Bringing SEEDS to the Silver Screen: Part One

In December of 2015, I was being terribly impolite by checking my phone at Christmas dinner with my family. I glanced through my emails to find an unexpected missive from a man named Josh Tickell. I skimmed it and then sat back, stunned and suddenly incapable of participating in the banter around the table. I…

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THE HARVEST Release Day!

          JOIN THE RESISTANCE! THE HARVEST, the third book in the Seeds trilogy, is officially available for download today. Available for download on Kindle or in paperback through Amazon. Remy Alexander wants revolution. After watching Vale fall back into the hands of the Sector, she will stop at nothing to reveal…

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How I Sold My First 10,000 Books

It’s been a crazy year and a half for one Amira K. Makansi. Since I began my journey as an author and a publisher in July of 2013, my co-authors and I have released two books and a novella, all set in the world of Okaria, a futuristic post-apocalyptic civilization. In early April we announced…

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Writing and Running: On Triumph And Sacrifice

Writing a book is like running a marathon. You start out feeling great. You’re flying. You’re not tired yet (not even a little bit!) and you fucking love what you’re doing. That’s the first few miles, the first few chapters, dominated by euphoria, the thrill of your story, the thrill of activity. Then you get…

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Ambition & Abandonment

2014 really started out with a bang. My debut novel, The Sowing, has been doing great on Amazon and other online retailers. I finished writing the first draft of the second book in the trilogy, The Reaping, in late December. I’m working on a novella set in the same world, from a different character’s perspective, TBR in…

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2013 — A Great Year to be a Reader

Wow! It’s seriously a thrill to see The Sowing included on a list like this. I can’t believe I’m seeing my name alongside names like Hugh Howey and Brandon Sanderson. Thanks to Will Swardstrom for including me, and for taking a chance on The Sowing. I can’t wait to check out his work in 2014.…

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Dreams of Fire and Death

This is a bit of ‘extra’ material to go along with the SEEDS trilogy. It’s a character-building exercise I did to get in the head of one of our characters, though I won’t say who – that might give away plot points from the books! It’s a very dark scene from the head of a…

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Why We’re Serializing, Part 1

A lot of people have been asking why my co-authors and I decided to publish serially. In the age of Amazon, instant gratification, and the digital revolution, why would someone choose to release a book in installments rather than the full thing?  We’ve even had a few people ask ‘what is serialization?’ and many more have…

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The Birth Of A Book

Dear readers, Over the last few months, you’ve put a lot of faith in me. You’ve read and commented on my posts, followed my blog, retweeted my tweets, and followed me on the strange and errant journey that befits any adventurer. You’ve supported me and encouraged me and I could not ask more of any…

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COVER REVEAL! And A 10-Step Guide To Creating A Book Cover Without Killing Anyone

THIS IS IT, YOU GUYS. The moment you’ve all been waiting for. Well, at least, the moment I’ve been waiting for. I HAVE A COVER AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT. *hyperventilates* It took us several months and a lot of physical and mental trauma to get this cover out. There were moments when…

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