You can give a Kindle with a full compliment of ebooks!

This holiday season, why give a kindle or ebook reader without the recipients favorite genre already installed and ready to read? Surprise them!

Do they love post-apocalyptic stories? There are countless opportunities to include this genre into their Kindle. And sure, you could offer the Hunger Games Trilogy for a bunch of money, knowing they've likely read it already, or you could offer them an indie author trilogy for a quarter of the price. Something they've never heard of in the mainstream, like The Judas Syndrome. This is a ready made trilogy which has received several five and four star ratings. Book two and three of the series are equally loved and will cost you under $10.00 for the set.

I think the added surprise of not only receiving the ereader but also realizing it is full of books targeted to that person is a fun and inspired idea for holiday gift giving.

Remember, indie authors have a lot to offer and for a fraction of the cost of traditionally published authors. We were all indie authors once. Even those blockbusters that turned into movies were once authored by someone with no representation and zero edits...

Give a an #indieauthor a shot this Christmas, and give a dozen books rather than just one or two when wrapping up your Kindle.

Michael Poeltl 

Spirit Science, it's all about the science of your spirit

Book one of the Hello Me series

If you’re involved in spiritual pursuits you’ve likely heard the term: spirit science in recent years. It’s a relatively new term for a growing community of people dedicated to proving we are more than our five senses allow us to grasp; that we are spirit first. More often than not this research takes place in labs. Yes, science labs; thus the term; spirit science. Much progress has been realized in this field of study, opening the eyes of both the spiritual and scientific communities.



Book two of the Hello Me series

Quantum mechanics really opened the door to the spiritual realms when scientists began to realize that nothing that appears solid is really ‘solid’; that atoms are 99.9% empty space and that sub atomic particles act as both waves and solids, concluding that the physical word only exists because we’re consciously aware of it. Where does this energy come from in order to create our day to day? The quantum field. What is the quantum field? Well, it seems to be a place of limitless energy where anything is possible, where if you expect it to happen, it will. Sounds like self-fulfilling prophesy doesn’t it? The most practiced experiment in quantum mechanics is the double slit experiment. This has proved time and time again that if you measure the electrons being shot at a wall with a two slits, the electrons act as solids, but when they are not measured, they act like waves.

With this new information and a growing discontent with the direction the world is heading (climate change, fossil fuel dependency, famine, modern slavery, depression, material greed), people are beginning to wake up out of the haze of the industrial revolution and take note that we exist in more than our three dimensions.

Among others, there are notable organizations which practice the study of spirit science like the Institute of Noetic Sciences, which serves an emerging movement of globally conscious citizens dedicated to manifesting our highest capacities. The word “noetic” is a Greek word which means “intuitive mind” or “inner knowing. How is this science?  Ask Edgar Mitchell, an Apollo 14 astronaut who earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering and a Doctorate of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics. He’s the founder of the institute.

Like Mitchell, the list of scientifically minded individuals who are convinced of a spiritual realm, and who believe something beyond our scope of understanding exists in the quantum field, or, the field of all possibilities, is staggering. Einstein was one such scientist, as were Tesla, DaVinci and Darwin.

The very notion that these scientific minds, who’ve answered some of humanities greatest scientific questions - encouraging many more, were spiritual people gives credence to the term spirit science, and all that it represents.

"Everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe - a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is indeed quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive."

– Albert Einstein

By Michael Poeltl – Author of several novels and the Hello Me series of Middle grade illustrated books which teach the science behind our spirit.

Michael Poeltl

The Little Free Library Phanominom comes to the Indie Author's rescue!

Have you seen this? Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the place, and after viewing the map on www.littlefreelibrary.com, it looks like North America has certainly embraced it!

I actually found out about this a year or more ago and dropped off a Dan Simmon's book for other's to enjoy. The little free library was a few kilometres away from me and not on my regular route so I considered briefly erecting one of my own. Not a year later a Little Free Library suddenly, and with much bravado (Local Televised News Covered it) planted itself just two blocks from where I live.

I noticed a large group of neighbours milling around and so walked my dog and daughter up the street to see what the hubbub was. Sure enough, a new Little Free Library had emerged. Inside the book case, built to resemble and old school house, is a wide variety of books, ranging from children's to young adult to action, philosophy, new age, you name it. It holds maybe 50  books tops, but is very revealing about the neighbourhood and their reading preferences. There is also a small journal where people can leave short reviews on the books they've enjoyed from the little free library.

So, why bring this up? Indie authors should be utilizing this opportunity to get the word out about your books. Don't place one in every little free library you see, but place enough to encourage interest in your name and don't place all of the books you've written, maybe your new audience would like to buy one! Leave book marks with your website printed on it, offering them up freely for those picking up or dropping off books. Bookmarks cost about as much as business cards to print these days. It's a small investment.

