Giveaway of Man of War by T.J. London - Paperback!

Hey everyone it's Gaynor here with another paperback giveaway!

Man of War is a prequel story set in the historical romance Rebels and Redcoats Saga by T.J. London.  The book was edited by Jo Michaels,  proofread by Tia Silverthorne Bach, and the interior formatting was completed by myself. I'm excited to be able to share this part of the saga with you!

Title: The Turncoat
Author: T.J.London
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 643
Buy Link Amazon

The man who wants everything gets nothing…July 1755War is brewing between England and France. Impressed into the Royal Navy, Lieutenant Merrick, against all odds, advanced through the ranks to become an officer—but he is not a gentleman. A man with a tainted past from a traitorous family, cast down by King George—a stain no man can remove.Merrick’s thrust into the role of captain, when the HMS Boudica is attacked by pirates off the coast of Nova Scotia. On a captured enemy vessel he discovers a King’s ransom in treasure and a woman chained in the hold from passenger ship that mysteriously disappeared at sea.Beautiful, defiant, and hell bent on revenge, India makes a deal with Merrick to uncover the pirates’ scheme, promising him everything he desires: fortune, glory, and the chance to bring honor back to the McKesson name. Now, they race against time to uncover a plot that links those in the highest ranks of the British aristocracy, to a failed rebellion that is once again trying to topple the monarchy and place an old pretender on the throne. But all that glitters is not gold as passions stir and an impossible love blooms, threatening to undermine all Merrick and India have done to protect their King and a country on the brink of war.***This book contains violence and graphic depictions of war***


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome Jessica

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Jo here. There are some exciting changes happening at IBGW, and I'd like to share with you today. I'm proud to introduce you all to Jessica Nelson. She'll be working under the fabulous Tia Silverthorne Bach. Which basically means she'll be guiding Jessica through our standards and will be available to help her fulfill all our customers' needs from here out.

We found Jessica via Utopia Con, and we've been stalking *ahem* following her on Facebook for quite a while now. We love her personality and energy, and we're thrilled to have her join the family.

So, without further ado, I introduce the newest member of IBGW, Jessica Nelson.

Bio:
I was the kind of kid who read The Three Musketeers under her desk. I’ve had entire conversations about the difference between a fiasco and a debacle. As a lifelong reader and nitpicker, I am passionate about both a good story arc and the fine details.

My educational past includes bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and a certificate in teaching English as a second language. I have taught writing skills to 7th graders, college students, and adult literacy learners. I also spent seven years writing and editing for a university before I began editing fiction professionally.

As an editor, my goal is to be helpful. This means I will always respect your voice, and I will explain my changes or query with suggestions where a bigger fix is needed. My style guide is The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition, and I will edit any genre.

Here's what her clients are saying:

"I've had a few editors in my three years of self publishing, and Jessica Nelson is by far the best. She is professional and intelligent, working her magic to make my novels the best they can be. Working with her is a delight and I love getting her feedback. If you want your novel to be the best, you want Jessica editing it!" ~  Felicia Tatum, author of the White Aura series

So, here's a WARM IBGW welcome to Jessica! Amazing to have you on the team, and I know you'll do great things!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Congratulations to Our utopYA Con Trip Winner!

Happy Friday, everyone! Jo here. So, over the last year, we had a little contest running for our editors. Tia and I will be attending utopYA Con in June of this year, and we thought it might be awesome to bring one of our own along to join in the fun. We put it out there, and now, we've chosen a winner.

Congratulations to:

Karen Robinson!

She'll get a ticket to the four day conference and a hotel room for the duration.

Here's a little about Karen:

Howdy! I’m Karen Robinson, and I’m excited to be joining the editing team at Indie Books Gone Wild. I’ve been an avid reader since I was in elementary school, reading anything I could get my hands on although my favorite genres are fantasy and dystopian fiction. In college, I majored in English and spent a couple of years as a copy editor for a financial firm and then a medical publisher. An opportunity led me to graduate school where I received a PhD in medieval literature (and graded many many freshman composition papers).

I decided to leave academia after having a child and to go back to my editing roots. Since then, I’ve been doing a wide variety of editing work from websites for plastic surgeons to eBooks about social media as well as fiction, which is where my editing (and reading) heart lies. I’ve had the pleasure of working with indie author Shane W. Shelton on his Believing Magic series and look forward to developing editing relationships with other authors. When I’m not reading (and even sometimes when I am), I can be found with two sticks and some yarn in my hands—knitting is my other passion.

Using The Chicago Manual of Style - 16th Edition, my goal is not to rewrite your book or create a book that I would have written. Instead, I aim to keep your voice—but just make it a cleaner version of your voice. Ultimately, you are the author and ownership of the book is yours, but working with an editor is a valuable way of strengthening your book and making it the best that it can be so that readers can get great enjoyment out of it.

