All 7 YA Novels of Wilson James, author - Free for a limited time!

Lots of Free eBooks during July - best time of year for 'browsing' eBooks!

FREE EBOOKS (July 1st - 31st )

The month of July is pretty much the best month of 2017 to find Free eBooks for Young Adults (and any other eBooks, including books under the Coming of Age genre). That's because Smashwords is holding their annual Summer / Winter sale (the winter part is for those 'down under').  

Many authors have joined this sale, so there is a great selection and it's a great opportunity to fill up your reading device.  Smashwords' eBooks are available in all formats, for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Android app for Tab or smartphone; and thousands of books are on sale at Smashwords.  But, this is a limited time offer, and it ends on July 31st, (11:59 pm, 23.59 PDT (07:00 GMT Aug 1st) so don't delay.

INTERNATIONAL - NO WORRIES ABOUT REGIONS

And one more thing... on Smashwords, there's no worry about region, or country, or location when you get these books for free.  Unlike Amazon, or Apple, or most of the others, you 'purchase' these free Smashwords books anywhere. 

I really want to share my work, and so I have added all seven of my YA Novels to this sale, and have priced them all Free! So, please enjoy your summer (or winter), and happy reading.

Wil

Father's Day 2018 - some thoughts about fathers... real and fictional

A Reprise of my most-read Fathers' Day Essay - What Kind of Father?

As a person, I have observed many examples of ‘fathers’ and regrettably more bad than good.  On a positive note, a few years ago I was particularly struck by two pieces related to fatherhood, one by LZGranderson at cnn.com, and the other by Dominic Utton at the Mail Online.

As an author, I have often created characters in a father role.  In certain of my books, the father is described after his death. In Playing the Baseball Card, the protagonist describes his father as a man who ‘made sure that his children were the most important part of his life.’

In Aiden’s Arrival: Honor Before Gold, a now-grown son describes a man who assumed a father’s role by marrying a women with two young children.  “None of us; my mother, my sister, my nephew, my niece; were related to our father and grandfather by blood, but that didn’t matter to him.  He showed us, by his example, that family is about loving people, and caring about people, and living together in a supportive way.  Not always in harmony, but always caring about your family more than anything else.  He lived that kind of life, and today we carry on with that legacy.”

In Zac and the Reluctant Prince, Book 1 of the Prince David series, the father is described this way:  “The example of his life teaches us the lessons of responsibility, obligation, commitment, dedication, loyalty, patriotism and also compassion.  In his life, he strove to be the best son he could be, the best husband he could be, the best father he could be, the best officer he could be, and the best man he could be.”

If you know your father, what do you think of him? If you knew your father, how do you remember him?

I believe a real father is one who looks into the eyes of his children, and says to them, “My life improved the day you came into my life, and my life gets better every day that you are still in my life.”  I also believe a real father is the kind of role model I’ve described in the excerpts from my books, above. 

If you have the chance to be a father, or if you are a father, how do you want to be remembered? 

To all fathers, everywhere, Happy Fathers’ Day.

... Wil ...

Authors are readers, too... how about some free eBooks?

FREE EBOOKS (July 1st - 31st ) SALE

Most authors read books by other authors. If fact, pretty much all writers and authors started out by reading. So, when I see the opportunity to build up my library of eBooks at no cost, I take it.

The month of July is pretty much the best month of 2017 to find Free eBooks for Young Adults (and any other eBooks, including books under the Coming of Age genre). That's because Smashwords is holding their annual Summer / Winter sale (the winter part is for those 'down under').  

Many authors - including me - have joined this sale, so there is a great selection and it's a great opportunity to fill up your reading device.  Smashwords' eBooks are available in all formats, for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Android app for Tab or smartphone; and thousands of books are on sale at Smashwords.  But, this is a limited time offer, and it ends on July 31st, (11:59 pm, 23.59 PDT (07:00 GMT Aug 1st) so don't delay.

INTERNATIONAL - NO WORRIES ABOUT REGIONS

And one more thing... on Smashwords, there's no worry about region, or country, or location when you get these books for free.  Unlike Amazon, or Apple, or most of the others, you 'purchase' these free Smashwords books anywhere. In fact, I know from my sales reports that the readers of my seven books (all available on Smashwords) are from around the world.

If you chose to pick up some of my books for free, that's great. It's all about reading, whether my books or other authors' books. 

In closing, to my Canadian readers, I wish you joy as you celebrate "Canada 150" on July 1st. To my American readers, I wish you the best for Independence Day on July 4th. And, to the rest of my readers around the world, I hope you enjoy your summer (or winter).

Happy reading,

Wil

My books plus hundreds of others - Smashwords' July SALE

FREE EBOOKS (ends July 31st )

The month of July is pretty much the best month of 2015 to find Free eBooks for Young Adults (and any other eBooks, including books under the Coming of Age genre). That's because Smashwords is holding their annual Summer / Winter sale (the winter part is for those 'down under').  

