Blurbs Sell Books
A podcast for authors who want to improve their copywriting skills and create better book descriptions. Hosted by author Jim Heskett and copywriting expert Abigail Dunard.
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BSB 152
03/17/2022
BSB 152
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief John Phythyon and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions! Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: Men of Bone by David Penny 1501: London, England Can a man turn his back on all hope to protect those he loves? Returning to an England now alien to him Thomas Berrington falls foul of a thieves’ guild. In his efforts to protect a stranger he becomes their target. When the bonemen come to inflict punishment he has no choice but to kill one of their order. Fleeing London in the company of Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir to the English throne, Thomas believes he has escaped retribution for his actions. But it is a mistake that may get him and his companions killed. Sent to England by the Spanish Queen to watch over Catherine of Aragon on her marriage to Arthur, Thomas intends the duty to be short-lived. But he hasn’t reckoned on the bonemen, who are spreading their influence ever wider. As danger mounts, Thomas is no longer sure he is the man for the task but has no option but to fight, as he always has. For the innocent, for justice, and for his life. Politics and crime collide in Tudor England in a new series of adventures for Thomas Berrington. Join him on his latest journey in Men of Bone now.
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BSB 151
03/04/2022
BSB 151
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief John Phythyon and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions! Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: Hopeless for You by Raquel Riley Cyan was hired to tutor Griffin in the ways of love. He never expected to become the student. Will their lessons in love lead to the real thing? Griffin Clark A twenty-one year old virgin college freshman? Yep, that’s me. But I didn’t wait this long to just throw it away. I dream of the perfect romantic night, straight out of one of my favorite novels. So, I hired a professional to get the job done right. Cyan isn’t the playboy I expected, he’s—unexpected. Cyan Morrison I’ve been described as easygoing, charming, and a natural born flirt. It's for those reasons I’m one of Lucky Match’s most sought-after escorts. It’s also why Griffin Clark wants to gift wrap his V-card and present it to me on a silver platter. Everything about him throws me off-balance and inspires me to be a more authentic version of myself; a version I’m coming to love more than the playboy facade most people see. The trick is to make him want to stick around, but he seems to only want one thing from me; love lessons. Class is now in session…
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BSB 150
02/24/2022
BSB 150
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions! Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: A Last Gift: One Midlife Crisis by Beca Lewis Five women. One dead husband. Too many secrets. A letter from her dead husband turns Bree Mann’s world upside down, forcing her to confront not only his past but hers. When four childhood friends come to her rescue, they uncover secrets and lies that will change all their lives forever. Was the gift Bree received a blessing or a curse? Will Bree be able to build a new life, or will the death of her husband be the end for her? Take this journey with the Ruby Sisters in this first book, introducing you to the women of Spring Falls as they recover what they have lost and become more of who they are.
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BSB 149
02/17/2022
BSB 149
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Old Debts by T.L. Riffey Detective John Hanlan hates these kind of cases. 'Normal' murders were bad enough but add the uncanny and he really disliked them. Called to a peculiar murder scene, he immediately knows there's more than the usual insanity involved. He deduces that the killer is after the Ruv's Blood Book, their grimoire, and has no problem killing to get it. After more bodies drop, Hanlan fears he will always be one step behind and others will pay for his failure to catch this cunningly mad killer. Will he be able to stop this Janus-faced scourge or will the world literally become hell on earth? If you love contemporary murder mysteries with ties to the supernatural you'll enjoy this different and unique take on werewolves. Buy this preternatural read and find out if this killer forces the Ruv to come out of hiding to save humanity.
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BSB 148
02/10/2022
BSB 148
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: 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!
