#Books, #Videos and Exposure on #12_12_12

A marketing tool that has become an important resource for authors of all genres is YouTube. Short videos, if done with some professionalism, offer a great way to increase the exposure of an author or a book. So, YouTube is just one more effective way that we have chosen to promote sales of Pabby’s Score on 12/12/12.

We've all heard stories about a video that "went viral," got passed among friends, and became a seemingly overnight sensation.  Anyone ever heard of Justin Bieber?

An author infomercial is a unique method that a writer can use to spread a message. Anyone can read a blog or a back cover, but a message that is delivered to both sight and sound might be the best way to reach some readers. After all, look how many movies are produced because of an author’s words in a story. The connections between the two types of media are strong.

With Pabby’s Score we tried two different types of videos. The first one offers a generic look at the title and concept of the book. The second one details the words of others, found in reader comments and reviews. Check them both out and see which one speaks to you. I’d love to hear your feedback.

In Pabby's Score, the cast of regulars from the golf course is ever present, but close to twenty-five new characters also emerge on the scene. Two prominent characters I introduce in this novel are Pabby and Shae who are special needs children at Footprints of Hope foster care center. They arrive at Prairie Winds with their mentors as part of a youth in need program.

At the same time that wonderful relationships are being formed for these boys, sinister events in the form of a bogus insurance claim, civil lawsuit and tainted courtroom decisions fuel frustration with the golf course owners.

A trip along the Mississippi on the River Road, the discovery of an old, well-hidden secret and a hunting excursion with falcons attempt to explain the events. You’ll have to pick up a copy of Pabby’s Score to see the intriguing conclusion.

Pabby’s Score is the fifth novel in the Prairie Winds Golf Course series from James Ross. It is a story with INNOCENCE – GREED – CORRUPTION – and SEX, as well as a few laughs and several surprises. Mark your calendar for the Pabby’s Score Blitz at Amazon online on 12/12/12. It is available in paperback and Kindle format.

#12/21/12 is Almost Here!

The end of the world is coming!!  We've been hearing the predictions about the approaching apocalypse for quite a while, but now it is merely days away! 

There is a not-so-insignificant number of people who believe that the Mayans, more than 5000 years ago, predicted that the end of the world will take place on December 21, 2012.  Some say the Mayan calendar ends on this date . . . there are no more days to be had.  And, with much evidence to show that the Mayans had amazing insight concerning technology, astronomy, and physics, why not believe them?

The truth is that 12/21/12 does end a "long count period" for the Mayans, which is a linear count of days that just happens to have lasted for five millenia.  But, when this period ends, the cycle will continue and the counting will begin again.  NASA and other scientific organizations have assured the public that the sun will rise and life will continue on 12/22/12.

Just in case, though, why not buy a great book ahead of a possible doomsday?  Immerse yourself in a story of intrigue, corruption, and sex to avoid thinking about a meteor crashing into Texas or the grand armies of the world converging into a final battle of nuclear holocaust. 

On 12/12/12 . . . beating the end of the world by nine days! . . . I am having an Amazon Blitz for my newest release, Pabby's Score.  I am asking everyone who can to purchase my book through Amazon on this date, with the intention of showing a spike in sales and therefore getting a higher ranking and visibility on the popular site. 

Mark your calendars for 12/12/12 to buy Pabby's Score and then, whether or not the world actually ends, choose something to cross off your bucket list before 12/21/12 and celebrate life!

The GOP and the Vagina

The presidential election of 2012 has the pundits scratching their heads. The second guessing will go on for the next four years as all of the Republicans who guaranteed a solid victory for their candidate, Governor Mitt Romney, looked at numbers that proved otherwise. What went wrong?

With unemployment numbers still high and a chronic feeling of discontent in the country, the election was a major coup for the incumbent Democrat. President Obama’s staff correctly played the geography and demographics and an amazing GOTV strategy. They maximized their ability to garner a super majority of votes in the major metropolitan urban areas and just enough votes beyond that.

The analysts stated that a phenomenon of contradiction existed in this election. The exit polls indicated that the voters were deeply concerned about the direction of the country, but stayed the course. The exit polls also revealed that many of the voters thought that Mitt Romney would be better for the economy, but the voters stayed the course. So, was this election nothing more than a very expensive popularity contest?

Obama’s re-election was especially beneficial for many groups. Black voters, gays and lesbians, abortion activists, Muslims, unions, welfare recipients, feminists and illegal immigrants came out winners.

During a phone call with a good female friend just after the election, I was told, “The GOP needs to learn how to stay away from a woman’s vagina. We want to do what we want with our bodies in 2012. We’ll decide if we want to have an abortion or not.”

But what about morals? What about what is stated in the Bible?

“We’ll decide what is best for us. We don’t need some conservative politician telling us what to do and making decisions for us.”

Hmmmm. Thanks for being blunt. In a close election maybe the moral majority isn’t as strong as once believed. A few more female votes certainly could not have hurt the Republican cause in 2012. It might be time for that party to alter its stance to accommodate the modern woman.

PLEASE Mark Your Calendars

Internet dating. Teens with special needs. Court corruption. Insurance fraud. An unethical attorney. A secret society and more ---

James Ross has designated 12/12/12 as a specific date to buy his latest book - PABBY'S SCORE - from Amazon in an attempt to move up the Best Seller list. Please purchase it here!

Check out this YouTube trailer about the novel!

Available in paperback and eFormat.

All participation is greatly appreciated!

Let's Start at the Very Beginning . . .

Welcome to the kick-off post for the A to Z Blog Challenge in which I am participating throughout the month of April!  For the next thirty days, I will be featuring many of the characters I have created over the past several years, as well as some of the controversial social issues that are featured in my novels. To start things off we’ll take a look at Aieshia, Alley Cat, and Tanner Atkins.

Aieshia is a character I created for Pabby’s Score. She is a strong woman with an imposing presence, being tall and rather large, but who shows a softer side through her chosen profession. She found her calling in life as a special needs instructor at Footprints of Hope foster home. Her principal assignment is to watch over Pabby, who is an autistic teen and a main character in the story.  The relationship between Pabby and Aieshia is a cornerstone for the storyline that unfolds.

Alley Cat is the nickname for a jockey who had a small part in Finish Line. Originally from Mexico, the diminutive man's real name is Alvarez Catamaran. He is the number one jockey at Hoof and Bridle Park. He has quite a reputation for tipping the bottle and womanizing around town.  The stereotypes embodied by Alley Cat are meant to create some controversy and hopefully start discussions about the work I've created.

Finally, an unethical attorney (can you imagine??) by the name of Tanner Atkins was created for Pabby’s Score. His is the principal partner in the ABC law firm, which is known in the community for unscrupulous dealings. His connections with an unjust judge set into motion a number of questionable decisions.

As I've already mentioned, one of the topics that I feature in my newest release, Pabby’s Score, is autism.  The entire autism spectrum is receiving much more attention than it did a generation ago, and a recent report by the CDC now states that 1 in 88 children have some form of this diagnosis. Pabby and Shae are two teens who live at a foster home for kids with special needs but enjoy the opportunity for a more integration into society by spending a summer at the Prairie Winds Golf Course. Virtually everyone who comes into contact with the pair is affected by their infectious personalities.

You can expect that some of my posts in April will offer these quick snapshots of people and issues, to give you a glimpse into my writing.  Other times, I will present a more in-depth take on one specific character or topic.  I'm excited to have you along with me for this journey!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

A to Z Blogging Challenge Begins This Weekend!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am experimenting with new ways to market my fifth novel, Pabby's Score.  I've released a promotional video, distributed copies of my book to reviewers, and, of course, I am meeting with all of you regularly through my posts and your comments on this site.

In relation to that last point, I am excited to share that I will be participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge beginnining this Sunday, April 1.  The point of this challenge is to have bloggers from around the globe write on a topic for each letter of the alphabet throughout the month of April.  You will see new posts from me every Monday through Saturday next month (April 1 will be the only Sunday with a posting, in order to kick off the event).

As of my writing of this post, there are more than 1300 writers signed up to participate in this challenge!  I think this will be a great way to increase the frequency of my own writing and to get to learn from some other bloggers as I hop around and visit their sites.  I hope you will stop by here regularly during the month of April to see how I am using each letter to share something about me, the characters I've created, or the craft of of writing.