Her clients love her! Check this out:

“Karen took on my 'MASSIVE' project and did a fantastic job taking my raw manuscript and turning it into a 'book.' She didn't alter the story line, or over edit, which was one of my key concerns. And at the same time she wasn't afraid to do what was just plain 'needed.' One of my problem areas (especially with my earlier writing) was with paragraphing correctly. She addressed that issue wonderfully, which means she not only read it and proofed it but had to 'digest' the material and make decisions as to flow and pace. All changes were made in a way that was 'tracked' and easy to review her edits and tweaks.”
–Shane W. Shelton, author of the Believing Magic series

If you're at the con, stop by the IBGW table and say hello to Tia, Karen, and me! We'd love to see you.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release and Giveaway - Renaria

Happy Friday, everyone! Jo here. I'm excited to announce the release of the Young Adult Fantasy novel Renaria - Into the Adyton by J. L. Wilson. I was the editor for this novel, and Karen Robinson provided the proofread. Without further ado, I give you the information on the book, followed by an IBGW giveaway, then an author event where she'll be giving things away to celebrate the release. Let's go!

Title: Renaria - Into the Adyton
Author: J. L. Wilson
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length: Around 250 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
A small memento, a universal power...

It’s the year 2126, post-World War V. Leda, age seventeen, bounds through the lush forested region of the Desintor Foothills as a regal, bow-wielding, High-Elf Scout. That is, when she’s logged into her favorite MMO game: Renaria.

One crisp fall afternoon, an unseasonal storm fractures the sky of Trinton, New Texas with splinters of emerald lightning and otherworldly songs. Oddly, no one sees the storm except her brother and their guild mate Travis.

She brushes off the event as a fluke, but she can’t seem to get the song out of her mind. Suddenly, a new quest appears in her game directing her to the blue sand dunes of the Sinare Desert to meet Caleb, a legendary Elf Diviner.

Now she has a choice: Ignore the quest and turn off the game, or dive in and risk everything for a shot at an adventure.

Now that you've seen it, enter to win one of two e-copies!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you'd like another chance at winning, the author is having a Facebook party to celebrate. Get on over there and join!

https://www.facebook.com/events/808256275893161

What do you think? Pretty, huh?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Something Needing to be Shared

Happy Monday, everyone! Jo here. I ran across a great article this weekend over on the Small Blue Dog Publishing blog I'd like to share with you all. It's something we all need to read and take into consideration when looking for an editor. Grab your coffee, laptop, and comfy chair and let's get going.

Why are Book Editors so Expensive?

by Belinda Pollard

I’m going to let you in on a secret.

Book editors are expensive.

Ooh, are you shocked? “But aren’t you One Of Them??” I hear you say.

Yes I am. But I’m also a writer. And very soon I’m going to have to hire an editor for one of my own projects, out of my own personal piggybank. And I’m dreading it.

So, why? Why are editors so darn expensive???

Well, sit right down and I’ll tell you a story…

Read the rest of the article here.

~

Be sure you share, too! A book editor is never a waste.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Welcome Krystal

Hello everyone and happy Thursday! Jo here. I'm really excited to be announcing the final addition to the team. This lovely lady will be working with the wondersauce that's Tia Silverthorne Bach and the other two amazing editors you met last week, Eliza and Mollie. We're so excited to welcome Krystal to the IBGW family. We have some exciting stuff happening around here, and I can't wait to share it with you in the upcoming weeks. *claps hands* Let's get to it!

Meet Ms. Krystal Wade

When I first began writing, I never imagined becoming an editor. I mostly imagined posh residences, flash photography everywhere I went, zero money issues, and a departure from my 9-5 in the nation's capital. Boy, what an idiot I was. My first book was accepted for publication, and my editor threw ALL THE RULES at me. She taught me everything I know, and then some, using her little red notes and references back to the publisher's style guide. Since then, I've worked in several different arenas of the publishing world: from acquisitions, to marketing, to production, to full-scale edits. I love helping authors hone their craft, teaching them how to write clean manuscripts the first time, pointing out their usual flaws, and making stories sparkle like hot vampires--if you're into that sort of thing. My first love is young adult fiction, with strong interests in dark plots and twisted characters . . . and a little romance helps. And if you must know, I live in Virginia with my husband, three children, two dogs, two cats, three bunnies, and way too many chickens.


Here's what her clients are saying:

"Krystal provided tremendous insight into the publishing industry, particularly where young and new adult novels were concerned. She consistently made herself available to answer any questions, provide coaching, and offer moral support to ensure I stayed on track.

