Podcast appearances and mentions of jim heskett

This thrilling story was written and narrated by award-winning author, Jim Heskett. In "I'll Be Back," nerdy intelligence analyst Harry Boukadakis embarks on an action-adventure detour with operator Serena Rojas. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the story. Free novels by Jim Heskett can be found here: https://jimheskett.com/

Who is the REAL Jim Heskett. Author, ranter, father, man of mystery. Hear the official interview now! ### - https://jimheskett.com

Today on the show, BPF trainer and writer John Phythyon and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode's read-along selections: Blurb: The Holler Thief by Jim Heskett These woods hide a body. Can a rookie gumshoe solve the murder before he ends up six feet under? Harry Boukadakis is a little too old to start from scratch. The retired hacker launched his private eye business in the Ozarks to the sound of crickets. But a neighbor's broken window and a box of stolen cigars bring a jingle to his doorbell, and his first real case. While hunting down clues with bodyguard Serena Rojas in tow, Harry hits a snag when his prime suspect turns up dead. And when pistol-packing goons try to scare him away, Harry grits his teeth and rushes headfirst into hill country to find answers. Will this self-made sleuth catch a killer or face a hail of bullets? The Holler Thief is a thrilling and funny private eye mystery. If you like small-town suspense, high-tech toys, and more twists than you can shake a stick at, you'll love Jim Heskett's jaw-dropping tome. Buy The Holler Thief to stop a crook today!

Today on the show, BPF trainer and writer John Phythyon and former cohost Jim Heskett tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode's read-along selections: Blurb: Good Vibrations by Patrick J. O'Connor A human. An alien. A one-afternoon stand and a fertilized egg. What could possibly go right? Greg and NaDii are going to find out. They're about to become a hybrid family, it turns out. In book one of this series, during the life of their first child, Robby ( or Bobby) Firestone, the two parents discover their children have a hybrid vigor that makes them far more than the sum of their parts. When his unexpected, half-human genius is revealed, Bobby galvanizes the Terran and HaChii races both ways. The admirers, and the ones who want him dead. Can salvation from the future save Bobby in the present? Can Bobby's sister keep a low enough profile to avoid the people—dangerous ones—who stalk her brother? Why bother? She's way more dangerous than they are! Targeted Takeaway: A good blurb is all about simplicity. It doesn't matter if you have written a fantasy epic with ten major characters all working to save the world from evil, a layered and deeply complex literary novel about the triumph of the human spirit, or a clever murder mystery with a ton of twists and a criminal mastermind slipperier than Professor Moriarty. To get the sale, the book description has to boil things down to their most easily digestible state. To do this, you need to follow one character. No matter how important the others are to your narrative, your blurb needs to zero in on just one. When readers are skimming through Amazon listings, their brains are not in Absorb Complicated Ideas mode. They're glancing quickly, trying to determine if what they're looking at sounds like it's worth gambling their money and time on. And in that mindset, they aren't interested in lots of detail or remembering the names of everyone important to the story. So, pick your “most” main character and focus on them. Follow their emotional journey through the early part of the novel. Make readers care about them, and they'll buy. And if you're lucky, they'll choose to follow you … through every book you write.

Today we're dropping a new news jingle, played by our own Jim Heskett. That alone should be worth the listen. However, if you need more persuading, join us as we discuss Bryan Cohen's Amazon Ads Challenge, a new offering from Facebook, and more! ### - Bryan Cohen's ad challenge: https://advertising.amazon.com/en-us/library/case-studies/bryan-cohen - Facebook entering the podcast game? https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/16/22537023/facebook-podcast-rss-feed-publish-clips-pages - How to Write A Book to Market: https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/how-to-write-a-book-to-market - Agatha Christie's Fans want to Turn Her Home into Literary Center: https://people.com/real-estate/agatha-christie-fans-plotting-to-turn-her-3-8-million-english-home-into-literary-center/ - New Wizarding World Launches free Harry Potter Hub: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/wizarding-world-launches-free-harry-potter-hub-school-summer-holidays-1266289

It's Jim's final show! Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Amanda Jane Schiller Title: Wicked Games and Wasted Years, Part 1   Sara is sad. Her brother and Darrel died in that horrible way, and it feels like everyone but her just wants to forget. Even her best friend Tanya who was there to see the gruesome aftermath doesn’t seem to care as much when it comes to Sara’s obsession with reliving their past - around the fire. But Tanya is just a forward thinker, and she does help Sara stay sane. Then when Sara met Brandon, her life too was propelled forward - into marriage - while she clung dearly to the past.   Sara is happy. Her husband Brandon is fun, a great cook, but most of all, safe. It’s easy to trust his advice, and she follows it by starting grief counseling. But then, Brandon starts acting, different. Yeah, he had his ways before they were married, like the whole friends thing. But Sara is quickly finding herself confused all of the time, and feeling uncomfortable around her husband. It’s hard to tell if her feelings are justified. And Tanya’s advice is always the same. Make him talk to you. But talking to Brandon is the thing she dreads most. It’s turned into a game of fighting for her sanity that Sara never asked to play.    How will Sara feel then, when she realizes only one way out of the narcissist’s game?       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Your blurb should have two layers of meaning: text and subtext.         --Other Stuff: Follow Jim here: www.jimheskett.com Storyonthespot.live Authornewsweekly.com     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Holly Roberds Title: Prophecy Girl (The Five Orders Series Book 1)   Loving her is not only forbidden, it could bring about the end of the world.  I am not a man. I am a weapon that fights the forces of darkness. The desire to make Emma mine goes against everything I’ve been trained to do. Yet she’s all I want.  When a demon from hell crashes into the liquor store where Emma works, we find ourselves caught in an ancient prophecy that has been set into motion, and it may bring about the end of the world.  Emma may appear to be a civilian who’s spent most of her life with her nose stuck in a book, but there is more to her than anyone knows. And I can’t stop Emma from turning my world inside out.  Dark secrets are spilling out, destroying everything I once believed, and bloodthirsty monsters are climbing out from every corner. They must kill the chosen one, and I will do everything to stop it.   But as the hell beasts begin to close in, I am left with one impossible choice.   Save the girl, or save the world.   Prophecy Girl is a gripping, slow burn, urban fantasy romance perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews and Karen Marie Moning.   "Prophecy Girl is a fast paced, exciting novel that left me wanting more!" - Alicia ★★★★★ "I really couldn't put the story down. The fast-paced, action-packed story took turn after turn and the bright descriptions were impossible not to get lost in." - Julia ★★★★★ Download and start binging this hot paranormal romance that will have you clutching your ereader! ***COMPLETE SERIES***       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: What’s at stake in your story? How can you communicate that?         --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: C McIntosh Title: Transplant Dance   Three teens face dramatic choices as they come to terms with life, death and other priorities.   Aiden Corwin adjusts to the terror of waiting for a kidney, but can he forgive his father for leaving him when he was younger?   When Zafirah Negrassi returns home after her heart transplant, she expects life to be the same as it was. Can she accept that things are different?   How can Tanya James repair her relationship with her sister when her twin is in intensive care in the local hospital?   This is a fictional story for YA readers, written from alternate perspectives.   If you like thoughtful, inspiring stories filled with courage then you’ll enjoy C. McIntosh’s Transplant Dance.   Unlock Transplant Dance and discover this touching story today!   --Abigail's Targeted Tip:   YA blurbs should include both humor and heartbreak.   --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Annie Rae Title: Shattered Illusions Sexy, growly mountain men with protective instincts must be her kryptonite because the harder Evie fights her attraction to Wyatt the more his sweet smoothness breaks her down. When life drops a Texas-sized bomb in her lap, by way of a crooked boss, the mafia, and some very muscled, very scary bullies, Eveline Amos packs up and heads to the one place she never thought she’d live again, her tribal lands, where everyone knows everybody. It’s stifling. But while Evie adjusts to life at home with her family, she is constantly running into one of the sexiest mountain men she’d ever seen. Continuously… all over town. Wyatt’s magnetism and sexy brown eyes are impossible to resist, so is his big heart and love of animals. What is her lonely veterinarian heart to do? For Wyatt McAllister, future alpha of the Big Paw Mountain Shifters, the responsibility on his shoulders is crushing. He’s growing a tourism business for his family’s survival and most stressful of all… dealing with his family. It’s the absolute worst time to find his fated mate, but somehow, in the middle of giving an adventure tour, there she is. He knows she’s human, but her pull is irresistible and the longer he fights the attraction, the crazier she makes him. But how will Wyatt break his big secret to a human? Could she ever love him back? By the time Evie’s demons catch up with her, Wyatt realizes that nothing else matters. He’s paws to the ground determined to save his mate before it’s too late. Wyatt will have his happily ever after, even if he has to tear through the entire mountain to get it. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Be purposeful with every contradicting word or idea.  Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Katja Waski Title: Light Me Not (YA Sci-fi Dystopia)   “In the wastelands of Europe, the last citystates fight for survival. Seventeen-year-old Noa Engel wants to train as a lightfighter for the Federal Proto Agency. She’s determined to avenge her father’s death by exterminating Lights—the invisible enemy eradicating the electricity grids and feasting on human lives. As Noa’s home citystate becomes increasingly unsafe, Noa’s mother decides to bribe their way into the safe haven known as Amsterdam, defended by the secretive AIDE-initiative.  Their illegal entry rendered all of Noa’s dreams void, and she has to adjust to living as a non-stat, without a purpose.  But when her mother’s past life as a genetic engineer catches up with them, secrets start to unravel and Noa is forced to put her own wants aside to expose the AIDE-initiative’s true face and save humankind.   --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Get to your book’s central storyline before the end of your first paragraph.    Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Bryan Cohen joins us today for episode 100! We recap the Top 10 targeted tips from all 100 episodes! Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Ermelinda Makkimane   Mary's life is about to undergo a drastic change. A simple, normal village teen, she is day dreaming of leading a quiet life with Joseph after marriage. But she never expected to receive a personal revelation from God through an angel. And life, for her, becomes a series of roller-coasting, cataclysmic events, which, finally come to a rest at the tomb of her murdered son.  Some Reviews ... What is the book about? Explore the mind of Mary in this inspired poetic account that gives a glimpse into her struggles during  - her teenage pregnancy - her marriage to an older man - her life in Nazareth - her motherhood to a hugely blessed (read: rebellious) son - her witness to his turbulent ministry - her presence at his death  - her life post-Resurrection For whom is this book? Who should buy it? Even a poetically challenged reader can easily find their way around this book. A student of literature and feminism has a lot to infer from the portrayal of a strong female character. As also do women's groups. This book is ideal for contemplative meditation as several Biblical instances are referred to thereby drawing the reader to their own personal insights. Read it aloud for better poetic understanding and effect. And, in the words of the protagonist, may you reach that place of mercy and "timelessness,/less of a place and more a space/of boundlessness, abundance, overflowing." --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Repurpose powerful words from reviews.     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Ellie Pond Title: Wicked Water   There’s a lot of fish in the sea . . .    As crown princess of Skyrothasia, a mermaid kingdom hidden from humans and shifters, I know I’ve had it good. But I’m not ready to start my own royal pod like my loving mother and three fathers want. There’s a whole world out there I’ve never seen and so much I want to experience before I become Queen Melody.    When danger arises and I’m sent away with Harrison—my BFF’s cousin and the merman everyone, including me, thinks will be my first pod mate—I finally get my chance at freedom.   Except the real world isn’t the way it looks in books and movies. And finding my mates is a lot more complicated than I expected.   She’s the siren I want . . . I’ve wanted to be part of Melody’s pod since I was old enough to think about her as more than my cousin’s best friend.    Now we’re racing towards Boston with assailants on our tails and a pushy dragon hired by her parental pod as body guard. I’m hoping my best friends, a wolf shifter and another merman, can help us out.     Or will they distract Melody from choosing me?   Wicked Water is a reverse harem, ‘why choose’ book in which the heroine gets to have all of her guys. It has explicit content and language, a cliffhanger, and no cheating. This four-book series takes place in the Dark Wing world with a HEA.  --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Consider sticking to one POV for reverse harem romance. Your female MC is flipping gender norms, and your copy could reflect that.  Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Carrie Caron Title: My Not So Funny Valentine    She ran away once and he nailed his heart shut…   Gigi’s got plenty of secrets. Like how she’s married to her job, literally. The Order called on her family for a tribute and she answered. Even more secrets surround her not-so-deceased boss who’s entrusted her to keep his location hidden from The Order. But through it all, she’s never forgotten her first love.   Wallis remembers exactly how he felt when Gigi told him she was marrying a man she barely knew and moving to the West Coast. Wallis never told her what he’d found out at his wolf pack adulthood ceremony—that they’re fated mates. He’s kept the secret to himself through the years.    Eighteen years later, she’s standing in the lobby of the Dark Wing cruise ship where Wallis works. Her couture exterior didn’t match the shredding she’d done on Wallis’s youthful heart.   Fate has brought Wallis and Gigi back together on the Dark Wing cruise ship. Now Can he stay away from her for the whole Valentine’s Day cruise to protect his shattered heart? Or will Gigi’s secrets turn both their worlds upside down?   This is book two in a standalone series, a full-length steamy read. Grab a box of chocolates and see how fate takes hold. HEA and no cliffhanger!       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Introduce all worldbuilding-specific proper nouns with establishing clues or descriptors to avoid potential confusion.      Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: E.M. Stone Title: Aztec Curse A race against time to decipher an ancient threat before it destroys us all… A centuries-old mystery. A long-lost chronicle. An impossible puzzle. And a horrifying awakening. Seven hundred years ago, a thriving but illiterate Native American civilization suddenly vanished, burying with it one of archaeology’s greatest mysteries. The secret remained hidden…   Until now. Today, archaeologist Dr. Angela Hunter, an expert in ancient linguistics, has discovered a primitive codex written in an unknown language. As she painstakingly deciphers the mysterious symbols, Angela finds clues that somehow connect a dormant evil, a mystical ritual, and a vindictive curse. In a race against forces on the hunt for the codex’s secrets, Angela must piece together the puzzle before it’s too late… and prevent the tragedies of the past from returning. If you enjoy action packed-mysteries and thrillers about ancient civilizations, you'll like this adventure that takes you on a journey in two timelines: the era of the Aztecs & Cahokia Mound Builders and the present with archaeologist Angela Hunter. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Fiction blurbs: always prioritize character and story over research Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Shiv Harsh  Title: The Pandemic War: 12 Guaranteed Ways to Fail!   Can we beat the virus before it kills us? Societies have struggled with pandemics for thousands of years. Plague and cholera, smallpox and influenza; deadly diseases spring up, kill thousands, if not millions, and we still don’t learn. We make the same mistakes again and again. Defeating an infectious agent should not be complicated. The principles of public health are straightforward and have not changed for more than a hundred years. But we are stubborn. Rather than learn from the past, we want to make our own mistakes. So that future generations can make them all over again. There is still time for us to take the well-known steps to crush the novel coronavirus. But will our hubris and politics stand in the way? Will we allow a virus to beat us again?       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Practice empathy to become a better writer. Pick a group you disagree with. Brainstorm a list of reasons why they may think differently (life experiences, influences, etc.). Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Nathan A. Stout Title: Nellybug 3: The Quest to Rescue Nelly Being the head tooth fairy isn’t easy. In fact, it's pretty hard and hazardous. If leading an organization filled with expectations sounds easy, try fending yourself off from a deadly Nightmare attack. Job number one for the Tooth Fairies of Neverland is to protect its lands from straying Nightmares. Nellybug might be the first Tooth Fairy to wear the title but when her wings start to fail her, she risks being replaced by fairy leadership. She must team up with her fairy sisters to find their human child, the one who brought them to life and protect her from a poisonous plague of Nightmare activity. Can they figure out what’s going on in time to save all four sisters’ wings before her replacement becomes official? Which side will the mysterious mice warriors join that show up on the scene? And if their small team does face these Nightmares, will they be enough? The Nellybug young middle-grade book series is a set of adventures following Nellybug and her friends and how they created the title and mythology of the Tooth Fairies. Book three is a heartwarming tale of bravery, sisterhood, and facing your nightmares head-on. Grab book three today or jump back and start with book one to find out how she became the first tooth fairy. Either way, you won't want to miss this newest adventure.   Sales Copy Nellybug was never a very normal fairy, that’s part of what makes her amazing. When her wings start to die, her position as Head Tooth Fairy might be lost to her forever. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Review every word to find the best match for your ideal reader.  Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: DB Martin Title: Patchwork Man   He has a brilliant future ahead of him and a dangerous past behind him. Now someone is spilling his secrets...   But she's already dead.   Renowned British barrister, Lawrence Juste, is a man with a past so cleverly stitched together he thought it could never come unravelled - until now.   Two things are about to pick it apart, piece by sordid piece: a child, and a blackmail note from a woman hiding as many secrets as him.   As Lawrence’s world collapses in a twisting conspiracy of mysteries, lies and revelations, in the wreckage he encounters a child who reminds him sinisterly of himself, the family he'd denied and a secret even he wasn’t aware of. For all of them, the repercussions could be lethal unless Lawrence can find the dead woman who knows everything about him, and the psychotic enemy from his past determined to destroy him and everything he comes to care about.   Patchwork Man is the winner of a BRAG Medallion Award. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Simplify your hook to its coolest common denominator! --Other Stuff: Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Sophia Sinclair Title: Worth the Wait: A smart and steamy single mom romance (Small-Town Secrets Book 1)    Small-town romance novelist Sophia Sinclair delivers the smart and steamy HEA! Molly is a librarian and single mom who is so busy trying to take care of everyone else that she never gives men a chance. She’s standing on a ladder reshelving books one day, her great legs contrasting with her prim little librarian’s dress, when a good-looking stranger walks in, takes one upward glance and is immediately captivated. Molly is not as wowed by David. Sure, he’s sexy, but he’s also conceited and irritating. But despite her refusal to give him the time of day, he manages to become ever more entangled in her life. When she lets her guard down, the passion that erupts between them tempts her into believing this arrogant man might bring her a second chance at love. But she’s worked so hard to carve out a good life for herself. Is it worth risking it all for a man she isn’t sure she can trust?   --Abigail's Targeted Tip: For your selling paragraph, consider the events and ideas as a whole.          --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: E.A. Copen  Title: Shadows over Hemlock (Felix Cross Book 1)   His salvation rests in exorcising the demons of her past. Felix Cross is no stranger to demons. He’s traveled the globe, studying under the world’s foremost demonologists and exorcists with one goal: open a door to Hell to retrieve the soul of an innocent man. After he’s hired to perform an exorcism on Raina Hemlock, a Kentucky senator’s daughter, Felix may have found what he needs. The possessed girl claims to have been to Hell and back…literally. Now all he has to do is interrogate the demon before it destroys the girl he was hired to save. Yet not all is as it seems in the Hemlock household. A dark presence hovers over the house, one with a fondness for violence and blood. Is Raina’s possession the true evil in the Hemlock house? Or is something even more sinister lurking in the mansion’s forbidden rooms? Shadows over Hemlock is a slow-burn mystery of creeping horror that is best read with the lights on. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Play Taboo or create your own version. Create a list of genre-focused clue words. Brainstorm common words associated with it (these are your taboos). Play a few rounds.  Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Book: JJ Finn 1: King of the Sharks Author: Nathan A. Stout   JJ Finn was a normal kid with dreams of becoming a marine biologist and avoiding homework . . . well, and bullies. His days volunteering at the Aquarium where his dad works are almost like living his ultimate dream and escaping the grasp of summer break boredom until he catches some strangers dumping a mysterious substance into one of the tanks.   After falling in the tank, on accident, he begins to feel different. Then his dad gets dad-napped at work and his world really begins to fall apart.   Can JJ and his friends figure out what shady group is behind these acts? It would help if JJ could keep his head in the game, but after getting wet he starts to change. No, not puberty. Change as in, grow a fin on his back, gills on his neck, and flippers instead of feet when he gets wet. They must follow the clues and figure out what’s going on before they’re captured too, or worse. The JJ Finn series follows the exciting transformation of a group of teenage friends that face a sinister organization, set on manipulating human DNA for their own mysterious purposes. Grab book one today join their journey. Sales Copy Part teen, part shark, JJ is mixed up with a dangerous organization. Can he and his friends save his dad in time? --Abigail's Targeted Tip:   Spacing can make or break a blurb. Try experimenting with yours to find the strongest option.     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  Jim's on the road today, which creates some fun surprises for the show! To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Franka Hughes Title: You never said good-bye: A mourning A daughter mourns the loss of her father and finds words for the indescribable. Sober, loving and absolutely honest, she describes the emotional chaos after the loss, her fears and doubts and her hope. The texts are surprisingly different from anything that the funeral literature usually presents: instead of self-help its a summary of thoughts, in the style of quotes. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Selling nonconformist books requires extra effort. Sticking to a tried and true blurb format provides common ground for potential readers.    Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: J.D.L. Rosell Title: A Throne of Ice and Ash   From the author of the Amazon bestselling Legend of Tal series!   In the deadly storms of winter, leaders and warriors are forged... Can the Jarl’s heirs become who they must to protect their throne and city?   Oakharrow, the City of Iron, has long stood strong against its enemies — but its foundations are crumbling.   When tragedy strikes, Bjorn and Aelthena, son and daughter to the Jarl, rise to their inheritance. But their adversaries seek the throne for themselves.   Bjorn, a cowardly student of myth and law, is forced into a throne he never wanted. Now he must decide between two bad choices: rule Oakharrow, or pursue vengeance for his family.   Aelthena is eager to prove herself a worthy leader. But wresting power for her own will challenge more than her skills and conscience. The city stirs in unrest from both without and within, and even her allies question her right to command.   Yet more than Oakharrow’s fate hangs in the balance. Ancient foes emerge from the shadows to conquer all of humanity — and they will stop at nothing to succeed.   The Runewar is rising — and it begins with the fall of a throne.   Game of Thrones meets Blood Song in The Throne of Ice and Ash, a Nordic-inspired, coming of age and military fantasy tale. If you like epic fantasy brimming with political intrigue, vast sojourns, and grand-scale wars, you'll love the immersive world of The Runewar Saga!   Read Book 1 of this brand-new series today!       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: How does your main character plan to defeat the bad guys? Your blurb should provide some clue as to what this plan looks like.      Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Nanci Sherman Title: Follow your bliss, not your blisters   To be consistently and unconditionally happy is the single most important strategy for a good life, but rarely are we taught how. With Follow Your Bliss, Not Your Blisters, you will learn how to think differently and spend the rest of your life just feeling good.  The principles are simple, yet unforgettable. They grew out of my work as the first Chief Happiness Officer of a global hotel company and expanded to everyday living. This book is not a typical self-help book. It is profound, funny, and will shift your perspectives affecting all areas of your life. In short and easy to digest chapters, you will discover newfound levels of awareness, enlightenment, and overall ease.  To be happy is to be free of complaints! Achieve what you need to win The Happiness Trifecta:  1.    Clarity: Improve all your relationships and learn how to fulfill every one of your goals and desires. 2.    Joy: Feel refreshed and renewed without the clutter of recurring thoughts and criticisms. Enthusiasm for life is what you are left with when you, not anyone else, dictates how you feel.  3.    Mental Fitness: Learn how to flex your happiness muscle and make choices that serve you, not deplete you. Stop the vicious cycle of being annoyed with others and reacting on old “triggers.” The happiness I speak of is not shallow, a mood, or a mercurial emotion. You will develop new character traits that will alter your destiny. You deserve a lifetime of happiness. The good news is you are just a few thoughts and an "Aha!" away.  Follow Your Bliss, Not Your Blisters is your companion guide on your personal journey.  Life is supposed to feel good. Don't settle for less. The secret to happiness is being in control of how you feel regardless of conditions. Happiness is synonymous with personal freedom and peace of mind. You will no longer live conditionally – waiting for conditions to change so you can feel good. Joy is an inside job.   Happiness is our destiny, but we often bump into reasons and obstacles for why we can’t achieve it in our lives. See all your “reasons” for what they really are and live happily ever “laughter.” Order now to take your life to a more satisfying level and watch “Shift Happen!” Wishing you every happiness,  Nanci  The Happiness Expert --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Consider the rewards and punishments to spur your reader into action! Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Vanesa L. Perillo Title: Death with a Twist of Lemon   What would you do when your mind fails?   Stranded at Acun, a beachside nursing home in the lost village of Pehuen Co (Argentina), Clementina, an eighty-six year old, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and wants to go into one more adventure before she can’t remember her own name.   The problem is she’s short of money. Desperate, she plans to con the other women of Acun, but as always with Clementina, things don’t go as planned.   A roulette of drugs, thefts, and murders flood the quiet of Acun, forcing Clementina to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to get her way.   If you’re looking for a fast paced, dark humor crime story, Death with a Twist of Lemon will be out July 1st 2021. Sign up to my mailing list to keep updated as to when pre-orders become available at website.com        --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Does your reader-directed hook fit your story? It should echo your blurb’s final line.        --Other Stuff:   Check out storyonthespot.live to see the world’s only thriller fiction improv game show. It’s crazy fun!   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author:  Sian Ceinwen Title: The Baby Genre: Rock star romance Sleep with a rock star, they said. It'll be fun, they said. Lita Ciccone just wanted to meet her favorite band. She had no interest in tangling with sexy guitarist, Sebastian Fox, whose favorite past time is groupies. Then she meets him. He's smart, he's funny, and he calls her princess. Suddenly, she understands why so many women fall at his feet, because that's exactly what she wants to do. They spend one amazing night together, and their contraception fails. Now, Lita is facing a life tied to the world's biggest player. Sebastian is sexy as sin, but can she really raise a baby with him? The Baby is the third installment in the Cruise Control series by Sian Ceinwen. If you like sexy and funny books, that make you feel deeply for the characters, then you will adore falling in love with Sebastian and Lita. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Brainstorm!  Before writing, spend 5-10 minutes to brainstorm relevant puns and phrases. Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Martha Henley Title: Simon Says : Episode 1 Reunion Pact Series   A criminology student, thrown into a deadly game … A shamed cop, demoted over his obsession … The night in the past when chance produced a killer. The Reunion Pact : Episode 1 Simon Says Armed with a desire for revenge, a twisted mastermind killer takes a random game of chance and turns it deadly. His unwilling players must kill or be killed. The first one, fails and Simon upholds the rules. Both targets are gruesomely murdered. Criminology student, Josie Baker is the latest player instructed to take a life-threatening turn. Former detective Dennis Henson is obsessed with the Simon Says Killer. Their thirty year age gap will hinder their ability to work well as a team. Baker and Henson will reopen closed cases, prove coercion, and dare the rule master to play to win his own fatal end game. Simon Says is the first episode of the new crime thriller series, Reunion Pact by Martha Henley. If you’re looking for a new novella length thriller series with realistic characters and psychological twists on the pages, then you’ll love these episodes. Reunion Pact is a nine-episode novella serial, written to be read in order and in its entirety. Each episode tells a complete story, but they are one part of the whole incredible tale. Preorder your copy of Simon Says today!       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Where have you placed your big reveals? Are readers discovering along with your main character?     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Randy L Scott Title: Freedom – Just Another Word   Would you believe the crazy stories of a Dream Messiah? What if those stories led you into another world? How do you judge a man like Jake Barnes? In wilds of the north, the land of misfits, Jake is living his dream. His survivalist neighbor who spent years in the jungle has other plans for his new friend. Freedom - Just Another Word... is the first novel in this psychological adventure series. The Dream Messiah series takes you on a wild journey from the forests of the last frontier to the jungle of Borneo as Jake Barnes is forced into life-changing decisions. Jake is building a cabin in remote Alaska when his fiancé Kat announces her pregnancy. As Jake experiments with lucid dreaming, he is thrust into a world he is unprepared for. Kat has her own agenda once their child is born. Jake doesn't know who to fear most; Kat, or his eccentric neighbor Dave Reagan, the resident grizzly bear, or the Alaska State Troopers. Half-way around the globe, the Punan Dyaks, a nomadic tribe deep in the mountains of Borneo, are manifesting their Messiah in the dream world. The line between dreams and reality blur, and Jake's decisions may cost him everything he cares about, including his infant son, Luke. More than one person wants Jake Barnes to burn in hell. Another force is pushing him into a baptism by fire. If he crosses that line, there's no turning back. If you want dark adventure into the unknown, you'll love this epic saga of the human spirit's quest for purpose. Unlock Freedom - today to find out how YOU will judge Jake Barnes.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Replace “ands” with “therefores” or “buts.”         --Other Stuff:   Check out storyonthespot.live, the world’s only thriller fiction improv game show!     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Eden Wolfe Title: Love In and Out of Lockdown   BE A COUPLE THAT MAKES IT THROUGH LOCKDOWN.   "The TV anchor announces that the lockdown is coming. We don’t know how long it’ll last, but it’s going to be a while. At least six weeks. I’m guessing at least eight. But nobody really knows. Fast forward and it's FOUR MONTHS LATER."   Couples around the world have struggled to live and relate as lockdown came and went and might come again...   ...and some couples don't make it through. The post-lockdown rates of divorce have gone up. Even now, stress, fear, and pressure continue to create rifts in couples, families and homes.   How can you keep your relationship healthy, strong and alive?   You’ve got to be creative. You’ve got to be innovative. You've got to keep your relationship healthy in the wake of the pandemic and the enduring lockdown.   In this book, you'll get insight, ideas, and activities for you and your loved one to try on your own and together, covering topics like:       What's happening in your brain during lockdown       Understanding your triggers       Speaking the languages of love       Hot Potato Topics       Finding and keeping your happy       Quality time truly together and Quality time apart: creating space       The healing power of laughter       How to Feel Heard       Maintaining the Mystery       And many more!   Read true stories from ordinary couples that survived some extraordinary circumstances in lockdown.   They learned together. They made it through.   The wisdom in these pages, tried-and-true methods as well as innovative experimentation, can help you and your partner navigate not just current circumstances...   ...it can help you to be stronger in the unknown that is yet to come.   Lockdown leaves a wake behind it, and these waves will rock your relationship. Stories abound of couples breaking up when lockdown hit.   Take action now to be the strongest couple you can be.   This pandemic doesn't have to break you up.   Use this book to keep your couple moving on the right track.   Get Love In and Out of Lockdown today!       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: How is your advice and/or main argument delivered to readers? Make this mode of education crystal clear. Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author:  Cyn Mackley Title: American Goth - A Goode Grace Mystery   When her grandfather dies mysteriously, New York City artist and goth chick Trinity Goode heads back to her small Ohio hometown to take over the farm and figure out what really happened to the man who always accepted her just as she was. Trinity’s ready to lace up her Doc Marten boots to be a church lady and bake pies for the county fair, but is her hometown ready to welcome her back? With some help from her old friend Deputy Bobby Grace, she tries to solve the mystery of her Grandfather’s death and track down just who has been hell-bent on ruining her reputation. What she finds out could get her killed. You can take the girl out of the country, put red streaks in her hair, and dress her all in black, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. Pitchfork in hand, this American Goth is ready to find a killer, save the farm, win a blue ribbon for jam, and just maybe snag herself a good ole country boy. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Put each sentence in your blurb on its own line, so you can see them individually and  adjust the length. Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com  

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Elisavet Arkolaki Title: How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children: Ideas and practical advice from diverse professionals for even greater success raising happy mixed heritage kids   'A must-read for all educators, parents, and everyone involved in the education of children. Inspiring!' - Lenia Tavares, Mum, Foreign Languages Teacher, Language and Communication Impairment in Children Specialist, B.Sc., M.Sc.   How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children is the uniquely empowering guidebook to the bilingual/multilingual and multicultural parenting journey. It includes practical tips and ideas from diverse professionals, for even greater success raising confident and resilient kids of mixed ethnic backgrounds. It includes full chapter contributions by Dr. Ute Limacher-Riebold, Dr. Brigitte Vittrup, Dr. Mary-Pat O'Malley-Keighran, Rita Rosenback, Lisa Ferland, Brian Vassallo, Tamara Yousry, Yui Mikuriya, Elisavet Arkolaki.   This book has been curated by Elisavet Arkolaki, founder of the popular parenting blog maltamum.com. Arkolaki is also the author of the children's books 'Where am I from?', which has been illustrated entirely with street art unique to this book, and 'Happiness Street', a picture book available in several bilingual editions.   Chapters:   Inventing identities for our multicultural children by Elisavet Arkolaki The debate over multiculturalism and what we can learn from the Canadian model by Elisavet Arkolaki My identity crisis growing up in numerous cultures by Yui Mikuriya Why urging our children to embrace different cultures and learn different languages matters by Dr. Ute Limacher-Riebold The 5 most common challenges a parent faces while raising a multicultural kid and how to address them by Vivian Chiona, Dr. Brigitte Vittrup, Elisavet Arkolaki 5 mistakes parents make when trying to raise bilingual children by Rita Rosenback Language delays in multilingual children: what are they and what to do about them by Dr. Mary-Pat O'Malley-Keighran Raising multilingual children with additional needs abroad by Dr. Ute Limacher-Riebold Confident moms raise confident kids - On finding your tribe abroad by Lisa Ferland Media influences on children by Dr. Brigitte Vittrup The impact of culture on the education of the young by Brian Vassallo Promoting tolerance, practical tips - What we should do to enhance religious tolerance at home (parents) and at school (teachers) by Brian Vassallo Crossing the Deep Cultural Divide by Tamara Yousry The stories you should tell your multicultural kid every day by Elisavet Arkolaki A list of websites and blogs about multilingualism & multiculturalism   Praised by parents around the world...   If you're reading this on amazon.de/.co.uk/.ca/.au/.it, etc, visit the .com link for more reviews        --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Your list of chapters is just the beginning! Pick out the best elements and show how they can solve readers’ problems.      Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: A.C. Ward Title: Avoiding the Abyss   Blurb Version 1:   Aubrey has always been told she isn’t special. If only that had remained true.   Aubrey grew up as part of the rebel movement, protected but lonely. All she wants is her mother’s love, but without an ability she’s worthless in her mother’s eyes.   When she’s captured by the government, Aubrey sees an opportunity to prove her worth. Instead, she realizes that her mother has been withholding many truths. Aubrey experiences an acceptance outside of the rebels that her heart has yearned for, and a discovery. She has an immunity that has never been seen before.   But Aubrey isn’t immune, she’s absorbing powers as the key to the Abyss—a portal into the demon realm. Her mother finally sees purpose in her daughter and hopes to use it for her cause. Aubrey isn’t as certain. If she doesn’t gain control of her ability, she’ll open the gateway to hell and destroy everyone she’s come to care about. Including herself.   The first installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and demon lore.   Download now to find out if Aubrey will succeed in Avoiding the Abyss. Blurb version 2:   She was raised on lies. Now she must figure out what’s real, or the world is doomed.   Join a teen’s struggle with secret powers in a demonic dystopia.   Aubrey never realized there was a better life beyond being the rebel leader’s disappointing teenage daughter. But when she’s abducted by the government and taught the truth at one of their official academies, she feels torn between two worlds. Wielding a power she didn’t know she had and forced to open a portal to a dark dimension, she must choose who to save — her new friends or her family.   Can Aubrey master her power in time to prevent the world’s utter annihilation?   Book 1 in the page-turning YA dystopian fantasy series. If you like mind-bending journeys, complex characters, and a beautiful balance of hope and despair, then you’ll love A.C. Ward’s ominous tale.   Buy Avoiding The Abyss to confront the face of evil today!       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Could your hook work within a different genre? If so, try tweaking until it is undeniably within your own genre.            Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Rebecca Bradley Title: Shallow Waters   When catching a killer isn’t enough…   Detective Inspector Hannah Robbins is forced into the darker side of Nottingham when a body is dumped in an alleyway.   And all the while a member of her team is hiding a life-changing secret that could have serious repercussions for the investigation.   Things take a disturbing turn when a piece of evidence indicates a killer is only a hairs-breath away from claiming his next victim.   Just how far are the team willing to push themselves to save the next girl? Shallow Waters is the compelling crime debut by ex-police detective Rebecca Bradley.   Download Shallow Waters to explore a tense police investigation with a real sinister side and a shocking finale.   For fans of Angela Marsons and Peter James.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Could your blurb stand in for a similar book? If so, add in some unique flair.          --Other Stuff:     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Philip Rivera Title: Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles   His minivan is his chariot. His mower is his weapon. Enter the whimsical world of suburbia's favorite underdog.   Meet the average Joe who’s a father to three, a husband to one... a hero to all. When he’s not fighting crime in his fighter-jet-cloaked-as-a-minivan, he teaches high school and patrols the ‘hood for story material.   In Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles, an ordinary guy conjures up extraordinary tales about his family, marriage, and teacher job. He's the man who's making mortgages, meatloaf, and the middle-class sexy again.   This is the anthem of those who envision mowing and mopping as legendary movie scenes. These comically self-deprecating short stories will inspire you to take a fresh look at the wondrous, valiant and touching moments in everyday life. Dive into Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles and ride shotgun on a domestic road trip of epic proportions.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Humor is all about balance. Be mindful of when, where, and how often you add moments of relatability and ridiculousness.          --Other Stuff:     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Caroline Muntjewerf Title: Bel Amour   New love makes her feel uncertain. Buying her dream home makes her a target for murder. Can she silence the ghosts of the past and find love for the future? When Kate Jennings arrives in Memphis from London to expand her business, falling in love with an upcoming Country Music star was the last thing on her mind. On top of that, her newly purchased home harbours ghosts. Literally. She could not have foreseen that acquiring this property would involve a 22 year old cold case murder. With the help of her cousin she starts investigating to silence the ghosts of the past for good, but the murderer's son is on a mission to silence her. But when she witnesses her new love passionately kissing another woman, Kate seriously starts to doubt if her latest venture on the other side of the Atlantic, was a clever move. In an impulse she rushes to the airport and, broken-hearted, flies back to London where fate follows her …  If you like inherited secrets, unforeseen love, self-reliant women, then you’ll surely love Caroline Muntjewerf’s novel Bel Amour.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Spice up your blurbs with a few well-placed idioms.         --Other Stuff: Don’t forget to visit storyonthespot.live to check out all the hijinks!     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

(In the future) on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb:   Author: Elysia Nisan   Title: Deviants   She's disfigured. She's frightened. ...And she's powerful. Left behind and cowering in the shadows, Rose is condemned to the ghetto of post-apocalyptic Lower Earth. But when the enemy comes out of hiding, Rose must make a choice. If she's takes action, she could be disappeared - or worse. If she doesn't, an assassination could threaten the delicate balance that keeps Lower Earth at peace. Despite the daily violence and ridicule of Rose's life, in her blood runs something stronger than perfection. You'll be sucked into Rose's world where it's lawless in the alleys and fascist in the streets for this dystopian thrill ride. Get it today.     --Abigail's Targeted Tip: What choice does your protagonist face? What consequences will follow their decision?       --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

(Sorry about the audio issues! We had to cut out the first five minutes due to technical issues.)   Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: A.J. Robinson   Title: Fighter's Heart   Lena MMA superstar Jase ‘The Wrangler’ Rawlins is mouthy, conceited, and hot as f*ck. Two weeks out from a championship fight, he’s landed himself in P.R. hell. And now? He’s my problem. My boss wants me to fix his image and make sure he isn’t arrested before he steps foot in the cage. But there are only so many miracles a girl can work, and I can’t help someone who won’t let me in.   Jase Lena LaFontaine is a walking fantasy. All buttoned-up blouses and ass-hugging skirts with passion simmering beneath. I want her—for more than making me look good. The problem? She thinks I’m guilty of a violent crime. And if mixing it in the ring has taught me one thing, it’s that trusting your team is everything. If Lena can’t back me 100%, then she and her pouty lips are off limits.   Fighter's Heart is a standalone MMA romance with a cocky alpha hero and a sassy heroine who knows how to keep big egos in check. It has a HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Be aware of possible redundancies in two person POV blurbs. How can you present a common goal in two unique ways?          --Other Stuff:     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Kate Jones Title: Shadows of Darkness   Dark Revenge. An impossible task. A troubled teen who must find her belief in magic and in herself if she is going to live long enough to fulfil her destiny. Charley is an orphan and a loner, bullied at school and with no real friends. When she loses everything to the beasts of the Dark Master, Moloch she has no choice but to follow a mysterious girl called Violet into a strange world where magic is powered by the forces of light and dark energy, and nothing is as it seems. The great Crystal of Light that protects Elorysia, has been broken into eight shards by the very people who are supposed to guard it, and the hunt to find the hero of an ancient prophecy has begun. Violet seems to think Charley is that person, but Charley is determined to prove her wrong; after all, she doesn’t believe in magic. As she begins to discover the truth about her heritage, she must choose between the lesser of two evils—help Violet, or try to return to her old life. But, if Moloch is to be defeated, the shards have to be found and the great crystal artefact restored. Violet’s world is in grave danger and only one person can save it. Will Charley learn to believe in herself and magic before Moloch destroys all light and turns Elorysia into a wasteland of darkness and death? Shadows of Darkness is the first book in the exciting new Daughter of Destiny YA Fantasy series. Fans of Hogworts, Narnia, or Mordor who are looking for a dynamic and modern twist on a fantasy, will want to grab a copy of this gripping and enthralling new series.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Don’t skimp on revisions! One small positive change can have a ripple effect on the rest of your blurb (but only if you can spot it). (psst. Critiquing other blurbs is a great way to develop this “spotting eye”)          --Other Stuff:     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Laurie Clark Title: Cinderman   A woman haunted by her past. A man haunted by his gift. A demon determined to have his fun.    Ryder has the power to send souls to heaven, whether they deserve it or not. As a sin eater, he can send them to a peaceful eternal rest, as long as they can pay him – an arrangement he has become increasingly uncomfortable with. When sadistic Isaiah Borden hires him to use his talents, Ryder finally draws the line. Or at least he tries to.    Ashley has been living with depression and pain for over a decade, ever since the night Borden violently killed her sister. With Borden's death she thinks she might find some peace. But it is only the beginning of an all new level of hell.    The Cinderman, like Ryder, is a sin eater. He could send souls to a peaceful, eternal rest, but as a demon he can’t resist sending innocent souls to eternal damnation – just like he can’t resist innocent yet tormented Ashley.   It is up to Ashley and Ryder to stop the Cinderman – but they have to defeat their own demons first.       --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Whenever possible, use two (or fewer) character POVs in your blurb. Oftentimes foils make great candidates for blurb pairings.    Refresher:    “In literature, a foil is a character that has characteristics that oppose another character, usually the protagonist. The foil character may be completely opposite to the protagonist, or very similar with one key difference. The foil character is used to highlight some particular quality or qualities of the main character.”       --Other Stuff:   Visit www.storyonthespot.live to check out Jim’s awesome storytelling experiment!     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Rachel Ann Smith Title: Secrets of Lady Lucy   It’s never easy keeping secrets…   Only her desire to crush the Crown’s enemies could induce Lady Lucille Stanford to endure another Season. For years she has worked secretly for the Home Office, and she has come to London with one purpose: foil the attempted kidnapping of a highly valuable target, identity unknown. Inconveniently, Lord Harrington—Lucy’s brother and guardian—has other plans. He won’t be satisfied until she is at long last married.   He never forgets a face …   After years on the Continent, Blake Gower, Earl of Devonton, returns to England in need of a wife. He should not be surprised when his best friend Harrington’s sister recaptures his attention. But there’s more to the woman Lady Lucy has become than the delightful girl Blake remembers. When she takes an unexpected jaunt to the country during the height of the Season, Blake is determined to know why—and to discover all Lady Lucy’s secrets.   Unwilling to give up her patriotic mission for marriage, Lucy is conflicted when she meets the enigmatic Lord Devonton. She never expected to feel this way about a man again.   When the ransom demand comes due—will it be for Lady Lucy’s heart?   Secrets of Lady Lucy is the first book in the steamy Agents of the Home Office regency romance series. If you like unconventional heroines, hero’s with hidden talents and romance with a twist, then you’ll adore Rachel Ann Smith’s fast paced series opener.   Download your copy to uncover the Secrets of Lady Lucy today!     --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Don’t be afraid to take a little time to set up series-spanning organizations, locations, premises, etc. in your first-in-series blurb.        --Other Stuff:   Want to see four thriller authors pitch story ideas live in a crazy competition? CHECK OUT STORY ON THE SPOT!     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Benjamin August Title: Perjure: Welcome to the Multiverse   A virus escapes from a lab and ravages an ancient kingdom in another universe, and Carter must help it spread if he ever wants to see the Earth again.   Your universe has died. The Earth has been destroyed. Everyone you love is gone forever.   That's the first thing Carter hears when he wakes up in a facility owned by the ultra-advanced Watcher Government. They tell him he's a Detached, doomed to roam from universe to universe, space-aged world to stone-aged world, for the rest of his life.   But Carter wants to go home.   When a sentient virus that controls its victims' bodies escapes from a Watcher lab into the primitive kingdom of Cribdahl, Carter is horrified to learn that he needs the virus's help to revive the Earth and all the people who died. Unfortunately, the Watchers are currently chasing it down with particle pistols.   How far will Carter have to go to see his family and friends again? Or better yet, how far is he willing to go?   Welcome to the Multiverse is the first book in the Perjure science fiction series. If you like futuristic tech in ancient settings, gritty realistic violence, and stories spanning across multiple worlds, you'll be obsessed with this epic tale.   Buy Welcome to the Multiverse right now to experience the biggest scifi world ever created.     --Abigail's Targeted Tip: For any “fish out of water” story, first establish your main character’s “water.” Consider how his or her expertise, experiences, and core beliefs clash with the new world.        --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: MZ Lowe Title: The Case of the Wicked Web   A picture tells a thousand … lies   As plucky photojournalist in the Middle East, Ryanne Dax has negotiated with desert warlords and eaten sheep’s head. But nothing prepares this human/gremlin mix for the family’s real business.   At her aunt’s cryptic plea, Ryanne returns to the Alaskan hometown she fled decades earlier. Only to find her eccentric relative missing and accused of unleashing a lethal enchantment.   With the help of an intrepid welsh corgi, a vampire drag queen, and a garden gnome addicted to Shakespearean insults, Ryanne pursues every lead ignored by the sheriff.   Except, more bodies drop and the video evidence implicates her aunt.   Now, Ryanne must race to untangle the web of family secrets, while dodging her werewolf ex and comforting a haiku-spouting espresso machine.   Can this misfit photographer develop a clear picture of the truth before the artifact kills again?   The Case of the Wicked Web kicks off the HAVEN: Alaska series set in the Finders-Keepers story-world.   If you enjoy a colorful cast of kitchen appliances, small town shenanigans, and a middle-aged, non-witch sleuth with more determination than a corgi smelling bacon, then you’ll love this paranormal cozy.   Buy your next wholesome read today and solve the riddle with Ryanne. --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Don’t just consider what you should cut from your blurb. Make every piece of info earn its place.  --Other Stuff: Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy.  To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: --Blurb: Author: Caroline Muntjewerf Title: Of Dutch Descent   After WW2 a small girl is torn from the life she knows. She struggles with her identity. She struggles to belong. Will she ever find peace within herself?   In 1951 six-years-old Ellie is torn from her home in Holland by her mother Rita to start a new live in New Zealand. Or are her mother’s reasons for emigrating a lot darker than meets the eye? Rita’s reluctance to inform Ellie about her past only adds to Ellie’s desire to know more about her roots and about her father. The relationship between her mother and her uncle Pieter is not what it seems either, and for Ellie the truth is elusive. Pieter's father still bears a heavy grudge against Germans. As a result, Pieter's marriage to the German immigrant Birgit doesn't go down well.   Ellie is determined to discover more about her Dutch roots, much to her mother Rita's frustration. Ellie is 22 when she makes the journey back to Holland but the visit to her home country only disrupts her feelings of belonging even further when she uncovers additional facts about her past. Facts that Ellie could never have imagined.   Of Dutch Descent, a moving family saga, seen through the eyes of a war child. Set in the post WW2 years when many emigrated to flee war torn Europe.   If you like annoying mothers, post WW2 drama, children born after liberation, then you’ll love Caroline Muntjewerf’s family saga Of Dutch Descent.     --Abigail's Targeted Tip: Focus on a single idea or character arc aspect to build your blurb around. Write it out and keep it nearby as you draft.       --Other Stuff:   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Does writing salesy text for ads and book blurbs make you cringe? Never fear: expert copywriter Abigail Dunard and her apprentice Jim Heskett teach you all about writing effective sales copy by breaking down book descriptions.   To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections:   --Blurb: Author: Jeff Chapman Title: The Great Contagion: A Merliss Tale   Plagues kill in more ways than one and Merliss soon discovers she has far more to fear than a disease.   Merliss is no ordinary cat. She's a young girl's spirit trapped in a cat's body. While the magic that banished her has snatched away her human speech, it has given her a life spanning millennia. For centuries she has lived with the cunning folk, assisting their efforts to heal the sick and ward off malevolent creatures. Now a bleeding sickness has thrown the community into chaos.   The cunning man and his apprentice are in danger from the disease. The life Merliss has worked so long to build is in jeopardy. Before she entered the cat, she had trained to be a shaman. Do her centuries of experience hold a secret to a cure? But disease isn't her only nemesis.   A pair of malevolent creatures move into the neighborhood threatening more havoc. With disease and monsters ravaging the land, Merliss is up to her whiskers in trouble. It couldn't be worse, until a mob looking for a scapegoat turns its wrath on Merliss.   The Great Contagion is the gripping first novel in the dark fantasy Merliss Tales series. If you like strong and dynamic characters, rich description, magic and intrigue, then you’ll love Jeff Chapman’s imaginative Merliss Tales.   Buy The Great Contagion today to watch Merliss use her wits and magic to rescue her friends and herself.     --Abigail's Targeted Tip:   When and where does your story take place? Take a close look at your word choices and supporting details to ensure there are no contradictions or confusion.       --Other Stuff:   Don’t forget to visit www.storyonthespot.live to be a part of all the hijinks!     Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write great sales copy. Here are this episode’s read-along selections:   To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. --Blurb: Author: Stephen Cataldo Title: Cognitive Politics: a Communications Workbook for Progressives   How can you have more effective and engaged political conversations? Cognitive scientists are discovering the underlying differences between liberal and conservative mindsets. Scientific discoveries are not leading to better conversations — yet. Cognitive Politics reviews recent scientific discoveries, successful historical campaigns, and communications strategies. We’ll integrate ideas that are rarely combined, and explore the contradictions.   After introducing these ideas, Cognitive Politics is a workbook, applying a variety of techniques to different issues that are notorious for getting us into confusing and unproductive political arguments.   Cognitive Politics is both a difficult book and a hopeful book. It doesn’t give easy answers. It doesn’t fall into either camp, neither saying we should just hug it out nor just shout louder. There is no single trick, no sudden understanding of value differences or marketing techniques that can by itself erase the ugliness of modern American politics. It’s not instant gratification. The ideas and techniques require not just rallies and money but turning inward, examining old habits, going deep. These are not the same requests that political campaigns ask of us — but it is a practice for healthier politics that could work, that will make your political conversations more interesting, more connected, and slowly more effective.   Political conversations are among the most difficult conversations, which means they are a great way to learn about ourselves and learn how to communicate better.     --Abigail's Targeted Tip: In nonfiction books, it’s even more important to establish how your book differs from similar titles. Do your research!        --Other Stuff: The Juggling Author: Time Management for Authors Story On The Spot: improv for authors!   Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to BlurbsSellBooks@gmail.com

Jim Heskett writes award-winning mystery-thrillers (and as J.E. Heskett, post-apocalyptic thrillers), seasoned with a dash of snark. He fell in love with writing at the age of fourteen with a copy of Stephen King's The Shining. Poetry became his first outlet for teen angst, then later some screenplays, and eventually, short fiction and long fiction... The post MTTA 84: Jim Heskett appeared first on Meet the Thriller Author.

One author, five questions. This week it's the turn of thriller writer, Jim Heskett.

Jim Heskett is an award-winning author, a world traveler, podcaster, purveyor of TV, movie, book reviews, and writing advice. In this interview, Ryan and Jim discuss his journey from screenwriting to novels, the reason he chooses to primarily indie publish, thriller tropes, finding time to build a backlist with full-time work, tips on craft from his own process, and much more. Find Jim and his work: http://www.jimheskett.com/about Mentioned in the Show: Book: Become a Successful Indie Author: Work Toward Your Writing Dream by Craig Martelle (Amazon.com) Book: Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing: Revised Edition by Libbie Hawker Jim's writing site: https://www.thejugglingauthor.com/ Jim's writing podcast: https://www.thejugglingauthor.com/japodcast/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ProjectEntNet Leave a rating/review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-prolific-writer/id1185387038?mt=2 More writing resources: https://www.theprolificwriter.net/

The pressures of life, jobs, family, friends and keeping the ship afloat can make running your author business feel like a juggling act with no end in sight. Author Jim Heskett joins us to discuss his new book, The Juggling Author and to share his tips for successfully juggling everything in your busy life. The post TAB122: Juggling Life, Family and Your Author Business, with Jim Heskett appeared first on .

Jim Heskett is the author of the new book The Juggling Author: How To Write Four Books a Year While Balancing Family, Friends, and a Full-Time Job. He fell in love with writing at the age of fourteen thanks to a copy of Stephen King's The Shining. Poetry became his first outlet for teen angst, then […] The post 135: Using Deadlines to Accelerate Your Writing with Jim Heskett appeared first on TCK Publishing.