Tui Snider - author & speaker

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#IndieBookmas A Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Books by Indie Authors

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Need Gift Ideas for Book Lovers? Scroll down!

#IndieBookmas is a Holiday Gift Guide for Readers

Books make great gifts! Here’s a list of Indie Authors you can support by buying their books this holiday season! To help you, each author describes the type of reader who will like their books.

What kind of readers are on your list? Need a gift for Aunt Sally, the genealogy buff? How about your little brother who loves scary movies? Scroll down the list to find the perfect books to give to the people on your Christmas list this year. (And if you’re an author who wants their book added to this gift guide, scroll down for directions on how to add your books.)

#IndieBookmas Book List for 2019: 

Author: Tui Snider

Amazon author page: Buy Tui Snider’s books on Amazon
Twitter handle:@TuiSnider
Author website: TuiSnider.com
Genres: Offbeat History, Travel, Cemetery Symbols, Texas

Who to buy for: Genealogists and cemetery explorers will love Understanding Cemetery Symbols as well as the Graveyard Journal. Paranormal Texas is perfect for ghost hunters and spooky road trippers. Fans of quirky road trips will love Unexpected Texas and 100 Things to Do in Dallas – Fort Worth Before You Die. Meanwhile, Snider’s Santa Claus Bank Robbery, makes a great stocking stuffer for true crime fans and history buffs.

Author: Patricia Josephine

Author pages: Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo
Twitter handle: @pattyauthor07
Author website: http://www.patriciajosephine.com
Genres: Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance

Who to buy for: Readers looking to escape from the real world will love Tempting Friendship and Mistakes of the Past. Fantasy fans short on time will devour Influence of Love. Urban Fantasy fans will love battling evil in Path of Angels. Fans of science fiction who also enjoy some romance will enjoy Abducted Life.

Author: Patricia Lynne

Author pages: Amazon and Smashwords
Twitter handle: @pattyauthor07
Author website: http://www.patricialynne.com
Genres: Young Adult paranormal, speculative fiction, and fantasy

Who to buy for: Being Human is for young adults to sink their teeth into vampire stories that give a twist to the old myth. Fans of science fiction and speculative fiction will lose themself in Snapshots. Post-apocalyptic and dystopian fans will be lifted by the hope in Leaves of Fall.

Author: Maggie Foster

Amazon author page: Buy Maggie Foster’s books on Amazon
Author website:  LochLonach.com
Twitter handle: @maggiefoster55
Genres: Mystery, Scottish Texans

Who to buy for: Mystery fans will love curling up with the Loch Lonach Series. Featuring Ginny Forbes, an ICU nurse with a talent for critical thinking, the stories are rich in Scottish culture as well as exciting adventures, clever puzzles, and entertaining characters. Award winning and addictive, every book is a five-star read!

Author: Kevin Wayne Williams

Amazon author page: Buy Kevin’s books on Amazon
Author website: MottHavenBooks.com
Genres: Horror
Twitter handle: @KevinWayneW

Who to buy for: A 2014 Foreword Indies winner for Multicultural Adult Fiction, “Everything I Know About Zombies. I Learned in Kindergarten” makes the perfect gift for the adult zombie fan who also appreciates literary fiction and understands that not every survivor is a big white man with a gun.

Author: Julie Reeser

Etsy page: Buy Julie’s books on Etsy
Author website: Persephone Knits
Genres: poetry
Twitter handle: @abetterjulie

Who to buy for: Your tenderhearted friends and family, your dreamers and thinkers and philosophers. The nature noticers and relationship weavers. Gentle and generous lovers. Teachers you admire and students you want to encourage. Friends who mean everything to you, but you aren’t sure how to show it. Poetry is for everyone; the language of connection.

Author: Chrys Fey

Amazon author page: Buy Chrys Fey’s books here
Author website: ChrysFey.com
Twitter handle: @ChrysFey
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Who to buy for: Fans of Nora Roberts and romantic-suspense will devour the Disaster Crimes series. Hurricane Crimes, an award-winning novella under 50 pages sets you on the path of disasters, crimes, and love. With Beth and Donovan, you’ll experience steamy love scenes, nail-biting moments, sweet romance, and laughter.