She routinely demonstrated that she had a keen eye for detail, performed well on a deadline, and was always willing to go the extra mile when needed. Her work was always completed before the deadline in a very satisfactory manner." ~ A.K. Morgan, FADE (2012)

"I’ve already learned so much from Krystal. She’s given great feedback not only on the technical aspects of sentence construction but also on content. Her advice and suggestions have made my book tremendously stronger already, and we aren’t even finished yet. Her comments are honest but kind. She not only shows what needs to change, but will explain why so I can understand what I need to do differently in the future.  She’s always very clear with her comments, which I very much appreciate. I am thankful to get to work with her and would definitely recommend her editing services to anyone." ~ Amy Bearce, FAIRY KEEPER (2015)

"Krystal always edited with enthusiasm and an innate understanding of the story and the book-selling market. She helped me produce the best version of my manuscript possible. She always worked on deadline and was very willing to provide additional information and clarify certain points as needed. I highly recommend Krystal as an editor. As an author and public figure herself, she takes great pride in her reputation, conducts herself professionally, and is easy to work with." ~ Jamie Ayres, My So-Called Afterlife (2012)

We'll be having the giveaway soon. Book titles will be randomly chosen from the editor's body of work. I didn't want to put it up this week because that would be bad service for the authors we already have giveaways running for.

Keep your eyes open for that. I know I told you it would happen with Krystal's announcement post, but I reconsidered. You'll have a chance to snag some great reads very soon.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Welcome to Karen and Jennifer

Hello good people of the blogosphere! Jo here. Today, I'd like to introduce you to two more new members of the IBGW family: Karen Robinson and Jennifer Oberth. These two lovely ladies will be working with me, and I have to admit, I'm thrilled to have them on my team. Without further chawing on my part, meet them!

First up, we have Karen Robinson. Karen is joining us from Karen Robinson Edits.

Bio:
Howdy! I’m Karen Robinson, and I’m excited to be joining the editing team at Indie Books Gone Wild. I’ve been an avid reader since I was in elementary school, reading anything I could get my hands on although my favorite genres are fantasy and dystopian fiction. In college, I majored in English and spent a couple of years as a copy editor for a financial firm and then a medical publisher. An opportunity led me to graduate school where I received a PhD in medieval literature (and graded many many freshman composition papers).

I decided to leave academia after having a child and to go back to my editing roots. Since then, I’ve been doing a wide variety of editing work from websites for plastic surgeons to eBooks about social media as well as fiction, which is where my editing (and reading) heart lies. I’ve had the pleasure of working with indie author Shane W. Shelton on his Believing Magic series and look forward to developing editing relationships with other authors. When I’m not reading (and even sometimes when I am), I can be found with two sticks and some yarn in my hands—knitting is my other passion.

Using The Chicago Manual of Style - 16th Edition, my goal is not to rewrite your book or create a book that I would have written. Instead, I aim to keep your voice—but make it a cleaner version of your voice. Ultimately, you are the author and ownership of the book is yours, but working with an editor is a valuable way of strengthening your book and making it the best that it can be so that readers can get great enjoyment out of it.

See what Karen's clients are saying:
“Karen took on my 'MASSIVE' project and did a fantastic job taking my raw manuscript and turning it into a 'book.' She didn't alter the story line, or over edit, which was one of my key concerns. And at the same time she wasn't afraid to do what was just plain 'needed.' One of my problem areas (especially with my earlier writing) was with paragraphing correctly. She addressed that issue wonderfully, which means she not only read it and proofed it but had to 'digest' the material and make decisions as to flow and pace. All changes were made in a way that was 'tracked' and easy to review her edits and tweaks.” ~ Shane W. Shelton, author of the Believing Magic series


Next, we have Jennifer Oberth.

Bio:

Hello, my name is Jennifer Oberth. My mother started to read to me in when I was in the womb, and I was hooked on stories from that moment forward. I’ve kept a journal since I was seven, completed my first novel when I was ten, and published my first short story in 2011.

I’m a lifetime member of the Sisters In Crime, a mystery writer’s organization, and served on the board of the Sisters In Crime Chicagoland chapter as the treasurer for two years. I also sat on the programming committee. Back in 2009, I was on the Why Join? panel at Love Is Murder, a popular writer’s convention. I regularly attend the Writer’s Police Academy, easily the best writer’s convention I’ve ever been to. I love National Novel Writing Month and have written 50,000+ words in the month of November for several years.

As a part of improving my own writing, I’ve joined writing groups and helped other authors by critiquing their work in the process. I’ve been critiquing other authors’ stories for years. I discovered that I have a knack for editing due to my attention to detail, my care for the works, and the fact that errors jump out at me. As a kid, I used to love finding a mistake in a traditionally published book, and now I can’t pass a billboard without spotting common blunders.

