Issue #164 * Blog #43 – 2020 * Read Time: 5 minutes * Section: From the Horse’s Mouth

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Hi, Nina here. Since the first of October I have been a busy lady. I appeared on two of Spotlighting the Indie Author podcasts. Both were book reviews. One was a western titled Mike Stone Texas Ranger the other a horror tale for Halloween titled The Hell Next Door. Go on over and check them out after you finish this blog of course.

I was scheduled for those shows so I they didn’t catch me be surprise. The work I was assigned after the following Facebook post I made did catch me off guard.

Since the pandemic has wreaked havoc with ThunderHorse Publishing’s goals for 2020 I’ve decided to get a jump on my normal end of the year tasks. First up, update and refurbish the website with a new sleeker design. I’ll let everyone know when its done.

ThunderHorse Publishing Facebook Account – Nina Turnipseed – October, 2 2020

Well after that post my boss, informed me that I also needed to get all the books that ware reviewed on the podcast posted to the website also. The reviews were not be manuscripts of the podcast but shorter versions of the podcast. I was to do one and let him review to see if I was on the right track. The reviews would contain the following.

• Star Rating
• A link to the corresponding podcast if available
• The Book Blurb
• What formats the book is available in
• Where they can be purchased.
• A little about the story line
• Quotes from the podcast.
• Short author Bio with contact info

I got right to work and when I finished the first one I posted it to Facebook and added the below to the post.

I think my boss is a little peeved. Not only am I redoing the website I was also instructed to get all the books that were reviewed on the podcast, posted as blogs to the website. I guess I was suppose to be doing this all alone.

ThunderHorse Publishing Facebook Account – Nina Turnipseed – October, 2 2020

Well he didn’t think what I said at the end of my post was funny and informed me I should know by now what my job is. Then he informed me that I also couldn’t follow directions. I couldn’t argue that point…I had forgot he was to review it before posting. So at this point I know he’s peeved there’s no question about it.

The boss man decided that the following should be added to the review.

• The Books Genre with subcategories listed under the book’s photo.
• Provide a link to purchase the book on Amazon
• Who reviewed the book
• Add Individual Star ratings for each reviewer.
• Does ThunderHorse Publishing recommend the book? Book must be awarded more than 3.00 Stars to get a recommendation.

After getting approval of the new format, I began tackling the task once again. I’m pleased to announce that it is complete. Here is a glimpse of the format for a book review that is associated with a podcast. Book Review – The Cardinalis Code – By Avery Sterling.

I was taking a deep breath when my phone dinged. I looked down and read. “Once you get the reviews from the podcast move to the magazine, issue 1, Then check with Christy Warren and Joan Clay, to see if they have reviews that are not on the website yet. Remember every book purchased by Joseph E Clay Dot Com, gets reviewed on the ThunderHorse Publishing Website.”

As I was checking with Joan and Christy, who together run the book review division, I was trying to remember where I had heard or read Joseph’s last sentence in the text.

Christy and Joan each had a review. Joan informed me she had just found her review of, Spirit of the Wind Eagle, by Jim Taylor. She laughed as see let me know she had been searching for it since she got the email a couple of weeks ago.

That’s when it hit me.

There was an important email that I had overlooked, well not completely. I read the first half which was about beginning the year end task early. I got interrupted, and never completed reading it. The last half of the email explained everything, and had all my task laid out.

I now knew why I was doing what I was doing.

Joseph E Clay Dot Com’s goal for ThunderHorse Publishing, Return to it’s Roots. Those roots were planted deep in the soil of book reviews and interviews. Those two would help bring attention to the works of independent authors. Doesn’t matter if an article appears in The Corral or talked about on the podcast. The rule is this.

Every book review, author spotlight and author interview/chat along with anything else concerning the works of the indie author will be published on ThurderHorse Publishing’s website.

Now that I had full understanding of situation, I had an idea. The website needed a dedicated page. A page that contains links to these features. This would keep the readers from scanning through post categories for book reviews, etc. That page has been added and is titled “Book Reviews/Interviews“. Beside each article listed you will find a link that will take you to the blog or podcast or both if applicable.

Then I began thinking about the Recommended Reading List. I came to the conclusion that we need a page that listed our top ranked books by year, with a link to buy them. I haven’t got that page created as of this posting, but the tab will be in the menu like the one above. When it is complete I’ll inform everyone through social media.

My last brainstorm. The Corral our on line magazine not only works with independent authors, but other independents, Musicians, Photographers and Artists. I created a page titled “Magazine Contributors” that will link over to those articles on The Corral.

That will wrap this blog up. There will be a couple of more coming explaining the rest of the changes to the website.

Oh, the blog has been redesigned. So…while here go ahead and browse around and look for yourself. We think its easier to navigate, has a sleeker look along with being a one stop shop for book reviews and interviews along with resources for the Indie Author.

Due to my work load I’ll miss all of the podcasts in November and the first one in December. I’ll return for the December 15th show and participate in the Spotlighting the Indie Author Christmas show airing on December 22nd.

Moral of Story. Never leave an email from your boss unread, they sent it for reason. When wearing more than one hat you got to make sure you stay focused on the main hat before taking it off and and putting on the secondary hat. By leaving the email to read and answer some fan mail from the podcast that came in, before finishing the ThunderHorse Publishing email, was a mistake.

Thank you for stopping by and keep on reading!

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Hugs and Kisses