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BSB 147
02/03/2022
BSB 147
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of book descriptions! To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Hook: The Death of the Groom in the Ceremony Room By Suz Williams A witch sworn off magic, a bad-tempered bridegroom with a peanut allergy, and a cunning killer who considers he’s above getting caught. The death of the groom in the ceremony room is only the beginning of the story. Blurb: Blurb Theory by Dennis Stevenson The Book Bard with a lyric voice. The Blurb Whisperer with all the chair moves. Will their blurbic grimoire languish in the aetheric void or will it set the writing world on fire? Dennis Stevenson loves book craft. When he discovers the dulcet tones of the blurby podcast, the aspiring word-mage hears the Angel choir sing and electrify the aether. Yearning to grasp the marketing wisdom in his hands he campaigns to record the mighty ancient words and craft a spell book of mystic power. Armed only with Scrivner and Vellum, the scrappy wordsmith seeks the Bard and the Whisperer to aid him in his selfless quest. Only with the dynamic duo can he scribe the tome of power that will free struggling storytellers everywhere and slay the domineering dragon of marketing. But should he fail, indie writers the world over will hemorrhage cash and the deepest selling magic will be silenced forever. Blurb Theory is an entertaining masterpiece of book marketing wisdom. If you love getting your stories in the hands of readers, you won’t be able to put down this epic collection of book description wizardry. Act now for your chance to join the quest party and catapult yourself into the greatest book marketing adventure of the age.
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BSB 146
01/27/2022
BSB 146
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: NECESSARY SINS book 1 in Lazare Family Saga by Elizabeth Bell In antebellum Charleston, a Catholic priest grapples with doubt, his family's secret African ancestry, and his love for a slave owner's wife. Joseph Lazare's life is built on lies. He believes his black hair and olive skin come from a Spanish grandmother. He thinks his father is a villain. Joseph is certain his own desires are sinful and his only hope of Heaven is to become a celibate priest. Then young Father Joseph meets Tessa Conley, a devout Irish immigrant who shares his passions for music and botany. As he comforts her through a miserable marriage, Tessa helps Joseph see his father through new eyes. Joseph’s ordered world cracks at its foundation. His "Spanish" ancestors? Enslaved Africans. Tessa's husband? A plantation owner who treats her like property. A man of conscience cannot do nothing. In a society obsessed with purity and propriety, can two broken people heal each other? Will Joseph and Tessa find Heaven on Earth, or will there be Hell to pay? NECESSARY SINS is the first book in the sweeping Lazare Family Saga that transports readers from the West Indies to the Wild West, from Charleston, Paris, and Rome into the depths of the human heart. Passion, prejudice, secrets, and a mother's desperate choice in the chaos of revolution echo through five generations. If you enjoyed THE THORN BIRDS or the novels of Sara Donati, dive into Elizabeth Bell's epic historical fiction today.
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BSB 145
01/20/2022
BSB 145
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth: What Time Has Done: a Pride and Prejudice Variation Romance by Alyssa Jefferson “Do not refuse me now. I have waited so long.” Elizabeth Bennet has lived a life of deprivation and penance for six and a half years. After refusing the pompous marriage proposal of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, she embarked on a tour of enjoyment with her aunt and uncle—only to discover upon her return that scandal and tragedy had torn her family apart. After the dust settled, she found herself the governess of Charlotte Collins’s family, fixed in Longbourn in the employ of its new master. Without fortune or reputation, connections or resources, Elizabeth had only her resilient spirit and lively mind to keep her from sinking into regret and misery. When a chance visit to Rosings Park throws Elizabeth again into the path of Mr. Darcy, she expects him to be angry with her—or at the very least, indifferent to her. She is pleasantly surprised to find that he is neither. His manners to her are everything a gentleman’s ought to be, and she begins to wonder if she could have been happy with him, after all. However, the point is moot. If the thought of marrying her when she was poor was enough to mortify Mr. Darcy six and a half years ago, how could so proud a man ever condescend to marry a governess? This is the first book in the What Time Has Done Series.
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BSB 144
01/13/2022
BSB 144
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Untitled Cozy Mystery by Marisa D'Vari Ambitious new college grad Nina Brown exploded with excitement when assigned to oversee a fancy weekend competition in Provence, France. As assistant editor for a trendy lifestyle magazine, this foodie scribe knows her success will make or break her editorial career. Eager to escape her "Nice Girl Nina" moniker in romantic Provence, Nina shakes her long red hair- and big city inhibitions- free. Within hours, she falls under the spell of a handsome French contestant, local charmer who shows her secret corners of his lavender-scented village. Yet just when our chowhound thinks she's found her soulmate, a cantankerous judge collapses on stage during his gastronomic evaluation. The local detective is quick to accuse Nina's paramour of attempted murder via poison, throwing the competition in disarray. Can Nina exonerate her lover and save her magazine from a PR nightmare before it's too late? If you're a fan of the Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery Series, have a penchant for precarious French Bulldogs who wear Prada, and enjoy suave male leads with charm, this book is for you.
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BSB 143
01/06/2022
BSB 143
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: The Legacy: Scotland Bay the Return by Cecly Ann Mitchell For almost four decades, Rhys Le Noireau has been a man out of place, trying to fit together the jigsaw pieces of his life. When his mother Astral, is injured and hospitalized in a coma, Rhys, a single successful architect, is tasked with cleaning out her home and setting her affairs in order. What he finds when he unlocks an ancient family Bible hidden among his mother's treasured possessions, a Deed, Birth certificates, old weathered photographs, and notes on snippets of parched paper, opens the portal to a life lived in another time and place. A place that fits his soul and forces him to do the unthinkable, return to Scotland Bay.
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BSB 142
12/30/2021
BSB 142
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Off Campus by Charles E.P. Murphy and Jeff Westwood If these teenagers don't unite, they're all going to die. Ken Sakamoto's girlfriend has been abducted by a necromancer and the only way to get her back is to play the monster's game. The youngest son of a British military family who is decidedly not in the military, Ken is already out of his depth in American college. Will he dare place his soul on the line for someone he's known for a month? How can he not? Worse, he's not alone: Josh Hartman, all-American athlete whose oldest friend cannot love him back, is in the game too. They’ve both been told only one can save their girl. But Lizzie Higgins won't wait for Josh. She won't wait for anyone. With everything she has, Lizzie is breaking herself and the other hostages out, and organising them to fight their way through every trial and creature in their way. What she doesn't know is that she's not saving anyone - she's just made them all part of the necromancer's trials. And now he's looking right at her. All will suffer through the warping of flesh and reality, all will risk their lives and souls, and most won't be coming home. But if these teenagers don't break the rules and stand together, nobody has a chance in hell. Murphy and Westwood unleash a tale of relentless horror and violence, and no one is safe. (c/w: prolonged torment, extreme injury detail)
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BSB 141
12/23/2021
BSB 141
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Bitter Bayou by Kailee Saunders Her death was accidental... Or was it? Together, they'll uncover the truth. Overworked and underpaid, Maren Sharpe craves a career change. But when her sister is accepted into law school and tuition bills loom, the biographer shelves her desire and travels to Louisiana for her next project. The goal at Thurstan Manor? Finding secrets to sell. Only one stands in her way... Fresh from losing his business, Cade Thurstan is struggling. The last thing he needs is some fiery brunette invading his space and investigating his past. Yet, when dark discoveries raise questions about the cause of his mother's death, Cade turns to Maren. And this mystery isn't the only thing heating up... As attraction flares into passion and fatally into murder, somebody watches. Somebody willing to kill again if their deadly secret is discovered. Will the duo identify the killer? Or will their romance be snuffed out when Maren becomes the next stage? Bitter Bayou is a medium-heat romantic suspense novel. If you enjoy witty banter, thread- snapping tension, and open-door intimate scenes, purchase today!
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BSB 140
12/16/2021
BSB 140
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Empire's End: Episode 1: The Senator's Daughter by JP Raymond Haunted by his past. Hunted by aliens. Humanity’s last hope. JaQuan Jones is just trying to make a living in space. But when an old friend smuggles a political prisoner aboard his ship, he finds himself caught in a conspiracy that may threaten the very existence of the human race. When Imperial warships arrive in pursuit of the kidnappers, the only choice is to flee. Outgunned, outclassed, and on the run, JaQuan must unravel an insidious plot that has branded everyone aboard an intergalactic terrorist. The masterminds behind this vile scheme will do anything to stop him. If JaQuan can’t solve the mystery in time, all of humankind is doomed. Empire’s End is a fast-paced, space-opera serial, featuring exciting starship battles, sinister political intrigue, and strange alien races. If you like Star Wars, Firefly, and Babylon 5, you’ll love Empire’s End. Get “Episode 1: The Senator’s Daughter” today and join the fight for the future of humanity! Note: Empire's End is a TV-style serial. There are thirteen 13-15k-word (i.e., short) episodes that weave together to make a longer work. This is Episode 1.