Author: Marie Landry

Amazon author page: Amazon Kobo iBooks Nook
Author website: MarieLandryAuthor.com
Genres: Contemporary romance
Twitter handle: @sweetmarie83

Who to buy for: Fans of Hallmark Christmas movies will love The Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Mistletoe Kiss. If you like your festive reads both naughty and nice, Only You is for you. Contemporary romance lovers are sure to fall in love with Maybe You. Fans of emotional coming-of-age stories will have their heartstrings tugged by Blue Sky Days, Waiting for the Storm, After the Storm, and Take Them by Storm.

Author: David C. Kravetz

Amazon author page: Buy David’s books on Amazon
Author website: Less Beaten Paths
Genres: Travel, Quirky Travel, Back Roads Travel, Unique Town Names
Twitter handle: @sumoflam

Who to buy for: David Kravetz writes books for travelers, especially those that want to learn first hand about the unique places and things to be found on America’s back roads. From unique-named towns to wacky and weird attractions to unique gift shops and tourist traps, David covers them all.

Author: Elaine Kaye

Amazon author page: Buy Elaine’s books on Amazon.
Author website: ElaineKay.com
Genres: Children’s Books, Picture Books
Twitter handle: @ElaineKAuthor

Who to buy for: Introduce the kids in your life to Gregory Green and his teddy bear Sammy! In A Gregory Green Adventure Series, you’ll find Pea Soup Disaster, Sleigh Ride, the Missing Alphabet, and MORE! Fans of Curious George and Corduroy, from kids and adults to educators, will enjoy these sweet stories.

Author: Harry Hall

Amazon author page: Buy Harry’s books on Amazon
Author website:  HarryHallSpeaks.com Pedestriennes
Genres: historical, nonfiction, self-help
Twitter handle: n/a

Who to buy for: From 1876-1881, a small group of women endurance walkers dazzled America with their on-and-off track exploits in the award-winning, The Pedestriennes, America’s Forgotten Superstars. Conquer your public speaking fear (tops the list for many Americans) with, Help! Everyone is Staring at Me.

Author: Bambi Harris

Amazon author page: Buy Bambi’s books on Amazon
Author website: BambiHarris.com
Genres: Supernatural, Paranormal, Historical, Mystery, Murder, Time Travel, Sci Fi,
Romance, Afterlife
Twitter handle: @Bambi_Afterlife

Who to buy for: These books are for anyone who loves a compelling eerie mystery with paranormal undertones. These intriguing tales, set in different time periods, sweep the reader up while keeping them at the edge of their seats. Anyone who reads a Bambi Harris book is guaranteed to want to read another.

Author: Alex J. Cavanaugh

Where to buy Alex’s books: B&N Amazon iTunes Kobo Books-a-Million Audible
Author website: AlexJCavanaugh.com
Genres: Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure
Twitter handle: @AlexJCavanaugh

Who to buy for: CassaStorm is perfect for fans of Robert L. Heinlein and Star Wars – those who like their science fiction mixed with character development and action.  Suitable for early teens through adult. Carries great message of peace and acceptance.

Author: Andrew Crusoe

Amazon author page: Buy Andrew’s books here
Author website: Andrew’s website
Genres: EcoTourism, Nonfiction, scifi, memoir
Twitter handle: @hellocrusoe

Who to buy for: Makes a great gift for anyone who loves travelogues, unconventional living, or Hawaii. The story follows a young man who felt the call. From the moment he lands on Hawaii, synchronicities click together and the island opens him up, leading him to the home of a volcano goddess herself.

Author: Mimi Flood

Amazon author page: Amazon Kobo Nook
Author website: Mimi Flood
Genres: Contemporary romance (different heat levels)
Twitter handle: @WriterMimiFlood

Who to buy for: The Long Weekend is perfect for readers who love city girls who reluctantly return to their small hometown, real-life romance, real-life family drama and gorgeous former crushes who do naughty things. It’s the perfect blend of family, a funeral and falling in love.