I believe it’s a necessity for independent authors to have their books as professional as possible. They should be indistinguishable from a traditionally published book (or whatever high level of quality you hold books to) and the good news is, you don’t have to do it yourself. You likely can’t, as you’re too close to your own work to see those pesky, sometimes persistent, problems. That’s where I come in.

My goal is to make your book the best it can be, without changing your voice, vision, or story. It’s my job to make your book stronger, smoother, and of the highest quality.

I love mysteries, and will read any genre except horror or erotica. I prefer to avoid novels with extreme violence, gore, or harm or abuse to animals or children. The style guide I go by is The Chicago Manual of Style – 16th Edition. I can’t wait to read your book!

Squeep! Tomorrow, I'll have the introduction for Krystal Wade, our last addition to the team, and a great giveaway for you all.

Stay tuned.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Welcome to Eliza and Mollie

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Jo here. Well, I promised you some exciting changes coming to IBGW, didn't I? This is the first of three posts we'll be doing to welcome five new editors to our little family. Today, I'm proud to introduce you all to Eliza and Mollie. They'll be working under the fabulous Tia Silverthorne Bach. Which basically means she'll be guiding them through our standards and will be available to help them fulfill all the INDIE Books Gone Wild promises we make (you know we promise a lot and live up to those pledges). Every one of the ladies you'll be meeting over the next three posts have been fully vetted. They joined the team because their ideals and love for the author are in line with ours, and we're thrilled to have them on board.

We know you'll adore them, too!

First up, we have Eliza Dee. Eliza has joined us from Clio Editing.

Bio:

Hi, I’m Eliza Dee. I’m a lifelong word nerd and foreign language freak. I was that child who read the dictionary for fun, and the only thing that’s changed is that I have more dictionaries now! I hold both bachelor’s (University of Michigan) and master’s degrees in English, in addition to stints as a law student and a student of library science. I’ve always known I wanted to work with words for a living, but while I love writing, bringing out the best in others’ work is my true passion.

Fiction editing is somewhere in between an art, a craft, and a science, and I am as passionate about the technical aspects of language as I am about the art of storytelling. Before switching to fiction editing, I spent over ten years editing academic writing. I’ve also been a college composition instructor, a writing center administrator, and a writing tutor, experiences which are reflected in the educational approach I take to my editing work. I love seeing my authors improve over the course of our relationship, so I won’t just tell you that a comma is unnecessary—I’ll explain why!

I’m thrilled to be a part of the self-publishing revolution and to work directly with indie authors to make their books the best they can be! My style manual is The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed.

Here's what Eliza's clients are saying:
"Eliza is AWESOME. She just did content editing on my release for next month and her work is meticulous, thorough and very thoughtful. She knows her stuff. I’ll definitely be coming back to her again in the future for the next books."  ~  Brenna Aubrey, bestselling author of At Any Turn (edited by Eliza) and At Any Price

"The book she edited was the first book I’d published. It had already gone through edits with another editor. However, I kept finding mistakes in the manuscript and had planned to get it re-edited when Eliza stepped in. Talk about great timing! I have to say that Eliza caught a lot of mistakes. It gave me a headache just looking at all of them! Eliza is the real deal. Copy edits and line edits were awesome. She even did some proofreading and found lots of extra spaces in the manuscript, backwards quotation marks (grr), among other typos. For developmental editing, she caught lots of plot holes (which I fixed up) and gave me a 5-page report that detailed motivation problems, detours, plot holes, loose ends, and characterization problems with the story. [...] If you’re working on your first book, I highly recommend Eliza’s comprehensive editing."  ~  L.G. Castillo, author of The Broken Angels series

Next, Mollie Turbeville! Mollie is joining us from Mohr Editing.

Bio:
Hi, I’m Mollie. I’m an editor who strives to preserve every writer’s unique voice. I graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. I developed a love for reading and writing over the years, as well as a keen interest in helping authors put their best story forward.

After college, I worked as a writer and editor at a literary consultancy, helping business professionals establish their brand, create and edit content, and manage social media accounts. I launched my business  a year later as an independent editor, and I have immensely enjoyed helping authors enhance their stories. My style guide is The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition. I currently live in Winter Park, Florida, with my husband, lazy hound dog, and two fat cats. I like to ride my bike around the city and drink my weight in coffee.

Testimonials to come!

These ladies will still provide other kinds of editing via their own businesses (independent of the IBGW name or association), but they'll now have the unique INDIE Books Gone Wild line editing package available to their clients. Once we get everyone announced, we'll be doing a special giveaway of a bundle of books these ladies have worked on so you can get to know their authors!

