Costa Rica is one of the most amazing countries on earth, with natural beauty, beaches, and a warm culture that's unparalleled. Every year, almost 2.5 million tourists visit the nation that has no army, and thousands of expats and retirees from the United States and Canada move there annually. If you're thinking about moving to Costa Rica - or just going for a vacation - you definitely will want to read these books. They're not guide books, but real life narratives by people who actually moved there and experienced Costa Rica first hand. The books are listed by popularity and you can click on the titles to link to Amazon.com

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about moving to Costa Rica. Pura vida and happy reading!  

-Norm Schriever   :-)

Happier Than A Billionaire.

In this humorous and witty account, Nadine Pisani shares what it is like to follow her dream of quitting her job and starting a new life under the sunny skies of Costa Rica. Along the way, she finds reliable utilities are not that reliable, quirky neighbors are unavoidable, and tackling red tape takes the strength of a linebacker. But with all its challenges, you'll learn why Costa Rica is ranked as one of the happiest places on earth--and you too may want to taste the Pura Vida lifestyle.

South of Normal.

A gonzo blast of laughs and adventure about a year spent in the tropical paradise of Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Frustrated and unfulfilled with the rat race in the States, businessman Norm Schriever quits his job, sells and donates all of his possessions, and moves down to Tamarindo, Costa Rica, with nothing but a laptop and a surfboard. But Norm soon finds that paradise has its dark side. Whether it’s adapting to the local customs and the language barrier, dodging lawless drug traffickers and corrupt cops, or spending “quality time” in a Third World prison, Norm always keeps his sense of humor and forges ahead, intent on finding the paradise he has been looking for. 

To download a free sample, click here.

In Search of Captain Zero.

In 1996, Allan Weisbecker sold his home and his possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. In this rollicking memoir of his quest from Mexico to Costa Rica to unravel the circumstances of Patrick's disappearance, Weisbecker intimately describes the people he befriended, the bandits he evaded, the waves he caught and lost en route to finding his friend. 

Two Weeks in Costa Rica.

Have you ever been attacked by monkeys, hiked in one of the most biologically diverse places on earth, or had your wallet stolen, then given back? Matthew Houde and Jennifer Turnbull share these adventures and more in the book, Two Weeks in Costa Rica.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Moving to Costa Rica.

Ever wonder what it would be like to leave the U.S. and move to the tropics? This book deftly blends the personal story of the author (who, along with her husband and parents, moved from Maine to Costa Rica) with incredibly helpful practical advice. A wonderfully readable resource for anyone considering moving to Costa Rica. First in the Mainers in Costa Rica series.

Paradise Imperfect.

Margot and Anthony were ordinary parents. With two jobs and three kids, there was soccer and carpool and too much to do, and a little chronic stress about money. Then one night, following a day that was a regular amount of hectic, Margot had an idea: “I think we should move to Costa Rica.” Seven weeks later, there they were, jobless on top of a mountain, hours from the nearest paved road. This witty, insightful memoir of a family's struggle to right itself in a leafy new world is about parenting and privilege, loneliness and connection. It’s about what happens when a stressed-out technology professional escapes with her loved ones to an idyllic mountaintop...and finds that even when everything changes, some things remain the same.

Hope, Happiness and Pura Vida.

Heart Attack = One Week Vacation = A Story of Adventure = Life Lessons = Is Your Life in Need of a Makeover? Go along on an adventure as Debbie Knight shares a seven year journey that she and her husband, Chuck, followed in pursuit of the “pure" life in Costa Rica. You will learn about the magic of Pura Vida in one of the happiest places on earth and learn sometimes why it can also be a rather frustrating experience. You will question if your life is on the right track or if it too is in need of a makeover.

The biggest thrill for me is connecting with new friends all over the world - with the book South of Normal as our introduction, and hopefully making a positive impact in their lives.  

This is a message from Jenny A, a reader from the Philippines:

Hey Norm! 
I just finished SON. I really enjoyed reading it and laughed many times (Scorpion and Poor Little Wu Fat!).  But more than being entertained, I appreciate the honesty and humanity in it.  I felt joy, hope, despair, loneliness, even pain at certain parts of the book -- that moment when you didn't have enough money for your groceries, every time you visited Pistol, when you allowed yourself to be 'lost' in the ocean...the melancholy of letting special someone go or saying goodbye to friends.

I particularly found 'Blue, Green, Breathe' really profound yet gripping that I held on to every word you wrote.  It's the most "in the zone" chapter of your book, I think.  Maybe the water really has a magical, healing effect on people...

SON was exactly what I needed to read at this point in my life. I'll have a milestone birthday coming up soon and coincidentally, I also set goals early this year to be healthy and fit, to be happy...and finally welcome something that I've been putting off for so long. 

Apparently, I'm not the only one who was struck by this because I later found out that it's the most highlighted line among your Kindle readers.