If you have a blog, maybe you want to consider taking part as well.  It's not too late to sign up and work your way through the alphabet on your own blog!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Cyberbullying Reaches the Courts

I've never shied away from tackling controversial subjects in my novels.  I want readers to be entertained by my work, but I also want them to close the pages and perhaps start a conversation prompted by one of my characters or the scenarios in which they find themselves.

In my latest release, Pabby's Score, I bring the phenomenon of Internet dating into my focus.  However, there is another type of interaction through social media that is much more negative in its intentions and the entire country was talking about it thanks to a New Jersey courtroom this past week.  I'm referring to the epidemic of cyberbullying.

Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of invasion of privacy and bias intimidation, as well as multiple other offenses, after he spying on his roommate using a webcam and witnessed the student having sex with another man.  The roommate, Tyler Clementi, took his own life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge in New York City, after he discovered that his sex life was now the source of amusement for Ravi and his friends.

Ravi now faces up to ten years in prison and possible deportation to his native India.  His sentence will be determined in May.

I am sure that most of you have heard about this case and probably have your own opinions about it.  Was the spying and subsequent "tweeting" just the act of an immature college student, as Ravi's attorney argued, or malicious and criminal behavior, as was determined by the jury?  How does this case reflect a larger issue about the impact that technology is having on this young generation to interact with others appropriately?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Couple Guilty of Fraud Leave Kids on School Bus While in Prison

As I've noted in previous posts, my new release Pabby's Score covers many topics that are hot on today's news radar.  Among them is the prevalence of insurance fraud that seeps through our hospitals, pharmacies, home construction services, and many other areas, leaving many ruined reputations and creating its fair share of criminals.  And, sadly, there are plenty of innocent victims of insurance fraud as well.  It's not just a matter of manipulating numbers and records.

Two children were found living in a school bus in Texas and apparently had been there for a long period of time, ever since their parents were sent to separate federal prisons following their convictions on fraud  charges after they stole money from victims of Hurricane Ike in 2008.  The five-year-old boy and eleven-year-old girl were reported to be living in squalid conditions by a postal worker who reported the situation to authorities.  They had been home-schooled by their parents through the mail for the past year, making them essentially recluses from adults who could have noticed the problem much earlier. 

In interviews from prison, the parents insisted their children were well-cared for, as they had an aunt staying with them at night and the bus had been converted to provide running water, heat, and toilets.  The mother shared that she is being released next month and looks forward to taking care of her kids and moving forward.  That goal may be in doubt, though.  The kids are in the custody of child protective services and I doubt authorities will be particularly anxious to hand them back over to mom considering what she thought would be appropriate living conditions in her absence.

It just goes to show that there often are more unusual people in real life than we ever could create for a novel.  Let's hope that once these two finish their time for fraud against others in Texas, the guilty characters in this instance face the consequences they deserve for the way they left their children.  

Finding a Good Read

With the release of my most recent novel finally here, I've decided to try several new marketing options to promote my work.  I've shared with you my YouTube video and my efforts to get the book in the hands of those who are willing to share their review with others.  I'm also returning to an idea I've used before and hope to improve my approach this time.  I will be giving away two copies of Pabby’s Score through the popular book review website Goodreads. From now until the end of March, these free copies of my fifth release will be given away to readers who frequent that site.

I've tried this marketing tactic before with mixed results. A previous release, Opur’s Blade, was given to a reader who did not care for the story and therefore published a lukewarm review.  I'll be honest -- that made me a bit hesitant to share my work for free again.  It's disappointing to give a copy of a book to someone who does not like your writing style, characters or plot. Ouch!  Every reader is entitled to his or her own opinion, of course, and I want to hear from everyone.  But, it's not what I had hoped.

At any rate, I've rebounded and I want to give it another try.  Obviously, I hope for better feedback for Pabby’s Score, but we'll see what happens. It is a story that features two special needs children, Internet dating, insurance fraud, a sleazy law firm, and a secret society. I am excited to share that the early reviews have been very promising. We’ll see if the readers on Goodreads share those positive opinions!