Monday, we'll be welcoming two more lovely editors to the team: Karen and Jennifer. Tuesday, we have one more awesome lady: Krystal. Then, on Wednesday, there will be another great giveaway held by Tia for a book she worked on a while back that just went live a few days ago. Be sure you come on back for all the fun!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Sixty Days of Grace by Author Dorothy Ruppert Info and Giveaway

Hello everyone! Jo here. I'd like to take this opportunity to let you all know about an awesome book that was just released and let you participate for a chance to win a copy! INDIE Books Gone Wild was responsible for the proofread on this book and, as always, we're happy to help the author out with a little promotion.

Introducing:
Title: Sixty Days of Grace: Reflections on God's Sufficiency for the Journey
Author: Dorothy Ruppert
Genre: Christian Inspirational
Pages: 136 printed pages
Amazon link: Paperback $10.58
Kindle $3.99

Synopsis from Amazon:
In today's world, women desperately struggle to meet the unrealistic expectations of others and of themselves. Society tells women they can do it all, and yet they instinctively know they do not have the resources to accomplish all the demands placed upon them. Drawing on their own strength is not enough; in order to survive, women must draw on God. Sixty Days of Grace shares sixty stories from author Dorothy Ruppert, who has struggled through life and succeeded, only because of God's grace. This grace is the prevalent theme of the Bible. From beginning to end, the accounts of the lives of biblical figures demonstrate His eternal grace. However, in modern society His grace is often overlooked. There are many challenges women face as daughters of the King living in a broken environment. Ruppert has been there, as mother, grandmother, working woman, and retiree. Thanks to His grace, she found her strength. All women can do the same, with the power of God. It's time to turn away from self-sufficiency and lean on God's everlasting arm, because His grace is sufficient for the journey; His power is made perfect in human weakness.

How awesome does that book sound? I can tell you from personal experience it's an amazing book.

Without further ado, the rafflecopter entry form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, everyone!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Free PDF Checklist for Novels

Hello, everyone! Jo here today. Figured I'd share with you all a little PDF that'll help you improve your writing. It's a handy, downloadable, printable, sharable checklist that includes the following:

• Plot
• Deepening Plot
• Structure
• Deepening Structure
• Character Creation

Bonus: It has little tick-boxes and lines for you to write your thoughts/views on!

Simply follow this link and pick up your copy:
A Novel Checklist

This is part of the huge

I'm sending out to followers.

Go. Download. Enjoy. WRITE ON!

Jo

Borrowed Things

Happy Monday, everyone! Jo here. I was thrilled when I was notified Borrowed Things was finally on sale. The author, Doris Schneider, and I, worked tirelessly on this book to bring you the awesomeness below. As a plus, with all books we work on, I'll be doing a promotion. This time, it's a Rafflecopter giveaway and you'll have a chance to win a printed copy of the book!

Title: Borrowed Things
Author: Doris Schneider
Genre: Southern Women's Fiction
Length: 522 printed pages
Find it on Amazon: $14.20

First, check out the book cover:

Description from Amazon:
Borrowed Things takes place in North Carolina, alternating between Durham and Pearl, a fading town on the Lockwood Folly River. It traces a year in the separate yet symbiotic lives of five characters whose paths cross and ultimately connect. Wishing to reinvent herself, Anne Gray sells her Durham home and the care of a Great Blue Heron to Noah Levinson, who also negotiates for the temporary use of her things and their stories in the desperate hope they will infuse some of Anne’s spirit and resilience into his ailing wife, Elizabeth. Anne finds a new home in the forgotten town of Pearl where she releases the memories of two failed marriages as she sails the waters of the Intracoastal Waterway with a haunted Latino priest and an elderly woman who rides a bicycle and wears No Fear t-shirts. Through Anne’s not-so-divine intervention, Father Paul and old Marjorie unveil their long held secrets, and come face to face with the embodiment of their abandoned hope. Anne is finally forced to come to terms with her past and find the courage to accept or reject the opportunity for a last and lasting love.

Our very own Tia Silverthorne Bach edited this book (back before she joined us here at IBGW). She wrote a review:
"Borrowed Things is Southern women's fiction at its best, capturing your heart within the first few pages. Anne Gray is a rare character, equal parts strength and compassion. Readers will identify with her struggles and lingering questions as they enjoy her exploits and journey toward friendship and love. But most of all, they will find themselves transported into a town rich in memorable characters, intriguing history, and many secrets." ~ Tia Silverthorne Bach, author of Chasing Memories and co-author of the award-winning Depression Cookies.

Now, take a peek inside!

How gorgeous is that?

You'll find the buy link in the sidebar here on the blog.

Now, the Rafflecopter entry form! Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Editing vs Proofreading - Which Service do You Need?

