All Categories - Author Johan Twiss

BOOKIES VIDEO REVIEW OF 30 RED DRESSES

4/2/2019

I was surprised, and honored, to come across this amazing video review by Bookies, for 30 Red Dresses! It's always rewarding to see other enjoying these stories that I love so much.

And if you haven't purchased the ebook, it's on sale for $0.99 this week. It's a great Book Club read (with discussion questions in the back) and I'd love to join your book club via video chat to talk about 30 Red Dresses and how you can help combat human trafficking.

Oh, and it's also available in audiobook for you audiophiles out there!

All the best,
Johan

#fighthumantrafficking #bookies #30reddresses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwN7wLi-0_c

BOOK REVIEW DRIVE & $0.99 SALE!

3/30/2019

It's time for the semi-annual BEGGING FOR REVIEWS DRIVE. Help me hit 200 reviews!

In celebration of my SEMI-ANNUAL BOOK REVIEW DRIVE, all of my books are on sale (Most are only $0.99). Help me reach my goal of 200 reviews for 4 Years Trapped in my Mind Palace.

It's at 172 reviews this morning. With your help, we can reach my goal of 200 reviews!

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW IN 3 STEPS
If you're not sure how to leave a review on Amazon.com, just follow the steps below after going to the book page on Amazon.

GO TO BOOK PAGE

Y'all are the best. Thanks for helping me reach my goals and thank you for the reviews!

Thanks again,
Johan

EXCITING NEWS!!! I'M MOVING ON UP...TO THE FINALS

3/4/2019

4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace is a FINALIST in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition. 25 books remain, and to quote Highlander, "There can be only one."

Screencraft primarily runs screenplay competitions, but they opened it up to books this year. It started with a few thousand entries and we're down to the top 25. I don't know what will happen, but it would be awesome to come out with a win!

#makemindpalaceamovie or a #netflixoriginal or an #amazonoriginal maybe even a #huluoriginal or #youtubered #solomonwouldbeproud #screencraft
@screencraft.org

screencraft cinematic book award

I'M A SEMIFINALIST IN THE SCREENCRAFT CINEMATIC BOOK COMPETITION!

2/6/2019

GOOD NEWS MINUTE: Not one, but two of my books, (4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace and 30 Red Dresses), are semifinalists in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition! Finalists will be announced in a few weeks. Here's hoping : )

I randomly came across this contest on Facebook and the concept intrigued me. It's not like most literary contests since it's geared toward cinematic appeal for movies and TV. The winner gets a small cash prize ($1,000), but the main appeal for me was getting my stories in front of agents, managers, producers, and studio execs.

Here's the grand prize:

The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.
Circulation and personal recommendation of winning book to our network of literary agents, managers, film/ TV producers and studio executives.
Phone call with ScreenCraft development team to discuss your project and advise on option/purchase offers.

The contest started with over 1,200 entries, and the semifinalist narrowed it down to 126 entires (at least that's how many I counted on their site as I scrolled through them on my phone). Since I have 2 books in the semifinals, I only have 124 other stories to beat. Let's do this!

BOOK 3 IN THE I AM SLEEPLESS SERIES IS HERE!!!

12/2/2018

I Am Sleepless: Traitors is here!!!
It's official--book 3 is available for purchase (just in time for the holidays). Traitors is a non-stop thrill ride packed with action, humor, and some jaw-dropping twists and turns that will make you want to go back and read the first two books. Early readers have called it the best in the series and I'm excited for you to read it.

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY

I Am Sleepless: Traitors

I Am Sleepless: Traitors (Synopsis)
After the devastating loss in Vapor City, Aidan and his ragtag team search for the Reader and the remnants of the rebellion—desperate for his help to save their captured friends. Aidan continues to develop his abilities and is led to the island from his visions where he faces a legendary beast and gains a remarkable new companion. But the discovery of an android army hidden by Director Tuskin, and a deep betrayal from those Aidan trusted, lead him into a tailspin that tests his integrity, his loyalty, and his newfound powers.