Please visit Goodreads and sign up for the program. Maybe you’ll be getting a freebie copy in the mail in at the end of March!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Pabby's Score

by James Ross

Giveaway ends March 31, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The PR Power of YouTube

Pabby’s Score was recently published and we tried to do some things during the pre-release stage of marketing that we had not included in publicity efforts for my previous four novels. I like to think that I am learning from each book publishing experience and becoming a more effective marketer of my own work with each new offering. The digital age presents writers with so many ways to share our products that weren't available ten or even five years ago, and the possible outlets can be overwhelming!

This new book of fiction I've created could have been available for purchase as early as the summer of 2011. But we waited . . . and waited . . . as we planned out our marketing tactics for optimal coverage.

We wanted to present to the online community an organized, promotional campaign that was cohesive and multi-pronged in its distribution. One decision we made was to include the use of video.

We all recognize the power of YouTube as a marketing method. Just ask Justin Bieber or any number of laughing babies whose parents now have a million hits on a homemade video!  These publicity pieces can be made by anyone; it is rather easy if you follow the tutorials. So, we decided to give it a try.

Our focus was to try to keep the message at a length of thirty seconds. We wanted to make our point and move in and out of the video quickly. The cuts are realistic. The writing is to the point. We slapped a little music to the screen and presto -- we made our own amateur YouTube production.

You can watch the video as embedded in this post or check out the link. If you find the video convincing, I hope you then will give Pabby's Score a try.  I'm really excited to share this fifth novel with my reading audience and I look forward to your feedback, both on my YouTube efforts and the book itself.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Offering Review Copies Proved a Great Marketing Tool

I am excited to share that Pabby's Score is finally available for purchase! It is my fifth novel in the Prairie Winds series. As I mentioned in some prior blog posts, we delayed the release of this book to try some new approaches with pre-release publicity.

We researched different marketing tactics in an effort to create some buzz for this book before it hit the virtual shelves. One of the things we tried was sending out pre-release review copies to people who have helped our efforts in the past. I asked for help from friends who have an interest in golf, have had me as a guest on their radio show, have provided a review for one or more of my previous books, or have met me on an online social media site.  If you are one of these people and you've read Pabby's Score for me -- thank you!

I anxiously waited for those review copies to be read and to get the feedback from peers and others whose opinion I so highly value.  Well, the results have been staggering.  Nightengale Press and I received some wonderful comments from readers that are now included on the back cover of the book, as well as inside the front pages.

We also featured some of the positive remarks in a YouTube production as well as a Twitpic that could reach even more people through the powerful tool of Twitter.  Check them out!

I hope that reading the great reviews Pabby's Score has already earned will generate interest among new readers to my style of writing. Even if you have never read one of my books before, I hope you will try Pabby’s Score. It is a drama, but also loaded with comical moments and suspense. It will allow you an opportunity to meet some of the eclectic characters that I’ve created over the years, and maybe you'll want to go back and read what they've done in my previous work.  I look forward to your feedback!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Who Makes You Laugh?

Have you ever been tempted to take the stage during one of those "open mike" nights at the local comedy club?  If just one friend has mentioned during an evening out that you should take your show on the road after keeping everyone in the table laughing throughout dinner, I imagine the idea has crossed your mind.  In some ways, it's a great life!  You get to travel the country and vent about people and things that irritate you in front of (hopefully) hundreds of people. 

There is a diverse set of styles when it comes to stand-up comedians.  There are some who make their living talking about relationships, because there is certainly no shortage of material there.  Others choose to focus on current events and politicians . . . again, plenty of opportunity to make fun there.  And, there is the group that relies on props (think Carrot Top or Gallagher) to get the laughs.

Quite a few comedians who started on the tour circuit translated their talents into popular television shows in which they were the featured character, such as Ray Romano in Everybody Loves Raymond, Roseanne in (appropriately enough) Roseanne, and Bill Cosby in The Cosby Show.  And, I know there are quite a few others I could mention.