Happy Monday, good people of the page! Jo here! Today, I'd like to go over the difference between an edit and a proofread; including what you should expect from each. These are just a couple of the services we provide here at INDIE Books Gone Wild. If you aren't sure what services you need, this post will help you decide and tell you how to prepare for each one. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Editing

This is a service where you send your book to someone and they fix basic grammar and construction issues, punctuation, transitions, spelling, inconsistencies, and look to cut your word count. A good editor won't change your voice, they'll make it more legible.

Any editor you choose should give you a sample edit of your first chapter to see if you're a good fit. At IBGW, we use that first chapter to rate the quality of your writing and base our price from there. Why? Because if it doesn't take us as long to edit your book, you won't pay as much. You're paying your editor for their time and knowledge of the English language.

Be sure your editor uses a style guide so you'll know what changes to expect and have a reference.

An inline edit looks something like this:

Inline changes and notes in the sidebar are things you should expect. At IBGW, we strive to make you a better writer during our edits by providing education and noting things you should be watching out for. Every writer makes common errors; but if you know what they are, you're less likely to repeat them if you learn from your mistakes. This, I believe, is something every editor should do.

Proofreading

Different from editing, proofreading is all about looking for good transitions, proper use of punctuation, spelling issues, and redundancy. A proofreader should be able to speed-read your work and highlight issues without going into great detail. Your editor should be catching everything else. Many proofreaders will highlight things your editor may have missed and sling out a comment; but you shouldn't expect that. They're looking to give your manuscript a final once-over before it goes to print. All your T's should be crossed and your I's dotted after your manuscript is returned by a proofreader.

Your editor should never be your proofreader. They're too close to the work by the time the edit is done, and they'll miss things, just like you.

At INDIE Books Gone Wild, we use one person on our team to edit and another to proofread. Proofreading is included in the price of your edit. There's no need to shell out more money for someone else to do it. We even write it up in your contract and book your proofreading for you. That's part of the benefit of working with a team rather than a single person who tries to do it all.

No matter who you choose to work with, make sure you've read something they've written or edited and are comfortable with them as a person. Be sure you can respect their comments when your manuscript is returned. There's nothing worse than questioning every change someone makes. Trust is a huge part of the writer/editor relationship.

As a final note: Regardless of who you work with, be sure to have a contract. If your editor or proofreader balks at the idea of a contract, or won't let you read/look it over before you're expected to sign, run away. A contract is there to protect you both and shouldn't sway power one way or the other. Also, make sure it has an out clause.

I hope this helps you all in some small way.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Win a copy of Chasing Memories

Hello and happy Friday, good people of the page! Jo here. Today, I bring you a giveaway for Tia Silverthorne Bach's book Chasing Memories (The Tala Prophecy - Book One). Enter the Rafflecopter drawing to get a copy of this great book. It'll be the printed version! Here's a peek inside:

Now, isn't that lovely?

And for the cover:

Because INDIE Books Gone Wild did the editing, cover design, interior layout, and proofread, we're giving a copy away to all those who love our page. Marketing help is just one of the bonuses provided by INDIE Books Gone Wild when we work on your book. Now, how many places can say that?

Without further ado, I give you the rafflecopter entry form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, everyone.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Cover Reveal - Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach

Hello everyone! Jo here. I'm very excited to bring you a cover reveal for a book edited by INDIE Books Gone Wild. Without further ado, I give you the cover of Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach.

About Chasing Memories (Tala Prophecy, Book 1)

There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…

Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember what happened the night her brother was taken. Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.

Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.

Expected Publication Date: June 10, 2013

Add Chasing Memories on GoodReads.

Cover design by Jo Michaels.

About the Author

Tia Silverthorne Bach is an avid reader, sometimes runner, involved wife and mother, and rabid grammar hound in addition to being a multi-genre writer. Her three daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She's the award-winning co-author of Depression Cookies, a coming of age story written with her mother. Tia's office is wherever her laptop takes her and any place that's conducive to allowing a wild imagination like hers to flourish.

Please visit her at her blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, GoodReads, and read more about her here on INDIE Books Gone Wild. After all, she's one of our wonderful editors!

Not only did we edit the book, we also formatted it for digital and print, designed the cover, and did the final proofread. Check out this gorgeous interior design that plays well with the fonts on the cover:

It takes a team to publish a book!

I do hope you'll check out Tia's amazing book, Chasing Memories. You won't be sorry you did.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

One Heck of a Month

Hey there, happy people of the page! Jo here. It's been one heck of a wonderful month for us at INDIE Books Gone Wild! We're excited to announce the soon publication of Tia Silverthorne Bach's new title: Chasing Memories. We also have a number of upcoming jobs we'll be talking about soon! Don't forget to check the calendar linked at the top of the left sidebar to see if one of us is available for your editing needs.

Remember, it takes a team to publish a book! We'd love to be a part of your team.

