The first section of this will be focused on my new book release and the importance of leaving book reviews, followed by updates for the Between The Pages podcast, and finally, comments on financial journalism specific to Bitcoin. Feel free to skip to the sections you are interested in.
Section 1: Book Release & Book Reviews
First and foremost, The Cruelty of Magic, the first installment of my dark, epic high fantasy series, has officially released! Here are the links to buy it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Everyone knows purchases in the first week can make or break a book release. Please keep in mind that the ebook is only $3.99. However…
Why Are Book Reviews Important?
What people don’t know is how important book reviews are for authors trying to make a name. Retailers like Amazon won’t even feature a book in certain areas if they are below 75 reviews. Additionally, most people won’t purchase a book that doesn’t have a lot of reviews. In fact, many people base book purchases off the bad reviews! Even a bad review can be helpful because it allows possible consumers to see the worst of what the experience can be. Therefore, I urge you, please be kind and leave a review. I realize there may be a typo or two, please be forgiving. This was independently published.
Here are the links to leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
What Is The Cruelty of Magic?
Impending war and doubts of prophecy initiate a complex magical journey where some mean to destroy gods and magic, while others seek understanding.
Kyra is named in a prophecy calling her to the Stained Temple, where no one else has ever gone. The prophecy is met with resistance and doubt while a warlord surrounds the hidden city harboring Kyra and her people. The warlord means to end all magic by destroying the city with his army, made up of every known magic-wielding civilization on the continent.
In the northern mountains, a dwarf flees to save his people, while a father and son practicing summoning magic scrape by in the sewers of a corrupt and dark city. Impending doom, religious doubt, political intrigue and tragedy haunt each step in this multiple point-of-view epic fantasy tale full of magical creatures, complex magic systems, and suspense.
The Cruelty of Magic is a unique twist on familiar tropes of high fantasy, incorporating new mechanics to keep the reader guessing. Readers will struggle to find a villain in this world of moral ambiguity with shadows guiding everyone's choices.
Section 2: Between The Pages Podcast
For those of you that don’t know…Between the Pages is a podcast for independent authors, by independent authors. We interview authors, independent or traditionally published, as well as editors, narrators, artists, and just about anyone involved in the process of getting a book published in any format!
We go live every evening on Tik Tok from 8-10 p.m EST. Currently, we also do writing sprints outside of those hours to help authors focus on their craft. We host a Writing Workshop every wednesday as well. — Tik Tok: @shawnamickauthor
We have a host of amazing things to come and some that are already running: Indy Book Club, Secret Santa, Writing Sprints & Author Interviews, Writing Workshops, Discord server approaching 100 active members (all authors and readers).
Additionally, I am working to put some legitimate business structure behind Between The Pages (BTP). I’ll have more on this in the future, but we are going to build the most supportive ecosystem indy authors have ever seen!
If you would like to be part of this awesome community, shoot me a DM on Tik Tok! Be sure to stay subscribed for updates on the BTP Community!
Section 3: Bitcoin & Financial Journalism
It’s been nearly a year since I split ways with Bitcoin Magazine due to their massive layoffs. I was one of the few lucky ones who was choosing to leave of my own volition at the time, so I agreed to be part of those layoffs in order for someone to be able to keep their job.
Following my departure, I wrote a rather scathing open letter here on Substack saying that Bitcoin companies and crypto companies as whole were failing their responsibilities as leaders in the industry. Not only do I still believe this to be the case, I am utterly convinced of it.
Moreover, I was also in discussions with Forbes Magazine for a short time regarding being a contributor for them. Ultimately, the conversation turned to them wanting me to be a senior contributor, which wasn’t a good fit.
I’ll not call out specific comapanies, but I still have many friends in the bitcoin and crypto industry. Layoffs continued, workloads have increased, liquidity has become scarce, and now a new darkness looms — Binance.
Should the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) move forward with their investigation, as they’ve made it public they will, this does not bode well for the ecosystem. Yes, I say this as Bitcoin’s price is recovering, however, this is not “the recovery”. Bitcoin and the broader industry have a long way to go and much maturity to gain. I am still a HODLer at heart, and always will be, but this industry needs to do better.
With my focus on my fantasy series, I likely will not be reporting on Bitcoin or finance for some time, unless there is a genuine request for me to do so. However, I will continue to share my thoughts with you through this platform.
Conclusion
I’d like to thank you for however much of this you’ve ready, and if you read all of it, I love you so much. I’ll ask a final time for your support with my book release. This is the dream, this is the passion, this is the path…for me. I’d love to be able to thank you for helping me get there, and I hope, in some small way, I can help you too!
Congrats on the book release!