Keep writing, Norm. You have a unique gift for touching people's lives and whether you like it or not, you'll be classified under 'Self-Help' because you inspire and help a lot of people (not all writers can do this!).   Hahaha.

Take care and Happy Holidays!  :)

Have you ever seen an old war movie?  There's always a scene when a group of soldiers is pinned down by the enemy, surrounded by hostile gun fire and trying to escape against all odds.  There always comes a point when they make a break for it (and someone yells "Cover me!") and always one guy who leads the rally.  He charges the machine gun nest, throws himself on a grenade, or launches his body across the rolls of barbed wire so that his brothers in arms can make it through.

Writers - I want to be that guy for you, the one who throws himself onto the barbed wire so you may get on.

I hope this doesn't happen literally, of course, but I do want to help you go from Point A with your writing (wherever you are starting) to Point B (wherever you want to go with your writing, OTHER than having the sole goal of being on the Oprah Show.)  And no, I'm not selling you anything.  I swear, nothing at all, no hidden agenda - there's too much of that bullshit in the world already, I just honestly want to help you.

Why the hell do I want to do that?  Good question. 

When I was coming up as a writer and didn't know my ass from my elbow (and I'm not so far removed from that) it all seemed so overwhelming.  On a strict education budget (of 0$) I Googled every single article and blog I could find about writing.  There was some great info, but most of them were selling some form of book coaching or marketing plan.  I get it, we have to eat.  But when I tried to reach out to other authors, I was met with so much pretension and snobbery it sickened me.  

I mean, it's just ART, right?  Creation.  No matter how inexperienced or technically unaccomplished you are, or God forbid if you choose to self publish, if you have something to SAY, a human story to tell that SOMEONE will enjoy, then fuck all the ivory-tower attitude bullshit.  

Luckily, I had an amazing amount of help from the self-publishing firm I went through (I'm not even going to mention their name so you don't think I'm selling something, but hit me up if you want a recommendation.)  I won some and lost some, actually I lost a lot more than a won by about a 1,000 to 1 margin, but stumbled forward to a very humble modicum of acceptance for my work, and also a budding career as a pro blogger.

I now get emails and Facebook messages from people all the time saying they are considering writing a book, too.  Go for it, I say.  I support you 100%, and I'll even tell you everything I've learned (for free) so you may have a smoother learning curve than I did.  I will, essentially, throw myself onto the barbed wire for you, so that you may get on with it.

One caveat - if you want to be a writer or write a book, you have to write.  Not just talk about it, but do it.  Every day.  If you want to be a planner, not a writer, then I can't help you.  

So I've put together a small catalog of the blogs I've documented about writing.  Granted, I'm not the best writer you'll ever meet, and surely there are much smarter and more accomplished teachers out there, but you won't find someone who cares about OUR art form and encourages you to write your heart out more than me.  So dig in, and enjoy.

Norm  :-)

10 reasons why authors should love one-star reviews.

I'm more excited to write this morning than usual because I just received my first one-star review for South of Normal.  Yes, I do mean I'm excited in a good way, and no, "one-star," is not a typo.  Let me explain why, and offer how one-star reviews are actually nothing to stress about as an author.

I checked into my Amazon.com page this morning and saw a new review had been posted.  That’s usually a good thing, but this reader gave the book one star.    

The review was titled "horrible on EVERY level..."

10 TIPS TO WRITING BOLD, FUN, AND LOVABLE CHARACTERS...DOWN TO THEIR SHOELACES!

Of all the elements of a good story, none are as important as your characters. They are so essential to your story taking life that every single sentence in your story needs to do one of two things:

1) Advance the action, or

2) Develop the characters.

Confessions of a d-bag book marketer. (Best-seller lists explained.)

First off, let me correct that title.  It should read: Confessions of an Amazon.com Best-Selling d-bag book marketer.  That’s because, as of 8:14 am EST on April 26, 2013 AD, the year of our Lord, I joined the ranks of Amazon’s best selling authors.  

I know what you’re thinking: “Who gives a flying shiznitt?”  And I totally agree, but please grant me two seconds anyway, so I might be able to provide you insight into the highly suspect nature of best seller lists.

Ethical Considerations When Writing Memoir.

Writing a memoir can be a fun, exciting endeavor, and cathartic for the author to get their version of real life onto the page.  It also has the capacity to piss off a lot of people.  

I ran into a few complex ethical questions while writing my second book, South of Normal…

15 Tips to Rewrite Your Work to Greatness (part 1)

I am a firm believer that you write a book, but you rewrite your way to a good book.  Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page ofFarewell to Arms 39 times.  When asked by a reporter what technical issue he was struggling with, he replied “Getting the words right.”  Well said, Big Papa.  

Personally, filling up the pages is not a problem - I can bang out about 5,000 words a day…but the problem is that only a few of those lines are actually readable!  So to craft my writing into clear, effective communication geared toward other human beings it takes me a tremendous amount of proofreading and editing. 

