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Book Review - The Last Gift-Knight by Dylan Madeley

 Today, I'm very excited to share my thoughts on Dylan Madeley 's book, The Last Gift-Knight . Dylan sent me a copy of his book after reaching out to ask for a review and I'm really glad he did. Keep reading to find out what I thought to The Last Gift-Knight , and decide whether this will be your next great read... But first, let's meet the book! Two lives, the legacies of grand stories, are at the forefront of this tale. Frustrated with living in the shadow of a long-dead hero, Derek flees to infamous ruins and begs his ancestors for a sign. The next day, he is summoned to serve as the personal guard of his family's greatest enemy. The ensuing journey leads him through storied places, the depths of loneliness, and a growing dread over what awaits at his destination. A reserved and bookish princess unexpectedly finds herself on the throne yet under suspicion. Chandra hardly has time to prepare or to grieve before facing her duties. Aided by a trustworthy few, she mu...
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#MGMonday - Author Life "Setting Realistic Goals"

Anyone who writes is a writer but, in my humble opinion, you need to be published to be an author. This may be a contentious view to some, and I'm sorry if your offended. If it's any consolation, self-publishing counts. If fact, I'm writing this blog with self-publishing in mind.



When you publish your own books, you have to be on top of everything. Not only are you writing the book, you organise the editing, you organise the marketing and publicity. And don't get me started on distribution! It is enough to drive the most sane person mad!

So, to get all of this done, it's important to set yourself realistic goals. You could say you would get everything in a month, but you'll burn out pretty quick.

If you have a book you'd like to publish, here is my calendar for publication. There are a couple of points to make first, however.

1) I work best under pressure. If you don't, add on a couple of months to the timeline!

2) If you'd like to try and get your book featured in national channels like newspaper, you need to add at least six months onto the timeline. Personally, I don't worry too much about this because the chances of newspapers picking up a small indie book are slim to none!

So, with those in mind, here's my ideal timeline...

Five months before release


- Organise a cover reveal.
- Finish your final redraft.
- Write the book blurb

Four months before release


- Do a cover reveal.
- Edit, edit, edit.
- Write a calendar for social media book-related posts.

Three months before release


- Finish the final edit, but do a proofread or two. Listening to your manuscript is a good way to pick up any typos.
- Do a book trailer and upload it to Youtube.

Two months before release


- Organise online book tour through a blog tour organiser. I'm trying out several blog tour organisers this year and will be writing a full review at the start of next year.
- Complete a final proofread of your book.
- Format your ebook and paperback.

One month before release


- Upload final manuscript to Amazon and any other distributors/online shops you'd like.
- Write guest blogs for your blog tour.
- Register ISBNs for your books.

Yes, there are many more things to do, but this is a starting put for each book that we publish.

Don't worry if you want to change the timings, or take out a point or two. It's certainly not vital that you have a book trailer, but I find it great fun to make them!

What's New With Crowvus


It's going to be a crazy mad week, but Virginia has been working away on the Hooded anthology. It is now all set and ready to go, and it'll be available as a paperback on Amazon on the 31st March. It's already available as a ebook pre-order here.


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