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BSB 139
12/02/2021
BSB 139
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Bred for Harvest by J.D. Sonne A polygamist compound in her neighborhood. A violent patriarch abusing his daughters. Can she save the girls and stay alive? Brogan Parr is a mess. The combination of a marriage going south, finances in the swamp, and a job teaching in the local high school jungle has her nerves jangled. Then she stumbles upon a startling anachronism in her neighborhood: young girls living a medieval life in a polygamist colony near her house. Intrigue fills her at this strange revelation, but how can she help with her three-ring circus of a life? Through a friend, Brogan gets an in with the polygamists, and when she meets and bonds with Hepzibah Pilar, a young girl of 13 being bred to marry an ancient polygamist elder, she decides to get involved and stop the marriage. But, the dangerous patriarch of the order will definitely have something to say about that. Read Bred for Harvest and find out if an ordinary schoolteacher can thwart a powerful polygamist who harbors as many secrets as he does spouses and children. Is their rescue even possible, let alone her survival?
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BSB 138
11/25/2021
BSB 138
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: So You Survived the End of the World by K.C. Cordell Earth may be a nightmarish landscape, but that's no reason to stop the music. Generations after civilization crashed and burned, life ain’t all doom and gloom for eighteen-year-old Sebastian Yun. He’s got his brilliant but prickly traveling companion, an epic tour bus to call home, and an endless supply of dope tunes. From behind the wheel of his sweeeeet, double-decker ride, Sebastian lives for broadcasting his music to the end-of-world-weary masses. When making a pit stop at a small, dusty town, the self-made radio DJ runs into a shady old nemesis who totally kills his good vibes. This seasoned flimflam woman claims she can send the bloodthirsty creatures that prey on mankind back to hell. But when Sebastian’s completely-not-selfish attempts to unmask the phony hit the wrong note, the very real danger is cranked all the way up to 11. If you like charismatic characters, offbeat humor, and killer monsters, then you’ll love this YA twist on a post-apocalyptic future perfect for fans of Zombieland. Download So You Survived the End of the World for a rockalicious short read today.
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BSB 137
11/18/2021
BSB 137
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: The Dragon's Keeper by Tina Riffey She escaped a cruel master. The dragon offered sanctuary. Will this save her or is she destined to be a sacrifice? Riss'a been a slave since her Coming-of-Age celebration was crashed by the Denea invaders fifteen years ago when they attacked her village. She had been resigned to being one for the rest of her life until her cruel master crossed a line she didn't know she held. Her revived anger and outrage drive her to disrupt his plans and escape. The dragon Shrine offers sanctuary. But her master and his co-conspirator won't give up their plans so easily and the dragon is being mysteriously secretive. Is she leaping from a scorching fire or straight into it? Would becoming the dragon's servant save her or lead her to even more danger? The Dragon's Keeper is a dragon fantasy about a woman who finds her destiny with the help of a dragon. Buy this today and see what destiny brings the brave.
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BSB 136
11/11/2021
BSB 136
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Mountain Menace by A.M. Proctor Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Some Prefer to own you, some demand to chase you, others crave to destroy you in the most beautiful ways possible. Chased through the shattered dreams of a new life in the Appalachian Mountains. I'm humiliated and hunted down like a wild animal. Karma has finally caught up to Lee Denim, daughter of John Denim, the notorious Everglades Serial Killer for her part in his sadistic crimes. I should have seen this coming. Just as my end nears, four mountain men perform a miracle and somehow save my wretched life. As I heal these men and their rugged way of survival charm me. Except they harbor mysteries too, and their secrets may be more horrific than mine. All four men fill the doles of treacherous upbringing gouged out to me. Bear is the affectionate and approving daddy I never had. Silas is the caretaker that fills my soul the way my mother should have. Cassius is hilarious chaos in a world I take too seriously. Darius is... well, he's the punishing bully I hunger for. When it comes time to return to civilization ad get justice for the crimes committed against me. I find leaving harder than expected. But when my dark and unstable past has the small-town sheriff interrogating me, will my mountain men unleash their monsters or let me go? You won't encounter wolf shifters here. There is a wolf reverse harem with dark and taboo themes. Mature monster loving readers will devour Mountain Menace.
