get better, and that takes practice, just like everything else.  We use reviews as a tool to see what we may need to work on.

And by that I mean the technical aspects of the story, such as descriptions, depth, etc.  Saying that Jack should have ended up with Tara instead of Susan at the end of the book isn't what I mean.  In fact, a review should never have something like that in them. Little things that give away the story make it less enjoyable for other readers.  That's why they're called book reviews instead of book reports, after all.

I realize I mentioned that earlier, but I wanted to stress the point again because one of the things that make books so special is finding out what happens for yourself.  It's like the first time I watched The Usual Suspects.  Now, if someone had told me how good it was and then what happened, versus how good it was and why they thought so, I wouldn't have enjoyed the movie nearly as much.  The same thing applies to book reviews.

Now I'm sure some of you may have that thought running through your head, or have had it at one time or another.  You know the one: '(Author) already got money from the sale, what does it matter if I liked the book or not?'

It matters.  It matters, it matters, it matters.  It matters as much as that sale does, perhaps more.  Why?  Remember at the beginning when I said book sales are just a number, but authors know there's a person behind that number?  Writing an honest, insightful book review brings that person, with their thoughts and opinions, out from behind that number and gives that number a voice.

But it's not just allowing other readers to read your thoughts and opinions on the book.  Authors want to know as well.  We depend on it, in fact, because like everything else, if we don't know there's a problem we can't work on strengthening our weaknesses in order to become better writers.  At the same time, we also like to hear what we've done right.

Think of writing a review like being a coach.  Every good coach understands that letting a player know what they need to practice on should be coupled with praising them on what the player's strengths are.  It's yin and yang, hot and cold, sun and moon.  It's balance.

Balance.  A coach who focuses on just the negatives will make a player lose confidence in him or herself and whether it's intended or not, the player will get in the mindset that no matter how hard they work, it won't make a difference.  Eventually they'll give up, and the potential that was within them will never have a chance to come out.

At the same time, focusing on only the positives may make that player over-confident and cocky, to the point that eventually constructive criticism goes in one ear and out the other, and the things they need to work on never improve.  Once again, the potential that is within them is never fully realized.

So when you grab a book, whether you enjoy it or not, if you're considering writing a review on it after you've finished reading it, keep these things in mind.  Make a list of what you honestly liked and what you didn't and go from there.

And remember this:  We authors appreciate those reviews more than you may realize.  Good, bad, and everything in between, we are grateful for every honest, insightful review.


Scott A. Borgman






Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Spreading my Wings

I've been hard at work on my latest project, the follow-up to Province of a Thief.  While it's a separate story set in the same world, there are old friends reuniting in it, as well as new ones to meet.  Currently it's in the editing phase, and I'm hoping to get it published by the end of June, if not sooner.

In light of that little tidbit of info, I'd like to let everyone know that I've expanded from Smashwords (www.smashwords.com) where I have published my works exclusively, and expanded to Amazon.  Currently, only Province is available on Amazon, but if there's interest I would certainly be happy to include my Exiled trilogy there as well.

And with that, I should get back to work... the novel isn't going to edit itself, after all!

Saturday, May 10, 2014

A Weekend Update

Hello Friends!

First, my sincerest apologies for the lack of new material on my blog.  Keeping up with the social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, and the blog) is something I need to work on.  I've been working on a new project, and I have a habit of getting sucked into the writing and putting the social media sites on a backburner.  I will try to do better!

I would like to take a moment to give a very heartfelt Thank You to fellow author Carol Kauffman, who has posted an interview with me on her website, Vision and Verse.  It's a wonderful site, and I invite each of you to check it out, where you can read interviews with other authors, artists, find out about some new books that are coming out, and more.  Here is the website address:

www.visionandverse.blogspot.com


As I said, I have been hard at work on my latest project, which is a follow-up to my last novel, Province of a Thief.  It's not so much a sequel as it is a new adventure, though many of the characters from Province do make a return.  There are also new characters that are introduced, and a grander story that will be split up into two different books.  I'm still working on a title (the tentative one I have is okay but I can do better!)

On that point, I am getting close to finishing the first of the two books... at least the writing phase of it.  After that will come the editing and rewriting phases, cover design, and finally publishing it.  I was hoping to get the writing phase done this week, but it looks like it will push on a few days into next week.

I hope everyone's had a good week!

Sunday, March 2, 2014

'Read an Ebook' Promotion: March 2-8

Hello everyone!

I'd like to let you all know that the annual 'Read an Ebook' promotion is taking place once again, March 2-8 at www.smashwords.com.

As always, I am taking part in this wonderful promotion.  I have put all three books in my Exiled trilogy into the promotion, as well as my latest book, Province of a Thief.

It's an amazing opportunity for authors like myself that have found a home at Smashwords to give you a chance to pick up books at a lower than regular price.  In my case, I have put all of my books on the promotion for free.

Yes, you read that correctly - they are FREE.  Simply log onto your Smashwords account, or create one if needed - it's simple, fast, free, and most importantly these days, it is SECURE.

You can either do a search for each one of my books, or simply type in 'Scott Borgman' in the search to go to my profile page, where all of my works are listed as well. 

Each of my books in the promotion can be purchased for free by using coupon code RW100 at the checkout.

Thank you everyone for the support!  I truly appreciate it, and including my books in this promotion for free is just another way of saying how thankful I am for all of the support you've given and continue to give.

I would also like to invite you to let myself and others know your thoughts and feelings about the book(s) afterwards by writing a review on the book's personal page.  Whether it's praise or criticism, I only ask for honest heartfelt reviews.

Have a wonderful week, and Happy Reading everyone!

--Scott

Sunday, February 23, 2014

A New Look

Hey everyone, I wanted to share the new look for the last book in my Exiled Trilogy.  The Exiled: Infinity has had it's cover redesigned by fellow author and cover designer Jess O'Connell.  Jess did redesigns for the first two books in the trilogy as well, and did an amazing job.  This one is no different.  She captured the feel of the book perfectly, and I couldn't be happier or more humbled that she lent her talents in the redesign.

Here's the new look:



I have been working on a new project lately, one that remains within the world where Province of a Thief  took place, though it will encompass not only the Province but the entire world where the Province resides.  I'm truly excited about it, and though the project is daunting, I am up for the challenge, and am bringing more of the world to life, along with new characters.

Take care everyone, and thank you for your continued support!

Sunday, January 26, 2014

A New Tale Begins

It's been a few weeks since I posted any updates, and for that I apologize.  I sometimes find it difficult trying to juggle my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/saborgman), this blog, my Twitter (Connect with me @ScottBorgman) and working on my newest project - not to mention all the other wonderful things life throws.

In any case, yes, I have begun work on a new book.  No major spoiler alerts, but I will say that it is not only a return to the Province where my last novel, Province of a Thief, took place, but an expansion past those borders as well.

Province of a Thief covered only a very small portion of the Province.  A very small portion.  There is certainly so much more to discover in that land alone - but this project is not going to have things going on in just the Province, it's going to expand beyond the borders, to the other lands beyond as well.  After all, what's the point of creating an entire world from one's imagination if one stays within the confines of only a small part of that world?

Some old friends will certainly make an appearance, and new characters are going to be introduced.  Yes, I know... that's so vague, Scott, give us at least a hint of what this is about!

War.  War is coming.  A war of conquest that will threaten to sweep across the entire world and engulf it completely, leaving nothing but ruin in it's wake.  Old enemies are going to clash against each other, and new enemies that have never met before will see each other for the first time.  Old alliances will have to be renewed and strengthened if there is to be any chance of fighting back the darkness that is looming on the horizon.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Power of Words

I saw this about a week ago - a friend had posted it on her Facebook - and I wanted to share it with you all because it is so inspiring.

As an author, my goal is to tell a good story.  But more than that, it is to attempt to bring out emotions within each of you that reads my work through nothing more than words.

Words can have a profound effect - not in just what is said, but how it is said.  I'm sure each of us has had at least one experience that was either good or bad not in what we said or someone said to us, but in how it was said.

This video shows just how powerful something as simple as words can be, and the effect they can have on others.  Something as simple as words really can have an effect on people - they truly can change our world and make it a better place for all of us.

http://www.wimp.com/powerwords/

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

A Smashwords Interview

Greetings, everyone!

Just another quick blog here.  I can't believe I haven't linked this yet!  Things have been so busy for me lately I completely forgot, so my apologies for that.

I wanted to post the link here to my Smashwords Interview.  I suppose some of you may only know me as 'that author with the hand for his profile picture.'  There is a reason I have that for my profile image, which I believe is answered in the interview.

For those of you who would like to learn a little more about me, I invite you to click on the link to the interview.  I would like to say thank you as well for all of your support.  Here is the link to the interview:

http://www.smashwords.com/interview/ScottBorgman

Quick Update

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to give a quick update for you.  I uploaded a new cover image for my latest book, Province of a Thief.

While the original cover image did have a meaning to it within the story, I wasn't happy with it.  So I took a new step and really concentrated over the past few days on making a better cover, one that I am extremely happy with.  Since I already posted the link to my new book in my previous blog, there's no need to be repetitive with that.  Here's what the new book cover image looks like:



I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!  Best wishes and let's all make this year a good one!

Warmest Wishes,
Scott Borgman