In my upcoming release, Pabby's Score, the career of a comedian is a topic that receives some focus.  So, I thought I would take a moment and ask you who your favorite comedian of all time is.  What makes that person stand out for you?  Maybe you'll introduce me to someone new, and I'm always looking for reasons to laugh!  Look forward to reading your thoughts!

The Draw of Secret Societies

No matter our stage in life, we all want to feel like we belong somewhere.  And, let's admit it, sometimes the more exclusive the membership to our particular group, the prouder we are.  Whether it's the varsity football team in high school, the most popular fraternity in college, or the inner circle that has the CEO's ear at your company, being on the inside is desirable.

You cannot get more "inside" than a secret society, when your membership secrets are restricted to a chosen few.  Most of us will never know what that is like, but conspiracy theorists like to claim that several of our presidents have been members of the international Illuminati that control world events.  Count me as one who isn't convinced that our world's governing bodies are being manipulated by the puppet strings of a few men whose purposes remain in the shadows.

The Freemasons also get pegged as a secret society that consists of the powerful and influential, with some historians creating the connection between President George Washington and the Masons and claiming that the stature of that organization boosted our first president's leadership.

Of course, many secret societies go no deeper than employing a secret handshake and meeting in discreet locations for the purposes of male bonding.  So, let's not give them too much credit.

In my upcoming release, Pabby's Score, I explore secret societies and the draw we have to their assumed sense of influence and importance.  And, of course, this will be set among the characters you have come to know in my previous works as they spend countless hours talking at the Prairie Winds Golf Course clubhouse.

Online Dating Has a Presence in My New Book

My upcoming release, Pabby's Score, will feature many of the characters you have come to know from my other published works but also offers some new story lines that I hope will start some interesting discussions among readers.  One popular relationship trend that becomes a point of interest in Pabby's Score is that of online dating.  As one of the popular matchmaking websites notes in its television commercials, twenty percent of all relationships now start as a result of some kind of internet service.

I imagine there are some people reading this blog post who are currently dating someone they discovered after placing a profile on one of the many dating sites available today.  I am not at all surprised now when a friend tells me he was at a wedding the previous weekend and the happy couple met through their computers.  I've heard that story more than a few times now.

There are several reasons to turn to online dating in an attempt to find anything from a casual encounter to a spouse.  Maybe you devote many hours to your profession and the spare time just isn't there for hanging out at the places that eligible singles tend to go.  It could be that you are shy and sharing a bit about yourself through a website is less intimidating than walking up to a stranger and starting a conversation.  Or, it could be that you've tried the traditional dating practices for years and you are ready to do something different.

For the people you know who primarily date through these sites, or maybe even concerning yourself, what was the reason for joining? 


There are genuine safety concerns when meeting a date in person for the first time.  What's a great first date location that is public and doesn't keep someone stuck in a painful situation for hours?

My New Novel Confronts a Broken Legal and Political System

My upcoming novel, Pabby’s Score, which is scheduled to be released later this year, makes a strong statement about the controversial advocacy and lack of ethical standards that exists among some in the legal community.

If you’ve read any of my previous books, you know that the characters that I’ve created are opinionated and have a lot to say about controversial social issues as they play a round or two at Prairie Winds Golf Course. Add a candid look at the high level of hypocrisy that we encounter in American society emanating from those in professional circles that are supposedly designed to vet these issues in a fair and judicious manner, and I hopefully have created another work that will spark heated and thoughtful discussions among my readers.

In Pabby’s Score, the collective opinion about politicians, judges, and lawyers among the regulars who bring their five irons to club house on a regular basis is not flattering.  With the mismanagement of government that is occurring on both sides of the aisle and playing out on the news every night, controversial court rulings that seem to fly in the face of our foundations as a nation, and a litigious society that makes a mockery of the serious nature with which legal challenges should be presented, I thought that it would be a suitable time for the regular players at the golf course to voice their displeasure with our leaders.

With this newest release, you’ll find civil justice (or injustice) as criminal acts come to the forefront and the web of involvement by respected members of the community bring into question the value of our leadership. I will be curious to learn if, after reading Pabby’s Score, your thoughts on the current state of our judicial and political process are the same as the guys in the clubhouse.  If that turns out to be the case, we are a people ready for some sweeping changes in how our legal and leadership systems operate.