15 Tips to Rewrite Your Work to Greatness (part 2)

As a writer, it’s healthy to lose that image of yourself as a special prodigy who can summon other-worldly prose from the ether.  Instead, think of yourself a blacksmith.  You grab those words hot out of the fire and pin them to your work station, hammering mercilessly with all of the sweat and muscle you can muster, so you might just forge them into something useful.

Writing Your First Book?  3 Questions to Ask Before Your Get Started.

One of my biggest thrills is getting an email from an aspiring writer, who asks for advice on how to start their first book. Some of them are bright eyed and optimistic, some seasoned and cautious, but whether they’re penning a business book or the next great teen-zombie-thriller, there’s one question they all have in common:  

Where the hell do I begin?  Great question! 

The Basics of Story Structure.

All stories follow a three-part structure: the beginning, middle, and the end.  That may seem simple, but they each part requires different elements of the story at different times in order for it to work right.  When this is done well in a book or a movie you, the audience, don’t even notice.  But when something is out of place, it just feels wrong, and the whole story is uncomfortable or even objectionable.

11 Tips to Adapt Your Book Into a Blockbuster Screenplay.

Have you written a book and you want to adapt it to a screenplay?  There are a lot of commonalities to telling a good story, but other than that it's a completely different animal.  Let me walk you through some movie-making basics that aren't too technical.  

Hate Mail Can Be Fun!!!

Yesterday I was the lucky recipient of a comment on one of my blog posts, expressing mild displeasure with my new book, South of Normal.  And displeasure with my existence here on earth.  And any chance I might have of chillaxing in heaven one day.  

Granted, the comment was eloquent, passionate, and succinct, a good piece of writing in its own right.  It said:

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING BOOK.  BURN IN HELL YOU SONOFABITCH"

10,000 Hours.

Talent is a myth. I know, we all lionize the story of someone who comes out of nowhere and is “discovered” on natural ability alone.  That’s the plotline our media keeps feeding us, whether its on shows like American Idol, our cesspool of unreal reality shows, and even in old movies like the Natural.  But, more often than not, those overnight successes were years in the making.  So if it’s not God-given talent, what is the secret to success?  Hard work.

On Writing, My Beautiful Failure.

A few years ago, when I started down this path, I wanted to be a WRITER. It all seemed glamorous – living in the tropics and banging out a best selling novel in between rum drinking contests, bull fights, and answering fan mail from exotic female admirers.  

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Not even a little bit.  

Writing and publishing a book can be overwhelming enough, but when you're done and feel like sitting back and relaxing, it dawns on you that someone has to market the damn thing - and that unlucky someone is you!  

But with the proper know-how, some focused time, and a lot of hard work you can set up a solid marketing campaign and sell a bazillion copies. The good news is that it doesn't have to cost you much, or anything at all.

When I wrote my first two books I was broke even by starving artist standards, living with the locals in the Third World countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua with no possessions. But I had time, and a lot of hustle, so I compiled this list of free marketing tools:  

1. Build a website – I prefer one with an integrated blog, analytics, etc. like Weebly.  They have a free membership, or an inexpensive upgrade to a pro account.  To see an example, click here.  Cost: $0

2. Set up a PayPal account – Set up an account so you’ll be able to sell books right off of your website, from your blog, or even by sending an email link.  Cost: $0

3. Mailing labels – These will come in handy if you are sending out books yourself.  There are organizations who will do a sample roll, as will Vista Print.  Cost: $0

4. Order business cards – Vista Print will give you 250 one-sided, full color cards for free if you don’t mind their logo on the back.  Cost: $0

5. Offer to speak – Organizations like your local Rotary, Kiwanis Club, and Chamber of Commerce are always looking for speakers.  Talk about the topic of your book, without blatantly trying to sell books.  Cost: $0 (and you might even get a free lunch out of it!)

6. Contact your public library – Most libraries will provide a forum for authors to do readings and book events for free, and often do a good job of promoting it.  They may even highlight your book if you are a local author.  Cost: $0

7. Make a video trailer – A fast paced, fun video with great music will engage people and promote your book 100x better than simple text.  I use iMovie, and my existing songs from iTunes, my photos, and voiceovers.  There are even ways to download existing videos from YouTube and edit out parts and use them in your video (with permission, of course).  Cost: $0  (Check out the videos for my first book, and the second)

8. Shoot author videos – I love shooting short videos talking about my book, the topic, or even reading.  A cool technique is to shoot a video of you (the author) saying thank you for buying the book, which you can host on YouTube, and then every time someone buys one you can post it on their Facebook or email them the link.  Cost:  $0  You can see my thank you video here.