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BSB 135
11/04/2021
BSB 135
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Raven Manor by T.L. Riffey Raven Manor holds secrets humans aren’t meant to know. Detective Hanlan didn't believe in fairy tales. That is until one tried to kill him. Hanlan sees the evil humans do to one another every day as a Homicide detective and hates the necessity of his job. But this murder—it raises his hackles. What he uncovers is far more than a pathological motive, it's like something out of a horror movie or a Grimm's fairy tale. Everything points to a supernatural being, a werewolf, as the killer, causing Hanlan to doubt himself—and his mysterious new partner. Will he be able to stop this otherworldly killer or will more pay the price of his failure? Raven Manor is a contemporary paranormal murder mystery/Urban Fantasy with a twist. This suspenseful prequel to the Ghostwolf series has it all, werewolves, unbreakable bonds, and a bit of energy manipulation(magic!). Delve into the secret world of the Del Mulanti Ruv with Detective Hanlan. Buy it today.
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BSB 134
10/28/2021
BSB 134
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Runestaff Chronicles: The Awakening by Helen Row Toews An alternate universe. A perilous journey. No ordinary young man. When Kayden discovers an ancient portal to a world beyond his own, his life will change forever. Destiny marked him as defender of an enchanted jewel – an emerald possessing immense power. With the rise of a deadly legion, thirsting for dominance, Kayden must face unspeakable creatures and their master puppeteer, intent on his destruction. Alone he will fail. Yet, fate has placed an unusual warrior named Talbot, a magical runestaff, and a remarkable girl in his path to help. Battling the darkest of evils in a treacherous land of Kings and magic, they race to defy the forces bent on ruling their world. Only together may Kayden and his companions stand against the foul schemes threatening to destroy all that is good. Will it be enough?
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BSB 133
10/21/2021
BSB 133
Today on the show, BPF Editor-in-Chief and Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard are back at it with another deep dive into the scintillating sea of 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: Steam Team by Mary Wernke Another year, another school- Sophia Clark would never fit in. After all, she liked getting good grades, but not loads of makeup and hair gel. And, she definitely wasn't boy crazy. Thirteen is a difficult age for everyone, but perhaps doubly so for Sophie. Her mom is a local celebrity and her dad is something of a hermit from Nebraska. Nebraska? Happy to get away for an end-of-summer vacation, Sophie is surprised to meet a new girl with, well, issues. But she also fins herself in a new role as a protector when her mom is suspected of murder and her new friend becomes desperately ill.
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BSB 132
10/14/2021
BSB 132
Today on the show, Best Page Forward Editor-in-Chief and special guest Robert Scanlon explore the intricacies of great blurb writing! To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward. Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: Old Debts by T.L. Riffey Detective John Hanlan hates these kind of cases. 'Normal' murders were bad enough but add the uncanny and he really disliked them. Called to a peculiar murder scene, he immediately knows there's more than the usual insanity involved and deduces that the killer is after the Ruv's Blood Book, their grimoire, and has no problem killing to get it. After more bodies drop, Hanlan fears he will always be one step behind and others will pay for his failure to catch this cunningly mad killer. Will he be able to stop this Janus-faced scourge or will the world literally become hell on earth? If you love contemporary murder mysteries with ties to the supernatural you'll enjoy this different and unique take on werewolves. Buy this preternatural read and find out if this killer forces the Ruv to come out of hiding to save humanity.
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BSB 131
09/30/2021
BSB 131
T oday 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: Effigest by Amy Campbell What use is magic if it can’t protect the ones you love? Outlaw mage Jack Dewitt already failed his wife and his town, and he’ll be damned if he’s going to lose his daughter. Spurred by guilt, he seeks the one person who might know where she went… Politician Malcolm Wells had everything, but he hadn’t counted on falling for Blaise Hawthorne, a young mage imprisoned as a war criminal. But Blaise is running out of time, and there’s no one left for Malcolm to turn to—except an outlaw with a grudge. When Jack storms into town demanding answers, the men form an uneasy alliance. Jack and Malcolm plan a bold gambit, and it might be crazy enough to work—that is, until the nightmares of their dark pasts threaten all they care about. A gritty yet uplifting fantasy set in an Old West-inspired atmosphere featuring found family, unbreakable bonds, and men and women who are unapologetically true to themselves.
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BSB 130
09/23/2021
BSB 130
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!
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BSB 129
09/09/2021
BSB 129
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: American Girls by Cecily Wolfe Love, loyalty, lies...twin sisterhood has a price. How long could you keep a life-changing secret from your twin? Victoria is the adventurous twin - fearless, friendly, and popular - so why is bookish and agreeable Thora suddenly distant, keeping secrets from her sister for the first time in their lives? Written by two sisters, incorporating real childhood and adolescent memories with fictional details, American Girls looks at the best and worst of growing up girls in the 1980s Midwest and the devastating power secrets can wield over the closest of relationships.
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BSB 128
09/02/2021
BSB 128
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 . Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb One: Time Blink by MJ Mumford Syd Brixton doesn’t want to know what happened to her missing twin…unless a dead man can change her mind. When Syd Brixton was eleven years old, her identical twin Isla vanished from a park in broad daylight and was never found, splintering her family apart, leaving Syd permanently scarred by guilt. Fast forward twenty years. Syd has a comfortable home, a satisfying job at The Merryport pub, and a stable, long-term relationship with Coop, a handsome firefighter who wants nothing more than to start a family. Then it all comes crashing down. On a blustery night outside the pub, Syd's favorite customer, Morley Scott, falls victim to a horrific accident. Moments before he dies, he gives Syd an extraordinary gift: the power to travel back in time. Back to when he was alive. Back to the day Isla vanished. Will Morley be able to convince Syd to uncover the truth about her sister's disappearance? Or will Syd avoid that painful and dangerous truth at all costs to focus on saving Morley's life instead? If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything...her home, her family. Her life. All in the blink of an eye. Blurb Two: Our Once Warm Earth by Matthew Rasnake A deadly storm. A beacon of hope. One peaceful night on the mountain may be humanity's last... Restless Army-brat Mel wants nothing more than to settle down to a quiet suburban life. A week after their honeymoon, Mel and her new husband are camping on a northern California mountain with her adoptive father when a deadly storm rises over the mountain. A government signal promises protection from the growing global catastrophe that may yet bring the world to its end. Mel must choose whether to stay put and die together or to drag her family through the storm and across the mountain in search of safety. With her dream shattered and her family torn apart, Mel lands with other broken, weary survivors under the Army's familiar heel. Can she hold on to hope and find the strength to inspire and free them all, or will she finally give into the darkness and let the Earth swallow her up? Our Once Warm Earth is the first novella from a near-future sci-fi post-apocalypse series. If you like realistic settings; believable, relatable characters; a dash of science-futurism; and a rich vein of hopeful promise, you'll love this compelling story of one woman's fight to preserve her family and humanity itself.
