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Roscommon Writing for Publishing Course Successfully ConcludedLast Thursday (23rd May), saw the successful conclusion of the Writing for Publishing course, which we had been running at Roscommon County Library since April. The course was sponsored by ...
Posted 30 May 2013 04:34 by Oscar Duggan
St. Patrick's Day: a Feast of Irish Books and LiteratureWith St. Patrick's Day approaching it is as good a time as any to showcase the veritable library of books and literature, from the land of saints and scholars ...
Posted 13 Mar 2013 13:46 by Oscar Duggan
New Title: The Echo of a Troubled Soul by Joy C. AgwuThe Echo of a Troubled Soul is the debut novella by Nigerian-born author, Joy C. Agwu. It is both a fascinating and insightful story that remains uplifting and life ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
New Year, New Beginning and a Time to Plan for the Road AheadJanuary is that time of year when people like to make resolutions - to embark on new projects, fulfil a lifelong quest, learn new skills, adopt healthier lifestyles, make all-round ...
Posted 3 Mar 2013 07:30 by Oscar Duggan
Happy New Year 2013: two new titles to usher in the yearWe would like to extend to all of our friends and followers our very best wishes for the New Year, and success in all of your endeavours. For our part ...
Posted 3 Mar 2013 07:30 by Oscar Duggan
With all the Best Wishes of the Season from The Manuscript PublisherThe Manuscript Publisher would like to extend warmest seasons greetings to all of our customers, colleagues, friends, well-wishers, everyone who has been with us and part of our story ...
Posted 20 Dec 2012 12:46 by Oscar Duggan
E-books and the Future of Publishing (part iii)Feel free to share this article or forward the links to anyone you know who may be interested in E-publishing as a cost effective and affordable publishing solution for ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:47 by Oscar Duggan
SiarScéal Festival 2013: Celebrating The Gathering
The programme of events for the seventh annual SiarScéal Festival has just been announced. The festival celebrates the culture and heritage of Roscommon, recognising in particular its unique landscape dominated ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
E-Books and the Future of Publishing (part ii)A Definite Trend: Far from a Fad Continuing our series on E-Books and the Future of Publishing (the first instalment, in case you missed it, is available here) we ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:32 by Oscar Duggan
Free Kindle Promotions on Amazon all this Weekend
All this weekend, until Monday, included among the hundreds of Kindle editions available to download for free on Amazon are these intriguing titles:
A Woeful Tale by Derrick Cranpole. A ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
E-books and the Future of Publishing (part one in a series)This video that we came across recently on YouTube is reminiscent of the 2006 film A Night at the Museum; which includes the likes of Ben Stiller, Ricky Gervais, Steve ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:28 by Oscar Duggan
Coming Up: Free Promotions of Amazon Kindle Books in MayCharles, the Maiden and the Ogre
A romantic comedy told in the style of a modern day fairy tale. It is a story that appeals to young and old alike ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:22 by Oscar Duggan
Your Three Steps to Self-Publishing SuccessIf you are an author considering the independent route to publishing your works of fiction, memoir, poetry, etc. you cannot have failed to notice the abundance of publishing platforms today ...
Posted 8 May 2012 11:12 by Oscar Duggan
Sixth Annual SiarScéal Festival Successfully ConcludedThe annual SiarScéal Festival, now in its sixth year, took place over four days from 22-24th March at venues around Roscommon. Even the sun came out for the proceedings ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
Charles, the Maiden and the Ogre: A Modern-Day Fairy TaleCharles, the Maiden and the Ogre is the title of what can only be described as a modern-day fairy tale. It is a story that is truly original in ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:16 by Oscar Duggan
SiarScéal Anthology 2012: Roscommon in Reflection. On Sale Now.
Roscommon in Reflection is the title of this year's collection of poetry and prose from SiarScéal, a historical and cultural collective of people who live around the rivers and ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
A Fisherman's Tale of Pride and Woe
A Woeful Tale is the title of an eagerly awaited collection of poetry and illustrations from retired sea fisherman, Derrick Cranpole. Together in one volume for the first time, it ...
Posted 17 Jun 2013 15:23 by Oscar Duggan
Seasons GreetingsSeasons greetings to all of our customers, colleagues, friends and everyone who has worked with us over the past year. A big thank you for all your valued custom. We ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
SiarScéal Festival 2012 Programme of Events AnnouncedSiarScéal Fesitval 2012, hosted by Roscommon County Library Services will take place from Thursday, March 22nd to Sunday 25th 2012. Full details of the programme of events can be downloaded ...
Posted 24 Nov 2011 06:00 by Oscar Duggan
Introducing The Manuscript PublisherMainstream publishing has always been an exclusive affair. But these days the publishing opportunities for authors and writers willing to explore the independent route have never been more plentiful. A ...
Posted by Oscar Duggan
posted 29 May 2013 03:15 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 30 May 2013 04:34
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Last Thursday (23rd May), saw the successful conclusion of the Writing for Publishing course, which we had been running at Roscommon County Library since April. The course was sponsored by Roscommon VEC and supported by SiarScéal, with assistance also from Roscommon County Library, who provided us with the venue and equipment.
A healthy attendance was in evidence throughout the eight-week run. Over 60 people in total turned out, with an average of about 30 participants for each night of the course, which addressed all the most important and pertinent aspects of writing and publishing today. The attendance figures, along with the lively discussion that took place each night, were most encouraging: testimony to the degree of interest and the value that people place on the material and topics that were covered. Course modules included:
creative writing,
presentation and design,
writing as a career,
overview of the publishing process,
self-publishing,
e-publishing and the rise of the e-book,
building and managing your web presence as an author, writer, independent publisher.
Among the favourable reactions that we received, included comments that the course was "most instructive and enjoyable" with, "anecdotes and diversions greatly helping in the assimilation of all that material." Judging from feedback, the aspects of the course that covered writing and publishing in the modern era, were most eagerly sought and best received. Participants also appreciated the fact that, despite the apparently 'high tech' nature of some of the material covered, lack of computer literacy did not present a barrier to understanding.
With the completion of the Roscommon course, we will be taking a short break, but only to work out a programme of events for the autumn period (September to December). We welcome bookings or expressions of interest, from libraries, writers groups, literary organisations, anyone who is able to provide a venue and facilities for audio-visual presentation. If you are interested in organising a course in your area, please get in touch with us via Writing for Publishing - see website for more information, including contact details, course outline and material.
Writing for Publishing is an Irish-based educational initiative organised by The Manuscript Publisher. It is aimed at authors and writers, interested in gaining a readership by writing to and for a public audience. Further information is available from the website - www.WritingforPublishing.com. You can contact the course director, Oscar Duggan, by e-mail or by telephone - 01 8569566 and 087 7604547 [International dialling code for Éire-Ireland is +353].
posted 13 Mar 2013 06:17 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 13 Mar 2013 13:46
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With St. Patrick's Day approaching it is as good a time as any to showcase the veritable library of books and literature, from the land of saints and scholars, which have seen the publishing light of day in recent times here at The Manuscript Publisher. The festivities around St. Patrick's Day are about connecting Irish people from near and far: people who were born or have come to live in Ireland, Irish people who have moved abroad, people in other countries who claim Irish descent.
Where Did They Get You? is the title of an absorbing memoir by Bridget P. McDonnell. It is the story of one who travelled the globe, as a member of the Irish diaspora, but who has also had the opportunity to reflect on the changing face of Irish society over several decades, from the point of view of a returned emigrant. Although her career in nursing took her to many parts of the world, she never lost touch with her roots. She lives today less than 12 miles from the place where she grew up. Her memoir was published just last year and was eagerly snapped up upon release. It is now in its second printing.
Ireland's First Real World Cup by David Needham tells the story of another group of Irish ambassadors - this time of the sporting field. It is the story of the Irish soccer team who travelled to Paris in the summer of 1924. They were taking part in Ireland's first Olympic Games as an independent country. The football tournament at those games was the largest for its time. It was also the first major international competition that an Irish soccer team participated in. On a wider level, the book is about the effect that participation in international sporting competition has had in forging a national identity and consciousness. It is fascinating both as a history of soccer in Ireland and of Ireland's sporting history generally.
The Tobacco Fields of Meath by Liam Nevin is another fascinating piece of largely forgotten history, that also features pioneering Irish men and women. It is the story of the Randlestown experiment - an effort to introduce a new crop, tobacco, to give employment to people in an area experiencing severe hardship due to high unemployment and emigration. In telling this story, Liam Nevin has made available the personal papers of his grandfather, John Nevin, who worked as a tobacco instructor at Randlestown. The papers contain an important first-hand account of over thirty years of tobacco growing in Ireland: not only in Meath but also the counties of Offaly, Louth and as far away as Limerick.
John Toland has been described as 'one of the most interesting characters in Irish history' in a recent Books Ireland review of John Toland: Ireland's Forgotten Philosopher, Scholar ... and Heretic by J.N. Duggan. Toland is a fine example of Ireland's rich and diverse intellectual tradition. Born a Catholic, he converted to Anglicanism and later to Presbyterianism, before rejecting all forms of organised religion in favour of pantheism, a terms which he coined. He was the first person to be called a 'freethinker' - by his fellow Irishman, Bishop Berkeley.
Toland was also the first gentile to advocate equal rights for Jewish people. His 1715 pamphlet, Reasons for Naturalizing the Jews in Great Britain and Ireland, has recently been re-issued by The Manuscript Publisher. Professor Jonathan Karp of Binghamton University and the American Jewish Historical Society has described this as an 'extraordinary pamphlet.' It shows Toland as a skilled and fearless commentator: one who accepted nothing at face value but always brought an independent mind to bear on any issue he tackled.
From Navan to China: the Story of a 'Chinese Irishman' is an account of the life of Fr Aedan McGrath, drawn from his personal papers, journals, diaries and letters. It details his involvement with, and devotion to, the Legion of Mary, which brought him half way around the world, to China, at a very tumultuous time. His missionary work took place against the backdrop of world war, civil war, Japanese invasion. He was even imprisoned for a period following the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Upon his release and return to Ireland where he was greeted by President Sean T. O'Kelly, Taoisigh Eamon De Valera, John A. Costello among other dignataries.
Derrick Cranpole is another original thinker who does not shy from controversy when it comes to defending the lives and livelihoods of seafishermen and the coastal communities where they live. His book, A Woeful Tale, is a collection of poems and illustrations. Cranpole's poetry has been described as "ironic, sometimes blunt" particularly when shining the light on an infuriating bureaucracy and officialdom that presides over the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. Some have even detected 'a touch of the Kiplings' in his light-hearted poems and sketches.
Another book in a light-hearted vein is Charles, the Maiden and the Ogre by Sorcha Duggan, a modern day fairy tale which has been described as a mixture of 'Mark Twain like morals and clever Dublin-esque wit.' As the dedication says, this is a book for everyone who believes in fairy tales and happy endings. It is also a book that will appeal to people of all ages, but especially those who remain eternally young at heart.
SiarScéal Anthology 2012: Roscommon in Reflection represents the fruit of over fives years of submissions to the Hanna Greally Literary Awards. It is must for anybody who is from Roscommon, who has connections to the place or even a familiarity with the great warmth of its culture, heritage, landscape and scenery. But it is alo a book that should be read by anybody who appreciates good writing and literature. As author, Dermot Bolger, in his Foreword to this edition describes, "this is a book that emanates from Roscommon and resonates with the landscape and varied stories of Roscommon, but, like all good writing, it slips free of all boundaries and borders to speak directly to the human heart about the human condition."
posted 3 Mar 2013 07:05 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 12:38
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Read and E-Book Week kicks off today and runs till Saturday, 9th March. This global celebration of the written word, in digital format, has been running every year since 2004. The twin aims are to encourage readers to give e-books a try and to give authors an opportunity to gain exposure of their work electronically. See the official website for more information about the background to this event.
We are marking the occasion by taking part in a special promotion on Smashwords for the duration of the event. All of our titles will be available at 25% discount for one week only, and only when purchased on Smashword. Thousands of other titles are available at similarly discounted rates, or even available to download for free.
A Woeful Tale is Derrick Cranpole's delightful collection of poems and illustrations that recall the trials and tribulation of Ireland's seafishermen and women: who daily battle with the elements and forces of nature on the high seas, not to mention bureaucracy and officialdom on land.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
Charles, the Maiden and the Ogre is a modern day fairy tale by Sorcha Duggan which has been described as a mixture of 'Mark Twain like morals and clever Dublin-esque wit.'
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
Charting Your Life's Roadmap in an Uncertain World: choose happiness daily is Life Coach, Nuala Duignan's solution for living a prosperous and fulfilled life in today's challenging times. Wisdom and practical advice fill the pages of this highly recommended volume.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
I Want to Really Learn about Horses by T.J. Gillespie (aka Tom na gCapaillín) reflects a lifetime of experience working with horses - owning, training, breeding, managing - written in an easy-to-follow style with illustrations and diagrams throughout. Also peppered with stories and anecdotes that will delight any horse enthusiast.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
John Toland: Ireland's Forgotten Philosopher, Scholar ... and Heretic by J.N. Duggan is the story of a 18th century Donegal man who became a world renowned spokesman for the European Enlightenment; although his legacy is largely forgotten in his home country.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
SiarScéal Anthology 2012: Roscommon in Reflection is a collection of poetry, prose, short stories about Roscommon, its unique culture and landscape. The anthology represents the cream of five years of submissions to the Hanna Greally Literary Awards, which takes place annually in March, in conjunction with the SiarScéal Festival in Roscommon.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
The Tobacco Fields of Meath is Liam Nevin's fascinating account of the Randlestown Experiment in Co. Meath at the turn of the 20th century. Read how local people tried to stem the tied of unemployment and consequent emigration, by introducing a crop few would have thought suitable for the Irish climate and soil.
25% off the Smashwords edition when you use the coupon code - REW25. Visit Smashwords for details on how to use this coupon.
Smashwords is a publishing and distribution service designed specifically for independent authors and publishers, as well as their readers. As world's largest distributor of independent e-books, titles are available in all common formats including:
mobi - suitable for reading on Kindle devices and apps
ePub - a widely adopted e-book format suitable for reading on devices such as Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others
PDF - suitable for reading from your PC or laptop using Adobe Reader
All of these titles are also available to buy in paperback editions from our Online Catalogue.
The Manuscript Publisher provides professional and affordable services to authors, writers, independent publishers who want to take advantage of modern publishing methods - both printed and non-printed. E-publishing services that we provide include: e-book conversion to all common formats, illustration and design, sales and marketing support, assistance and advice.
Contact Us today to find out how we can help you get started; or to take your publishing projects a stage further.
posted 2 Mar 2013 16:50 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 15:07
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Writing is a release of creative energy. Talking about what I am going to write dissipates that energy.
Writing is a means of communication. Literacy as in speech, sign language, (gestures), painting, sculpture, music. Speech has a long pedigree; proficiency has traditionally been valued and honoured. A successful orator would have possessed and cultivated certain skills and mannerisms.
It is commonly believed that writing gives you, the quieter, more sensitive soul, a voice. So let you write. Let the Inner You write of some incident, some idea, some thought in your mind that won’t go away. Seeing it in your mind's eye, write about it as graciously as you can, choosing words that flow, that glow with colour; a line or two of poetry that fits the occasion. Yes and things were put nicely in the Old and New Testaments which are relevant still.
When you have put your very best effort into it the reward comes. "The world is a good place." Now you are smarter than you think.
"I can do better"
Listen for an idea phrased differently. 'Why didn’t I think of that?' you say to yourself. Listen as aphorisms, succinct expression, folklore spring to mind to ‘cap’ an otherwise ponderous thought. Pure gold if appropriate.
Writing is basic humility: a feeling that 'this world is such a huge fascinating place it’s great to have a niche in it.' Such feelings are a requisite for the true artist: he or she values the judgement of ‘ordinary’ people; does not 'play down' to their level. The writer will seek greater insight into life, aware that for fulfilment, it is sometimes necessary 'to swap the swivel chair for the bumpy road.' A funny thing too, with practice you will learn those stratagems for difficult situations - 'to wrap up a thing’ or to show tolerance in reviewing a book without compromising integrity.
And when progress is painful, remember there were and still are places in the world where writing is dangerous.
Creative Writing
This is where you are telling a story, describing an incident, a person, a place to excite the interest, curiosity, empathy of the readers.
Let yourself go a stage further. To effect the outcome of an event by evoking sympathy for a cause has a greater chance of success if viewed to be free of personal gain, power, position and has an element of fair play.
A ‘flash’ of inspiration is needed: a ‘flash’ of inspiration ignited by some strong emotion (fear, revenge, admiration, human sympathy) to make the writer shed his or her everyday 'skin'; slip underwater to the 'cavern' of sub-conscious experience and scribble away to order, in no time returning to the 'real world’ where the heart will say, "Well done: I couldn’t have put it better myself!"
That is creative writing, I think!
Postscript - The Actual Thing
With eyes closed 'see' in your mind what you want to 'say'; in particular the important aspects. Now lead in with the 'light touch'. If you must use the sledgehammer in the heat of battle, do so as winningly as possible and glide out without triumphalism! (An example from the Old Testament - "My father chastised you with whips; I will flay you with scorpions." 2nd Chronicles, 10:11)
After allowing to 'ferment', a day is usually enough, re-write, improving sentence, paragraph design and 'colour' tone of ideas.
Allow a second fermentation before filtering out dross and 'sediment'. It’s looking pretty 'clear'.
Even as you are presenting it to the editor of the parish newsletter, local paper or chairperson of the writer's circle, you will see one or two thing's wrong with it - perfection is the work of the Gods, as the old Greeks would say.
T.J. Gillespie (aka Tom na gCapaillín) is an author and avid horseman. He has shared a lifetime of insight and experience in his successfully published, I Want to Really Learn about Horses. First published in 2010 it has since been through several re-prints and is also available in e-book editions, all of which are available to buy online.
posted 19 Feb 2013 15:03 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 07:27
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Roscommon County Library (Abbey Street, Roscommon - get directions here) is the venue for the first, of what we hope will be many, in our series of Writing for Publishing courses. Commencing Thursday, 4th April the course will run every Thursday (6pm to 8pm) until 23rd May - a total of 8 weeks.
Full details of the course outline, including modules and how you can book your place are available from the Writing for Publishing website (see Calendar of Events).
Writing for Publishing is an educational initiative sponsored by The Manuscript Publisher and aimed at authors and writers interested in honing their skills to write for a public audience. It emphasises the important connection between writing and publishing; seeing each as separate aspects of the same continuum whose aim is to connect authors and writers with their potential readership. The course content is suitable to anyone who is interested in writing and publishing, whether for career, business or personal reasons.
Future courses will be held at venues across Ireland, and further afield with time. For details about upcoming events check out the Writing for Publishing website - www.WritingforPublishing.com. You can register your interest in various courses and also join their mailing list to receive free e-mail alerts.
For those prevented from attending in person, plans and preparations are being made to make the course available through distance learning. There is also a resources section on the website where study aids and materials are regularly posted.
We are grateful to and would like to acknowledge the assistance received from Roscommon VEC, Roscommon County Library and the SiarScéal Festival committee in facilitating this course and bringing it to fruition.
posted 6 Feb 2013 19:04 by Oscar Duggan
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updated
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The Echo of a Troubled Soul is the debut novella by Nigerian-born author, Joy C. Agwu. It is both a fascinating and insightful story that remains uplifting and life-affirming even as it delivers a cautionary tale.
"Always wear knowledge like a wristwatch: bring it out when you need it because, when you stop learning, you will start dying. Life is too short and it is easier to forgive than to take the path of revenge."
Following a spate of tragedies Tom is left alone; weighed down by bereavement and consumed with grief. He goes in search of comfort and companionship and, unfortunately, finds them in alcohol. However this turns out to be the wrong step in the right direction. It is his irrational behaviour during one drunken episode that brings Tom, Larry, Jane and Nora together. Rescuing Tom from his descent into self-destruction proves to be a fateful decision. Little do they realise at the time, but they each hold the key to unanswered questions in their own lives too.
The narrative is delicately woven to the point of appearing effortless, deeply layered with measures of warmth, sadness, humour as well as much hope and learning. It contains a rich vein of storytelling that is reflective of the African oral tradition and characteristic of African literature in general:
"Literature" can also imply an artistic use of words for the sake of art alone. ... traditionally, Africans do not radically separate art from teaching. Rather than write or sing for beauty in itself, African writers, taking their cue from oral literature, use beauty to help communicate important truths and information to society. Indeed, an object is considered beautiful because of the truths it reveals and the communities it helps to build. [George Joseph in Understanding Contemporary Africa, by Gordon and Gordon (editors) 1996]
The appearance of a book like The Echo of a Troubled Soul is bound to be well-received within African literary circles. But should also help to awaken Irish and European audiences to the wealth of extraordinary talent that exists there, and just waiting to be discovered.
Born in Nigeria, Joy C. Agwu now resides with her family in the south-west of Ireland. Her writing reflects feelings of compassion and care for the human well-being. This in turn is influenced and informed by her strong faith, her work in the community and her studies in the area of psychology. She writes intelligently and perceptibly on subjects to do with family, community, parenting, individual suffering. Her second book, a short story/critical essay entitled, Is Suicide the Answer? will be appearing shortly while her first full length novel, I Live by the Gun is also scheduled for publication in 2013.
The Echo of a Troubled Soul by Joy C. Agwu is published by The Manuscript Publisher (ISBN 978-0-9571157-6-7). It is available to buy from our online catalogue as well as in all good bookshops. RRP €7.99 plus P&P.
posted 1 Feb 2013 12:54 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 07:28
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We are pleased to be able to announce two new additions to our growing catalogue of e-book titles that are available to buy through the e-stores of all major online retailers.
SiarScéal Anthology 2012: Roscommon in Reflection published last year is now available for distribution through Smashwords, complementing the Kindle edition which was also released last year. The anthology represents the fruit of over five years of poetry, prose and short stories submitted to the Hanna Greally Literary Awards. This takes place annually in March and in conjunction with the SiarScéal Festival.
Copies of the print edition are still available and can be bought online. RRP €12.95 plus P&P for the print edition.
Speaking of SiarScéal, this year's festival takes place over three days from 7th to 9th March in Roscommon Town. The full programme of events is available from the SiarScéal website and entries are currently being accepted for this year's Hanna Greally Literary Award - the theme is The Gathering. The closing date for entries is February 15th.
Nuala Duignan's recently published Charting Your Life's Roadmap in an Uncertain World: choose happiness daily has also been made available in a Kindle edition (available from Amazon) and other common e-book formats (see Smashwords for more information). The book has been selling well since it was launched just before Christmas. Recently Nuala dropped in to Dublin's Sunshine Radio 106.8 FM to talk to Lynsey Dolan about her book and her how Life Coaching helps people. You can listen to the interview, which was originally broadcast on 17 January, from the website of Sunshine Radio. A podcast is available to download here.
Copies of the print edition are also available and can be bought from our online catalogue as well as all good bookshops. RRP €12.95 plus P&P.
Authors and writers seeking to publish their books the independent route are looking to e-publishing in steadily increasing numbers. It is not difficult to see why. It is an attractive option whether viewed as a complement or as an alternative to the traditional, printed approach to publishing. Authors benefit because it is a growing market, and for self-published authors it means little or no capital outlay, no stock inventory and associated overheads to worry about.
These topics have been discussed previously on The Manuscript Publisher. In a series of articles entitled, E-Books and The Future of Publishing we explore both the challenges and the opportunities that this publishing avenue presents. We look at important trends that are likely to carry into the future and influence the shape of publishing overall. Most importantly, we show you how to get started and where to go next once you do.
If you are an author, writer, independent publisher looking for professional and affordable solutions to reaching a market audience in today's digital age, then our experience can help you in this regard. Feel free to contact us today for a free quotation and no obligation consultation and advice.
posted 15 Jan 2013 15:15 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 07:30
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January is that time of year when people like to make resolutions - to embark on new projects, fulfil a lifelong quest, learn new skills, adopt healthier lifestyles, make all-round self-improvements and so on. It goes back to the ancient Romans who began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.
Those who find themselves in the frame of mind to make 2013 the year that counts towards achieving their goals and personal fulfilment, will find no more rewarding a read than Nuala Duignan’s Charting Your Life’s Roadmap in an Uncertain World: Choose Happiness Daily which has just been published by The Manuscript Publisher. It is a book that is filled with practical advice and tools to measure how your life is performing across different areas.
“New Year is an ideal time reflect on your achievements, celebrate your wins and consider your goals for the coming year and beyond ... a good time to start thinking about fresh starts, ... Time for a reality check.” according to Nuala. But for many people, the spirit of good intention that pervades at this time of year is gradually forgotten as time takes its toll. January becomes February and before we know it another year has passed. Although our lives have moved on, we remain in much the same quandary as we were before; uncertain about our future and where we are going, or what we should be doing.
This is where Life Coaching comes in. Resolutions become unstuck because people lose focus on their goals. What we need to do is to ‘check in’ periodically - not just in the New Year - and take time to consider our overall situation: where we are at with our lives; how far we have come and how much of the journey that we have set for ourselves remains.
“Our attitude is our window on the world and it is within our self-control.” Central to Nuala’s prescription is the idea that we should choose happiness daily. True happiness is not something we attain when our lives have reached a certain level of ‘perfection’. Rather, happiness is the comfort of knowing that we are in control of our lives, satisfied with what we are doing, solving various problems as we continue along our chosen path.
The book is interspersed with testimonials from people that Nuala has worked with in her capacity as a Life Coach. It also contains words of wisdom in the form of quotations from famous people and historical figures - Martin Luther King, Michael Caine, Theodore Roosevelt, Judy Garland, Henry Ford, George Elliot to name but a few.
Nuala Duignan is a qualified Life Coach whose expertise in this area is drawn as much from her own background and experiences, as from her professional training in this field. Born and raised on a farm in Co. Roscommon, she had a varied career, running her own Health and Gourmet catering business, working in the construction industry and the field of medicine (both general and psychiatric), before she took up Life Coaching. She says that it was her experience in the medical field that motivated her to pursue Life Coaching as a career. She now uses her accumulated work experiences and coaching skills to help move individuals, from where they are currently to where they want to reach.
Charting Your Life’s Roadmap in an Uncertain World: Choose Happiness Daily by Nuala Duignan is published by The Manuscript Publisher and available now in all good bookshops. It can also be purchased online. RRP €12.99 plus P&P. It is also available in Kindle and other common e-book formats from Amazon and Smashwords.
posted 2 Jan 2013 03:54 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 3 Mar 2013 07:30
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We would like to extend to all of our friends and followers our very best wishes for the New Year, and success in all of your endeavours. For our part, we are pleased to be starting into the new year in the spirit and stride that we intend to continue: by bringing you the best in independently published literature - fiction, non-fiction, poetry and prose.
Already we are off to a flying start with the publication of two new titles, by authors who are making their book publishing debut but who each have a wealth of experience, literary and storytelling talent behind them. Their books are available to buy now from our ever-expanding online catalogue as well as in certain bookshops (ask about it if it's not in stock).
The Echo of a Troubled Soul is work of contemporary fiction by Nigerian born, Irish-based author Joy C. Agwu. It is a story that remains uplifting and humorous even as it deals with themes of tragedy, loss and soul-searching adventures. It brings together four individuals (Tom, Jane, Nora, Larry) from apparently disparate and unconnected backgrounds, whose lives and destinies are nevertheless intertwined. As the full story reveals itself, we see how they begin to unlock the door to their future happiness, from the moment they take it upon themselves, for entirely unselfish reasons, to shoulder each others burdens.
Tom is a man "consumed with grief, life no longer means anything to him. Like a dead man walking he goes in search of comfort and companionship and, unfortunately, finds them in alcohol. However this turns out to be the wrong step in the right direction."
Themes of family and community are explored. At one point Jane remarks upon "a constant question in my heart and the question still remains - what is a family?":
As far as I know, no one has satisfied me with an answer to that question. When I was at university in Lagos, a boy in my department said a family involves a wider network that includes parents, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts and grandparents, while others say that a family is a social construction, consisting of parents and their offspring. During our youth service, Nora, remember we interviewed some of those boys that live on the streets of Lagos and Abuja, and they had a different view of a family? They said that your family is made up of the people around you, the ones that are happy with you, and are willing to accept you; that it does not mean that your family is your parents and your siblings, because your parents may not be there for you in times of trouble, but your friends may be; so I think it is people that care for you that make up your family.'
The Echo of a Troubled Soul is a story with an overriding theme of redemption on the road to recovery; a state which is ultimately achieved when we accept our fate. Because in the end "we are like writing pencils in the eyes of the almighty, and he can clean us up whenever it pleases him."
The Echo of a Troubled Soul by Joy C. Agwu is published by The Manuscript Publisher. ISBN 978-0-9571157-6-7. It is available to buy in all good bookshops as well as online. Recommended Retail Price €7.99 plus P&P.
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Charting Your Life's Roadmap in an Uncertain World: Choose Happiness Daily by Nuala Duignan is a book that will interest anyone who believes that New Year is the ideal time to "reflect on your achievements, celebrate your wins and consider your goals for the coming year and beyond." But it is not just a book for this time of year. Really it is one of those books that is intended to serve as a companion on our life's journey: for each and every time that we find ourselves at one of those junctions that require a change in general direction, in terms of our goals, aspirations, ambitions, and so on.
Nuala Duignan is a qualified Life Coach whose expertise in this area is drawn as much from her own background and experiences, as from her professional training in this field. Born and raised on a farm in Co. Roscommon, she had a varied career (running her own catering business, working in construction and hospitals, both general and psychiatric) before she took up Life Coaching. She says that it was her experience in the medical field that motivated her to pursue Life Coaching as a career. She now uses her accumulated work experiences and coaching skills to help move individuals, from where they are currently to where they want to reach.
In Charting Your Life's Roadmap ... she talks about the self-inhibiting factors that prevent us from achieving our true potential for happiness in our lives. She says that 'our attitude' is essentially our 'window on the world' and it is also within our self-control. She talks about how to build self-esteem, how to overcome worry patterns, conquer our fears and move from negative to positive thinking.
Many of us are unhappy in our lives because we find ourselves doing jobs we don't particularly care for; part of a 'doing culture' rather than an 'act of being'. Nuala talks about 'the work that we were born to do'. This means Finding Your Passion in life and making that your overriding objective. She gives practical insight and advice on matters such as redundancy, self-employment, entrepreneurship, time management, customer care, coping with workplace stresses, etc.
The book is interspersed with testimonials from people that Nuala has worked with in her capacity as a Life Coach. It also contains words of advice in the form of quotations from famous people and historical figures - Martin Luther King, Michael Caine, Theodore Roosevelt, Judy Garland, Henry Ford, George Elliot to name but a few.
Charting Your Life's Roadmap in an Uncertain World: Choose Happiness Daily by Nuala Duignan is published by The Manuscript Publisher. ISBN: 978-0-9571157-7-4.
It is available to buy in all good bookshops as well as online. Recommended Retail Price €12.99 plus P&P.
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The Manuscript Publisher offers professional and affordable services to authors and writers interested in getting their work published through printed and non-printed means. Talk to us today about how we can help you with your publishing project. You can even Get a Quote online. Our services cover the entire spectrum of the publishing process including manuscript preparation, print management, e-book conversion, sales and marketing support.
posted 20 Dec 2012 12:15 by Oscar Duggan
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updated 20 Dec 2012 12:46
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The Manuscript Publisher would like to extend warmest seasons greetings to all of our customers, colleagues, friends, well-wishers, everyone who has been with us and part of our story over the last twelve months.
2012 was a year in which we achieved more than we could possibly have hoped for when we opened for business the previous autumn. We had the opportunity to work with dozens of authors, writers, independent publishers, from Ireland and further afield, producing along the way a total of six new print titles (available to buy from our online catalogue), seven new e-book editions (on sale throughout the Christmas period on Amazon and Smashwords), among other projects and works in progress.
None of this would have happened without the hard work and effort of everyone involved. It is this dedication that means we can now look forward to even more successes in 2013; along with further great strides in our mission to make publishing in the modern era, professional, affordable and open to all.
Look out for two new titles in the New Year, both of which are by debut authors.
The Echo of a Troubled Soul is an uplifting tale by Joy C. Agwu. Set in modern-day Nigeria, it tells a story of redemption on the journey to recovery; how the small gestures that we make impact on other people's lives, in ways that are not always foreseen. Expect to hear a lot more in the future from this promising author.
Charting Your Life’s Roadmap in an Uncertain World: Choose Happiness Daily by Nuala Duignan is another uplifting and life affirming book, albeit for somewhat different reasons. Nuala has been engaged professionally as a Life Coach for a number of years now. In this book she shares the benefit of her insight and experience. It is already on sale in some shops and will be widely available in the New Year - including from our Online Bookshop.
2013 will also see the inaugural, Irish Edition of the Directory of Writing and Publishing Resources, offering invaluable advice about writing and publishing in the age of digital. The Directory will also include comprehensive and up-to-date listings of publishing services and resources available to authors and writers, both online and offline. Submissions are now being accepted with a view to inclusion in the Directory. We look forward to hearing from writing groups, literary organisations, journals, competitions, arts and literary festivals, libraries, bookshops, book distributors, publishers, literary agents, printers, newspapers, media outlets, bloggers, editors, designers, author service providers and anyone involved with writing, literary, publishing enterprises, groups or social circles.
The closing date for submissions, if you wish to be included in the published directory, is 31st March, 2013. Submissions received after that date may still be considered for inclusion in future editions as well as our regularly updated online directory.
Writing for Publishing is another initiative that we launched in 2012. It is aimed at authors interested in writing for a public audience, perhaps with a view to getting published, maybe earning a living from writing and/or publishing. We are pleased to announce that a series of courses will take place in 2013, at venues throughout the country but starting in Roscommon in March/April. While dates and times have yet to be confirmed, expressions of interest from individuals and groups are now being accepted. For more information please visit the Writing for Publishing website.
Look out for more news and updates in the weeks and months ahead. The best way to stay in touch with us is to Join Our Mailing List and sign up for e-mail alerts. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, among other popular social networking sites, where we regularly post links of interest to writers and publishers.
It remains for us to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise le gach.