9. Sign up for Pinterest – If you are looking for a demographic of 80% women who are educated people and make over $100,000 in the household, Pinterest is for you!  You’ll need some really clever images or infographics to use, but we’ll talk about those later.  Cost:  $0

10. Sign up for Instagram – This is another great photo site to spread awareness and create interest for your book.  Cost:  $0

11. Get a Twitter account – Twitter is the number one way to expand your reach much further than your local community and friends, and if you have some good information and value to offer, not just try to sell, the results can be explosive!  (read a fun case study of a blog I wrote that went viral on Twitter and got me 13,000 website hits within 48 hours)  Cost:  $0

12. Sign up for a Facebook Page – You’ll want a fan page for you as an author, and also one for the book.  Cost:  $0

13. Write a bio for the book – This will be used for the back of the book (usually 300-400 words), but also to post on all of these sites.  Also write a much shorter bio for introductions by media or on places like Twitter that only allow 140 words.  Mine is: South of Normal is a gonzo blast of laughter and adventure about a year living in the tropical paradise of Tamarindo, Costa Rica.  Cost: $0

14. Write an author bio – Same thing as the book, you’ll want to write a longer, and then short bio of you as a writer.  Make it fun, fresh, energetic, and use the active, third-person voice.  Cost:  $0

15. Set up your Amazon page, Goodreads page, and Barnes & Noble page – Now that you have a description of the book, a bio about the you, videos, and pictures, you can build author and book pages on these book distribution sites.  Cost:  $0 

16. Get a Wikipedia page – One of the coolest things is to have your own Wikipedia page!  You can’t write one for yourself, and there are specific rules for how to submit information, but it makes you feel like you’ve official arrived!  (for that reason I’ve yet to set mine up!)  Cost: $0

17. Write a press release – You’ll want a clean, tight, professional press release to send out to media.  I recommend drafting one that highlights the local angle for your hometown and home state, and a national release that is more topic-driven.  You’ll want to get this right, so do some research.  Cost:  $0

18. Cover image – You can take an amazing photo yourself and use it as your cover image (as long as it’s high enough resolution) or go to the stock image sites and buy one for cheap.  There are plenty of programs that will add your title and text in a variety of fonts, or you can post this job for a low cost on eLance.  Cost: $0 (though this is one I spend money to have professionally created)

19. Infographics – Social media sites are flooded with fun infographics, which have both an image and are stamped with your book title and website.  You can build these yourself with your images or graphics and then adding text.  I set mine up in PowerPoint and then save them as Jpegs.  Cost:  $0

20. Reader photos – Here’s nothing more fun than seeing a cool photo of a reader holding your book!  It’s a great marketing tool, too, because you can share it on every social media site, and other people will wonder what it’s about (and what they are missing).  I started a tradition with readers taking wild, creative, and fun photos of them holding the book.  It was a blast!  You can check out a small number of them on the slideshow here.  Cost: $0

21. Banners for Twitter, Facebook, etc. – Several sites have cover images that lay out horizontal, so it’s worth having an image of the book cover set up like a banner.  The individual sites will tell you the perfect size, and then you can manipulate to those specifications in your photo program.  Cost: $0

22. Email signature – Build an email signature with a signature, your contact info, a clickable link to your website, and a cool photo of you or the book cover.  Cost:  $0

23. Custom email – Set up a custom email address for you as an author or the book, so you won’t have to use a .hotmail or .yahoo or .gmail address (nothing looks less professional).  When you register your domain or sign up for hosting they offer a few email accounts for free. (For instance, mine is [email protected] but I also use a [email protected] for professional interaction)  Cost: $0

24. Blog through your website – You’ll want to write a blog often (though it doesn’t have to be daily) to fill the search engines with valuable information about the topic of your book, tips and guides, and content from the book. This will get your name higher in the search engines and establish yourself as an expert, drive people to your site, and ultimately allow you to collecting email addresses of people who want to read your book.  Note – always allow for comments on your book and end with a question, welcoming feedback to engage your readers.  Cost:  $0

25. Send a weekly email letter – Once you have an email list of loyal followers, reach out to them via email with announcements, cool blog posts, giveaways, samples of the book, etc. to reward them.  I use MailChimp, which is free if your list is under 2,000 people.  Cost:  $0   

26. Free book giveaways and raffles – Host free giveaways and raffles for copies of your eBook or a coupon to a local business (and team up with the business so it doesn’t cost you anything).  Set them up on your blog and share them on Twitter and Facebook, which will help you capture more emails and build excitement.  Also I like offering a free download (like of the first three chapters) on your site.  Don’t require an email address for that – it’s like a free advertisement, and if people like it they will email you and want to buy the rest of the book.  Cost:  $0 

27. Join discussion groups and comment on other blogs– Instead of always focusing on bringing your target market to YOU, go to where THEY hang out – blogs, forums, and chatrooms about the topics.  Engage them on “neutral turf” with genuine discussion and value, building relationships, without overtly selling your book.  It will pay off in the long run once you earn their trust.  Cost:  $0

28. Ask people to test-read – There’s no better way to get people involved and interested in your project than to ask them to test read it ahead of time and offer their feedback.  I would recommend only giving 2-3 chapters to each person.  They’ll be allies in the project and help you market.  Cost: $0

29. Collect all feedback – Whenever someone says something good about your book, or about you as a writer, save it.  I like to take a screenshot and highlight and save their comments.  Save them all and you’ll be surprised how quickly they’ll add up to dozens of testimonials, encouragement, and a fun marketing tool.  Cost:  $0  

30. Reach out to your schools – Call or email every single school you’ve ever attended, from pre K all the way through college.  Share with them that you’ve written a book and offer to send them a free advanced copy for review, (but that you only have a PDF or eBook).  They may write you up in the school newsletter, involve you in alumni events, or even have you in to speak!  Cost:  $0

31. Mobile payment processor – You’ll want a way to take payments other than cash in person, so a processor like Square can be plugged into your iPhone.  It costs $10 BUT they will credit you back $10 once you sign up with their service because they charge a small fee on each transaction.  Cost:  $0

32. Presell your books – there’s nothing wrong with offering your book for sale a couple of months ahead of time on your website.  You can offer them something of value if they order pre-sale, like signing their book, include a free ebook, emailing them a bonus chapter, etc. This will help pay off some of the publishing or marketing costs.  Cost: $0

33. Book release party – This is the fun part!  Contact a local bar or restaurant and ask if it would be okay if you brought in 50 or 100 new clients on some night.  Ask for drink specials and even free appetizers for your party guests.  Set up a Facebook event page and invite everyone and spread the word.  Contact the local media to cover it, and post the link to the event on all of those blogs and groups you’ve been chatting in.  Have a sign-in book to collect emails and sell books right on the spot.  This is your time to shine!  (And once it's done shoot a little video thanking everyone, mixing in music and photos of them at the event, and email it to them and post it on their walls)  Cost:  $0  

To see the video of the book release party for my first book, click here.
DOES THAT HELP? EMAIL ME TO RECEIVE MY FIVE TOP TIPS FOR BLOGGING TO SELL MORE BOOKS:  [email protected]

Envy McKee, media personality, celebrity of consciousness, and spiritual diva, has burst on the literary scene like a supernova with her new book, Among Us.  The good news is that this is just the first book in the Stellar Trilogy.  The bad news is we have to wait for the next two, because if the vibrant and fascinating world that McKee penned is any indication, we're in for a rocket ride through her universe, and the psyche of her main characters.  In an age when sci-fi books can tend to be stale or somewhat formulaic, I was ecstatic to dig into her prose and find a new world, a new story, and possibly even a new GENRE that she created with the warmth of your grandmother's front porch in July, not the cold and sometimes impersonal books we're used to.  So how did she come up with this world?  What was her inspiration?  What was her creative process like?  I had so many questions after putting Among Us down that I had to interview Ms. McKee and ask these ten questions:

1. Do you consider your story Scifi?  Have you always liked that genre?

I think The Stellar Trilogy is "other". For the sake of publishing, I had to call it something, so I called it Contemporary Fantasy Fiction. Believe, it was a process of deliberating just to put it in that narrow box, but it fits the best-- until "other" is actually an option.  While I've always been a huge fan of Sci-Fi and fantasy, I can't really call The Stellar Trilogy Sci-Fi because traditionally there's supposed to be science involved. There's some Quantum Physics and Science of Mind intermingled in the story, so sure, I could get away with calling it Sci-Fi and yet... The Stellar Trilogy is so much more than any box I could try to stuff it in. There is no box!!! 

2. How much of yourself and your own life do you see in the main character, or other characters and experiences?

Because Kai's story is about self-discovery and being "other"--there's that word again-- I see a lot of myself through Kai's lens and her experiences. I know what it's like to be deemed "grey matter". Not quite one thing or another, just kind of a fringe existence. What's been so cool is how so many people who've read the book see themselves in Kai too and relate to her experiences. I'm talking women AND men. I suppose it was instinct when I started off the "Dear Reader" commentary with "Kai is you." I think the essence of Kai is in us all. Kai means love by the way. To answer your question, there's a lot of me in Kai, but there's a lot of other people in her too. The other characters, to be honest, they aren't based on any people I know. They created themselves as supporting presence for Kai's journey. 

3. What is your creative process?  How do you come up with ideas?  When/where do you write?

Honestly, my creative process is really just S.M.A.D. (Sit My Ass Down). My brain is like a sieve. Once I sit down in front of my computer, the pictures in my head start and my job is simply to explain what I'm seeing. Then the characters start talking and I treat the experience like improv acting. In improv, every person in a scene has to commit to "yes". So that means if somebody does or says some crazy ish, everybody in that scene has to stay in character and go with it until the end of the scene. That is the literal process that happens in my head. I don't have an end game. I don't write notes or have outlines. My job as the vessel of the work is to take the ride, wherever it's going. It's never a dull moment because I never know where it's going. I knew how the story ended when it was over. Just like the reader.

I suppose my ideas come from that process, but it's been about self discovery for me as well. This is my first book. I can't say I have a formula yet. I keep a journal. I can say the idea for The Stellar Trilogy came about from a few pages of ideas I wrote in one of my journals.

I mentioned my brain is a sieve right? I write all the time. I'm always writing something, but not always what I sat down to write. I can say I work best either at a million o'clock at night on the deck with my laptop when my daughter is asleep or at my "creation studio"-- either way it's all about having no one around to judge me whilst I'm talking to all the people populating my head. LOL.

4. How is writing a book different (or the same) from the other media work you do?

Writing The Stellar Trilogy is not that much different than what I do in other forms of media in that it's a viable and tangible creative outlet for me. Everything I have done and do currently in media is about reframing the conversations we have with ourselves. The Stellar Trilogy fits this core value of mine perfectly. It's different in that it's undiluted. Media always has to be boiled down to fit an allotted time frame which has to amount to clips, snippets, trailers and blurbs. A book is its own thing and is timeless if it must be. People can take their time and savor it. They can put it down and come back to it later. However long "later" happens to be. It took me 3 years to read The Celestine Prophesy. I would buy it and give it away, then buy it and give it away. Once I saw the movie, I was hooked. I had to read every book in the series and did so in one weekend. The Celestine Prophesy changed everything for me particularly about how creative ideas and stories can unwittingly become lessons for humanity that also changes lives. A story can be fun and funny and also esoteric and complicated. It can be exciting and riveting and also compel important questions and conversations. So with that said, I think adding fiction to my current media repertoire is the perfect compliment to my career as a whole. A) Because it's in me to do. and B) Because people embrace ideas in all different ways right? Books live in their own time continuum. 

5. How long did it take to write this book?

I wrote the first draft in a month or two. It took 7 years to rewrite, revise, revision, reshape and uplevel the story to what it is now. What I mean by 7 years is 2 or 3 years tucked away and then I'd pull it out and add or delete something. Then pull it out again 2 or 3 years later and add or delete something. The Stellar Trilogy has had too many drafts to count. I didn't have the missing pieces to the story's puzzle until around May (of 2013). That's why it took 7 years to publish.

6. Tell me about the language, customs, and culture of these characters.

Kai is a Sialovehal (A Seed) from TuStai. Her people are called The Stai (Star People) and speak Tuahstai (Tongue of Stars). Kai thinks she's human, of course, having been raised by her surrogate humans on Earth--which is an interesting dynamic. The Stai people are highly evolved beings who live in higher realms. Their role in the story ( from what we know) is to initiate a working and self sustaining evolutionary process for humans called The Entwine of Mirth (The Joining of Joy)--to help expedite humans to their fullest potential so they don't destroy themselves and Earth. The Stai sent missionaries to help initiate The Entwine. It's a painfully long process and isn't something The Stai take lightly. Something went horribly wrong however. Kai's father was one of the missionaries originally sent to Earth, but he went bat sh*t crazy and it's Kai's job to return him home or The Entwine will never be balanced, Kai's mom can't return home AND the Earth will be destroyed. We don't learn a lot about The Stai in Book 1, but we do get the impression they are mighty important in the scheme of things in the big, big, mighty big universe. 

I think the development of Tuahstai for Book 1 grounds the story in the "otherness" that lurks in every scene.  It's a phonetic language like Polynesian languages. Every syllable is pronounced.   Tuahstai is spoken in pockets throughout the book in an effort to help Kai remember her mission--which is to return her father home. It's way more complicated than that, of course, based on who her dad turns out to be. I have a feeling Kai learns a lot more about The Stai and her home planet/higher realms in Book 2, but I can't be sure yet. I won't know until I finish writing it!

7. How did you come up with the star image?  What does it represent?

Like most things in this book, I didn't come up with it, it found me. From what I understand, The 5 point star is a piece of a larger whole of the symbol that represents The Stai. There's also a circle in that mix and another symbol, yet undisclosed. The star is the most prevalent in Book 1, so we'll stick with that. My theory--and this is just a theory at this point-- is that it has something to do with Sacred Geometry. A 5 point star gives off the same vibe as Leonard Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Perfect proportions? Balance? The head is always aligned with higher realms than the body? I don't have that answer yet. I'll let you know when I find out! I do know that all of the original Star People wear their stars in the middle of their forehead as their birthright. It does serve a purpose, but you have to read the book to find out what that is. 

8. How much of the story/themes/experiences are grounded in our real world, and written as conscious metaphors?  What lessons can our world learn from that world?  

Book 1 of The Stellar Trilogy is truly a set up for what's unfolding in Book 2. Book 1 is called Among Us, so for Kai it's about self discovery and walking through the veil of her perceived reality. Which is something we're all called to do at some point in our lives. Book 2 is called Awake. So.

The story is contemporary in that it takes slices of "real life" and folds it into the mix of a more metaphysical idea of the themes and things we've all read about or heard of at some point in our lives. But nothing is what it seems. Nothing is as we think it's supposed to be. I do think there are conscious metaphors steeped into the storyline too. But esoteric concepts are a personal discovery piece. It's going to resonate differently for everybody. Which I think is the coolest part of how the story unfolds. 

The world that happens to be Kai's life is not so different from the world we live in now. It feels like a quirky dream for some and a blatant nightmare for others. I think The Stellar Trilogy tests the boundaries of what we believe reality to be and how we may or may not shape the lives we live. How much power do we really have in shaping our world? Is my life experience nature or nurture? What if what I think the world is--is utterly false? Then what? In order to stay the same, you have to deny reality.  But then you have to ask, well... what is reality? That's Kai conundrum throughout the book. I guess the funny part is, as deep as it sounds, it's really not that deep. It's as simple as asking: Am I the master of my reality or is my reality the master of me? Whatever way you answer, you'll be right. That's no metaphor, that's an everyday conundrum we all face. It's Kindof cool to see Kai's process as she faces all the crazy crap she experiences throughout the story.

9.  Where can readers get the book and how can they best help you spread the word?  

Right now The Stellar Trilogy is available on Amazon via paperback and Kindle. Kindle of course, has a free app for all smart phones and tablets. In a few weeks The Stellar Trilogy will be available at every major online retailer and for every e-book reader.

How can you spread the word?! Social Media!!! My Instagram is @EnvyousLife. When you get the book, share your pic with me on Instagram! Share where you are as you're reading it. At the beach? Bus? Train? In bed with your pet mouse? In the backseat of the longest road trip ever? Use the hash tag #TheStellarTrilogy. I always repost, retweet and fave. I'm also selecting random peeps who post their #TheStellarTrilogy pics this summer to receive really cool gifts bags via some really, really, really cool brands. I haven't announced yet, but those details are coming soon. Share for the love, but also know, sharing is a win/win.

Also, if you've read the book and love it, share a review on amazon.com. I've had about a zillion FB, twitter, text and phone conversation reviews so far about how much folk love The Stellar Trilogy! The feedback has been humbling and amazing! For example, this woman inboxed me on FB to say she believes The Stellar Trilogy is the Celestine Prophecy for our generation. How awesome of an amazon review would that have been right? So if you love it, tell other readers why so they can jump in, read it and love it too! Social media and word of mouth is running this party, and for that I am humbled beyond words. Thank you abundantly!

10.  What’s next????  

I'm presently working on The Stellar Trilogy: Book 2, Awake. Everyone who has read Book 1 has said out loud that it's designed to be a movie, so... I'm actively circulating Book 1 around to film production houses to manifest The Stellar Trilogy Movie 1 (of 3) into production sooner, rather than later. Why not, right? Also, my home base is envymckee.com, so all the news you can use is allllll there!

***
I highly recommend Among Us to book lovers who want to delve into a dynamic, entertaining, and intellectually-challenging read.  Feel free to stay in touch with Envy on Twitter @QueenEnvy.  

I'm more excited to write this morning than usual because I just received my first one-star review for South of Normal.  Yes, I do mean I'm excited in a good way, and no, "one-star," is not a typo.  Let me explain why, and offer how one-star reviews are actually nothing to stress about as an author.

I checked into my Amazon.com page this morning and saw a new review had been posted.  That’s usually a good thing, but this reader gave the book one star.    

The review was titled "horrible on EVERY level," and went on to describe me as "meaningless, a loser, whining, miserable, no wonder your life sucks, addicted to stupidity," and went on to characterize me as a "meatball" and say “if typing ‘Dear Diary, today I washed my underwear’ is what makes one a writer....you are qualified."  

I typed in “Thank you for your review,” and left it at that.  

Why could I so easily absorb that punch in the stomach?  I wrote about this same topic earlier in an article posted on the Authority Publishing blog so I apologize for any redundancy, but I thought this was important enough to reexplore.  I think this new conversation can help a lot of new authors who are still growing their thick skin.  

A bad review just means you successfully identified someone who is NOT in your target market.  It doesn’t mean your book is bad (just like a five-star review doesn’t mean it’s good,) just that someone REALLY disliked it. Some people love Shakespeare, some love I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell.  Some people love the movie The Notebook, some the Hangover. 

No one is going to love everything – that’s impossible (and would make the world damn boring.)  That’s not your goal.  If you try to please everyone you will be miserable.  So your job as an author (other than writing the best, most honest book you can) is to find your specific target market and share your work with them as much as possible.  

A lot of this advice applies to all artists, not just writers, but singers, actors, inventors, or anyone who is trying to do something different and creative in this world.  Hopefully these thoughts put things in perspective so you won't be stunned by a bad review, just motivated to shine on!  

10 reasons why authors should love one-star reviews:

1. They are right.
I know what you might be thinking: “Say what?  No way!  My work is better than that, they don’t know what they’re talking about, I’m right and they are wrong!”

A review is 100% THEIR forum to express whatever opinion they wish, it belongs wholly to the reader.  You, the author, had 250 pages to express your view of the world, so now they get to cram their whole existence into 200 words, reflected off your work, so they are never wrong.  Their opinion might be short-sighted, emotional, incomplete, or a little unfair, but that’s cool.  It’s their time to talk, so I just need to shut the hell up and respect that. 

2. They may be too close.
When you are a new nonfiction writer and your book hasn’t spread to that 2nd and 3rd level of awareness among people you don’t know, some of your initial reviews will be from people in the book (and don’t like their portrayal,) someone who has a bee in their bonnet about the subject matter, someone who thinks they can do it better/are smarter, someone who is off their meds, someone who hasn’t read the whole book (as clearly, this reviewer didn’t get past the second chapter) or a competing writer trying to slam your book to promote their own.  They are way too close to the whole thing for you to consider their words impartial.   

3. There are a lot of angry people out there.  
Sadly, the internet has become a cesspool of angry and desperate people expressing their darkest thoughts, hiding behind the mask of anonymity.  When someone feels sad, alone, angry, or fearful, they lash out any way they can, and that is often with homophobic, racist, or hateful comments on the internet.  They still probably didn’t like your book, but the hurtful, attacking review probably had more to do with their life than it did your book.  Let's just give them a hug, not take it personal. 

4. At least you’re not boring.
Give me one-star reviews all day long, but just PLEASE don’t give me a two or three-star review – that’s just blahhhhhh.  I said as much in the introduction to South of Normal, that my goal with the book was to make people think a little bit and feel something.  A one-star review just shows that the book stirred their passion and challenged their belief system, but at least it wasn’t viewed as boring – the ultimate sin. 

5. Crazy loses credibility.
The more crazed and aggressive the reviewer sounds, the more they lose credibility with anyone who may be reading it. Their own words will expose them for who they are, not who YOU are.  When responding to a bad review, ALWAYS be nice, polite, and respectful.  NEVER debate them.  Agree with them, thank them, and have fun with it.  

6. Understand statistical outliers.
Whenever you open up something to mass opinion, their will be outliers, people who go way off the deep end, in either direction. For instance, South of Normal now has 28 5-star reviews (to be fair, a lot from friends, but a significant portion from people who I don’t know at all) and a single 1-star review.  That will speak for itself.  I’m not saying this to defend the book or claim it’s something special, but to show that their will be outliers no matter what statistic or ranking you’re looking at, and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

7. It’s not going to affect sales either way.
You won’t lose significant sales with a one-star review, nor will people throw money at you because you have a few good reviews.  Selling books is about finding your target market, those who want or need your content, and then consistently (but tastefully) introducing the subject matter to them so you may share an experience, and build loyalty.  So one little blip on the radar isn’t going to sabatoge that process.  In fact, you might even attract a few new readers based on the bad review.  My friend Chris said it best when I shared this review on Facebook: “I’d buy the book just based on their bad one-star review!”  

8. Everyone gets bad reviews.
This is amazing, but even the great authors classic authors received one-star and negative reviews.  I did a quick search on Amazon and Romeo and Juliet has 22 1-star reviews out of 267 total, or an astounding 8.2%!  The Catcher in the Rye (one of my all time favorites,) 344 out of 3,341, or about 10%!  How about the mega-selling 50 Shades of Gray?  It has over 27% one-star reviews!  

9. You’re nobody until somebody hates you.
A long time ago I gave some advice to my dear friend ML, who puts herself “out there” tirelessly to help others become happier and healthier.  One time it backfired and she received some hurtful comments from someone, and came to me, upset.  I gave her the advice “Congrats.  You know you’re breaking through and doing your job well when you start getting haters.” 

10. Who cares?  
I mean, really…does it matter?  Of course it hurts, it stings, it sucks, but will it change anything?  No.  They can not ruin the experience for you – only YOU can ruin the experience for you, so don’t allow that to happen.  When you zoom out to a year from now, or even a month from now, you probably won’t even remember the incident, or just laugh at it, so who gives a shit? Focus on the good things you are doing and the wonderful people who have given you good, honest (though no always perfect) feedback. 

Negativity goes BOOM! but  quickly fades, while positivity echoes forever.

***

Thanks for your time, your reviews, and have an amazing day!

Norm  :-)

Help me give away 100 books for free!  On Monday, January 21st only get a free copy of "Pushups in the Prayer Room," by Norm Schriever.  All you have to do is:

1. Just Like his Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormSchriever

2. Share this link with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter 

3. And Paypal $4.95 for shipping to [email protected]

Free Book Giveaway!  Get a copy of "Pushups in the Prayer Room," by Norm Schriever!  On Monday, January 18th only receive a free copy of this wild, crazy travel memoir.  To get a free copy just:

1. Just Like his Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormSchriever

2. Share this link with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter 

3. And Paypal $4.95 for shipping to [email protected]