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BSB 127
08/26/2021
BSB 127
Back at our regular time, BPF Lead Trainer John Phythyon and the Blurb Whisperer Abigail Dunard get into the nitty-gritty book descriptions! To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at . Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: Shattered Loyalties by Ellen Martin Revenge may be sweet, but is it worth betrayal, murder, and Shattered Loyalties? Presidential hopeful Dylan Randle the III is no angel. Journalist Penelope "Pepper Mills" tried to reveal his darkside, but like always he and his reputation slither through the cracks unscathed. Pepper, who once interviewed global heads of state, lost everything and was condemned to writing obituaries in New Orleans. Four years later the ostracized journalist convinces her editor to give her a second chance to redeem herself as a serious reporter. Just as she was getting her life and career back on track, Dylan, now a Presidential candidate, makes a campaign stop in New Orleans. At the end of the New Orleans campaign rally and the crowd dispersing, Pepper will unexpectedly witness Dylan physically intimidate his wife. The inner demons she has carefully kept in check for so long reawaken with a vengeance. Unable and unwilling to control her compulsion to destroy Dylan's dreams, this tenacious journalist becomes even more determined to unmask him for the degenerate he actually is. With the help of a cast of characters, "Pepper" will doggedly unravel Dylan's twisted past, but not without triggering a tsunami of life altering consequences.
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BSB 126
08/19/2021
BSB 126
Today on the show, BPF trainer and writer John Phythyon and special guest BPF Writer-editor Robert Scanlon 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 . Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: Breaker by Amy Campbell Break or be broken. Blaise Hawthorne fears all he’ll ever be is an unwanted outcast, stuck living at home with his parents for the rest of his days. Born a Breaker, his unbridled magic wreaks havoc with a touch. When enemy soldiers storm his town hunting for spellcasters, he escapes and flees the only life he’s ever known. Chance encounters with a pegasus and a surly gunslinger set Blaise on the path to a new life where he’s accepted for who he is. But even an outlaw mage can’t outrun the past, and his returns with a vengeance. When his chosen family is threatened, can Blaise find the grit to harness his volatile magic into a saving grace, or will his most dangerous challenge be his last? This gritty, uplifting fantasy is the first book in the Tales of the Outlaw Mages series, set in an Old West-inspired world. If you enjoy found family, LGBTQ+ representation, baked goods, and a whole lot of heart then look no further. Break away from the beaten fantasy path with Breaker today.
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Whom to Follow BSB 125
08/12/2021
Whom to Follow BSB 125
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 . 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.
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Know Your Genre BSB 124
08/05/2021
Know Your Genre BSB 124
Here are this episode’s read-along selections: Blurb: The Veil by Benjamin Mahoney She's never been really crazy about him, though she found his persistence charming. Will her feelings change when a hit accident leaves him in a coma? Lisa is a visionary. Despite her family past riddled with misfortune, Lisa is certain that a better world is possible, and she works tirelessly to improve the lives of others. She is an accomplished fund raiser, and has established a foundation dedicated to helping families cope with disabilities. Inspired by the potential of architectural solutions, Lisa strives to become a professional architect. She dreams of one day building and running resorts that cater to these special needs family. All of these dreams come to a crashing halt when the doctor discovers a tumor in her brain. Matthew, a man of some means, sees the fire in Lisa's eyes, and he is smitten be her charm and her passion for the cause. Matthew pledges an undisclosed sum of wealth to Lisa's foundation. When a hit-and-run accident leaves Matthew in a coma, Lisa find that he has left her his entire estate - a substantial fortune. However, Matthew's mother, Maura, is alarmed. Maura files for an injunction to prevent Lisa from seeing her son, citing Lisa as a danger to comatose Mattew because of her vested interest in his fortune. Lisa decides to sign a statutory declaration waiving all her rights to the fortune that Matthew intended to leave her. Will that be enough to convince Maura of Lisa's true love for her son? The Veil is a tale of sweet romance in the modern world, featuring fascinating characters and confounding plot twists. If you like raw emotions, engaging romance, and tales of the triumph of the human spirit, you'll love Benjamin Mahoney's powerful novel.
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Episode 383 - Subscription Surge, Author Bios, and Keyword Connections
08/04/2021
Episode 383 - Subscription Surge, Author Bios, and Keyword Connections
We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Erik Marshall. Top Tips of the week include how to master your author bio, who is helping new authors get started from zero, and how to utilize free bonus content. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why publishers are getting into the subscription game, what subscriptions Audible is rolling out in the UK, how to use the right keywords on Amazon, how to brighten your book pages on KDP and how to find your book’s comps and sell more. Question of the Week: Have you created a list of comp authors for your books? If so, who are they? If not, what’s the first step you’ll take toward building that?
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