Many authors have joined this sale, so there is a great selection and it's a great opportunity to fill up your reading device.  Smashwords' eBooks are available in all formats, for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Android app for Tab or smartphone; and thousands of books are on sale at Smashwords.  But, this is a limited time offer, and it ends on July 31st, (11:59 pm, 23.59 PDT (07:00 GMT Aug 1st) so don't delay.

INTERNATIONAL - NO WORRIES ABOUT REGIONS

And one more thing... on Smashwords, there's no worry about region, or country, or location when you get these books for free.  Unlike Amazon, or Apple, or most of the others, you 'purchase' these free Smashwords books anywhere. 

Of course, I've added my 7 eBooks to this sale, so they're all free until July 31, only.

Happy Reading,

Wil

My Father's Day essay - what kind of a Father?

As a person, I have observed many examples of ‘fathers’ and regrettably more bad than good.  On a positive note, I was particularly struck by two recent* pieces related to fatherhood, one by LZGranderson at cnn.com, and the other by Dominic Utton at the Mail Online.

As an author, I have often created characters in a father role.  In certain of my books, the father is described after his death. In Playing the Baseball Card, the protagonist describes his father as a man who ‘made sure that his children were the most important part of his life.’

In Aiden’s Arrival: Honor Before Gold, a now-grown son describes a man who assumed a father’s role by marrying a women with two young children.  “None of us; my mother, my sister, my nephew, my niece; were related to our father and grandfather by blood, but that didn’t matter to him.  He showed us, by his example, that family is about loving people, and caring about people, and living together in a supportive way.  Not always in harmony, but always caring about your family more than anything else.  He lived that kind of life, and today we carry on with that legacy.”

In Zac and the Reluctant Prince, Book 1 of the Prince David series, the father is described this way:  “The example of his life teaches us the lessons of responsibility, obligation, commitment, dedication, loyalty, patriotism and also compassion.  In his life, he strove to be the best son he could be, the best husband he could be, the best father he could be, the best officer he could be, and the best man he could be.”

If you know your father, what do you think of him? If you knew your father, how do you remember him?

I believe a real father is one who looks into the eyes of his children, and says to them, “My life improved the day you came into my life, and my life gets better every day that you are still in my life.”  I also believe a real father is the kind of role model I’ve described in the excerpts from my books, above. 

If you have the chance to be a father, or if you are a father, how do you want to be remembered? 

To all fathers, everywhere, Happy Fathers’ Day.

*This essay was originally posted for Father's Day 2012. It has proven to be the most-viewed of my blog posts of all time, and so I re-post it again this year to honor the memory of those who filled a father-like role in my life: my dad and my granddad.  

Wil

My Father's Day essay and thoughts

I wrote this piece last year, on Father's Day.  It has proven to be, by far, the most popular single post I've ever written.  I'd like to repeat it now, for Father's Day 2013, and add one note.  Too many of us, myself included, have not taken advantage of the opportunity to have good (or even any) relationships with their fathers.  I now wish, a number of years after my father's passing, that I knew him better, and that I worked harder on a relationship.  Alas, I did not.  Do you still have that chance?

And, now, my Father's Day essay reprise (from 2012)...

As a person, I have observed many examples of ‘fathers’ and regrettably more bad than good.  On a positive note, I was particularly struck by two recent pieces related to fatherhood, one by LZGranderson at cnn.com, and the other by Dominic Utton at the Mail Online.

As an author, I have often created characters in a father role.  In certain of my books, the father is described after his death. In Playing the Baseball Card, the protagonist describes his father as a man who ‘made sure that his children were the most important part of his life.’

In Aiden’s Arrival: Honor Before Gold, a now-grown son describes a man who assumed a father’s role by marrying a women with two young children.  “None of us; my mother, my sister, my nephew, my niece; were related to our father and grandfather by blood, but that didn’t matter to him.  He showed us, by his example, that family is about loving people, and caring about people, and living together in a supportive way.  Not always in harmony, but always caring about your family more than anything else.  He lived that kind of life, and today we carry on with that legacy.”

In Zac and the Reluctant Prince, Book 1 of the Prince David series, the father is described this way:  “The example of his life teaches us the lessons of responsibility, obligation, commitment, dedication, loyalty, patriotism and also compassion.  In his life, he strove to be the best son he could be, the best husband he could be, the best father he could be, the best officer he could be, and the best man he could be.”

If you know your father, what do you think of him? If you knew your father, how do you remember him?

I believe a real father is one who looks into the eyes of his children, and says to them, “My life improved the day you came into my life, and my life gets better every day that you are still in my life.”  I also believe a real father is the kind of role model I’ve described in the excerpts from my books, above. 

If you have the chance to be a father, or if you are a father, how do you want to be remembered? 

To all fathers, everywhere, Happy Fathers’ Day.

Wil

My Fathers' Day Essay - What Kind of Father?

As a person, I have observed many examples of ‘fathers’ and regrettably more bad than good.  On a positive note, I was particularly struck by two recent pieces related to fatherhood, one by LZGranderson at cnn.com, and the other by Dominic Utton at the Mail Online.

As an author, I have often created characters in a father role.  In certain of my books, the father is described after his death. In Playing the Baseball Card, the protagonist describes his father as a man who ‘made sure that his children were the most important part of his life.’

In Aiden’s Arrival: Honor Before Gold, a now-grown son describes a man who assumed a father’s role by marrying a women with two young children.  “None of us; my mother, my sister, my nephew, my niece; were related to our father and grandfather by blood, but that didn’t matter to him.  He showed us, by his example, that family is about loving people, and caring about people, and living together in a supportive way.  Not always in harmony, but always caring about your family more than anything else.  He lived that kind of life, and today we carry on with that legacy.”

In Zac and the Reluctant Prince, Book 1 of the Prince David series, the father is described this way:  “The example of his life teaches us the lessons of responsibility, obligation, commitment, dedication, loyalty, patriotism and also compassion.  In his life, he strove to be the best son he could be, the best husband he could be, the best father he could be, the best officer he could be, and the best man he could be.”

If you know your father, what do you think of him? If you knew your father, how do you remember him?

I believe a real father is one who looks into the eyes of his children, and says to them, “My life improved the day you came into my life, and my life gets better every day that you are still in my life.”  I also believe a real father is the kind of role model I’ve described in the excerpts from my books, above. 

If you have the chance to be a father, or if you are a father, how do you want to be remembered? 

To all fathers, everywhere, Happy Fathers’ Day.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award - my second round from 2011

I note that the first round winners for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA 2012) were announced today.  I certainly congratulate all those who entered and those who will move onto the second round.  
Last year, for ANBA 2011, I was pleased that my entry made it into the second round.  That entry, now available as an eBook and in print, was Aiden's Arrival: Honor Before Gold.

Love the book, hate the title. Find another one.

I responded to a @HuffPostBooks piece, written by Randy Susan Meyers, about finding book titles that work.  The information on Huffington Post was very helpful and interesting, and I thought I’d share my response on this blog.

I had a title change just over a year ago, when my sixth YA fiction title "Aiden's Arrival: Honor Before Gold" gained the three extra words. It was likely a good idea, but at least it kept my original working title of Aiden's Arrival.

Now, I've just been going through this title problem again.  I received unasked-for feedback on a title for a book to be published in March.  The refrain, "Love the book, hate the title. Find another one," sounds just like what I heard.  At first, I resisted.  Strongly.  Very strongly. 

The working title for my new YA fiction book was important to me, as it identified the book better as the first of a series.  With one book completed and the second of four nearly written, I was certain that "Prince David, Book 1: Enter the Heir" was right.  However, after a great deal of discussion and convincing on the part of my editing team, I finally agreed that "Zac and the Reluctant Prince (Book 1 of the Prince David series)" was a better choice.  The outcome of that choice remains to be seen, of course, and I am gradually coming to terms with the new title.  After living with the working title for so long, learning to like the new one will take some time.

I think the lesson here is that it often takes a detached expert view to help us authors see the faults in our books, our titles, and our covers. We need to accept the suggestions, see the light, and accept what will help our books reach the most readers.  In the end, though, we'll never know until we see how it does (or doesn't).

December 12 marks 2 years since first books published as eBooks

What an amazing 2 years since my first eBooks were published!  A few hundred reads, then a few thousand, and now there’s over 16,000 copies of my books in the hands of readers.  Three of my books maintain a top 1% sales ranking at Barnes and Noble, and have been there for many months.  Playing the Baseball Card is the top-ranked fiction book when searching for baseball books at Barnes and Noble, and has held that position for six months.  

I'm currently completing some other books, including the Prince David series and others.  Look for a new book on January 1, 2012.

Right now, it’s time to celebrate!  For the next two weeks, I’m making all my books available, for free, to readers of my blog.  Coupon codes below valid until Dec. 24.  Enjoy!

• Playing the Baseball Card, currently free

• A Family Legacy: The Watson Works, currently free

• Sons and Brothers in Seattle, must use coupon code WU44G at checkout

• Playing the ‘Son’ Card, currently free

• Aiden’s Arrival: Honor Before Gold, must use coupon code KM53M at checkout

• Robert's Ride, must use coupon code FE33M at checkout

 

2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games were held in Vancouver and Whistler one year ago. 


AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD, a young adult fiction eBook set in and around the Games, is available for Nook® at Barnes and Noble.com.  It is also available at Kobo.com, at the Sony® ebookstore, Apple® ebookstore, and Smashwords, where it is free until Feb. 28^th (coupon code PP74C).

As the one-year anniversary of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games continues, I carry on marking the events that Aiden experienced in the young adult fiction story AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD. 

Of course, most of Aiden’s experiences in the book occurred before the actual start of the Games, but the start of the Games meant a lot to Aiden and his desire to honor the legacy he had been given.  In the narrative of AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD, we follow Aiden through events before the Games; first in Vancouver, then travel to Europe and skiing the Alps, and finally a return to Vancouver and Whistler and his intense practicing for the role he has been given during the Games.  One of the most difficult tasks was Aiden’s duty to be a forerunner for the Men’s Downhill on the Dave Murray course at Whistler.

One more thing; Aiden is not sure who he really is.  He thinks he had a life before, and he has some memories that really set him to wonder, but he’s not certain.  There are clues as to what the real story is, but each reader may have to decide for themselves if those memories are the reality of a previous life, or just Aiden’s vivid dreams.

If you want to read a tale of adventure, family, honor, courage and daring exploits all wrapped up in a YA fiction novel set in the worlds of international travel and competition in aquatics and skiing, then this is the book for you.  If you want to solve the mystery of dreams vs. reality, then you’ll like this tale.  This is truly a book for young adults and for everyone who appreciates what family and friends can accomplish if they work together. 

In my own way of honoring the legacy of the Games, AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD is free for the duration of the anniversary of the Games, by using code PP74C at Smashwords. 

Happy Reading,

Wil

Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Games, February 12, 2010

One year ago the Winter Games were opened in a spectacular Opening Ceremony in Vancouver, the first such winter games ceremony held in an indoor stadium.

As I watched the ceremony, I had already written most of AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD.   The Winter Games of Vancouver and Whistler are the main backdrop for the book, although it includes some travel to Europe, as well.

It is somehow very fitting that most of the story in AIDEN'S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD takes place prior to the opening ceremony of the games.  The story has Aiden and the other boys and girls taking on honorary roles as ‘Faces of the Games.’  One of Aiden’s main tasks is to perform as a forerunner for the Men’s Downhill, and he works very hard to prepare for that role.  The Men’s Downhill is scheduled very early in the Games, so immediately after the opening ceremony, he and others are on a bus back up to Whistler.

How did Aiden prepare for his role in the Games?  How did he get there in the first place?  Oh, and how does he do in his role as a forerunner on the day of the Men’s Downhill?

You will have to read the book to find out, and for readers of this blog, I am making the book free, for the one-year anniversary duration of the Games (that is, until 2-28-2011), by simply entering Coupon Code PP74C at Smashwords.

AIDEN'S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD...Dreams of another life; or reality? Aiden struggles to honor the legacy of his very young physical self, while dealing with memories of a tragedy that seem impossible to reconcile. At the same time, Aiden has been thrust into a public role in the Winter Games with extraordinary expectations for any boy his age. What challenges must Aiden confront? Can Aiden find the courage to meet this reality? 

If you’ve never been to Whistler, you’ll like this short video called miniature Whistler, and you’ll see why Aiden liked Whistler so much.  Want to know still more about Whistler?

If you’ve never seen what makes up a Men’s Downhill ski racing course, you’ll like this NY Times interactive view of the Dave Murray Men’s Downhill at Whistler, rated as one of the best (and toughest) courses in the world.

Happy Reading,

Wil

AIDEN'S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD

So, the book is really out. AIDEN'S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD has hit the stands, or the shelves, or cyberspace... where ever print and eBooks go. The book launch is under way with a very special price: YOU SET THE PRICE on Smashwords is a very limited time offer, so don't wait!

AIDEN'S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD

You wake up. You’re on a plane. But the body you’re in does not appear to be yours. They call you Aiden, even though you think that’s not your name. Are theses dreams of another life? Is it reality? You struggle to honor the legacy of your very young physical self, while dealing with the memories of a tragedy that seems impossible to reconcile.

The next hours and days are confusing as you try to figure out how this works, and how long it’s likely to last. At the same time, you have to decide if you should tell anyone and have them doubt your sanity, or just keep quiet. In the meantime, you have to adapt and use the body you have, even if you meet up with people you think knew before.

You also discover you have just stepped into a public role in the Winter Games that thrusts you into a journey and series of exploits beyond anything you could have thought possible, and expectations beyond normal for a boy Aiden's age. Will you continue to be Aiden, or will the real Aiden arrive?

AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD is an adventure novel set in the worlds of downhill skiing, aquatics, and international competition. AIDEN’S ARRIVAL: HONOR BEFORE GOLD is also a story of love, family, and courage.