Author: Serdar Yegulalp

Amazon author page: Buy Serdar’s books here
Author website: GenjiPress.com
Genres: SF/fantasy/slipstream
Twitter handle: @genjipress

Who to buy for: Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned – for those who always wanted a crossover between crime-family drama and cyberpunk, between “GoodFellas” and “Strange Days”.

Author: Jacquelyn Middleton

Amazon author page: Buy Jacquelyn Middleton’s books on Amazon
Author website: JacquelynMiddleton.com
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Instagram handle: @JaxMiddleton_Author

Who to buy for: Jacquelyn Middleton’s award-winning books are character & relationship-driven stories about people dealing with the triumphs & disasters we all experience. They’re also love stories for hopeful romantics, but life is messy, and she’s not afraid to go there, too. Jacquelyn has had life-long anxiety & depression and depicts mental health realistically and empathetically.

Author: Sarah Brentyn

Amazon author page: Buy Sarah’s books on Amazon
Author website: SarahBrentyn.com
Genres: flash fiction
Twitter handle: @SarahBrentyn

Who to buy for: These slim volumes of flash fiction are perfect for anyone who wants a collection to dip in and out of during the holiday season. They explore the dark side of the human condition and leave readers thinking.  Enjoy some bite-sized morsels of poetic prose.

Author: Stephen Drivick

Amazon author page: Buy Stephen’s books on Amazon
Author website: none
Genres: Science Fiction/Post Apocalyptic/ Dystopian
Twitter handle: @StephenDrivick

Who to buy for: Zombie fans will enjoy the Sometimes We Ran series – I just uploaded the 4th book. If you’re a fan of giant bugs, I have a story about that, too. :)

Author: You’re next! (scroll down for directions)

Amazon author page: add text here…
Author website: add text here…
Genres: add text here…
Twitter handle:

Who to buy for: add text here… 50 word description! Let us know who the ideal readers are for your books. Feel free to mention your book titles. (Scroll down to see how to get your books added to this list.)

Authors – Want your books listed? Here’s how:

It’s easy! If you’d like to be listed on the #IndieBookmas Holiday Gift Guide, simply leave a comment on this blog post with the following info [PLEASE: Use the BLOG comment form, NOT the FB comment form. It’s easier for me to keep track. Thanks!]:

    1. Your pen name
    2.  Link to your Amazon book page (or wherever else you sell books online.)
    3.  Author website
    4. Twitter handle (if you have one)
    5. Genre or genres
    6. Then, in 50 words or LESS, tell us in the third person WHO your books make great gifts for. See examples in the list. (If you need to count your words, use https://easywordcount.com/ If you go over 50 words, I will trim the result.)

     NEXT STEP: HELP US PROMOTE THIS GIFT GUIDE!

    ==> Follow the #IndieBookmas tag on Twitter!
    ==> Add the tag #IndieBookmas to your social media and
    ==> Swipe the banner from this page to use in your online promo
    ==> Share the link to this gift guide: bit.ly/IndieBookmas
    ==> Combine #IndieBookmas with other pertinent hashtags as the holiday season marches along.
    For instance:
    November 29 is #BlackFriday
    November 30 is #SmallBusinessSaturday
    December 2 is  #CyberMonday

    ==> Other hashtags to try: #giftguide #booksale #indieauthors #bookworm #bookobsessed

    Each day, I will add new authors to this blog post. Watch our #IndieBookmas Holiday Gift Guide for Indie Author Books grow!

    Let’s work together!

    Each day, I will add new authors to this blog post. Watch our #IndieBookmas Holiday Gift Guide for Indie Author Books grow! Let’s work together to make this gift guide a success!

    Before you go… Want to keep up with Tui Snider?

    No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
    No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

    PRIVATE NEWSLETTER: If you’d like to keep up with me, you might like my newsletter. It comes out every Sunday. Use the form below to sign up if you’d like to:

        • Know where I speak next
        • Find out when my next books come out
        • Learn offbeat trivia
        • See unique cemetery & travel photos
        • Be in the loop for any other fun news!

    FREEBIE: As a thank you for signing up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a historic cemetery symbols guide I created called “A Quick Guide to The Many Meanings of Hands.”

