Catching up with Author Jan Sydnam

Author Jan Sydnam was the very first guest on Page Readers.  Listen to that first interview here. 

I met Jan on a writers forum.  As I browsed through the members, her profile picture caught my eye.  She was riding a horse.

Being an equestrian lover myself, I sent her a connection request.  She told me about her book and her quest for publicity and to make a long story short, Jan was a big part of the idea that became Page Readers.

First, a little more about Jan:

Jan Sydnam moved to Texas in 2003 to escape the ongoing constant wet drizzle of the Pacific NW. Although she loved the greenness of her surroundings there, the rain was depressing to her as an outdoor type person. Her current home sits amidst a herd of horses that she breeds, trains and shows. Jan made a name for herself in the horse show arena starting in 1970 and has many National wins to her credit. She has either ridden or trained the horse that was declared the winner. Since moving to Texas she started taking her talent in the area of writing, a bit more serious and wrote her first novel in 2007. That novel “Oh, For God’s Sake” was released in November 2008 and has been followed by four additional true crime event books with more in the works. Jan divides her days between writing and riding and does both with the passion she is well known for.

Visit Jan online at her website.


Now, a little about her book, "Oh For God's Sake."

Kathleen Heckertt was born into a life of abuse & neglect. With a manipulative monster for a father and a mother with no backbone, Kate faces deception at every turn.

A secret held by her mother only complicates living with a father who plays physical, emotional & mental games with this child. Like all children, Kate seeks only parental love.

Regardless of her destructive environment, she must make a decision. Her choice will determine the path her life takes as she fights to gain control of her feelings toward God and society.

With twists & turns that seem too painful to face, Oh, For God's Sake will keep you on the edge of your seat. The author aptly portrays experiences from her own life, leaving readers begging the question..."How can Kate ever survive?"

How long ago did you write OFGS?
It took me about six months and that was between the sweaty palms and fits of crying. In my Acknowledgments, I thanked my husband for standing by me as well as standing clear as I went through the painful task of reliving some painful moments of my childhood. Now days I can write the same amount of words in almost half the time.

What was your publishing experience like with OFGS?
I sent out two...yes only two query letters because I was so sure that it was a winner! Well, I waited and waited...publishers take their time! But after three months of nail biting I received an email and a package within moments of each other from a publisher that was interested in publishing my book. The founder of that company included a letter with the contract that in part stated..."You do not sound at all like a first time writer." Then he went on to explain that they receive well over 100k MS a year and they only make offers to 6-9% of the authors. They accepted my MS because...they viewed it as being "Marketable."

Most writers fail to recognize that publishers are not there to make them famous or make them money. The publisher wants to make the bucks!

What did you do to promote your work? (What worked, what didn’t)
I found that making hundreds of calls to the smaller bookstores myself worked. It took time but it paid off especially when I represented the local area as an author. I also contacted groups and schools that might find my book to be of benefit.

Where can we find the book?
Oh, For God's Sake can be found online at many of the booksellers that sell at a discount...or at local bookstores. The last time I checked, Borders and Barnes & Noble were both out of stock...which is good!

Was this your first experience publishing your work?

Oh, For God's Sake was my first published book. Since then I have three other books available.

Lost in Plain Sight that will be re-published in 2011

The Beaten Path - for Marilyn Bloodworth released in 2010

Doors Locked Backwards – for Jamillah Roberts being released in 2011
When I’m not writing a novel I’ve been keeping busy by writing e-books and other short projects

What made you decide to go into ghost writing?
To be honest, it was for the income…at first but once I realized that I had a writing style that was unique, I stopped ghostwriting in the true sense of the word and started asking that my name appear on the cover along with the storyteller. I no longer wanted to be the GHOST that no one ever recognized. Not everyone can make that jump but it’s always worth the attempt!

What has that experience been like?
Well, once I got that “lucky break” I’d been waiting for…of being recognized for my style…I acquired a Publicist and from there the road has been sooooooo much smoother.

Any advice to give to writers thinking of going into the ghost writing business?
My advice to all writers is JUST DO IT! Meaning…just keep writing everyday! Get at least 2000 words down every day! With time, you’ll start picking up gigs that will get your name and talent out there. Don’t plan on staying ghostwriters…go for the moon! Hey, in this business, there’s a lot of space to climb when you’re good!

What is your “routine” for writing?
That’s my other strong advice to writers! Discipline yourself!!! The more you write, the faster you’ll advance and get better jobs. I treat writing as a FULL TIME JOB! You can’t cheat because the only person you wind up cheating is yourself!

What other advice would you like to pass along?
I’ve been helping others with their MS and their story ideas and the one thing I keep running into is the desire to write when there’s really no talent. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but everyone has a story but not everyone can write. Writing is much like singing or dancing. You can learn only so much and the rest is up to you to develop.

In the end, some people will never make it into the final five on American Idol. The same goes for the way the brain works when people write. Some can and some will just be able to do it for their own pleasure and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The rub comes when they start complaining that publishers have no taste or don’t know a good MS when they see it.

No publisher is going to spend even a second longer when they spot typos and grammatical and syntax errors in a MS.

Writers need to take a course in writing. Writers Conventions are great for this info. Too many writers get their information from movies and TV…bad idea and it’s not realistic! Publishers never call you or offer you a hefty check when you’re an unknown writer! It just doesn’t happen that way.

Publishers do this as a living so we must give credit where credit’s due. Be realistic when it comes to your talent! If the rejections keep coming…take a class or find help but don’t blame the publisher! They need to read only the first paragraph or your MS to decide whether it’s a keeper or not. Remember, they get thousands of MSS in the mail every day. So, if your story starts out boring…it’s HELLO TRASH CAN!

There are a lot of talented writers out there and my five suggestions to them are:

1. KEEP WRITING

2. WRITE EVERYDAY

3. GET QUALIFIED HELP IF NEEDED (not your neighbor or sibling who’s never written anything but their name)

4. FIND A PUBLICIST (Yes, they’re expensive but their worth their weight in gold)

5. STAY POSITIVE

Thank you Jan for stopping back in.  Congratulations and continued success in your writing career! 

Book Review: "Total Law of Attraction," by Dr. David Che

We’ve all seen The Secret, and have done our best to put The Secret into action. And I’m sure it’s working its magic in your life in some positive way. It’s all good!


But, it gets better. Dr. David Che has given us the missing steps in “Total Law of Attraction.” If you’ve been doing all the visualizations, the staying positive, the dreaming of the future, and yet you still seem to be hitting road blocks, it’s because you’re not working the “whole plan.”

In easy, step by step instructions, Dr. Che gives us the missing pieces, without confusing us with quantum physics or mystical metaphors. Plain English, easy to understand and even easier to put into action.

And action is what we want! We all want to live the lives of our dreams. With Dr. Che’s book, “Total Law of Attraction,” you will be on your way!

Accidental Author Gary Turcotte visit Page Readers

Author Gary Turcotte stopped by to answer some questions about his newest book "Monster Heart."

Welcome Gary. 

So, when did you start writing?

Although I've published 11 books since 2008, I really don't consider myself a writer. I didn't set out to publish any. I don't know where the stories come from......I got divorced when my daughter was 10. I was lucky enough to get full custody. I bought her a computer for school work, but the nights that she was away at her mother's house, I spent in the den writing stories to escape the loneliness. One manuscript rolled into another and soon there were five.

What made you decide to pursue getting them published?

I met a woman whose passion was to be an author, but she struggled to get three chapters written in four years. I told her I had written five books by accident, I showed her my hobble books, sitting on a shelf in the basement. She found Outskirts Press and encouraged me to publish them.

Tell us about this latest book.

Monster Heart is the story about a High School football star that turns to drugs to enhance his game. He experiments with steroids and other mind altering drugs. He loses his High School sweetheart, to drugs and alcohol. Francis mixed any drugs that he can get his hands on; risking his mental and physical health. He became delusional and he can't distinguish what is real or part of his drug induced illusions. He's involved in heinous crimes that he has trouble remembering. Pimples, cyst, cuts, and dark circles under his eyes, make him look like the monster that the drugs have created. The terrible reality is that this story is happening to today’s youth. The Monster lurks nearby. Don't let it get your children!

Who was your favorite character to create?

My favorite character is Francis, he's a focused football star, but his friend and workout partner Patrick was a bad influence. Francis' mother pampered him, and showed support-------he reveals his soft side. He had a big heart and once he saw the damage he had done to his family, he went to all cost to make things right.

What was your favorite scene to write?

My favorite scene is when Francis is high on a mixture of pills and alcohol; he runs the railroad tracks in the center of town until he's caught in a downpour. He hides in a neighbor's shed-------the storm intensifies and he watched the rain through a knot hole in the wall. Thunder and lightning roll in with the storm and Francis is terrified. He thinks the lightning will hit his eye while he watches it. He panics and breaks out of the shed running for his life. I liked seeing the big monster frightened by nature------besides Frankenstein and lightning are a must in this story, but not in a corny way with electrodes and operating table.

Are these characters new to the Frankenstein story?

Yes. All the characters are mine and fictional.

Why the new twist on an old story?

I used the iconic Frankenstein to attract readers, (every writer wants to be read) I used a play on words and my character was Frank N. Stein. A modern day monster------ the monster is really drug addiction, and happening to a super sized athlete with stars in his eyes. I didn't want to write a remake, or take away from the Frankenstein of yesterday. I just wanted to use similarities of the two, and trust me when I say that Francis Norman Stein is truly a monster and not a let down to anyone expecting to read a monster story.

Is there a message in this story?

The message in MONSTER HEART -------Even the mighty can fall. Those thought to have it all fall prey to drugs and bad influence. Francis' choices affected everyone-----his mother,father, friends and neighbors.

Why this topic?

I chose the topic of prescription drug edition to turn a once ambitious teenager into a monster because it’s happening daily to families----people can relate. The best fiction stories are believable, interesting, entertaining and not too predictable.

Do you have anything new in the works?

I have a 12th book in production with Outskirts, it should be released by Jan 2011 titled “Tom and the Troubled Teens: Suicide Seth” Tom is unemployed, his benefits run out and he takes a job as a substitute teacher at a private school. The guidance councilor gets caught drunk driving and is forced to resign. Tom is asked to fill his spot and soon discovers secret files about the most troubled teens. He stumbles onto an online suicide club that some of the students frequent. One student 'Seth' poses as a councilor on the site and advises kids to confront their fears and end their lives. Tom is not a trained councilor and doesn't know what to do. He confides in the Principal, but she is aware of the problem and wants it swept under the rug since the school is funded by tuition and donations by alumni. The reputation for a safe and mentally stable school population is the most important thing to her, even if it's not so.

I have another one half done, targeted for March release 2011 'Brutus the Baby Snatcher.'

Where else can we find you on the web?

I will have Facebook up and running soon. I'm new at it; hopefully I'll be a quick learner.

Sounds like an interesting story!  Thanks so much for stopping by Page Readers!

Book Review: "Drawn to the Land"

Drawn to the Land


by Elizabeth J. and Barton M. Cockey

“Drawn to the Land”, the second book from the Elizabeth and Barton Cockey, is a wonderful blend of present day farming in upstate New York, the history of the land and beautiful art depicting the peaceful colors and scenes of the area.

When I started reading the book I thought this would read more like the journal of the couple as they traipsed around, but it is so much more. I learned the history of families who have farmed, milked and raised families for generations in this area rich with history.

Bottom line, this book is going to be listed as one of my favorites - because it is more than just a story; it is the telling of life in another beautiful area of our country, the stories of strong families who are still doing the work of their great grandparents, and who look forward to the day when the next generation keep the traditions alive.