Give a shot. Check the map section of the website to find one near you, or make one yourself!

Michael Poeltl

Have you ever been traumatized by a book you read?

We're starting to see trigger warnings more and more now on books. A trigger warning essentially is a warning to potential readers that your book may contain graphic violence, rape, dog bites and other common tragedies that could have befallen your potential audience, thus triggering a painful response to your words. As far as I can tell, they act much like a rating on a movie might. Genre's used to be the go to subject when deciding on a book, but it looks as  thought trigger warnings will be standard sooner then later.

I haven't employed these warnings on any of my books, but my trilogy; The Judas Syndrome, does have a number of  traumatic scenes peppered throughout, so let me just run through a few of them while we're talking about it. The list would include suicide, depression, graphic violence, Christianity, guns, copious drug use, alcoholism, addiction, cruelty, heart break, isolation, desolation, amputation, sexual content, rape, child birth, life and death decisions, scavenging, hoarding, cold blooded murder, to name a few... oh, and the end of the world... there's that, so, if you have a fear of the apocalypse, you may want to avoid this series altogether. But if you like the content you just read, well, now you know!...

So I'm not sure if this better targets your intended audience or works to exclude potential readers. My guess is it will achieve both outcomes. But will it sell more books? Will it result in more positive reviews? I think I'll test it out on my trilogy in Amazon and see what effect it has on all of the above.

Michael Poeltl

Google Authorship for the Indie Author

So you’re an author. What does that mean exactly? Has anyone read your book? Your short stories? Your poems? You’ve probably managed a few sales as an indie, going it alone, and that’s commendable. I know exactly how hard you worked to pick up 10 to 20 sales last month. But what if I told you that there is a new tool out there for us, one that rewards authors for simply writing?  And then what if I told you that you could be considered the preeminent expert on your chosen genre? A title like that helps build the street-cred, which builds the leads and then the sales.

Google Authorship is relatively new, but is already seeing great results on search queries.  All those blogs you’ve been writing - hoping someone would read - and then become interested enough to click on the link to your amazon page, are just waiting to be repurposed as fresh content when you become a Google Authorship personality. It’s free, and it could change your life!

Google authorship is really just a simple code you include to each blog entry you’ve made for as long as you’ve been making them: rel=author, which will then direct google to your Google+ bio page to access your photo and a short description of who you are and what you like to write about. Still with me? If you’ve been writing about the same subject for the past five years, you are obviously passionate about the subject matter. So why stop now? Once the code is in place and you ‘sign’ your blogs with the code, Google will include a headshot of you along with the sample of your post when a user searches for the subject matter you write about.

Why is this the greatest thing to happen to you, ever? Because it’s a fact that a search resulting in a headshot next to the article or blog entry on the results page brings in 1500% more click through than one without it. What is the big deal about a photo? It’s because people want to put a face to the ‘expert’ who wrote about what interests them. Trust me, you’ll be drawn to it too. Find out more on how to create your Google Authorship code.

Michael Poeltl

Apocalypse - Jesus to ruin your summer with a second coming this spring, guaranteed!

It's official, at least for the Family Radio broadcasters placing billboards all over the US declaring the end of the world will take place on May 21st, 2011.
See this write-up on the 'guarantee' that Jesus is going to ruin your summer by preempting it with a second coming!
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/billboards-warn-judgment-day-right-around-corner-131520

Steven Colbert has also confirmed Family Radio's warning:
http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/88342/stephen-colbert-confirms-may-21st-apocalypse-video/

Michael Poeltl

Using design to sell your books isn't just for the covers anymore

It was once true that the book cover design sold your books for you. While that may still be the case, there are several new ways in which design can sell your books.

They're called Infographics. Pick a quote of substance from your book, pull it right from your characters mouth, they won't mind, you gave it to them after all. Then hand it over to a designer and ask that they create a design around the quote, and give credit where it is due, name your character as the person from whence the quote originated. This helps create a level of reality, character building, if you will, and so potential readers become interested in this character; especially if they can relate to the quote, or experience some emotion when they read it. Just be sure the quote is suggestive of your character, so the reader can become familiar with your character’s personality even before they read your book. This becomes a potential selling point to those who either take offence at the quote or appreciate the comment and want to understand why your character said what they did or thinks the way they do.

Every chance we have as authors to pull in another reader could mean the difference between success and failure. If you can create these designs yourself then all the better. Post them to Facebook, twitter, Instagram, google+ and everywhere in between.

The below examples are from The Judas Syndrome trilogy featuring quotes from two of the main characters which speaks to their individual personalities.

To enquire about this specialized service and to see more samples visit Quote infographics

Michael Poeltl