2019: Trick or Treat Reads – Get Your Free Books Here!

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Get FREE Books as Halloween Treats!

Six years ago, my pal and fellow author, Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine had a brilliant idea. She calls it Trick-or-Treat reads, and this is how it works:

For those of you who don’t know, Trick-or-Treat Reads is a Halloween event where authors put their books for free and readers go trick-or-treating to get the books. BOOKS ARE THE CANDY!

 

trick-or-treat-book-blog-hop-banner_orig-1

 

Grab my Halloween Freebie, then trick-or-treat for more:

So, for the 2019 Trick-or-Treat Reads, I’m offering a free music album & lyrics book. 

Yes, in addition to writing books, I’m also a singer/songwriter who plays several instruments. A while back, I recorded a 10-song album featuring my own original songs and lyrics.

Come to My Senses:
To claim your FREE copy of my indie music album Come to My Senses, leave a comment on this post requesting a copy from now through November 1st. I will send you a unique download code for the album to your email address as well as a pdf with all the lyrics to the songs on it:

What’s the music like? You can hear sample tracks by clicking here and I’ve pasted some reviews from Amazon and CD Baby for you to check out below:

“I loved this album! The music is interesting and unique. It’s so nice to hear a fresh take on music these days. Her voice, and musical tones will have you feeling like you are in a magical place.”

“Unique and Inspiring: I love the way Tui’s music makes you feel. It is dreamy and yet excites the mind.” “Mystical and Magical!: Damn, I love this music. It really needs to be showcased in a movie soundtrack. Beautiful. Thank you Tui!” 

“A Magical Adventure!: Listening to this album is like being swept away into a magical land. It’s soft and billowy and inspired. You won’t be disappointed buy today!”

“Mystical Awesomeness: A beautiful album meant for a movie soundtrack and music that was made from the soul. I love it.”

***But don’t stop here, scroll down & blog hop for more FREE books!*** 

Follow this blog hop on October 31st for more Free Books:



Hey, you! Want to keep up with me?

BLOG POSTS: I’ve got 700+ articles here and am constantly adding more!

READ MY BOOKS: Check out my books, including Understanding Cemetery Symbols. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.

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Author Interview: 4 Questions for Julie Reeser

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Need creative inspiration? Check out Julie Reeser!

I’m not sure exactly when I met Julie Reeser, although I know it was through the writing tag #StoryDam on Twitter a few years ago. Of course, as a hat aficionado, I instantly noticed the spiffy topper she wears in her profile pic.

Julie lives in Montana and I’m in Texas. As I’ve gotten to know her from afar, I’ve come to admire her creativity, poetic sense, and her outlook on life. I love supporting her on Patreon because the monthly postcards and tiny books she sends out are such a treat. (She also posts essays and weekly etymology posts that are fascinating.)

Since I can’t have Julie over for espresso, I’ve invited her to pop by my blog this week for a quick peek into her creative projects.

We’ve kept the interview to 4 questions. Here they are:1. Tell us about the poetry zine you’re starting in 2020. How did you come up with the name “Beyond the Gate”?

Beyond the Gate was a flash of an idea because I noticed the lack of steps to take readers beyond the gateway of Instagram poetry. A lot of people want to go further but get overwhelmed.

There’s a history of snobbery in traditional poetry that prevents readers from exploring and learning. It reinforces fears and locks them out of the conversation. I want to change that. I want people to feel joy and surprise as they explore the vastness of poetry, not unwelcome and small.

For instance, the first issue of the zine is about Haiku. A little history, a little rule-breaking, and scattered throughout are names they might research further if they like those included poems – plus art!

2. How will your poetry zine be distributed? Will there be physical copies of Beyond the Gate, or will it be digital, or both?

I plan to offer them in my Etsy shop, and maybe I’ll try and leave my forest hermitage and set up a table at a local fair or two. I rarely offer digital work. I am a texture-oriented person, so that comes out in my project choices.

I like the idea of someone jotting notes in the margins of my chapbooks, tacking a postcard on a bulletin board, or tucking a tiny book into their pocket.

3. Tell us about your Patreon account. How did you decide to start one? Who is your Patreon account for, and what are your goals with it?

I started the Patreon because my mail was anemic and tiring. So many days, I’d just dump the mail straight into the trash. There’s no joy. We have this amazing system of communication with the potential to brighten someone’s day, and I wanted to tap into that. The postcards seemed like a great start.

Julie Reeser creates adorable tiny books - cute to look at and fun to read!
Julie Reeser creates adorable tiny books for Patreon supporters. They are cute to look at and fun to read!

Also, traditional publishing of any genre is slow as lazy snails and pays very little. Another lost moment of joy, in my opinion. Patreon gives my work an audience, supports my creative experimentation and whims, and gives me permission to self-publish my collections. The pledges allow me the opportunity to try new things with less risk.

4. What makes you excited about your creative projects right now?

I’m really into learning how to draw right now. In between writing short stories, I’m taking time each morning to practice with different mediums. The goal is to offer illustrated short stories to Patrons and in the shop. I’d really like to make it feel wondrous and special, the way a Hogwarts letter would. We all get so excited by that concept, don’t we? Reading is a portal to that, and I’d love to give people that moment of excitement!

And, of course, I’m still working toward signing with an agent and getting into the SFWA. While I did pro-panel last year, getting that membership means the world to me. So, I’m also doing the work to reach those milestones – namely, writing.

Learn more about Julie Reeser:

BIO: Julie Reeser’s beak is full of tongue, and like a crow, she holds a grudge. She retired from her nursing career in 2009 for medical reasons, and decided it was finally time to write that book! Her work tends toward fantasy, and has been published in over a dozen magazines. She has written two full novels and is currently querying for an agent. An early draft of her story, Ten Thousand Cranes, won a Silver Honorable Mention from Writers of the Future.

Julie’s first poetry chapbook was Terracotta Pomegranate and chronicled her journey of recovery after trauma though the language of the seasons. Beak, Full of Tongue, her second poetry book, peers through a lens made of feathers and dirt and tides with a curious and reflective eye at the ease with which death threatens to step over the threshold, glistening and damp, full of story.

She runs a Patreon where she shares poetry postcards, handmade tiny books, and writing inspiration. Julie is currently developing her next project, Beyond the Gate – a poetry zine for those who love the idea of poetry, but need a comfortable path to expand their understanding and appreciation.

Find Julie Reeser online:

Etsy Book Shop
Patreon
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
WordPress
Amazon

Before you go… Want to keep up with Tui Snider?

No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

PRIVATE NEWSLETTER: If you’d like to keep up with me, you might like my newsletter. It comes out every Sunday. Use the form below to sign up if you’d like to:

  • Know where I speak next
  • Find out when my next books come out
  • Learn offbeat trivia
  • See unique cemetery & travel photos
  • Be in the loop for any other fun news!

FREEBIE: As a thank you for signing up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a historic cemetery symbols guide I created called “A Quick Guide to The Many Meanings of Hands.”

Paranormal Texas – Free Necklace Deal!

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Here's an example of how the actual glass cabochon pendant necklaces look! (c) Tui Snider
Here’s an example of how the actual glass cabochon pendant necklaces look! (c) Tui Snider

Love Haunted Places? Want a Unique Necklace?

Yes, I make jewelry, too!
I make unique pendant necklaces featuring some of the beautiful images I have photographed in historic cemeteries all around the world.

Here’s the special free necklace deal:
If you preorder the ebook for $2.99, I’ll either send you a copy of the paperback when it comes out OR I’ll send you one of my handmade necklace of your choice. Let me know which one you would like. But hurry: I only have 25 books and 15 necklaces left to give out!

Here’s how to get your FREE necklace:
1. Simply pre-order Paranormal Texas for only $2.99 (This is less than half-price. The eBook will sell for at least $5.50 when it’s released.)
2. Here’s a direct link to the book: Paranormal Texas 
3. Email me your receipt at TuiSnider at gmail dot com.
4. Tell me which necklace design you want in your email. (I numbered them in the graphic below.) OR if you want the paperback instead of a necklace, let me know.
5. Include your snail mail address so I can send you a unique necklace created from my historic cemetery photos as a thank you!

Fine print: This is a limited time offer and applies to US residents only. (Can’t afford postage elsewhere.) Offer good while supplies last. Enjoy!

Historic Cemetery pendant necklaces (c) Tui Snider
Historic Cemetery pendant necklaces (c) Tui Snider

 

Thank you for your support!
Writing books and giving talks is my day job! I greatly appreciate your support and I hope you enjoy wearing your necklace.  ~Tui

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

PRIVATE NEWSLETTER: If you’d like to keep up with me, you might like my newsletter. It comes out every Sunday. Use the form below to sign up if you’d like to:

  • Know where I speak next
  • Find out when my next books come out
  • Learn offbeat trivia
  • See unique cemetery & travel photos
  • Be in the loop for any other fun news!

FREEBIE: As a thank you for signing up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a historic cemetery symbols guide I created called “A Quick Guide to The Many Meanings of Hands.”

Quick Tips: How to Participate in a Twitter Chat

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How to join a twitter chat- here are quick tips

What is a Twitter Chat and Why Should I Bother?

Chatting on Twitter = Fun!
Even though I’ve been on Twitter since 2008, it wasn’t until the fall of 2011 that I began participating in Twitter chats. Up until then, I resisted the idea of using Twitter for live chats.
Silly me! Once I finally took the plunge, I discovered that chatting on Twitter is a blast.

Why join a Twitter chat?
Twitter chats let you connect with others to pool information. You will make friends and you can learn a lot.

What is a Twitter chat?
Here’s the deal: people gather on Twitter at a predetermined date and time to have a live Twitter Q&A session about a specific topic.

The topic can be anything: travel, writing, Texas, steam engines, marketing, spiny lobsters – whatever! There really is no limit to the subject matter.

Quick Tips: How to Participate in a Twitter Chat

When is it?
Once you know there is a chat on a subject you are interested in, you need to log into Twitter at the right time and day.

Get there early
Actually, I recommend showing up at least 5 minutes before the chat is scheduled because – just as in real life – it’s fun to mix and mingle before the meeting is called to order.

Use Tweetdeck to follow the chat hashtag
There are a lot of options out there, but I have used Tweetdeck for years. It’s such a great tool and it’s free.

If you don’t already use Tweetdeck, go to Tweetdeck.com and login with your Twitter account. Make a column specifically for the Twitter chat that you will be participating in.

For example: If you are coming to #AuthorsMarketing chat on Thursday from 6-7pm Texas time, then you will want to make a column to follow the #AuthorsMarketing hashtag. Here’s a 1-minute YouTube video that shows you how to do this: How to add a column in Tweetdeck.)

This lets you follow along with the Twitter chat conversation
Adding a column in Tweetdeck lets you see the entire conversation. Using #AuthorsMarketing as an example once again, each time someone sends a tweet that includes #AuthorsMarketing, it will show up in that column.

Now you can follow along and join the conversation as it flows by. If you lose your place, you can scroll back down and catch up.

What if you’re on your phone?
I don’t recommend using your phone for Twitter chats, but it can be done. It’s just much harder to keep up. There is a Tweetdeck app, but I’ve never used it. It’s probably great.

But what I do on the rare occasions that I have to use my phone for a Twitter chat, is that I simply type the chat’s hashtag (for ex: #AuthorsMarketing) into the search bar on Twitter. Please note: Make sure you then click on the tab that says “latest” so that you will see all the newest tweets.

How to participate in a Twitter chat Q&A
During a Twitter chat, the person leading the conversation will start tweeting questions every few minutes. These questions are usually formatted something like:

Q1 Why do you like chatting on Twitter? #AuthorsMarketing

As you can see, the first question is labeled, “Q1,” and it ends with the name of the particular chat group.

Now that you know what the questions look like, how should you answer them?
During a Twitter chat, when you reply to a question labeled Q1, you should format it like this:

A1 Because chatting on Twitter is fun! #AuthorsMarketing

Use A1, A2, A3, etc for your answers to specific Q1, Q2, Q3, etc…
You want to use the A1, A2, A3, etc in your tweets so that people know you are replying to specific questions and not just carrying on a side conversation. (It’s fine to have side conversations!)

Important: Remember to include the Twitter chat hashtag in all your tweets!
You want to include the name of Twitter chat (in this case #AuthorsMarketing) in your tweets, so that people attending the chat will see them.

Tip: Remember to follow other people who came to the chat
I have made some really wonderful friends through Twitter chats and you can, too. And just like a face-to-face conversation, you may find you really hit it off with certain people. Remember to follow those people and like a few of their tweets so they know they’re on your radar.

Tip: Scroll back after the chat
Twitter chats tend to fly by, so after yours ends, take time to scroll back through all the tweets. I often find interesting tidbits this way.

Lather, rinse, retweet!
That’s all there is to it, folks. Beyond this, my only advice is to simply lather, rinse and retweet! Don’t be discouraged if your first couple of Twitter chats are a little confusing. It gets easier the more you do it!

Want to learn more? Grab my book for more Twitter tips
To learn more about Twitter, grab my 99 cent book, Twitter for Writers on Amazon. It’s chock full of easy-breezy tips for making the most of Twitter, especially if you are a writer. Here’s the link: Twitter for Writers

 

Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui's books can take you on a FUN adventure!
No matter where you live in the galaxy, Tui Snider’s books can take you on a FUN adventure!

PRIVATE NEWSLETTER: If you’d like to keep up with me, you might like my newsletter. It comes out twice a month. Use the form below to sign up if you’d like to:

  • Know where I speak next
  • Find out when my next books come out
  • Learn offbeat trivia
  • See unique cemetery & travel photos
  • Be in the loop for any other fun news!

FREEBIE: As a thank you for signing up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a historic cemetery symbols guide I created called “A Quick Guide to The Many Meanings of Hands.”

8 Strange 4th of July Facts

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8 Strange Facts about The 4th of July

How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you’re American, chances are you’ll join family and friends for a backyard barbecue and a firework display. But how much do you really know about this annual summer celebration?

I do a lot of newspaper research for the books I write. Not only is it a great way to separate Urban Legends from actual facts, but it helps me understand the mindset of different eras. However, every time I dig into a newspaper archive for something specific, I end up learning completely different things along the way. That’s how I discovered this batch of Independence Day factoids. I hope you enjoy them!

Happy Independence Day! (photo by Tui Snider)
Happy Independence Day! (photo by Tui Snider)

1.  July 4th was nearly a different day!

Independence Day was nearly celebrated on a different day! America’s Independence Day is so intertwined with its date that many people simply call the holiday “the 4th of July.”

In grade school, we’re taught that the Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776, but that’s only partly true. Many signers waited until August 2, 1776 to add their names. 

Other people felt that July 2, 1776 was a more appropriate celebration date, since that is when the American Colonies formally separated from Great Britain. President John Adams was in the “July 2” camp. He even predicted that, “the 2nd day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha in the history of America.” [more info here]

Adams felt so strongly about this that he refused to participate in Independence Day celebrations held on July 4th. If you wanted to party with him, you had better make it July 2nd!

In the end, July 4th won out. Even though it wasn’t officially declared a federal holiday until 1870, people began celebrating Independence Day on July 4 as early as 1777.

2. Three US presidents died on July 4th. 

Here’s a weird fact: Three US presidents died on July 4th. Two of these presidents even died the same year. 

Not only were those two men presidents, but they were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they both died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of America’s independence! 

The two men were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Although Jefferson died earlier in the day, President Adams did not know this. His final words were, “Jefferson still survives.” [Here’s a fascinating article on this coincidence.] 

Who was the third US president to die on July 4th? James Monroe, yet another Founding Father. Monroe died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third President in a row who died on the holiday. (And don’t I sound fancy using the word “thus”?!) 

 

3. This US president was Born on the 4th of July: 

One US president has the perfect patriotic birthdate: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day, although it’s interesting to note that President Obama’s daughter, Malia, was born on July 4th.

4. Patriotic Lockjaw was a Big Problem!

What does Lockjaw have to do with the 4th of July? When you think of Independence Day, you probably think of parties, fireworks, and parades. But how about lockjaw? 

In the 1800’s fireworks became a popular way to celebrate the 4th of July. With little regulation, these fireworks were often quite dangerous. Each year, people would have all sorts of mishaps  – everything from serious burns and housefires, to blowing off a finger or two. Worse of all was the possibility of tetanus.

1912 newspaper article warning about the dangers of tetanus. via TuiSnider.com
1912 newspaper article warning about the dangers of tetanus.

Tetanus occurs when anaerobic bacteria infects a wound. The disease leads to painful muscle constriction, and since it often strikes the neck area, it’s also called “lockjaw.” Untreated, lockjaw can lead to an agonizing death, and as the 1912 newspaper clipping above suggests, children were, “easy meat for Mr. Tetanus.”

Tetanus-causing bacteria dies quickly when exposed to air, so your average cut or scrape will not lead to trouble. The reason fireworks caused so many cases of tetanus is that the explosions propel bacteria deep into wounds. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tetanus cases were so common after the 4th of July that people called it “patriotic lockjaw.”

In the 1900s, newspaper campaigns helped spread public awareness of the tetanus threat from fireworks. Eventually, a tetanus antitoxin was invented, and a tetanus vaccine was developed. There are just as many tetanus-causing microbes around as ever, but thanks to what has now become a routine childhood vaccine, “patriotic lockjaw” is a thing of the past.

By the way, a tetanus booster shot is recommended every 10 years. I recently had mine. How about you?

Ooh-la-la! A lady wearing trousers in 1896. How saucy! via Tui Snider
A lady wearing trousers in 1896. How saucy! (Sure hope she doesn’t get Patriotic Tetanus!) via Tui Snider

 

5. Hot dogs weren’t always in vogue

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been a 4th of July tradition since 1916, and for many Americans, hot dogs and Independence Day go hand-in-hand.  According to Consumption Stats, Americans put away 150 million hot dogs while celebrating 4th of July! 

In America’s early days, people celebrated the 4th of July with different fare entirely. For instance, John Adams and his wife, Abigail, sat down for a celebratory meal of turtle soup, New England poached salmon with egg sauce, green peas and boiled new potatoes in jackets. They followed the meal with Indian pudding and Apple Pandowdy. 

6. Other countries celebrate independence on July 4th

July 4 was originally chosen by the Philippines to mark the day they ceased being a US Territory and gained independence. Filipinos even called it Independence Day up until 1962. Now it’s called Republic Day.

In Rwanda, July 4 is an official holiday known as Liberation Day. This day commemorates the end of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, and the date was chosen as an homage to the U.S. government for helping them gain freedom.

7. Where can you find the biggest July 4th celebrations outside of the USA?

There is even another country that actively celebrates America’s Independence Day. This country is said to have the biggest July 4th celebration outside of the USA. Any guesses?

Denmark!

After immigrating from Denmark to pursue the American Dream, a group of Danes purchased a plot of land back home. They donated this 200-acre tract to the Danish government with the stipulation that it be used to celebrate American holidays. Since 1912, an annual 4th of July festival has taken place here and it’s still going strong.

The festival, called Rebildfest, takes its name from the nearby town of Rebild. Each year, thousands of Danes and Danish-Americans gather for this 4-day event. The celebration is a mish-mash of Danish and American tradition. From schnapps, hot dogs, and pickled herring to Danish folks songs and American flags, Rebildfest is a wonderful celebration of both nations and a great reminder of America’s cultural melting pot.

Wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate Independence Day in Denmark? I’d be curious to see how Americana has seeped into Danish culture. Not far from Rebild, for instance, there’s a Highway 66 restaurant as well as a cafe called Central Perk inspired by the TV show Friends.

8. Which Texas library displays the Declaration of Independence?

In 1776, 200 copies of the original Declaration of Independence were printed. Only 26 copies remain, and most of them are located on the east coast of the United States. However, there is one copy of this historic document west of the Mississippi.

After moving to Texas, I was excited to discover that the Dallas Public Library has this rare copy of the Declaration of Independence on display! (They also have a rare copy of Shakespeare’s “First Folio.”)

Want to read more quirky, offbeat & overlooked tidbits?

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