I have a quick favor to ask you…
Amazon uses reviews to rank books and many readers evaluate the quality of a title based solely from the reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com. To put it simply, reviews are very important to an author like me : )

So, if you’ve enjoyed I Am Sleepless: Traitors, or even if you’re still working through it, could you take a minute to leave a review? Even a sentence or two about what you like really helps!
I really appreciate you taking the time to check out the book and I look forward to seeing your reviews.

Author Johan Twiss

Y'all are the best and thanks for being part of my Reader Club! Feel free to email me at author@johantwiss.com with any questions and I hope you enjoy the latest installment in the I Am Sleepless series.

Here's to a fantastic book launch!

Happy Holidays,
Johan

The Fourth Law of Kanaloa is Available in Audio!

10/20/2018

The Fourth Law of Kanaloa is available in audio!
If you enjoy a bit of magic, a bit of romance, and some Hawaiian mythology, then this captivating short story is for you.

You can download a copy of the audiobook at the following stores.

Amazon.com
Audible.com
iTunes
Hoopla
Kobo.com
Audiobooks.com
Downpour.com
Libro.fm
Audiobooksnow.com

And special thank to Monica Quinn for lending her talent as the narrator.
She brought the story to life and did an amazing job!

30 Red Dresses is Available in Audio!

10/14/2018

30 Red Dresses is available in audio! This is a gripping novella that will have you turning pages through the night (or in this case, listening for 3.5 hours into the night).

You can download a copy of the audiobook at the following stores.

Amazon.com
Audible.com
iTunes
Overdrive
Hoopla
Kobo.com
Audiobooks.com
Downpour.com
Libro.fm
Audiobooksnow.com

And special thank to Stephen Carlock for lending his talent as narrator. It's fantastic!

30 RED DRESSES AUDIOBOOK COMES OUT THIS SUMMER (HERE'S A SAMPLE, AND IT'S REALLY GOOD!)

7/1/2018

I hired the talented Stephen Carlock to narrate 30 Red Dresses, and he just sent me back the first 2 chapters. They are quite good. Like, really good. It's been over a year since I last read the book (right before I published it), and he breathed new life into the story and even made me cry a little.

Feel free to give it a listen. The full audiobook will be available for sale later this summer.

LISTEN TO AUDIO

FRONTIER GRIT IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE READ ALL YEAR

6/18/2018

If you're looking for a great Historical Non-Fiction, something with amazing stories about women you've probably never heard about, who's lives on the frontier were way more epic than any fictional tale, who's stories could be turned into blockbuster movies and are nothing short of fantastic, adventurous, and inspirational, then have I got the book for you.

This past week my wife and I finished listening to Frontier Grit: The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women by Marianne Monson. As my wife said, "It might be the best book I've read all year."

I agree. It is the best book I've read all year! If I ever write historical non-fiction, I want to write like Marianne Monson and write something as compelling as Frontier Grit.

I read and listen to a lot of books each year. Granted my wife reads more books than I do and she's my book critic/suggestion guru. She knows my reading tastes pretty well after 13 years of marriage. She'll finish a book and say, "I think you'll like this." Or she'll give me the thumbs down and tell me to move along.

She listened to Frontier Grit first, and after hearing a bit of the book and listening to her high praise of the stories, I downloaded a copy for myself. We listened to the audiobook on Hoopla through our library (the narrator was very good), but you can also pick up a copy on Amazon.com, local bookstores, or request a copy at your library if they don't already have one.

The women and stories she shares are truly amazing. Their frontier experiences, tales of adventure, and amazing determination will make you think you're listening to wild fiction--but it's all true and equally inspiring.

I can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for a summer read/listen, I highly suggest Frontier Grit.

i am sleepless: traitors (book 3) is coming!!!

6/15/2018

We're getting close, my friends. Very close. I have the concept art back from my cover designer, Sky Young, and he just needs to add details to the face and suit and the cover will be ready. (see concept art below)

As for the book, I'm almost ready to send it off to my editor. What does that mean? It means you can expect Traitors to be released sometime in August. (Exciting, I know!) And if you thought books 1-2 were a fun-filled adventure thrill ride, just wait until this book. When your own heart gets pumping and you're excited to read your own writing like I've bee with this book, you know it's going to be a great story.

Stay tuned and be sure to join my Reader Club to get the latest updates. I have a few more fun announcenements to make later over the Summer months.

Concept art for I Am Sleepless: Traitors (book 3)

STORYTIME FROM MY visit to the er

6/7/2018

(Imagine this scenario with any other service industry, like say at an auto shop. I share a fun example at the end.)

I threw my back out 3 weeks ago. I was in severe pain and could barely move, so my wife took me to the ER at Baylor Scott & White Lakepointe hospital. There were a number of people in the lobby and we asked how long it would take to be seen. They said they were not sure, but that we could check-in and get "triaged."

The triage consisted of taking my temperature and blood pressure (3 minutes tops). Oh, and they asked my pain level, which I told them was a level 10. Which if you've ever seen the Brian Reagan comedy routine about ER's, that means I was right up there with childbirth and having my femur bone cracked in half.

They said, "great" and sent me back out to the lobby.

Ah, the ER lobby. A place of pain, coughing, fevers, moaning, and wondrous delight. It was here that we waited, and waited, and waited for 2.5 hours in the lobby. No one, and I mean not a single patient, was admitted into the ER to see a doctor during that whole time. All of these poor other folks and myself just sat in the lobby watching reruns of Bones and practices our bad lip reading skills since the volume was so low no one could hear the show. "I love tacos, Bones, and the Senator died of Chicken Fizz at high noon. No it was monkeys and bread. Definitely monkeys and bread." (My skilled lip reading interpretation.)

A handful of other patients, who'd been waiting a few hours (yes, I said a few hours) longer than we'd been waiting, got up and left the ER to go seek care elsewhere. We asked the front desk (where we were triaged) how much longer they anticipated the wait would be and they said 3-4 hours!!! Seriously! So now you know the wait time?

We told them we couldn't wait that long and we left to go to an urgent care facility. They said "okay, no problem" with a friendly smile as we left.

But now I imagine them tapping their fingers together and saying, "excellent" like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons as soon as we, and all the other patients, left the ER lobby to go elsewhere. Why? Because 3 weeks later we get a bill for $250 from the ER!!!

Yes, that's no typo. They charged me $250 for taking my temperature and blood pressure, oh, and for making me making me sit in writhing pain for 2.5 hours.

I called Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Lake Pointe to contest the bill and they said once you're triaged and they take your vitals, they charge you for it and there's nothing you can do about it.

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!

The amazing thing to me is that all of those patients who left the lobby before me are going to get charged $250 for being "triaged."

I need to get in on this "triage" racket. Seriously, that's what it is--a racket!

Customer service also said, "if you had just asked to see a doctor and not been triaged, you would not have been charged when you left."

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS?!? We went to the front desk, and they asked me to follow them behind the door to get checked in and to take my vitals.

There wasn't a sign or warning we were about to get charged $250. They didn't give me a choice and say I could just wait to be seen by a doctor.

Can you imagine this scenario with any other service industry?

Say you took your car in for an oil change.
Customer: How long's the wait?
Mechanic: Oh, we've got people ahead of you, but we'll get you in as soon as we can. Why don't we get you checked in and I'll look at the oil level and check your tire pressure while you wait.
Customer: Okay, thank you
(2.5 hours later)
Customer: So do you have any idea how much longer it will be before you can change my oil?
Mechanic: Actually, like 3-4 hours.
Customer: Okay, well I can't wait that long. I'm going to go head somewhere else.
Mechanic: No problem.
They retrieve your car and hand you your keys, along with a bill.
Mechanic: That will be $250
Customer: What? You haven't done anything.
Mechanic: Oh, we checked your oil and tire pressure
Customer: That took like 3 minutes and I can do that myself from home.
Customer: Yeah, but we have to charge you since you checked in.
Customer: Um, you never said it would be $250.
Mechanic: Well, if you'd asked for "only" an oil change and not had the check-in, then we wouldn't have charged you.
Customer: Well, you didn't tell me any of this up front. I'm not paying.
Mechanic: If you don't, we'll have to send the bill to collections and it will destroy your credit, which means you can't get that new minivan your wife wants, and you'll be stuck renting forever, so your wife will leave you for Antonio who owns that Italian restaurant around the corner, you'll go bankrupt paying alimony, and live on the streets for a year before a buddy of yours gives you a job working at his auto shop.
Customer: Uhmm, wow, okay. Yeah, I'll pay the bill. I love my wife too much. And thanks for the tip about Antonio (I really loved their lasagna).

Can you see where I'm heading with this? I could replay this same scenario with lots of other services and it would be just as ridiculous.

Needless to say, I will never go back to a Baylor Scott & White hospital again. And if you go to an ER, be sure to ask if they're going to charge you for the triage, how much it costs, and if you can just see a doctor instead.

SCHOOL VISITS ARE THE BEST

4/13/2018

I had a blast hanging out with the sixth graders at Bettye Myers Middle School. They're getting ready to start their creative story projects this week and Mrs. Thomas invited me to talk with them about ways to boost creativity and write engaging stories. After seeing their creativity in person, I know they'll have some amazing stories to share. #futureauthors #creativity #storytellers

To any teachers and librarians in Dallas-Fort Worth area, I'd love to join your class. I offer interactive and inspirational class presentations about creativity, storytelling, the importance of stories, and what it's like to be an author. I can customize the presentation for your needs and I don't charge anything (It's all FREE). Plus, I like to raffle off a few signed copies and bookmarks at the end of the presentations.

If you're interested (or know someone who might be), feel free to contact me to schedule a visit.

SCHEDULE AN AUTHOR VISIT

4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace (Now in Audio!)

4/7/2018

I'm excited to announce that 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace is available as an audiobook!!! Now you have another a great book to listen to on those spring break and summer vacation road trips. Just saying : )

This project has been 1.5 years in the making and I'm excited to share it with the world. You can listen to a sample and grab yourself a copy at any of the fine establishments listed below.

BONUS: You can download the book for FREE when you sign up for a free trial with Audible. (sweet!)

FREE EBOOKS & ENTER TO WIN $50 (ends April 20th)I've joined forces with a number of other authors to give away 40+ fantasy ebooks. All of these books have a content rating (kind of like a movie rating), listed below the title. Simply pick and choose the books you want to download.

GET YOUR FREE BOOKS

And feel free to spread the word about these free ebooks with your reading friends who love free stuff. My novelette, The Fourth Law of Kanaloa, is one of the freebies on the list of 40+ books. If you don't already own it, you can grab yourself a free copy!
Did I emphasize FREE enough?

Y'all are the best and thanks for reading. I want to give special thanks to those who've left reviews for my books on Amazon.com. (You're the best!)

And if you 've read one of my books and haven't left a review for it yet, here's your reminder along with a virtual high five as appreciation : )

Until next time,
Johan

Do you want to liven up your next book club?

2/24/2018

Do you want to liven up your next book club meeting? Let me help with...

Free ebook copies for everyone in your club
A 10-20 min live Q&A video chat
A giveaway for a signed paperback copy

If this sounds like fun, head over ot my BOOK CLUB VISITS page and send me a message. Let me know which book you want to read, along with the date/time of your meeting. I'd love to join you!

The Tip Top Thursday Book Club (Columbus, GA)

Here are some pictures the Tip Top Thursday Book Club sent me after our video chat. One of their members, Helen, reached out to me to let me know they were discussing 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace later that week. She was so nice that I offered to do a video chat during their meeting.

The Tip Top ladies were a blast to talk with and I had so much fun that I thought, "Why not offer to do this all the time?"

LONESTAR.INK RISING STAR AWARD

2/15/2018

I had a great time at the Lonestar.Ink Writing Conference last week and I was honored to receive the Rising Star Award. Thanks to everyone who participated at the conference and for the kind recognition. It was a great event.

21 FREE BOOKS AND THE REST ARE $0.99

12/26/2017

Looking for a way to spend the rest of your holiday break?
How about books? Lots, and lots of books?

I'm running a special promo with 20 other authors, giving away 21 books for free. Book 1 in my I Am Sleepless series is just one of the free books available. Check them outand download whatever catches your fancy.

GET YOUR FREE BOOKS

Plus, the rest of my books are $0.99

And check out the new cover of The Fourth Law of Kanaloa!

GET YOUR $0.99 BOOKS TODAY!

Thanks for reading my books and I especially want to thank everyone for their reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads. Your reviews help potential readers decide to give my stories a try.

Feel free to tell your friends, family, book clubs, and all of your reading buddies about the free book promo this week. The more the merrier.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays,
Johan

THE FOURTH LAW OF KANALOA GETS A NEW COVER

12/11/2017

I decided to give The Fourth Law of Kanaloa a new and improved cover. Here's what I came up with this past weekend. What do you think?

The Fourth Law of Kanaloa

After having a number of readers tell me they weren't sure what to expect from my original cover, or that they never would have picked up the original book (because of the cover, but a friend suggested the book), I decided to give it a complete overhaul.

The goal was to get across the modern fairy tale and romance aspects of the story. Hopefully, those goals were accomplished. To be honest, I had the hardest time finding an image of an African-American mermaid, since my main character is an African-American jazz singer from the 40's who's eventually...wait, I don't want to give spoilers away.

But stock photo sites just didn't have what I needed, so I had to put my average photoshop skills to work on this one.

I'd love to hear what you think of the new cover. And if you haven't read the story, it's a bite-size tale that you can finish in 1-2 hours (only 5 chapters long). Enjoy!

CAN I JOIN YOUR NEXT BOOK CLUB?

9/6/2017

Are you part of a book club?
If the answer is "yes," then I'd love to hear how you run your book club, your format, and how you decide which books to read. Also, I'd love to join your group for a night via video chat (either to discuss one of my booksor to talk about writing in general).

I want to join your next meeting!
Book clubs consist of some of the most dedicated and well-versed readers out there (my kind of people). If your book club is interested in reading one of my stories, send me a message and I'll send your group free copies of the ebook (and possibly some paperbacks to share, though sending a bunch of paperbacks gets pricey).

Both 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace, and 30 Red Dresses are great for bookclubs. They come with discussion questions in the back to kickstart your meeting. And what a better way to discuss the book than with moi, the author, via video chat!

So if you'd like some free books for your book club, and/or your club is interested in chatting with me via video chat, just click the button below to send me a message from my contact page at www.johantwiss.com.

IINVITE JOHAN TO YOUR BOOK CLUB

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS. LOTS OF FREEBIES!

8/30/2017

On a much happier and less frustrating note than uploading the wrong book last week (at least for me), below are links to dozens of free ebooks. I've teamed up with different groups of authors to give away books in co-op promotions. Feel free to check them out and find your next reads!

I MADE A BIG MISTAKE UPDATING A BOOK LAST WEEK!

8/30/2017

I MADE A BIG MISTAKE! I made a big mistake last week, and no, it wasn't eating the double-fisted burrito from Beto's Street Taco stand. You know when you do something dumb on accident, but have no idea you did it until some kind soul tells you later? (*facepalm*) Yeah, that happened to me yesterday.
If anyone downloaded 4 Years Trapped In My Mind Palace in the last week, I apologize.
I was trying to be fancy and update the book with new book club discussion questions at the end of the book, but somehow I accidentally uploaded a completely different story (my new release, 30 Red Dresses) to the Amazon listing for 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace.

Dozens of people who downloaded the book were met with a surprise when they started reading. Instead of getting a YA historical fantasy novel, they were treated to a human trafficking thriller novella. (both books are good, just not what the readers were expecting)
HOW TO UPDATE YOUR COPYA kind reader told me about the mistake and I went to work fixing it late last night. The correct book is now listed on Amazon.com.
And for those who downloaded the book in the last week, click the link below for instructions on how to update the ebook to the correct version (Amazon doesn't update it automatically). Over the next three days, Amazon.com should email everyone who's downloaded the book in the past, letting them know that an updated (and correct) version of the ebook is available. (I contacted Amazon and they are helping get the word out about the update. Go Amazon!)

HOW TO UPDATE YOUR COPY OF THE EBOOK

Thanks for understanding, oh kind readers and reviewers!

Wishing you all the best,
Johan

CALLING ALL BETA READERS!

7/5/2017

My new story, 30 RED DRESSES, is ready for test readers. It's a short novella (about 1/2 the length of a full novel) and needs some outside feedback before the final edits.

If you're interested in being a test reader, go to the following link and fill-out the contact box. Enter the subject line: BETA READ 30 RED DRESSES.

http://www.johantwiss.com/contact.html

I'll email you back with a copy of the book and a few instructions. You don't have to be a grammar whiz to beta read. Mostly, I'm looking for feedback on the overall story, characters, where was it confusing or slow, etc...

Plus, there will be a prize drawing for beta readers. I'm giving away Amazon gift cards and signed copies of the paperback (to ship after it's published).

Thanks again!
Johan

UPCOMING EVENTS

6/28/2017

I'll be attending (and teaching) at a number of upcoming conferences and events. Here's what's on the calendar now and I'm sure there will be more to come. If you're in the area, stop by to say hi. Most of the writing conferences will have book signings at the end that are open to the public.

Author Indie Hub Midwest Conference

IAH MIDWEST WRITING CONFERENCE
Kansas City, MO - Sep 22-23, 2017

I'll be teaching a class on sensory writing called, Can You Smell the Colors of the Wind?

Kanab Writing Conference

KANAB WRITING CONFERENCE
Kanab, UT - Oct 20-21, 2017

I'll be teaching two classes at the conference.
1. 20,000 Free Books Under the Sea (How to build our readership with free books)
2. DIY Book Cover Design

LONESTAR.INK WRITING CONFERENCE
Dallas, TX - Feb 2-3, 2018

I've been asked to emcee this innagural conference at the Downtown Dallas Public Library and it's shaping up to be awesome! There will be a number of amazing instructors and I'll be teaching a few classes and signing books at the library.

LDSTORYMAKERS WRITING CONFERENCE
Provo, UT - May 3-5, 2018

I'm submitting to teach at this conference that I love so much and will be at the Saturday evening book signing.

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME? (JOHAN)

6/14/2017

Inevitably, people wonder how to pronounce my name when I meet them. Some call me Jo-Ann, or Jo-Han, and even the occasional Ja-Han. I don't get upset or annoyed with these mispronuciations. Why should I? Their harmless mistakes and I know I've butchered the names of many others myself.

To help clarify, I came up with the following example, which then turned into the banner for my JT's READER CLUB. Now, not only do you know how to pronounce my name, but you can join my Reader Club to extra goodies, freebies, and exclusive stories.

How to pronounce Johan

STORYMAKERS '17 BOOK SIGNING PICS

6/9/2017

I had a blast attending the Storymakers conference this year. This is my third time at the conference and it's always fun to see familiar faces, attend great workshops, and make new friends.

Here are some pics from the book signing. I had a bunch of other pictures from the conference, but they all came out fuzzy.

Other conference highlights included sitting at the VIP table with authors James Dashner, Sarah Eden, and Dustin Hansen!

MULTI-AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING IN UTAH

5/1/2017

Johan Twiss Book Signing Provo, Utah

I'll be part of a multi-author book signing in Provo, Utah on Saturday, May 13 (5-6pm) at the Utah Valley Convention Center. There will be dozens of other authors across a wide variety of genres, along with many NYT bestsellers in attendance to sign books.

If you're in the area and want to get a book signed (or just want to stop by to say hi), come by and see me!

Plus, I'll have a fancy new banner up behind me to make it easier to find my table.

Johan Twiss Book Signing