Root Canal

Root Canal

By: Sharon C. Williams

Genre: Everyday Life, General Fiction, Humor, Short Story
Book Description:

The inevitable is sometimes painful.

A tooth’s life is never easy. It puts up with multitudes of abuse. From the acidic effects of the atrocious Pepsi, to the sugary sweetness brought about by chocolate, its pain knows no bounds.

Immersed in darkness, it’s rare for a tooth to see the light. Living a solitary life, each day blends into the next without the hope of seeing something new. Death and decay is a certainty many see on a day to day basis.

Survival is the key to living a long, pain-free life. When that very option is threatened, it’s the tooth’s obligation to make his beloved caretaker see the light. The hope of garnering a longer lifespan is a must, as is a trip to the dentist. The question is, how can one measly tooth bring about a much needed change without causing any further pain in the process?

Release Date: May 10, 2013

Will be available for purchase via the following retailers:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Root-Canal-ebook/dp/B00CPDGO5A

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/314234

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Root-Canal/book-Nx556qvUPEacImxaqiMUQQ/page1.html

(It’ll also be available soon through other retailers, so keep an eye on her fan page for details as they become available.)

About The Author:

Sharon C. Williams is a native of New England, raised in Northern Maine. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and son. She is also owned by a flock of eight birds.

Sharon has a B.S. degree in Chemistry, but is currently disabled, so writing keeps her busy. She tends to lose all track of time. The world could be coming to an end, and she would be oblivious to it. When writing, she envisions the scenes in her head, and tries to imagine the reality of what is written down on paper. Different options, scenes, and problems are noted on the side in case she can use them later.

Sharon tends to write by long hand as the flow works better for her this way. Her bookshelf consists of works written by Stephen King, Agatha Christie, Bentley Little, and James Patterson. The best advice she has ever received about writing was to write about what you know. Her first thought was, “Yeah right,” but it really is that easy. A writer just needs to know a little tidbit to turn it into a short story, and soon enough, there’s a book.

Sharon loves to read, sketch, take pictures, walk, exercise, go to the movies, and listen to music. She is a budding bird watcher, and knits on the side. She is a huge sports fan of baseball, basketball, hockey, and football.

Two of her short stories were published in the anthology, “Cassandra’s Roadhouse.” She will be releasing several short story anthologies during the upcoming months. Her children’s book, “Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure,” has just been picked up by Fountain Blue Publishing, and should be released sometime this year.

Connect With Her Online:

Blog: http://www.newenglandmuse.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Sharon-C-Williams/195232693863109
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NewEngland_Muse
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5394360-sharon
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110251056756084178306
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NewEnglandMuse
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=165672049
Email: NewEngland_Muse@yahoo.com

Guest Post: Victoria Treder

What Makes a Writer?

We’ve all heard the line, “If you want to be a writer, then write,” but what kind of writing counts? If you want to write novels, but you spend your time posting to a blog, does that count? Sure, you are practicing your craft, but are you “writing”? Is writing in the eye of the beholder or the pen holder?

What if your penchant is for poetry, but your rent requires writing articles. Of course, you can say that you are a writer, but are you a “writer”? You know, the kind who gets asked at cocktail parties, “What have you written? Have I read it?” If your answer is, “I extolled the virtues of Jenny Craig over Weight Watchers in the latest issue of Glamour,” you’re liable to get a blank look in response. If you can at least say, “In last month’s Cosmo, I raved about this little known island in the Pacific. Have you ever heard of Atuitaki?”, you’ll get a bit of wide-eyed interest back. Travel is fun and exciting. Dieting is not.

The only way to get respect for writing how-to’s on mundane subjects is to squeeze out an entire book. An article on choosing the right college elicits only yawns, but a book on How to Get the Most Out of Your College Experience rates oohs and aahs. Making a living explaining the dull, everyday stuff pegs you as in it just for the money, unless you can manage to cobble together a sufficient number of words for independent publication, a feat that immediately elevates you to the status of “author”. But what if you’ve published your How-To book? Are you then a “writer”, if your dream is to publish a novel? Or are you just a hack with a knack for stringing together a lot of words?