Watch the site for updates, a cover reveal, and to see where you can get a copy of Chasing Memories!

What we've done for this title:

• Edited twice
• Proofread (proofreading services are included in the cost of editing, and are done by a separate member of the team, we believe fresh eyes never hurt)
• Cover design (not something we readily offer, but we did on this book)
• Formatted for print (I can't wait to give you a glimpse of the interior; you're gonna love it!)

And, after it's published, we'll help her market by giving her a link on the sidebar, a shout out on the Facebook page, and a cover reveal/synopsis post.

How many places do you get all that for your money? Very few.

In the upcoming weeks, we're going to run a couple of giveaways. Stay tuned to see what you could win!

If you're an author and are thinking of publishing a book soon, fill out our form and see what we can do for you!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

What to Expect

Hello, good people of the page! Jo here! Today, I'm editing the day away. I hope to get done with round two of Ms. Tia Bach's book, Chasing Memories, and get her to press by mid-month! We have a lot to do yet but great planning has been a huge help.

On that note, what does your editor look for? Well, here at IBGW, this is what we look for:

• Sentence construction. We make sure your story flows well and doesn't have off topic sentences or errant commas sprinkled throughout.
• Pronoun usage. This is something a lot of folks struggle with. We make sure every pronoun matches with the previously named person or item.
• Tension. We read your book for tension and note places it could be pumped up a bit.
• Grammar. Yes, We're grammar hounds. We search commonly misused words when we find them and provide you with a reference. You'll know why it was changed.
• Punctuation. We make sure dialogue tags are marked accordingly.
• Consistency. We look for the use of the S on the end of toward, backward, etc... and make sure you're using them the same way throughout. We also check your characters and make sure they're the same people all the way through.
• Conjunctions. This is a big one, believe it or not. Unless you're using a formal speaking/writing style, conjunctions are a must. Writers tend to spell everything out and forget the apostrophes.
• Repetitive words. We replace words used too many times in a sentence or paragraph so your writing stays fresh.
• Improving your writing. We like to educate our writers as we work with them. You'll emerge on the other side of one of our edits with new knowledge and new tools in your writer's box. Plus, the next time you use our services, it'll be less expensive because you won't be making the same mistakes.

When we're done with the second edit, we shoot the manuscript off to another member of IBGW for proofreading. That member will look over the manuscript with an eagle eye and let us know if we missed a period, comma, or misspelled a word.

It takes a team to create a book. Luckily, a team is what we are. Your one-stop-shop for all your editing needs.

Who do you use for your editing? Why not try us out? Fill out our form today and get started on the second step to becoming published. Love your manuscript enough to use the very best!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Time to Welcome Tia Bach

Hello, good people of the page! I'm excited for you all to help me welcome our fourth editor, Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach, author of Depression Cookies, book reviewer, and long-time editor.

Without further ado, here's her bio:

Hi, my name is Tia Silverthorne Bach. Since I was a little girl, I either had a book or a pen in my hand. Guess the same is still true. Raised by a poet and an engineer, I found an equal love for words and structure. In college, I majored in Business but worked as a technical writer and newsletter editor for IBM. Throughout my career, I wrote and edited company newsletters and marketing materials.

Then, I had my first child and decided to write during the few hours she slept. I convinced my mom to co-author a coming-of-age story with alternating view points, teenage daughter and middle-aged mother. Our award-winning novel, Depression Cookies, debuted years later. All the while, I continued to edit and publish Moms Club newsletters and other materials. My second book, and first young adult piece, will be out by summer 2013 (thanks to the editing talents of the lovely Jo Michaels).

Between books, I started offering my editing services to friends with novels in the works. Thanks to word of mouth, I built my reputation and business. Last year, I edited two books that were indie published: Trinidad Express by James E. Keen, a nonfiction sailing book, and Gifts from a Muse by Lane Schroeder, a poetry collection. In addition, I recently finished editing a collection of short stories, a young adult paranormal novel, and a literary fiction novel. The latter two should be published within the year. An avid reader with varied tastes, I pride myself on finding diamonds in the rough. Few things bring me more joy than helping an author polish his/her piece.

Independent authors are rocking the book world, and I’d love the opportunity to help you take your manuscript from draft to published book. Go Indie!


Here's what Tia's clients are saying:

“Having a book that I'm proud of has given me much pleasure since its publication last summer. It was a great comfort to have Gifts from a Muse in Tia' s professional hands as she worked with me in transforming my manuscript to one that was ready for the publisher. Her calm demeanor and sound suggestions were truly a blessing. I have missed our phone consultations and will definitely request her help in any future publication.” ~ Lane Farmer Schroeder, author of Gifts from a Muse

“Through Tia Bach's work on my book, Borrowed Things, I learned the priceless contributions a good editor can give to an author. She provided formatting and polish that I, as a novice in the world of writing, knew nothing about. She did this with respect for my creativity and sensitivity, and made the book better than it would have been without her skill and objectivity.” ~ Doris Schneider, author of Borrowed Things (process of being published)



Welcome to the team, Tia!

I hope you'll all join me in welcoming Tia. Leave her some comment love.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Ideas for proofreading your own work before sending it to an editor

Over the last few years, I’ve chatted with other authors and followed them on twitter and their blogs to learn more about the craft.

There are so many ideas on how to self-edit and proofread, so I’m going to share a few with you that have worked well for me. Keep in mind, it’s not a perfect process, and there are still a few minor errors, but around 80 – 90% of mistakes can be caught by using these methods.

These are in the order I usually do them, but you can do them out of order and it would still work.

·         I write my stories in Scrivener, so I first scroll through the entire document and look for anything underlined in red, blue or green. Make the necessary corrections.

·         I switch the document over to Word, and do the same. Sometimes Scrivener and Word disagree on how to spell certain words or on what’s okay and what’s not in terms of grammar. If that happens, then I’ll refer to my two favorite resources: The Elements of Style by William Strunk and The Chicago Manual of Style, 16^th ed. If they don’t have the answers then I turn to online reputable resources like Grammar Girl, for instance. Make the necessary corrections.

·         Let it sit for a week or more if possible. At least 3 days minimum. I can usually get away with this because I have Dory’s memory (sorry, I have kids, so you may find occasional Disney references in my blog posts ;D).

·         Put it into an e-pub and read it out loud on my phone to myself with my laptop in front of me and the story up on Scrivener. I make changes as I read along. If I’m out and about and reading it, I avoid reading it aloud, but I do note changes, highlight and bookmark what I need to fix and then the adjustments are made once I’m home. I think this is the most critical step because I need to see my story the way my readers’ are most likely going to view it. They’ll probably read it on their phones as well. It’s amazing how many mistakes I catch this way, and how I’ll find clunky phrasing or poor dialogue. The flow can be improved because when I’m reading it objectively this way, I’m thinking about how a new reader might take the story and how it might sound to them. I also find weak spots that maybe need more, so new sentences and paragraphs will develop, along with previously wordy ones, limited or eliminated altogether.

·         Let it sit again if possible. A week is good here, too. Even better would be two weeks to a month if I have the time to do this.

·         Reread it again on my phone and make the last few changes required and if possible, this is when I try to keep myself from constructing a whole slew of new sentences or paragraphs, since those might possibly have more mistakes.

Now it should be ready to send to an editor.

I know this might sound extreme, but it’ll save your editor or proofreader from finding minor mistakes you can get rid of on your own, which hopefully means a faster turn-around time for you to get your product back.

Hope this helps. Looking forward to sharing more tips in the future!

Crystal

Our Numbers are Growing

Hello, good people of the page! I'm proud to introduce you to the newest IBGW editor, Estrella Merrill (who prefers to be called Star)! Please take a moment and drop in a comment to welcome Star to the IBGW team. We're excited to have her and her edits are some of the best I've seen. You'll be very satisfied if you choose her to work with you on your manuscript!

My name is Estrella Merrill, but I go by Star. An Arizona resident, I was transplanted from New Jersey. I attended ASU, and graduated with a BS in Nursing. I worked at Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert AZ, as a Clinical Nurse Manager, overseeing  65 beds on two floors and about 45 nurses and nurses aides. Needless to say, the stress got to me, and I'm now doing what I enjoy: writing, and editing works for other writers. I currently have penned 45 stories, all fanfiction, but hope to turn one into the real deal, as it is very personal to me.

I was introduced to fanfiction by my youngest daughter and decided to write some stories myself. It's become an obsession. Along with my own writing, I've had other authors who requested my help with editing. I like to encourage writers, not tear them down. I point out the good features of the story and fold in my opinions on how to make it better; grammatically, and character-wise. I have an eye for dialogue, and can help greatly in that department.

I enjoy most genres especially humor and romance. Mystery is not my cuppa, nor is erotica. Anything else is fair game. Bring it on.

There you have it! Keep your eyes on the blog because I'll be running some awesome contests over the next few weeks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Editors on Staff

Hello, good people of the page!

This week, I'll be adding a couple of new editors to the staff here at IBGW. I hope you'll pop on by to help me give them a very warm welcome! I can't wait to introduce you.

We have only the best editors here at INDIE Books Gone Wild and we strive to keep it that way. When you see our logo on a page, that means we've vetted that person and you can hire them with a clean mind and the guarantee you'll get a great edit on your manuscript.

Look for the IBGW logo whenever you consider hiring someone to edit your book.

This logo means quality.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo