Amazon: Pay International Authors via Amazon Payments/PayPal/bank account

Just a petition that I thought was important to share.

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As you know, independent authors put a lot of time and energy into our writing and we are so thankful for the opportunity Amazon provides for us to earn a living doing what we love.
Except a lot of that living is stripped from us through bank charges for processing international cheques.

I was excited to receive my first two cheques recently, smallfry compared to some authors, one was for $17, the other for $56.
Except my bank charges $25 to bank a single cheque.
For my $17 cheque, I will be paying THEM to bank it for me. If I choose not to cash in my royalties on that $17 cheque, it makes it nothing but a pretty piece of paper. A piece of paper that represents about 51 readers.

Of my $73 in royalties, $50 would go toward bank fees, leaving me with $23US (not that I can actually deposit the $17 cheque at all). BEFORE currency conversion to Australian dollars.

I am just one example.

Other banks charge $40 to process international cheques.

I have heard of another author whose country of residence will not process US cheques so they have to GO TO ANOTHER COUNTRY to deposit royalties.

Smashwords pays authors via PayPal so it can't be too hard for Amazon to do so, or update Amazon Payments so that international users can be paid that way as well.



It would also save you money on international postage of cheques. Win-win, right?

I know and believe that Amazon cares about its authors and this step would help us all across the globe.

Author Interview: A. R. Silverberry author of Wyndano's Cloak

About your book: Wyndano's Cloak

A sinister shapeshifter threatens to shatter Jen’s world and the kingdom of Aerdem. Jen has one chance to stop them, with a magical cloak too dangerous to use.

Free Book Reviews
What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?

A.R. Silverberry
The heroine, a fourteen-year-old girl who battles world world-shattering power with little more than courage and determination.

Free Book Reviews
Have you acquired any good anecdotes surrounding this book? If so, could you share one?

A.R. Silverberry
I was signing books at Borders and noticed that after purchasing Wyndano’s Cloak, one girl sat on the floor, pulled her copy from the bag, and carefully pulled the price sticker off the dust jacket. Then she walked out of the store hugging the book tightly to her chest. That’s a moment I’ll treasure forever.

Free Book Reviews
Did researching and writing this book teach you anything or influence your thinking in any way?

A.R. Silverberry
The environment and economy are just a few of the unprecedented challenges children face today. As a psychologist, I've listened to the fears and longings young people express about their future. I wanted to write a story that helps children feel capable of facing our complex and sometimes frightening world. Wyndano's Cloak delivers a message of encouragement for young people to believe in themselves and trust the treasures they carry inside.

Free Book Reviews
What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

A.R. Silverberry
You’ve got to read it! You’ll love it!

Free Book Reviews
Can you suggest one question readers might find interesting to discuss, concerning you, your writing in general, or this book?

A.R. Silverberry
What is the real magic in Wyndano’s Cloak?

Free Book Reviews
How can readers help you promote this book?

A.R. Silverberry
Read the book! If you enjoyed it, recommend it to your friends and post a review on Amazon!

"Like" my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-R-Silverberry/122991764395051?sk=wall&filter=12

And follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/arsilverberry

About You: A.R. Silverberry

My name is Peter Adler. My pen name is A. R. Silverberry. I've been a licensed psychologist since 1991, and work children, adolescents, and adults. I continue to balance my clinical practice with writing. Wyndano's Cloak is my first novel. I’m proud to say the book has won a dozen awards, including Gold-Medal Winner in the 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards for Preteen/Young Adult fiction. In addition to the social media links above, check out my website at http://www.arsilverberry.com. There’s a cool trailer there!

Free Book Reviews
Why do you write?

A. R. Silverberry
Stories grab a hold of me and won’t let me go!

Free Book Reviews
What is your greatest strength as a writer?

A. R. Silverberry
My imagination.

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What quality do you most value in yourself?

A. R. Silverberry
My passion.

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In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A. R. Silverberry
Music, art, and books.

Free Book Reviews
What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

A. R. Silverberry
Every decade of my life, I’ve done something big. In high school, I wrote music for the school’s concert band. In my twenties, I wrote a choral cantata. In my thirties, I got my PhD. And in my fifties it was Wyndano’s Cloak!

Free Book Reviews
Is there any new or established author whom you feel deserves more attention, and what is it that strikes you about his or her work?

A. R. Silverberry
Well, I don’t know if she needs more attention, but I really admire Laini Taylor (http://www.lainitaylor.com/). The first story in Lips Touch Three Times is a masterpiece.

Intrigued by this interview? Then hop on over to A. R. Silverberry's website or find his book at the following:
Amazon
Google Books
Amazon UK

Book Review: Commitment (Predatory Ethics) by Athanasios

Description from Amazon

Adam watched Mad Gods drag his father to Hell.

Melusine Rothschild, Grande Dame of the Black Nobility wants to raise him. She is part of the World Elite that live by Predatory Ethics and seek to guide him in wielding the power and influence of his dark birthright.

Adam, the teenage Antichrist/AntiXos, wants none of this. He watches his TV shows in one of Danvers Mental Hospital's nice padded rooms, snugly dressed in his own long sleeved, buckled, canvas jacket. He feels safe here away from a hostile, ravaging outside world.

He's horribly wrong.

Review

Overall Feedback: Before you read the previous review please read mine. I state this first because the previous was an obvious fake/false review of a book. You can not possibly miss the fact that this is the second in the series and if you (like me) had read the first then you know that this author is going to entertain you in the least. Now on to the scheduled review. Moving from Mad Gods to Commitment was smooth and hassle free. The author continues his story without missing a beat. Yes this is a story that we have seen, yes he does not deviate from a typical storyline but he does entangle the reader with a well written book. You will not regret taking a stroll through the mind on Athanasios once again.

Point of View: Here the author excels in bringing the reader into the mind of his main character "Adam:.

Voice: Typical but with only the spin Athanasios can place on it.

Character Development: Straightforward for the most part with small detours on Adam and his struggles. Ties really well together.

Plot: Again this is your straightforward good versus evil but I would not go to the levels of saying pass this up for something else. Athanasios adds his take on this story and I believe makes it better.

Dialogue: Athanasios has obviously worked on making sure his dialogue fits and enhances his story. I say you hit the mark, well done sir.

Pacing: From start to finish in one day.

Setting: How many times have we thought or suspected this is going on. We all know evil is battling good everyday.

Continuity: From start to finish I could not see one spot that would have pulled me out of the story and I believe you will see the same.

Where to Find
Amazon
Smashwords
Author's Blog

Happy Birthday to My Mom (Mary Robbins)

In all boys there is this inevitable chance that we will become like our fathers but the one thing that will always happen is we are and will always be a momma's boy. So I say to all the momma's boys do not be ashamed, hold your head up high for we have moms that loved us enough we can not help but give back to them and share it with others. To our significant others, you may get tired of the momma's boy issues but remember she taught us how to treat you.

So to my mom Mary Robbins I say this on your Birthday:

There are times when only a Mother's love
Can understand our tears,
And soothe our disappointments
And calm away our fears.

There are times when only a Mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we have dreamed about
Suddenly is real.

There are times when only a Mother's love
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us, the confidence
We need from day to day.

Mother, thank you for your heart, faith and hope
And all your steadfast love
You were fashioned by the Angels
And sent from God above...

Happy Birthday Mom