What makes a writer? Is it the content, the length, or the aspirations of the person herself? If you are making a living writing articles for magazines, a job that others only dream of, are you a writer if you really prefer to pen poignant short stories on the meaning of life?

Is the definition of writer determined by you, or by others? Is there a difference between calling yourself a “writer”, and saying that you write for a living? There are millions of words that surround us every day; someone has set them down in a particular order; someone has put some thought into their placement. Is it the thought that makes a writer? Or the ultimate goal the writer seeks to attain?

Is writing just another skill? Or is it a calling? Is it the level of discourse that determines, or the mechanism through which writers choose to communicate?  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I chose to call myself a writer when I first decided to write fiction, even though so far I have been paid only for my non-fiction work. I have a streak of romanticism that refuses to be subdued.

Guest blogger Victoria Treder blogs about politics, education, and the state of our nation at http://tredalong.com/

Guest Post- Lissette E. Manning

Dreams Are What We Make Of Them

By: Lissette E. Manning

Success in the literary world is sometimes defined by how many books you sell and how fast/how far you climb across the charts. Word of mouth helps and the fans you accrue along the way help in getting the word out on what you do. Not to mention your friends and family, those that are supportive, anyway, will be there with you every step of the way. They’ll be there with you throughout your triumphs and your failures.

Every step you take will determine how you far you take your dream and the success it’ll net you. Mind you, success doesn’t happen over night. It takes time to get there so that you can reap the rewards from the efforts you’ve put out.

Keep in mind that in order for us to enjoy those benefits, we have to actively work for what we want. If you want to rise to the top, you’ve got to put in the hours and the effort to get yourself there. No one else is going to do it for you.

Sure, you can have someone else do the work for you and scream to every part of the world that you exist, but I’m going to be honest, unless you make that effort yourself and show people you really want to make things happen, there aren’t a good many that will take you seriously. Dreams are what we make of them but we have to strive and work whole-heartedly to achieve them.

If you believe in what you do, show it. If you know you have what it takes to make things happen, strive to make your dream possible. Don’t sit around waiting for someone else to try to do the work for you. The more you show others you’re determined to succeed, the more they’ll see you’re ready to take the next step.

Your book is like your baby. You want it to grow into something beautiful – something you’ll be proud of. You want people to see you took the time to make your work shine to the best of your ability. You’ll be taken more seriously that way, in all honesty.

Don’t let your work go out into the world half-assed. Edit, revise, re-write, and proofread your work until you think it’s ready. If it’s not, keep at it until it is. Listen to suggestions and feedback. Implement as many of them as possible. Keep working until your book is completely polished. Make it shine in the eyes of your readers and your followers.

Make use of beta-readers in order to make sure every base is covered when it comes to the above. Beta-readers are your eyes and ears when it comes to editing and revising your work. They’ll always see things you don’t see in the first place. Trust them and thank them for the work they do for you. Find a way to show them your appreciation in every way possible.

Always take the time to polish your work before you release it out into the world. The product you put out will make or break you. The more your work shines, the better things go for you. Poorly edited manuscripts tend to put off your potential readers. You’re pretty much killing your career, then and there.

Never settle for second best in all you do. Strive always for the best. Make your books shine. Make your readers, fans, and followers believe in your work. If you truly believe in it, they will too. They’ll shout your praises to every part of the world once you’ve shone you’re willing to give them great work for every penny they shell out.

Dreams are what we make of them. Our success is defined by the quality of work we put forth. It’s defined by the belief that we believe in ourselves and the products we give to those who seek to immerse themselves in the books we write. Believe in yourself and strive for your dreams. They do come true but only if we truly work to achieve them.

Broken

By Lissette E. Manning

Genre: Romance, Drama, Short Story

The past is hard to bear, but sometimes, we must face it, no matter the cost.

Displeased with the life she’d led, Ellie Morgan walked away from it all in hopes of finding happiness amidst all the turmoil. She knows it’s only a matter of time before she has to face the bitter reality of the repercussions caused by her past actions.

Broken and bereft, she tumbles head first into her despair. Yet there’s always a silver lining to every cloud, a certainty she knows is there if she’ll allow herself to see it. To do that, she must let go of the past and put her ghosts to rest, once and for all.

Available for purchase via the following retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords.