Finally Published ! Twin Lakes, Pure Heart Guide Series 1

 Finally everything has aligned and the Book 1, Twin Lakes is available.

I would like to thank the staff of BookBaby.com for assisting in this effort, their support, etc.

E-Books, available at most places, Kindle, Nook, etc. Amazon / Barns & Noble, more.

Print on Demand are in process of being available very soon as well, in production.

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/twin-lakes

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twin-lakes-stephen-huls/1141403790

Amazon

Go and grab yourself a copy, when done reading it remember to write a review on the platform where you purchased it. It will help greatly knowing what the readers feel and think about this series.

Book 2 is in the beginning stages of being written.

I hope you all enjoy the tale.

Stephen Huls

Finally! Book One 'Twin Lakes' Cover Art is being worked on.

 This last week I have been able to work with the Team at BookBaby.com in the start of production process.

The cover art for the physical and E-Book is under way. 

When it is complete will share the final cover of the book with  you.

One step at a time,

Once this phase is done, will save up more money towards the basic publishing package and have the E-Book as well as possible print or print on demand available.

Will be 2-5,000 depending on some things and what I can save up in the next year or two.

Hope to complete this next phase sometime by next summer.

Publishing is a process. Finding a Great company to work with is even harder.

One that allows the author to keep their earned royalties vs. the publisher keeping the majority of profits from your years of work.

We live in a New era of publishing, and that will allow the Authors to actually earn decent incomes vs. the corporate publishers keeping 90%+ of all profit.

Getting closer.

Stephen Huls.

Below is a link to the Updated Reviews of Book One. 

5 star reviews  Read what folks are saying below.

https://levantasshuesa.blogspot.com/2016/07/reviews-of-book-one.html

Jan 2017 Book One update S. Huls

Concept book cover art

It has been a while since I updated this site.
Life's drama's and distractions and work and side work in the evenings and weekends has limited my time as well as other websites and issues needing to be maintained.

I am working on Book 2. There will be many interesting and fun developments in this one.

I am also working on resaving money for professional editing and self publishing at this time.
Working through some idea's for fund raising that might actually work.
I am not confident with crowd funding sites as it seems you must pay them or a pro crowd funder to push your program. If I had the funds to pay them for a successful crowd funding I would not need to do any crowd funding to edit and publish these books.

The catch 22 of writing and publishing.

So there we are, in a holding pattern, trying to raise funds for several issues in the family as well as this book. Family will take the priority of course.

I shall see how things go this year. Maybe by summer we might be able to have a two thousand for First editing and 3 thousand for bookbaby for electronic, print on demand, hard copies publishing, put together if all goes well, or in the fall.
Also need a professional artist to do a nice book cover for the book.
Unsure of that cost but If anyone has idea's I do have plenty of concept art I have gathered up to help the artist and me get on the same wave length.

Some time I will get these things done.

https://www.facebook.com/PureHeartGuide/

ST Huls

More Delays in saving funds, need A Miracle for Kalecia...

More delays in the saving of funds for publishing this book.

https://www.gofundme.com/a-miracle-for-kalecia-huls-2u2e885w

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A Miracle for Kalecia Huls

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Raised by 15 people in 18 days

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Karoline Huls  Central Valley, UT

My name is Karoline Huls, I am a mom of 5 children, two of them with different forms of cancer. This story is about my oldest daughter Kalecia.



In 2006, when Kalecia was 13, she went blind in her left eye. We took her up to Provo, and it started a nightmare we never would of dreamed of. They found a golf ball sized tumor that came off her optic nerve and wrapped around her corataid artery. She went thru Chemo treatments, then was moved to 6 weeks of radiation after it was realized that the tumor was still growing.  The day before she turned 14, she went thru brain surgery to remove as much of the tumor (which had grown to the size of a soft ball) as the dr could get. They believed they got at least 75%.  She recovered fairly well, then about 3 years later she started having seizure like episodes. The dr's couldn't figure out why she was having these episodes, the basic answer we got from them was "there are areas of the brain we don't understand" and "here take these pills." They had her on some really heavy antipsychotic drugs, where she couldn't even function, and was still was having seizure episodes. One night she had a two seizures back to back, and the 2nd one she wasn't pulling out of it. We had her taken to the hospital. Our local dr looked at her, and he told me, "I can't help you figure out the reason, but i will help you control them." He did help, and eventually over time they eased up. She made it over 3 years with no seizures occuring. We never did get any real answers or solutions. Then she was diagonosed with extreme vertigo, something that causes her to appear as if she is drunk, without ever actually tasting the alcohol. She has a great sense of humor about it, and we do our best to find ways to laugh. Yet again, she was told "No idea why you have vertigo, but  it is something you will just have to live with."


She was a big help to me, (her mom) while we were taking care of Joshua her brother, who was going thru cancer treatments for Burkitts, in 2013. The day that he rang the chemo bell, Dec 1,2013, was her 1 year aniversary being seizure free, we celebrated both milestones that day with thankfulness.



That spring she went and lived with her grandparents in St. George and made it thru the adult high school, accomplishing some major milestones that we are so proud of her for accomplishing, getting her drivers license and achieving her high school diploma.
While there she went thru balance therapy, to learn how to live with vertigo.



This last year, there has been a steady decline in her health. Several family and friends have said they noticed it in Feburary, about April/May I started to wonder if she was starting to have seizures episodes again. In June she had a weird attack happen that is hard to explain, it had me getting her into our dr. that afternoon. He asked her if she was having seizures again, and she said "NO!" He ordered a MRI, that was scheduled a couple weeks later. That day, they called us in, and said there is something new, possibly a new tumor growing. We went home and she said she didn't want to put it on FB until some friends and family members had been told, but also so she could figure out a positive way to share her news. She did not want people to feel bad or look at her differently. The tumor does not define her.  A family friend put this video together, to show Kalecia's attitude, and did it perfectly. She is such an example to me, i wish i could follow her example of "Don't worry be Happy"

We have been seeing a steady decline in Kalecia's quality of life in the last 9 months, she stays in her room in the dark more then she is out of it. Noise and light, and stimulation overwhelms her quickly. She gets to a point where she struggles to follow conversations, and walking becomes such a difficulty that makes her not even want to move. She has been having pressure headaches, and getting to where it isn't just good and bad days, but good and bad hours she deals with. We have got her into a Neurooncologist at Huntsman, and as of this last week, Oct 2016, he said there is no change in what ever showed up in her July MRI. He said to come back in 6 months. He speculates that she is having seizure episodes again, and possibly 2 or 3 late term side effects from her treatments 10 years ago. That is causing her symptoms, and the decline in her quality of life, again with no real answers just quess work. That seem to be the trend of what we have heard for years.
Her father Stephen Huls several years ago looked at Carrick centers, now named Cerebrum Health Center, feeling like they were something that she could benifit from.  He contacted them this last week, and we will be sending them her records, it does not cost anything for them to look at the records to see if they can help her. When he told me he contacted them, i just shook my head, because i did not think there was a way we could do it, so why even look or try???? Her insurance would not cover it, and we have no way to do it ourselves.
He had me watch this video:

I sat there and cried, everything listed that they specialize in is Kalecia! She struggles with every single one of them. This list is things that she has been told there is no explanation why, but she has to just live with them. For example the extreme vertigo she struggles with daily. Thru in depth testing they can pinpoint the areas of her brain that is malfuctioning, and not only that but with therapys help her heal her brain. I watched many testimonials and with each one i felt a bit of hope, something that has been dying inside of me thru the years of watching her struggle thru her every day challenges.
We will have to go to Dallas Texas for the treatment. I was quoted that it could be $6,000-$7,000 a week, and she could be there 5-10 days.  They do have hotels that give discounts to their patients, and have shuttles that would take us back and forth every day. The first day would be extensive testing, then after that every day would be several different therapys they would do with her.
Do I belive that it is the complete answer? Well the best answer I can give is, I believe it is a start on a road with answers that we have not been able to have with the treatments and drs we have available to us now. I am tired of hearing "we don't know why, but live with it." or "Here take this pill" A path that Kalecia is determined she will not go thru again. A quote from Kalecia is "I REFUSE to become a pill experiment again!" I so badly want to find away to help Kalecia find some normality in her not normal world.
In order to possibly achieve a miracle and find answers and help for Kalecia we desperately need financial help, If you can help even with any amount and share and pass this along, we are so thankful for any help.

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Help spread the word!

Reviews of Book One

Book reviews of Book One "Twin Lakes"

These are people who read a copy of book one that my son has.
They are associates of his. I do not know these people personally.


4-10-2016
Mr. Huls
I have read your wonderful book "Twin Lakes" and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I admire the fact that you have found the chance to start chasing a life long dream of yours.
So in short, I hope to one day to sit and share your stories and your dream as a truly talented writer. I cant wait for the rest of the books.
Thank you for taking the time to bring joy to this world of more downs then ups.
God Bless your family.
A truly wonderful rollercoaster ride cant wait for book two, love the Nemekans.

Justin Wheeler
Lovington,  New Mexico


05-16-2016

Dear Stephen Huls,
Thank you for sending your book its a very fascinating well made book. I've talked to your son about the theories you added to the book and they are all very interesting. I must say you lit a good fire underneath me and I hope you send parts of the second book. A little slow to start but once it gets started you can't put it down. Keep it up.

Sincerely
Mario Sandoval

Lovington, New Mexico

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4 Stars **** Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite 2020

Pure Heart Guide by Stephen Huls is the first book in the Twin Lakes

series. It's that time once again for the annual family gathering that

brings everyone together for a grand ole time. A happy reunion

then becomes filled with chaos, danger, and unusual discoveries.

When siblings Levi and Sariah discover a letter warning of an old

curse, the two are driven by curiosity to explore a cave. This has

them stumbling into an unexpected danger when their presence

catches the attention of secret beings hidden deep within the

mountain. Their disappearance draws their family into the middle of

the strange happenings that have haunted the mountain for years

and into strange experiments that could change the world.

Meanwhile, Ben receives a box left to him by his grandfather. If he

chooses to open it, he'll be responsible for the contents. The

mysterious box he inherits sparks his own personal journey to

discover his destiny.

As the family investigates the disappearance of Levi and Sariah,

Huls explores their perspective as a way to get to the truth behind

the strange happenings in the mountain. The mysteries of the

mountain are reminiscent of folktales with legends of dangerous

creatures and strange happenings woven into the history of this

region. The unusual names add to the science fiction aspects.

Several perspectives are seen throughout to show the worry of the

family, the fear of experiments, the beings in the mountain, and the

various paths the characters find themselves treading. Having each

perspective gives the story a well-rounded journey and allows each

character to have a moment to show their motivation, heart, and

conflict. Stephen Huls blends mystery, science fiction, and folktales

in a fascinating story which weaves between a family's search for

answers, scientific experiments, and secrets of the mountain. True

Heart Guide takes readers on an adventure with family ties, aliens,

and a mysterious destiny. Perfect for mystery and sci-fi fans

 5 Stars ***** Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite  2020

Pure Heart Guide: Twin Lakes Book 1 is a work of fiction in the

action and adventure sub-genres, and was penned by author

Stephen Huls. Written for middle grade and young adult reading

audiences, this exciting story focuses on mysterious paranormal

and science fiction goings-on as the series begins in the Beaver

Mountains of Utah. We meet the enigmatic children of the Adair

family and their peculiar family friend, Fairsong Tree Talker. From

here the action begins as secret plots, kidnappings, and a quest for

vengeance intertwine with the quiet summer holiday that the family

had planned. What results is the opening to an exciting series of

tales.

Author Stephen Huls has crafted an engaging and engrossing series

opener in a novel that really introduces the characters deeply and

sets up the story and the paranormal concepts well. There is always

something to keep young readers interested in this plot structure,

with many different strands of action forming and sudden,

unexpected new hurdles for the heroes to overcome. The creation

and worldbuilding around the Nemekans were interesting, and I’ll

be excited to see where that goes as the series develops. One of

the things which I really enjoyed about this work was the

imagination and hard work that has gone into the descriptive

formation of it, which brings the world to life in the reader’s mind.

Overall, I would certainly recommend Pure Heart Guide to fans of

family-friendly paranormal adventures that are sure to go on and

get better and better. 

5 Stars ***** Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite 2020 

Pure Heart Guide is the first book in the Twin Lakes series by

Stephen Huls. A family reunion turns into an adventure fraught with

danger when two kids from the Adair family go missing. Camping in

the Twins Lake in Beaver, Utah area is supposed to be a fun

experience for the family until seventeen-year-old Sariah and

fourteen-year-old Levi are taken. The captor has links with a race

called Nemekans. A search party is set up to uncover the location of

the missing children. It is a dangerous adventure to an underground

world and it is interesting to follow the characters as they deal with

complex issues and conflicts. Can the Sheriff’s men and his search

party locate the missing children and can the family and friends find

peace?

The plot is littered with strong points that are carefully crafted to

augment the intrigue in the story. Right from the opening pages, a

mysterious letter already gives hints of intrigue and lurking danger.

While the author uses this to build a link between the present and

the past, this still also reinforces the mystery of the cave,

something that young Sariah and Levi are fascinated about, and

one that draws them into danger. Character handling is wonderful

and readers will be thrilled with characters like old Fairsong and his

origins as he provides support to the search party. The interactions

between the young characters and their explorative and expansive

personalities are ingeniously written. I enjoyed the way the author

writes about the setting, with the mountains, the caves, and the

tunnels, a complex world for a great story to happen. The reader is

quickly absorbed into the treacherous underground paths and

tunnels. Pure Heart Guide is a novel filled with entertainment and

wisdom; a story that beautifully captures the world of youngsters

trapped in the cunning of the old. It is a story with deep layers and

great potential for entertainment.

5 Stars ***** Reviewed by Gobi Jane for Readers' Favorite 2020

Pure Heart Guide is the first book in the Twin Lakes series by

Stephen Huls and a work of great entertainment for readers who

enjoy surprises in plot and a great setting. The Adair family decides

that their summer family reunion be experienced as camping in

Twin Lakes in the Beaver Mountains of Utah, but when seventeen year-

old Sariah and fourteen-year-old Levi go missing, a search

party is set up to locate the missing youngsters. But it is just the

beginning of an adventure that will take them through an

underground and mysterious world filled with dangers and intrigue.

Hidden beneath the mountains is a world that might also hold clues

to the disappearances that have occurred in these parts and a

world that opens to war against the humans. Will the search bear

the expected fruit of finding the missing children and can life be the

same again for this family and their friends when war breaks out?

There is so much to expect in this novel. First, Stephen Huls creates

strong and sophisticated characters. I loved the Old Fairsong Tree

Talker who leads the search party, an enigmatic character whose

presence raises so many questions. The conflict builds up quickly,

from searching for missing children to war with the Nemekans.

There are hints of science fiction and fantasy. The setting

contributes hugely to the conflict. The camping ground has led the

characters to a point that is the only link to an underground world

and the author does an impeccable job in describing the cave and

the tunnels. Pure Heart Guide is a powerful story and I enjoyed the

narrative voice, the cunningly written plot, and the memorable

characters. The setting itself is a world that readers will want to

explore. This book is gorgeous and some of the characters possess

wisdom that will make readers think a lot

Whats been happening of late?

Well just a little insight into whats been happening.

Sent book one info off to 2 publishers waiting to hear back.
Still may need to find a way to go the Bookbaby self publishing route. Not sure.
Have to save up or presale enough books or ? to get the 3,000 needed to start the final process.

Book 2 is slowly coming along when I can write.
My wifes recovery is slow but she is getting better from her back surgery.

My eldest daughter Kalecia has once again been found with a new tumor in the same location of the last one, most likely cancerous they say. Still looking into Drs etc. at this time as its only been a few weeks since discovered. Drs thus far are not too positive talking about how to extend her quality of life stuff, for me that is the wrong answer, as I desire to find a way to fight these tumor / cancer and hope to help my daughter beat it again. She is now 23yrs.

Other issues, working hard in construction and the drama's there.
Planning on publishing as soon as I can figure out the finances or a publisher.

That's my little update for now.

Stephen Huls

Wife finally had back surgery and finally got her home.

January 14 at 7:55pm ·
Update: my wife finally had her back surgery this week. we are expecting my daughter to bring her home from up north by tomorrow night. All seems to have gone well.
I have also been able to fix some other drama's and things in our lives at least for the moment.
In time I hope to be able to re save the monies needed for publishing this book series. Only time will tell. and lots of hard work, extra evening construction jobs as they come, so hopefully but 2017 I can make enough and save enough to finally start this next step.... publishing book 1.


January 16 at 5:59am
New update, they did not allow my wife to leave hospital yesterday, due to oxygen issues... my daughter says they will release her today, I am preparing to leave to go to Provo Utah a few hours north to pick them up today. Sounds like we will be stopping every 20 min or so in order to let her walk for a few minutes on the way home, Drs orders, as she will have to sit in reclined van seat for this journey... as her new remolded back requires this for the journey home. So I hope in the next 2-4 months of recovery this whole things is worth it and she will finally be able to live with out the pains of the last 2+ yrs. Well time to go warm up the frozen van. We got snow storm yesterday 4 inches in valley roads were.. well interesting for driving yesterday, today just looks all frozen, but hey its warm this am, in the 20's !

January 18 evening.
Finally got my wife home. Saturday night,. now to start the long road to recovery, they fused 3 lower vertebrae and 6 screws are in place. so now dealing with the results for the next few months to a year. Remodeled the bathroom with metal bars by toilet and shower for her to use for safety this week end as well. still working hard during the days, and will start more evening work for a while to help with medical as well as repair vehicles... So life is about the same as always for us.
That's the update.

Book on hold as for publishing goes..
I will figure out how to add my paypal acct to this blog so in the future I can try a self fundraiser for the book. Just an Idea.  Or ?. I will figure out something someday to succeed at this.

Stephen

Update on whats happening Dec 2015

Well good news was not a hernia, but a bunch of scar tissue with a faty growth that is causing the issues.. so no surgery for me.

 Wife will have new insurance next year so her back surgery is scheduled for Jan 12 2016, that will put her down for next 3+months.

 Working extra evenings/weekend construction jobs to help fund our copay for her surgery. No time to write with life, and all the drama happening at this time, no way yet to return to saving for the publication of Book ...1 at this time, we shall have to see what summer of 2016 brings.

Getting burned out on construction as maybe getting too old and broken to keep doing what I have done for over 22yrs now. Not that young anymore... such is reality. 

 Well thats the current update, hope all had a Merry Christ-mas... Live your dreams, work hard, study hard, and never give up....

 Some day the book series will be published, for I will never give up on this dream.

book update

Not much happening yet on this project.
Life happens...working on finding new insurance for wife so she can have a back surgery, then I became injured at work, facing possible 2nd hyrnia surgery...in a few weeks..
interesting how life tosses trails at you.
But some day, some how, I will finish this project. never say never always keep striving to achieve your goals, eventually you win..as long as one never quits.


as time permits (which is limited) I am working on book 2 in the series. The story really is getting interesting now.

S. Huls

When will Book 1 be published?

Just another update

I maybe looking at next summer before I am able to fund myself the needed 3 thousand for the basic needs of self publishing as stated in other postings.

With work, business and other issues any extra funds I can earn will need to go towards these issues 1st. Priorities are a fact of living.

Eventually I will be able to earn the funds on my own, will just take a good while it seems before book 1 is published.
Book 2 in in the works, but been on hold a while due to the above issues of lifes needs.

To have a dream is good, to work it as best we can is important and needed. However when life hands you trials and issues one if forced to deal with 1st then the dreams have always been put aside to deal with the realities of life.
This does not eliminate the goal nor the dreams however life does have a way of postponing them.


I look forward to being able to finally self-publish some day in the future. That is an eventuality that will happen for sure. Just not sure when.

Helping the "Country Nook' get started!

After 5 + weeks of remodel of this 100+yr old cinder-block/plaster barbershop we have a reborn building called the Country Nook.

Walls repaired and reborn with Italian Decorative Stucco/Plaster and ceilings as well. Old barn and fence woods used for coverings and decoration. Trimmed out with Aspen logs from the near by Fish Lake Forest. 

Country Nook is a craft consignment store filled mainly with locally made items. 

Like Country Nook on facebook to learn more. The last pictures are of the store on opening day.

 Country Nook remodel done.

 

There is much to see at the Country Nook most is made in the USA by our Local county Crafters and Artists.

 Country Nook - FaceBook

Country Nook - Website 

The Website is still being created so check out the Facebook site for updates and special deals as well as the website as they add to it all the time in the on going effort to place all the neat things in the store on line for your viewing and purchasing.

  

 I have once again begin the slow process of saving funds towards my goal of $3,000 minimum in order to have my book published in a good way. We do not have a date in the future since all funds were spent to help the Country Nook get started. Such is what dads do for their daughters. Eventually this 1st book will be available to all the world. 

May take months or even years to save this amount on our budget, we shall see. 

If some extra after work drywall jobs or Decorative Finishes come available a large portion will go towards the costs of publishing.

Just a new update on book 1

Just an update:

Still working regular hours, however have picked up some side / night work for a few weeks.
Means long days in drywall, however should allow by the end of these jobs to have my wifes car fixed and working again.
That will allow future evening side jobs to assist in replenishing funds for Editing of Book 1, then eventually publishing.

So maybe by the end of summer of 2015. But never know, life happens.

Eventually this will get done. Just up to me working to earn the funds.

S.T.Huls

Progress update to publishing book 1

Update: 

I been thinking this through a good while, I am thinking of delaying publishing until I have book pro edited. Meaning it will be fine tuned thus should be a better final product. 

So that will mean the $ I save up for the Publishing will go towards the editing 1st. 
Then will have to save up more $ for the publishing. 

Total costs for these items with the quality companies I have researched about for the last few years now and have chosen to use for self publishing will be $3000.00 so that is my new savings goal. 

I have had a $60.00 private donation so now with life's trials taking most of my own savings that leaves the new bottom line at the bottom of this post called New Totals and currently left for this project.

So that leaves $2700.00 Goal left to save. Hope some of the night / after work side jobs this next month or two will be able to add a 2 or 300 do the savings. Will be a slow go at it, but in the end I will get this polished and published. 

I do at times become impatient about it, but in the end doing both these things will hopefully be a better product to the readers and that after all is the goal. Like in my Drywall or Decorative Plasters if its not worth doing it the right way the 1st time its not worth doing. So even though I wonder if and when this will ever be published I know in the future some day as I keep struggling though life's challenges I will succeed. Just a matter of time.

Will give those who visit a update on how its going as things change.

Total needed $3000.00

+ Savings/Donations 3/30/2015 = $60.00
   New total                 4/04/2015 = $100.00
   New total                 4/19/2015 = $300.00
   New total                 4/22/2015 + $800.00
                                              
New Update:
 As of 3/30/2015 updated car repairs in order to have 2 working vehicles takes all current personal savings, as well as future extra night jobs incomes for a few months or more.
May have to wait until next year 2016's tax return to have book edited, then 2017's tax return to publish. At current life happenings.) 

04/19/2015 In the last several weeks I have been called to do some side work, after hours drywall patches, repairs, emergency stuff. Thus I have been able to raise more funds by working late into the nights. If this continues then I will be able to save more for the editing and publishing. I hope to add more to the total by next weekend.

- Remaining needed $2200.00

7/11/2015
Helping daughter remodel a place for a little store all funds have gone to help and weeknights, week ends spent helping. Priorities are family. So some day in the future after the store is open I will focus on this project earnings again.

Progress on the Country Nook, sceduled opening July 24 2015

01/22/2016 Update:
Well due other life events I am now at -0-
So Starting over saving.
In the future I might try my own fund raiser of some kind.
Not sure.

Some day I will figure out how to get this dream done.

  S.T.Huls

Author seeking funding assistance to publish

sample copy of the book from printer

I am looking for people interested in Pre-Sales of this book and or donations in order to raise the basic funds needed to get this project started.

With the new publishing services & professional editing etc. the bare minimum is $3,000

I believe in Capitalism, those who have it making it available to those who are need more to get their own dreams to become a reality.
Then once success has happened it allows the new successful people to turn around and pass along their capital to the next dreamers and assist them in funding and the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

I am not looking for a hand out, but a hand up. And willing to barter / trade what I am able to at this time.

The link has more about that:

Twin Lakes Book 1 PHG series

Author seeking help,

I am working to raise minimal funds to publish this book. The only thing standing in the way at this time is funds. It has taken a long time to get this far, and have been saving what few dollars per pay check along the way to help.
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Those who can donate $10.00 will get a free E-Book.
Those who can donate $25.00 will get a free Printed book sent to you.
Those who can donate $50.00 will have a signed copy of the printed book and e-book sent to you.

Those who donate $5.00 or more will have the option if you want to be placed on a thank you page in both versions of the book for making this 1st book of the Pure Heart Guide series possible to share with the world.

This is all I am able to do as far as thank you's in helping this process along as I am limited in resources. Contact me at: email hulsitalianplasters@hotmail.com and reference how you want to help or with questions and we can take it from there. Thanks.
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My career job of 21+yrs is as a Drywall Finisher. I have a wonderful wife and 5 children and our 1st grandson.

Through normal life's trials, 2 children surviving cancers, and other drama we finally are to this stage. (If I told you the last 24yrs experiences no one would believe it, I find many have such interesting lives.)

I prefer to do things on my own and being as self reliant as I can. But the publishing world is hard to break into. So after years of research I have chosen a self publisher who is successful with E-Books, Printed, and now offers print on demand. The asking goal is to cover those fee's and some advertising.

The book is what it is, I have the history and samples from it on Face Book, https://www.facebook.com/PureHeartGuide/info?tab=page_info   

This one is set up for this project and links to a website where the fuller story of this adventure is below.

Official Web "Pure Heart Guide" Book Series.

I have been told by the pre publishing readers its a good story, and unique.That was the goal.
There will be 5 books in the Pure Heart Guide series.
Book One "Twin Lakes" is done, cover art as well.
With these funds I will have some help adjusting some things with the covers and then publish it.

Here I will update the funds I have been able to personally earn towards my project with new updates on the needed help to move forward to publishing it.


About the book:

Pure Heart Guide is a book series that starts in the Beaver Utah area, a family goes on a reunion to remote twin lakes. The kids find a door & cave, several disappear a search begins and then strange and dangerous things take place leading the rescue party into mysterious underground places. Intrigue, betrayals, faith and how the family and friends deal with the trials before them, an old friend assists in the search as a guide for where they are going he has been before.
Choices must be made for good or bad and with each choice made the ripple effects will change how the world and humanity looks at themselves and others they did not know existed, until now.
This is an adventure filled with twists and turns, and faith, prayer, mystery, discovery. Epic fight between the 2 forces of eternity, Good vs. Evil, Light vs Darkness, who will win in the end and how will it effect your life?

Book update

Just an update:
I have been able to retrieve with help the info from the now dead laptop.
The updates for the editing of the book is finally done.
Will work on some updating and finalizing on the book cover.

Was planning on using some tax return for publishing, E Publishing at least. However due to bills, and lifes issues none of the return will be available for E publishing.

So will plan on saving 25 - 50 dollars per pay check until I can raise / save the funds to at least E publish the book.
Then as books sell, I will save enough to print some soft cover books, hope 150-250 in the 1st printing, which should keep the cost for retail under $19.00 per book for this 1st printing.
As things move on in the future I hope to be able to offer the print version closer to $15.00 per book or better just my goal for the consumer.


So this is what the new plan is as of now.

Just an update:

I have finished going through book 1 editing. Now I need to impute it into the computer and then have another sample book done. With some of the changes in the format the text and boarders on the page I have been able to decrease the book size from 520 pages to 358 pages, this should decrease the sales costs per book I hope to under 16.00 per book retail vs. 20.00+. E-publishing wont change I am thinking of 4.99 per copy there.

That is a great thing for me. The story is the same the learning process continues about layout and saving space on pages, interesting journey.

Problem is my laptop computer screen took a dump, have some folks looking to see why it wont work and why even hooking up an external monitor wont work. Thus the book is on this laptop, this happened before I could do a back up. So once we figure out the problem we shall remove all data from the old laptop to this computer and to my back up drive. Then continue the process.

I hope by Christmas to have a New sample book, with the updated changed items to preview.
If all goes well, and if we have a tax refund next spring then I can e-publish this first book, and eventually print publish as well by April at lest a few hundred copies.

That is the goal. Publishing on a -0- budget is always a challenge.
I still hope to find some sponsors for the book as that would allow for some larger publishing and adds but one can never tell the future.

So life continues, challenges of life also continue, but in the end this work will be completed.

How to Grass Roots fund this Dream Project? Idea's and seeking imput from you.

Pure Heart Guide Book series

28 mins · Edited ·

I have been thinking today, the basics, working on a final editing by myself of the book, working in the evenings and weekends as time permits, drywall has been very busy and time consuming long hours every day.
So Once I complete this last look over for obvious issues.
I will need to find a way to raise the 2k to have it edited by 'First Editing'
Then the next step will be about 1k to properly ebook publish bookbaby.com with a few dollars left over for radio ads about book one for 2 weeks.
Then 2k to print and mail the 1st 100 printed copies of this 1st issue. So to fully fund this initial part of the project.
I would require 5,000. minimum.
Once book is professionally edited that will allow me to approach professional Agents with the book series idea, and look for those who would like to approach their Big Publishing companies with the book. But I need a clean book for them to promote.
How to raise it? thinking have nothing of value that I could sell to raise it.
So may end up going door to door in the county asking for presales of the book, and sponsorships from business's, county tourism advertisements, or such old fashioned idea's to fund this seed becoming a youthful sprout in the world of literature.
If only pre sold books at $50 each, would need to sign them, and offer incentives for paying so much for this 1st edition, like having a list of names at the back of the book for those who sponsored the project, allowing it to come to life.
Selling ad spaces 1 per chapter, 30 spaces available to local, non local business that would sponsor it. Life time permanent ads, both in the physical print book as well as the ebook versions.
So what do you people out there think on this idea for funding the project?
If I could sell ads for 200. each then I could presell the books for $23.99 each. and that would cover the costs as well or a mixture of presold books and ads.
At my income level it would take 2-3 years to attempt to save that amount of income. And only if life's challenges did not occur (as they always do) and it would be spent on fixing a vehicle or medical issues or ?
So need to find help on this part of the project.

All You Can Read - Is the future of Book reading / buying to be like Netfix and movies?

Found this on an Authors site, Great question for the worlds readers.

Would you use a business for reading books that was set up like Netflix is for movies?

A monthly fee to read all the books you desire?

Read this professional look at this idea, would you the customer benifit? yes.

But would the Author or Publisher system benifit or end up producing for virtually no incomes for the years it takes and efforts of many to produce a great book?

Read it, and comment what you think, feel about this possible future for book readers.







Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc. - All You Can Read

All You Can Read

25 Mar 2014 10:01 AM | Brian DeFiore (Administrator)

There has been an awful lot of talk recently (and several million dollars invested, I imagine) concerning a subscription business model for publishing. The intent is for someone to create "the Netflix of books," (I'll call it NFFB) which several different start-ups are claiming title to.

The question for us as agents, of course, like in everything we do: Is such a thing good for our clients, the authors?

I frankly don't see how it can be.

I think it's pretty obvious: Let's say a consumer can buy access to all the books they can read in the course of a month for, say, $10. That's the price point that seems to be the 'sweet spot' at the moment. No one is charging more than that for a subscription service, and it's hard to imagine in fact that the price won't drop as competition mounts, as it has done at Netflix and virtually every other digital subscription business.

The same $10 can buy you one e-book. Or fewer than one trade paperback. Or less than half a hardcover.

I have heard (but have not yet seen on royalty statements) that publishers who are participating in these programs are being paid for each loan (and are they technically loans or purchases?) as if it had been an e-book purchase, and that they are in turn paying authors the full digital royalty that would be due if the subscription copy had actually been bought at retail. If that's true, in the short term, no terrible damage has been done to our clients. In fact, it might well be a plus. More consumers being drawn into the book marketplace thanks to the lower pricing model. And the publisher and the author get paid as if the book had been bought at full e-book price. Enticing...

But how can anyone believe that this model is sustainable for the long term? If a customer reads more than one book a month (or maybe two if the books are low priced), the subscription service loses money. And if that customer is not going to read more than one book a month-- then why join NFFB? There's only one way this works: the 'gym membership' phenomenon: the majority of people who sign up and pay their dues don't use the service much (in this case, an average of less than one book a month) and their negative usage is more than the positive usage by the power readers. If so, the service makes money in the aggregate.

So it seems to me that, sure-- maybe NFFB will bring in some new customers who think that they SHOULD be reading and would like to read more. They pay their $10 a month and buy three books a year. On those customers, the service has made money and if they can sucker in enough of those people their model has worked. The customer has gotten $30 worth of books for $120. But at some point the consumers drop out when they realize how little they are getting. Maybe it takes a year, maybe two, but if they are spending for a service that they don't use enough, at some point they will wise up. In the gym membership business the consumer base, seemingly, never ends: not only does virtually EVERYBODY want to get fit each January... the same people often re-sign year after year, or every other year, hoping that this will be the year they stick with it.

But is the same thing true of readers? This is what really scares me about this model. I've been in the business quite a long time, as have most of you in the AAR. And I think it's profoundly naive to believe that the market of readers in this country is endless. The reading of book-length material has always been one that has a relatively small and intensely devoted customer base, and in particular when compared to the true mass market media businesses: movies, television, music. We all know this: we are THRILLED when a book sells a hundred thousand copies. In those other businesses, executives would lose their heads for sales at that level. Books are simply not a true 'mass' business.

This industry has always been sustained by the relatively small percentage of people who read new books, bolstered by the occasional phenomenon that brings in people who don't normally read books (50 Shades, Harry Potter, Hunger Games etc.) and the deep backlist full of the gems that live forever. It seems to me that this model gives the limited number of customers who buy A LOT of books the ability to do so at a staggeringly reduced cost. Good for them, sure... and for as long as the business model stays the way it's structured now, I guess it could be good for authors and publishers. But how can we trust that the model will stay the way it is now? What happens when a huge percentage of power readers switch over to NFFB and read two, three or five books a month the way that they do now? Those additional sales come out of the retail marketplace, and eat into the profit margin of NFFB. So again, in order to believe this is sustainable you have to believe that either 1) NFFB will continue to grow its customer base indefinitely, making up for the losses on power readers with more and more January gym rats; or, if that's unsustainable 2) they will stop paying publishers full price and then, therefore, publishers will pay authors a lower royalty per read. At that point, either the publishers agree to a new, lower fee structure, or NFFB closes its doors and all their customers are left hanging and angry-- likely to blame publishers and authors for being greedy, which seems to be the default marketplace mood at the moment.

Or I guess there is a third possibility. One of these services gets enough of a market share that Wall Street (or a company with Wall Street money) keeps it operating without it needing to earn a profit. We know how well THAT has served the competitive market for books.

And yes, I know-- NFFB would be good for consumers. And what's good for consumers is always good for business. Isn't that what everyone in the know says? Particularly Wall Street?

Well, I don't buy it. A $99 round-trip ticket New York-Rome would sure be good for consumers. As would a $15 main course at The Four Seasons and a $45 pair of Manolo Blahnik's. But those things aren't happening.

Why? For the same reason $.99 e-book titles are selling fewer copies than THE GOLDFINCH or INSURGENT or THE FAULT IN OUR STARS or SYCAMORE ROW at seven, eight, nine, ten times the price. Because quality books are worth paying for. Consumers care more about the time it's going to take to read a book than about the price they have to pay for it. They want quality, they want sure things, they want an experience that is going to be a fulfilling one. They want to spend their precious time reading the books that they want to read-- for whatever reason. And they are willing to spend more for them.

And also because good things cost more to produce. Yes, we all know that a digital copy costs virtually nothing. But I'm not going to rehash the argument about all the effort and expense it took to get a book to the point that it is ready to be downloaded and/or bought in a retail store. Right now I'll only mention one: the year or two or ten that it took a single creative individual to write it. That author put a huge investment into their own work. Risking their ability to profit from that work on an unsustainable business model seems reckless to me.

We need to protect our client's ability to earn a living from the work that they do, and I don't see how this NFFB model is going to help. In the best of worlds, this model means that most of the income will be coming in great part from people who are NOT reading the books but paying for a service they're not using. Or by investors betting on the misguided belief that the market of readers is endless if only prices were lower. I would love to believe the selling point: that authors' incomes will be bolstered by the massive numbers of new readers enticed into the marketplace by these services. But until there's some evidence, I think the risk is higher than the possible reward. We have had enough trouble keeping the market strong with the downward pressure on prices from e-books and mass retailers. Do we need to throw this dangerous model into the mix?









 

"A Letter Found"

A Letter Found

 

 “It’s dated June 12 of 1916 so this is old. ‘To whoever is most unfortunate to find this letter and this place, I would suggest you leave as fast as you can and get off this evil mountain and never, never come back it is cursed.”

“Great a cursed cave now, sounds weird sis” Levi said.

“Just hold on and let me read this ok, it’s kind of interesting don’t you think a mystery maybe.”

“I am Frederick the son of Norman Adare the miner who lived here but has now long since vanished and we have not been able to locate him. My older brother Alex has gone for help but he has been gone quite a long time and I fear he may not have made it to Beaver for help. This is a cursed place for bad things have happened to anyone who has been foolish enough to stay here too long.

The Ute speak of a great evil in these mountains and that they should be avoided, they warned us not to mine, hunt or travel here that the evil spirits of the underworld roam these lands and will take anyone who is foolish to travel here down into their spirit realms and are never heard from or seen again.  We did not believe in their hog wash stories about spirits, ghosts or their demons and the like for they are just uneducated Indians after all full of dumb myths.  That is what we thought at first but now I am not so sure. Dad is gone and I have abandoned working the mine and barricaded myself here in this cave for safety. Strange things have come in the night; they are quiet and have carried off the mules and supplies now I remain alone. I am running out of provisions and do not know how much longer I can stay, I do know that whatever creature or demons are outside the door I can hear it scrapping and clawing at the door and pushing on it during the night trying to open it to get to me.  They leave a three toed large print, larger than that of a grizzly bear and I do not know what it could be. I do know this I seem to be a prisoner now and if I  venture out by day I am not able to get very far for the demons seem to come in the dusk and I must flee back to this cave for safety, I do not think I can travel to Beaver to escape,  as in the open at night they would catch me it’s over a day’s hike back to Beaver so for now it’s safer in the cave I hope Alex will come back soon with help I think it’s the only way I will survive.   Alex if you read this I am leaving the extra gun in case you need it.  And if you do not find me then I have either made my escape and will find you in Beaver or the demons have taken me. You are warned! Leave and never return there is some strange evil here a dark magic. I hear something,

Alex there is a strange humming sound behind the back wall its glowing white hot like when the black smith melts iron, I cannot leave I am trapped for the demons are back at the door again, know this, not sure how much time I have so I must end this letter, tell the family I love them. I must go; I hear them, the demons they are coming..."

Kickstarter.com project = Dud... 29 hrs left = failed it would seem. So Next!

Kickstarter.com project = Dud... failed it would seem with less than 29 hrs left. So Next!

It would seem from this experiance that you need to Hire the pro crowd funding agencies and pay them to make crowd funding work.

Since I had/have -0- income to hire such companies this has not been successful despite all the things I did on my own.

So Next! Maybe next year I can save up a few thousand dollars to promote another crowd funder (tax return) , maybe try pubslush.com designed more for publishing.
 
Mean time will hope to sell a 1014 Hesston hydroswing swather 1979 for I hope 1800.00 , if I can I will epublish the book before Christmas on my own through Bookbaby.com they have been really helpful and have earned it. As well as a book print of 100 copies when I can find that funding, most likely the tax return, so by next April I should have at least the 1st 100 printed copies available.

thanks to the few who showed interest.

NEXT! We never Give up..