5 Tips on Creating an Author Website As the First Step in Your Online Marketing Strategy

By Karen Cioffi

There is an abundance of website design and hosting services on the internet. You can get services that handle both the design and the hosting, or services that provide one or the other. Whatever your needs, there is a service out there for you. But... consumer beware.
Some design/ hosting website services prey on unsuspecting and naïve authors or individuals and charge to not only create a site, but they keep control of managing the site. The customer is only allowed to add or edit content on the site.
This means the author can't add links, change images, or tweak the site for SEO optimization, such as page title optimization. I get upset when I hear of occurrences like this. There is no reason why a design and hosting service needs to control website functions and features to the point that an author or individual needs to pay the service to add or delete a simple link.
Authors need to be aware. There is so much information online advising the basic dos and don'ts of creating a website, but you do need to do a bit of research to find it. There are plenty of legitimate and reasonable services out there. If you're confused or uncertain, ask around.
Here are 5 starting tips to create an author website:
1. Choose an effective domain name. Think about it carefully. You want a name that will be search engine effective, reflect what the site is about, and is able to grow with you (unless you are creating the site for a specific book). You can also use the subheading to elaborate on the domain name.
2. Decide if you have the skills, or want to learn them, to create a website of your own.
3. If you decide you need help with creating a website, look for someone who wants to establish themselves as a website creator, or someone who does it in her spare time, or a writing/marketing service that does it as more of a courtesy to clients, you will pay much less. And, try to make arrangements that will include the designer teach you how to manage your own site. This will make updates, changes, and posting much easier, and cost free.
4. If you feel you can create your own, you can choose a free hosting site, such as WordPress, Weebly, or Blogger. On the flip side, if the thought of having to create a website feels daunting, go for Blogger.com; it's very user friendly and good for beginners. And with its updates, it has a number of features much like a website.
5. Keep in mind that down the road you may want to have a website that can be effectively optimized and that's more SEO versatile, so you may want to have a paid WordPress site from the beginning. The prices range from around $7 to $12 per month - depending on how long you sign up for. And, they have occasional specials where you can sign up for as low as $3.95 per month.
While these five tips are the starting point for your author website, they will hopefully help you from being taken to the website hosting/design cleaners.

Book Touring-Living the Dream or Not?

By Gin Williams

As with any good singing tour, a book tour requires as much preparation prior to push off as do the dates themselves. Knowing appropriate venues, high traffic locations, and timing, timing, timing is just the beginning.
If the subject content of your book is more appropriate to a coastal venue, then a coastal book tour should be planned following days of grunt work finding locations which includes: (a) bookstores, (b) gift shops, (c) historical societies, (d) maritime museums, and (e) libraries.
Again, alluding to timing, consideration must be given to the pertinent season. Additionally, holidays should be excluded as these are either not included in "business as usual" or likewise booked with more grand affair.
Concurrently as the route is set and venues engaged, time and money should be invested in promotional materials such as:
1. postcards
2. bookmarks
3. business cards
4. host engagement letters
5. updates and corrections to flyers
Coinciding with the engagement of event locations has to be the formulation of press releases and research into where and who should receive the information as well as being cognizant of release deadlines along with pictures should the newspaper accept them with the press release article. (Proof carefully the press release as you did the manuscript for typos, grammar, or other edit problems.)
Of course, an honest assessment of inventory needed for the entire tour must be given serious deliberation. Books in sufficient quantity must be available or have been ordered and timely delivery promised so that these are available to load with all the promotional materials.
Can a book tour be considered "Living the Dream"? What could be better than the expected promotion and sales of your book on a beautiful trip in a gorgeous area of our country being paid for along the way?
It is amazing how book sales can began to escalate up the ladder when you provide the appropriate audience corroborating evidence of a successful target market. Besides the scheduled events, give equal time to "cold calling" book and gift stores; any venue that might have interest in your subject matter. And how much better it is to walk into an appropriate facility without an advance book signing commitment and simply sell sets of books and walk back out with cash in hand without any of the accompanying time commitments normally demanded of a scheduled event!
Experiment and think outside the box when contemplating event sites. Many times if an enthusiastic venue is discovered, they will be more than happy to refer you to additional establishments who would be happy to engage your publication for sale and many of these might not have been previously considered.
It is amazing how much easier book sales can go when you sell your site specific or topic specific book to the appropriate audience. So where is your target market? Has that idea been considered as carefully as the plot? Is the book appropriate to historical libraries? Are there university collections that would be interested? Consider how certain industry shows might be the best promotion--boat show, gun or doll show--what is the genre of your publication? (Been to a Star Trek convention lately?) Secure a table and peddle away as a by-product of the show's target traffic and focus toward your publication as an adjunct to the convention.
Have you done the research into who would most appreciate the genre or information you have published? Most of us don't have the support of an agent or the luxury of mega-bucks or corporate sponsors who will provide promotion. There are, however, endless resources for where and how your book's subject is best utilized and appreciated. You spent the time to write and publish--now develop a plan; research and promote your book with the same enthusiasm. Do not expect to sit back on your heels once the book is published whether through an agent or self-published. Don't think for a minute the work is done--let the agency handle the marketing. Now the real work begins--find and target your readership--then develop a marketing plan and stick to it. Monitor and keep track of the plan to develop a chart of where it is successful and where it isn't. If your best bet is a book tour where you can lay your publication into the hands of those who will work to sell it for you--great! (And isn't that what you want?) A successful book tour can definitely be considered "living the dream".

10 Ways to Become a Change Agent the Moment You Get the Idea for a Book That Inspires Change

By Nina Amir 
If you are a writer who wants to author books that inspire positive action in readers, you must see yourself as a change agent. You want to "author change." You can't wait until you hold the book in your hands, though, to start inspiring change.
Books that inspire change take different forms. They can be novels or nonfiction. They cover many topics: self-help, spirituality, human potential, ecology, the economy, metaphysics, health and wellness, consciousness, justice, equality, and more. And they inspire change in individuals, organizations, communities, and the world.
You might have what it takes to be an author of change. You might have wisdom, experiences, information, or a story. You might be able to write, to create a sound structure for a book and even to self-publish successfully or land a traditional publishing deal.
But the moment that the light bulb goes off and you have the idea for a change-inspiring book, you have to take action. You have to become a change agent immediately. It takes a while to write a book and get it published. It can take a year and a half if you traditionally publish--and that's after you finish writing the book and find an agent and publisher. Even if you self-publish, you have to write the book, have it edited and proofed and get a cover designed (and the interior of the book as well if you don't just produce an ebook); this can take 3-12 months.
Start doing what it takes to author change right away. Here are 10 ways to accomplish this goal:

1. Have a mission. Know why you feel compelled to write your book. Define your purpose. Combine your passion with a purpose. Passion + Purpose = Inspiration.
2. Know the benefits of your movement or cause. People will get on board and take up your cause-actually act on your proposed change-if they understand the benefit to themselves, to others or to the world. Figure out the value your message adds.
3. Broadcast your mission. Communicate about your cause. Let people know why you are doing what you are doing. Share your purpose and your passion and your message. When you feel inspired, your inspiration will become contagious. Use all the social networks-Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn (or choose two tow which you can really commit). Talk about it everywhere.
4. Set up a blog. You and your message need to be discoverable online. That's where people search for everything, so broadcast your message in cyberspace. A blog gives you a "home" on the Internet, and a way to get that website more easily found by readers.
5. Blog in a focused manner. Have a content plan or a focus for your blog that pertains to your book, your cause and your message. Better yet, blog your book. Stay on topic and blog often about the change you want to inspire.
6. Create online community. Develop a place where people who want to get on board with your message or cause can do so. Start a forum or a subscription site. Build more followers and fans with a Facebook page, LinkedIn group, Google+ hangout, Twitter Chat, etc.
7. Connect with like-minded online "influencers" and friends. Get other people with more reach than yours-to join your cause and to promote it. Ask those you know to help promote.
8. Build community offline. Promote your idea everywhere. Start MeetUps. Create masterminds. Go to conferences. Join organizations.
9. Use every possible tool. Try podcasting or free radio shows so your content is on iTunes. Create YouTube videos. Produce photos and post them to Instagram.
10. See yourself as more than just an author. See yourself as a change agent-an author of change.

Of course, then you need to write your book-a book that actually inspires readers to action. And you need to choose the publishing path that is right for you. If you do all of these things, the people who will have gathered around you will take your message out into the world; they'll be waiting to buy your book so they can use it to create the change you propose. You will have authored change and created a community of change agents ready to use your book to continue creating change in their lives and in the world.
You also need to transform yourself into the type of writer and person who can author change-someone who can write a change-inspiring book, create and lead a community of people ready to take up your cause or spread your message, produce a successful (marketable) book, and attract a publisher or become an indie publisher.
If you feel resistance about any of the 10 items above, you might first need to consider how you need to change to become an author of change. You might need to look at becoming an you need to change before you take on becoming an author of change in the world at large or becoming an author of a change-inspiring book.

How to write a book – the short honest truth

Every author I know gets asked the same question: How do you write a book?
It’s a simple question, but it causes unexpected problems. On the one hand, it’s nice to have people interested in something I do. If I told people I fixed toasters for a living, I doubt I’d get many inquires. People are curious about writing and that’s cool and flattering. Rock on.
But on the other hand, the hand involving people who ask because they have an inkling to do it themselves, is that writing books is a topic so old and so well trod by so many famous people that anyone who asks me, with the serious intent of discovering secret advice from my small brain and limited writing experience, is hard to take seriously.
Here’s the short honest truth: 20% of the people who ask me are hoping to hear this – Anyone can write a book. They want permission. The truth is you don’t need any. There is no license required. No test to take. Writing, as opposed to publishing, requires almost no financial or physical resources. A pen, paper and effort are all that has been required for hundreds of years. If Voltaire and Marquis de Sade could write in prison, then you can do it in suburbia, at lunch, at work, or after your kids go to sleep.
If you want to write, kill the magic: a book is just a bunch of writing. Anyone can write a book. It might suck or be incomprehensible, but so what: it’s still a book. Nothing is stopping you right now from collecting all of your elementary school book reports, or drunken napkin scribbles, binding them together at kinkos for $20, slapping a title on the cover, and qualifying as an author. Want to write a good book? Ok, but get in line since most pro authors are still trying to figure that out too.
Writing a good book, compared to a bad one, involves one thing. Work. No one wants to hear this, but if you take two books off any shelf, I’ll bet my pants the author of the better book worked harder than the author of the other one. Call it effort, study, practice, whatever. Sure there are tricks here and there, but really writing is a kind of work.
Getting published. 30% of the time the real thing people are asking is how do you find a publisher. As if there wasn’t a phone book or, say, an Internet-thingy where you can look this stuff up. Writers-market is literally begging to help writers find publishers. Many publishers, being positive on the whole idea of communication, put information on how to submit material on their website. And so do agents. The grand comedy of this is how few writers follow the instructions. That’s what pisses off all the editors: few writers do their homework.
The sticking point for most wanna-be published authors is, again, the work. They want to hear some secret that skips over the hard parts. Publishers are rightfully picky and they get pitched a zillion books a day. It takes effort to learn the ropes, send out smart queries, and do the research required to both craft the idea for a book, and then to propose it effectively. So while writing is a rejection prone occupation, even for the rock-stars, finding a publisher is not a mystery. In fact the whole game is self-selective: people who aren’t willing to do the leg-work of getting published are unlikely to be capable of the leg-work required to finish a decent manuscript.
But that said – it’s easier today to self-publish than ever. Really. But again, this requires work, so many prefer to keep asking writers how they got published instead of just doing it themselves. I self published my last book, and you can read what I learned from it here.
Being famous and wealthy: Now this is the kicker. About 50% of the time the real thing people want to know is how to become a famous millionaire rock-star author dude. As if a) I qualified, b) I could explain how it happened, or c) I’d be willing to tell.
First, this assumes writing is a good way to get rich. Not sure how this one started but writing, like most creative pursuits, has always been a less than lucrative lifestyle. Even if a book sells well, the $$$$ to hour ratio will be well below your average corporate job, without the health benefits, sick days, nor the months where you can coast by without your boss noticing. These days people write books after they’re famous, not before. And if the only books you read are bestsellers, well, you have a myopic view of the publishing world. Over 100k books are published in the US annually, and few sell more than a few thousand copies, and what causes books to sell may have little to do with how good a book is. Either way, to justify the effort you’ll need reasons other than cash.
Discouraged yet? Good. Here is the upside: I love writing books. I love reading books. I love the entire notion that people can make things up in their mind and then make them real on a page, for the pleasure or utility of someone else. That’s just awesome. If you like writing, if you enjoy the bittersweetness of chasing words into sentences, then you might love writing books too, despite, or even because of, everything I said above. If so, get to work – now :)
http://scottberkun.com/2007/how-to-write-a-book-the-short-honest-truth/

REVIEW: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Audiobook

Summary: Katey Kontent and her roommate meet Tinker Gray by chance on New Year's Eve 1937 at a jazz bar in Greenwich Village. Both girls are fascinated by the sophisticated yet boyish banker and the trio struck up an immediate if tenuous friendship. That meeting and the resulting friendship leads to far-reaching consequences for each of their lives. The novel focuses on Katey's life and choices of the following year, as she finds herself forming new relationships and mingling in the upper echelons of New York society.

First Line: "On the night of October 4th, 1966, Val and I, both in late middle age, attended the opening of Many Are Called at the Museum of Modern Art—the first exhibit of the portraits taken by Walker Evans in the 1930s on the New York subway with a hidden camera."

Tracy's Thoughts: First, let me say that I adored this book. Amor Towles's rich language and vivid description bring to life a fully realized world and nuanced characters I did not want to leave behind. I don't think the setting could have been any better depicted. The dialog, the real-life settings—everything comes together perfectly to recreate the golden ear of Manhattan, reminiscent of classic movies starring the likes of Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, or Katherine Hepburn. Towles creates a lush yet uneasy world of artifice and hidden agendas that intrigues and delights. For its emphasis on betrayals, disappointments, class tensions and iniquities, Rules of Civility has even been compared to works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

But Katey is not your average socialite-wannabe. She is also a bit of an enigma herself, having recreated herself more than once, but she does not put on airs or deny her humble origins. She is a devoted reader (an interest which plays quietly but significantly into her story) and is determined to earn her own way. As a narrator, Katey is sharp-tongued, witty, and just a little vulnerable. As her choices throughout the year reveal their consequences, the reader can't help but feel her disappointment, uncertainty, and determination. As circumstances shift and new opportunities arise, Katey proves herself a worthy—though far from perfect—heroine.

Instead of huge events, this is a novel full of a series of small revelations and shifts in circumstance that simultaneously feel both startling and inevitable. Earlier clues and dropped threads reappear in a way that feels natural and realistic rather than manipulative. But ultimately, this is a book that will appeal to readers more interested in character development that plot-driven narratives.With its careful, subtle plotting, intriguing characters, and atmospheric setting, it was the perfect book for me. It is a superbly told story of random chance, everyday life-altering decisions, and reinvention. All in all, a perfect read as the New Year approaches.

Three classic fairytales by Oscar Wilde

Three classic fairytales by Oscar Wilde that sparkle with wit and enchantment. They have been beautifully reproduced with unabridged text and using the original illustrations from one of the 20th century's foremost and illustrious illustrators, Charles Robinson. His vibrant and evocative watercolour and line drawings together with Wilde's seamless prose make this a timeless treasure for the whole family to enjoy -- lovereading beautiful ... a gift edition to treasure -- Parentsintouch.co.uk a fantastic gift to be treasured by a new generation of children -- Dubray Books beautifully designed by Emma Byrne -- Irish Independent particularly welcome -- Irish Times timeless treasure -- Sunday Independent beautifully illustrated -- Connemara Journal a book that can be enjoyed by all ages -- Connemara Journal particularly welcome -- Irish Times stunning -- Inkandpaperhearts.wordpress.com perfect Christmas present for young readers and a wonderful addition to any collection -- Inkandpaperhearts.wordpress.com features some of the most beautiful illustrations I have ever seen in a children's book -- RaisingIreland.com I cannot recommend this book enough -- RaisingIreland.com Get it now; read it on your own, read it to your kids, read it to an old person in a home, just read it. It truly is wonderful -- RaisingIreland.com one of those wonderful children's hardback books that is a 'keeper' -- MyKidsTime.ie the colour illustrations are stunning -- MyKidsTime.ie would make a lovely Christmas present or even a present for a new baby as a classic book they will always have -- MyKidsTime.ie a nice way to introduce them to a classic author but in an easy way -- Mumstown.ie very nice, definitely one to keep on the bookshelves for years -- Mumstown.ie beautiful reproduction -- Kim Harte perfect Xmas gift for young and old -- Kim Harte dreamlike and beautiful -- Bookwitch no child's bookshelf should be without an Oscar Wilde collection - ideally, this beautiful new edition -- Irish Mail on Sunday a delightful publication -- The Primary Planet --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

P.J. Lynch was born in Belfast in 1962, the youngest of five children. He studied art at Brighton Art College (where one of the tutor's was Raymond Biggs) and is now a well-established and critically acclaimed artist. He has won the Irish Bisto Award, the Kate Greenaway Medal (twice) and the Mother Goose Award.

Kahlil Gibran Poet and Book Cover

"His power came from some great reservoir of spiritual life else it could not have been so universal and so potent, but the majesty and beauty of the language with which he clothed it were all his own." -- Claude Bragdon

Kahlil Gibran on Love

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Books Cover: The Science of The Bottom Line by Oliver Munday

Books Cover: The Science of The Bottom Line by Oliver Munday

 another story about

Bottom line in hunt for stroke cure as scientists study cells from patients' buttocks

 

Scientists are hoping to get to the bottom of stroke – by studying cells from patients’ buttocks.
Glasgow University researchers believe that changes in microscopic blood vessels in the samples will shed light on what goes wrong in the brain.
While the idea may seem odd, the blood vessels of interest are found around the body – and the buttocks are much more accessible than the brain.
The study centres on a devastating inherited condition called Cadasil, in which patients suffer repeated strokes which can eventually do so much damage that they develop dementia. 
Some will suffer their first stroke in their 20s and need round-the-clock care from their 40s.
With a child of an affected parent having a 50/50 chance of developing the disease themselves, some people will be caring for a loved one while mindful that they too could fall ill at any time.
Treatment is limited to easing symptoms such as depression when they occur and doing things like stopping smoking and living healthily to reduce the risk of stroke.
The Stroke Association-funded study could also provide vital information about ‘normal’ strokes.
Researcher Keith Muir, a neurologist and stroke specialist, said: ‘Cadasil is an important problem in its own right. 
‘It causes significant disability among people who are typically quite young and is much more common than previously thought.

 

More...

‘It might also have important things to tell us about other common forms of stroke.
‘Understanding both would be of great benefit.’
Some 150,000 Britons suffer a stroke each year and the condition is the biggest cause severe disability, with more than half of survivors left dependent on others for help with day to day life.
Although most people won’t have heard if it, Cadasil affects around 1 in 10,000 Britions, making it as common as motor neurone disease.
It is already known the condition is caused by a fault in a gene that makes a protein found in microscopic blood vessels around the body.
Diseased blood vessels can’t open and close properly in response to changes in blood pressure.
This affects blood flow to the brain and raises the odds of strokes.
It is hoped the blood vessels in the buttock samples taken from eight patients will shed more light on what exactly does wrong and pave the way for treatments.

Some 150,000 Britons suffer a stroke each year and the condition is the biggest cause of severe disability

With up to a quarter of normal strokes bearing some of the hallmarks of Cadasil, any findings could have wider implications.
Dr Madina Kara, of the Stroke Association, said: ‘Cadasil is the most common cause of inherited stroke.
‘People who are affected by the condition are more likely to have recurrent strokes from mid-adulthood and can suffer from depression, complex disability and dementia.
‘Often people with Cadasil have to care for disabled relatives whilst knowing they too may develop the disease.
‘While the affected gene has been identified, it is unclear how the defect results in the disease and there is currently no proven treatment for those with Cadasil.
‘Our findings could further our knowledge of this devastating condition and help to develop treatments in the long term.’
Professor Muir said: ‘It seems like a big opportunity to intervene at a stage when you could stop disability.
‘If you could come up with something that might be effective, the potential gains are huge.
‘For those who are in their 20s and 30s and see their future as being pretty bleak, it could make a big difference.’

REVIEW: Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger, Illustrated by Cece Bell

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Picture Book/Humor
Audience: Pre-K–Grade 2

Summary: Crankee Doodle is bored. But when his pony helpfully suggests several possible solutions for the tedium, Crankee is unreceptive and becomes increasingly contrary with each of the pony's ideas.

First Line: "I'm bored."

Tracy's Thoughts: The song "Yankee Doodle" has never made much sense to me, but I absolutely loved singing it as a kid. (Truthfully, it's still kind of fun to sing.) But in this hilarious picture book, the nonsense lyrics take on new life and even get a bit of much needed clarification.

The illustrations are simple, in bold primary (and patriotic) colors. As Crankee becomes increasingly...well, cranky, squiggly, wavy lines are introduced in the background. Other subtle artistic touches add humor—particularly in the last pages, when Crankee and his pony finally make it to town. The highlight here, though, is Angleberger's (the Origami Yoda books) dialog between the cranky Yank and his pony. Crankee's escalating rants grow more and more long-winded and personal until  both characters unravel in complete (and highly hilarious!) meltdowns.This book makes for a great read aloud and will prove particularly relevant for a child in the midst of his own irritable day.

Cover Novel Domino

Novel Domino Karya Tanalyna Hasna adalah novel yang unik dan asyik sebagai bacaan remaja dewasa yang mengingatkan pembaca ke masa-masa di sekolah dahulu. Berikut ini bab pertama dari novel tersebut:

1

“Kita perlu buat target nggak?” Rizal bergumam.

Mia menyesap minumannya pelan, setengah memandang ke luar. Sementara Rizal membelokkan mobilnya ke kanan.

If you’re not the one then why does my soul feel glad, today

If you’re not the one then why does my hand fit yours, this way

If you are not mine then why does your heart return, my call

If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand, at all

I never know what the future brings

But I know you’re here with me now

We’ll make it through

And I hope you are the one I share my life with

Daniel Bedingfield melantunkan If You’re Not The One dari CD-player. Mia membesarkan sedikit volume-nya kemudian me-lirik ke sebelah kanan. Tepat pada saat itulah ia mendapati Rizal tengah serius mengemudi. “Mm… Target?” Tanya Mia.

Mata Rizal tidak berkedip memandang jalan yang berkabut tebal. “Iya, target. Sesuatu yang ingin kita capai.”

Mia mengernyitkan dahi. “Mm… Tapi sekarang kan bukan malam tahun baru.”

“Target bisa dibuat kapan aja kan?” Rizal menggerakkan stirnya sedikit ke kiri.

Mia tersenyum, mengangguk tiga kali menyetujui statemen Rizal, lalu meletakkan cup hot chocolate-nya yang sudah kosong di atas dasbor. “Target untuk tahun depan?”

Rizal tidak menjawab langsung. Lalu, “Target untuk lima tahun ke depan,” katanya, kemudian, “Targetku lima tahun ke depan adalah aku ingin bekerja di Jogja,” Rizal menekan remnya sedikit ketika ada gundukan polisi tidur. “Alasannya sederhana, aku suka kota itu, dan aku ingin hidup di kota itu.”

Mia memiringkan kepala sedikit. “Mm.... ya, aku juga suka Jogja.” Mia terdiam kemudian, ia masih belum menemukan apa targetnya. ”Aku nggak punya target, eh maksudku... aku belum punya ide bakal punya target seperti apa.”

Hening beberapa saat.

Setelah beberapa meter melaju, Rizal menoleh kiri dan melihat gadis di sebelahnya mematung. “Pastikan saja kita ketemu di Jogja, lima tahun lagi.”

Senyum Mia mengembang. Ini bukan suatu kemenangan, tapi ini tawaran yang menyenangkan. “Deal!” Mia meringis kemudian. “Lihat aja, lima tahun lagi aku bakal jadi bos kamu di Jogja.”

Rizal menganga. “Apa? Bos?! Bos apa?”

Mia menahan tawa. “Kita bekerja di perusahaan yang sama, tapi aku yang jadi bos, kamu jadi karyawanku, hahaha.”

“Enak aja! Mana bisa begitu?” Rizal menyahut cepat, protes. “Aku dua tahun lebih tua dari kamu, aku lebih cepat lulus kuliah, aku sudah ambil skripsi sementara kamu baru semester empat, weekkk,” ledeknya.

***

“Dia benar-benar seperti yang kuinginkan, Nadia.”

Mia menyesap teh hangatnya sambil tersenyum. Ia sudah mengulang-ulang kalimat itu setidaknya tujuh kali sejak Rizal meninggalkan mereka berdua di kantin keesokan harinya.

“Rizal benar-benar tipeku,” ujar Mia sambil mengambil pisang goreng. “Aku suka semua tentang Rizal. Period.. Hehehe.”

“Kamu harus ingat kata-katamu itu di waktu-waktu yang tidak bersahabat,” celutuk Nadia ikut mengambil gorengan. “Eh, kalian belum jadian juga sampai sekarang?”

Tepat saat itu terdengar suara gedubrakan dari arah samping. Keduanya menoleh. Sesosok laki-laki dengan tas laptop warna hitam setengah berlari ke arah mereka. “Makannn! Lapar aku nih!!” Ryan membanting tasnya dengan serabutan. Setelah sukses duduk dengan brutal, ia melambaikan tangan kepada salah satu karyawan kantin, “Mbak! Soto ayam, duaaa!”

Mia dan Nadia menggeleng-gelengkan kepala. “Ryan, calm!” gerutu Mia sebentar. Kepalanya kemudian miring menghadap Nadia. “Eh kamu tadi tanya apa, Nad?”

Nadia mengerjap. “Udah resmi belum sama Rizal?”

“Rizal?!” Ryan ikut nimbrung. “Ohya, kalian gimana tuh berdua? Belum resmi juga?”

Mia menyadari lirikan tajam dilemparkan Ryan dan Nadia ke arahnya, tapi ia pura-pura tidak peduli. Ia tahu persis apa yang ditanyakan sahabatnya itu, tetapi ia tidak tahu bagaimana menjawabnya, bagaimana menjelaskannya.

“Belom,” sahut Mia enteng.

Nadia mendongak lagi menatap Mia. “Jadi, dibiarkan tanpa status?”

“Yah, mungkin sementara ini, begini jadi lebih baik,” kata Mia sambil melemparkan senyum.

“People fall in love not knowing why or how sih ya? Ya udah lah, mungkin jalannya emang begitu. Hidup ini kan penuh misteri, kalau tidak kita jalani ya mana kita akan tahu itu salah atau benar, itu baik atau tidak,” Ryan berpendapat lumayan masuk akal. “Sebagai teman, aku dukung kamu sepenuhnya. Apapun itu, yang penting kamu nyaman.”

“Waa Ryan kata-katamu bijak sekali,” Mia dan Nadia sama-sama menatap Ryan dengan mata berkilat-kilat memuji.

***

Hari Minggu. Mia baru saja membuka mata. Setelah straching sebentar di atas kasur, ia beranjak ke jendela dan membuka tirai. Dari kamarnya di lantai dua, Mia bisa melihat jalan di depannya masih sepi lalu-lalang kendaraan. Mia tersenyum, menikmati angin sepoi-sepoi menggerakkan ranting pohon mangga di pekarangan rumah. Adegan melankolis memang, tapi udara pagi benar-benar menghipnotisnya memejamkan mata dan membiarkan angin pagi menusuki rusuk.

Hhmm sejuknya pagi ini, sempurna untuk mengawali hari.

Pletak!

Sebuah kerikil dilempar mengenai jendela Mia. Terkaget-kaget Mia membuka mata mencari sumber suara. Di bawah, tepat di jalan depan rumah, sesosok laki-laki berkaos putih melambaikan tangan. Ryan, tetangga yang otomatis terdaulat menjadi teman Mia sejak mereka bayi, tersenyum tengil mengangkat batu sebesar panci berlagak seolah-olah akan dilemparnya kepada Mia.

Mia melotot dan mengangkat genggaman tangannya. “Kalo gentlemen, sini adu jotos! Jangan cuma berani ngelempar batu!”

Ryan terkekeh dan meletakkan batu itu ke tempat semula. “Galak amat, Neng!” Ryan kemudian terbahak. “Lari yuk!” ajak Ryan mengedipkan mata kirinya. Ryan terlihat sangat casual dengan kaos putih, celana pendek warna biru tua, sepatu olah raga warna putih lusuh, dan handuk good morning bertengger di lehernya.

Sepuluh menit kemudian, Mia sudah bersama Ryan ber-jogging mengelilingi perumahan mereka. Setelah dua kali putaran, kaki mereka berteriak minta istirahat.

“Capeknyaaaaa,” keluh Mia mengusap wajah yang berkeringat dengan handuk kecil.

“Bagus dong, itu namanya sehat,” sahut Ryan duduk meluruskan kaki, “Kata orang, health is not everything, but without health everything is nothing.”

“Yaaaapp itu bener banget, seratooosss!” Mia berteriak menyetujui, mengacungkan jempol kirinya.

“Tumben kamu semangat jogging, biasanya setengah putaran minta berhenti,” ujar Ryan meledek, “Pasti semalam habis diapelin deh, trus dibilang gendutan, jadi sekarang niat banget olahraga biar kurus.”

“Yee sok tau!” Mia menonjok lengan Ryan. “Lagian siapaaa juga yang ngapelin.”

Ryan terbahak. “Yee curhat… Hahaha… Ya Rizal lah!”

Giliran Mia terbahak. “Enggak lah… Rizal semalam di perpustakaan kok.”

“Gebetan kamu rajin banget malam minggu ke perpustakaan?”

Mia menonjok lagi lengan Ryan hingga mengaduh. “Rizal kan sibuk nyelesaiin skripsi, wajar dong kalo tongkrongannya pindah ke perpus.”

“Kamu ini cari gebetan kok yang semester tua, ditinggalin melulu kan jadinya? Hahaha kasihan deh temenku ini…,” Ryan ngakak sambil mengacak rambut Mia yang basah berkeringat. Setelah lelah tertawa, Ryan beranjak dari duduk dan bersiap pergi.

Mia mendongak. “Ke mana?”

“Ya pulang ke rumah lah dong yaaa. Baru ngomongin Rizal bentar aja udah mencong-mencong kan otaknya, bener-bener deh cinta bikin saraf otak terganggu hahaha,” jawab Ryan sambil berlari kecil.

Setelah berjalan seratus meter, sampailah di depan rumah Mia. “Aku duluan ya, Yan,” Mia membuka pintu pagar.

Ryan mengerling. “Jam sepuluh aku mau nemenin Nadia ke Kampung Roti, mau join?”

“Mau dong mau dong mau dong!!” girang Mia. “Aku mau muffin-nya Kampung Roti, mau pisang caramelnya juga, hhhmm lezatoss!!”

“Iya udah sana buruan mandi, kagak pakai lama! Aku jemput, harus udah siap. Kalo belom siap, aku tinggal,” ancam Ryan.

Mia bergegas masuk ke dalam rumah. Setibanya di kamar, ia mendapati lampu merah di atas tubuh BlackBerry-nya berwarna merah dan berkedap-kedip. Ia mendapatkan lima misscalled, satu dari Nadia dan empat misscalled dari Rizal. Serta ada dua pesan BlackBerry Messanger dari Nadia dan juga Rizal.

# Nadia_Maharani

Sayooongku Miaaa, aq mau ke kampung roti ni sama Ryan.

Ikutan yuukk, ngidam donatnya nihh..

Kamu mau juga kan?

Halooo Mi?!

PING!!

Lama amat balesnya, masih tidur nih pasti :(

# Rizal

PING!!

Aq tlp gak bangun juga?

Klo udh bangun, miskol ya.

PING!!

PING!!

Ya ampun gak kebangun ya?

Dasar kebooo haha.

Miskol ya kalau udah bangun :)

Hwaaa!! Mia jumpalitan mendapati BBM dan misscall dari Rizal bertubi-tubi. Setelah membalas BBM Nadia, Mia me-misscall Rizal dengan hati berdebar.

Do you ever think when you're all alone

All that we can be, where this thing can go?

Am I crazy or falling in love?

Is it really just another crush?

Crush mengalun dari ponsel Mia beberapa detik kemudian. Rizal calling.

“Halo, Mi?”

“Ya.”

“Lama banget angkat telponnya, baru bangun?”

Mia merona. “Udah bangun dari tadi sih, habis jogging nih sama Ryan.”

“Pantes ngos-ngosan suaranya.”

“Hahahaaa bisa aja, barusan sampe rumah ini. Kamu baru apa, Zal?”

“Baru istirahat aja, ngilangin capek.”

“Habis futsal?”

“Iya, main futsal abal-abal sama sodara-sodara sepupu,” lanjut Rizal, ”Eh, hari Minggu begini rencana mau pergi ke mana kamu, Mi?”

Jangan ajak pergi hari ini, please… Aku ada janji sama Ryan dan Nadia nih.

“Nggak ke mana-mana sih kayaknya, di rumah aja. Kenapa?”

 Ajakin aku jalan hari ini nggak masalah sih sebenarnya, pergi ke Kampung Roti masih bisa kapan-kapan kok.

Rizal tertawa kecil sebentar. “Cari kerjaan kek, ngapain kek, bersihin rumah kek, benerin genteng kek, daripada Minggu-Minggu tidur mulu nanti kamu gendutan lho hahahaa.”

“Yee ogah lah naik-naik genteng. Emangnya kamu mau ke mana, Zal?”

“Mau ke rumah Pak Mahfud, mau konsultasi,” jawab Rizal tidak memenuhi harapan Mia.

Yaaahhhh kecewa berat. “Waa skripsi udah selesai, Zal?”

“Belom, Mi. Makanya mau sharing sama beliau.”

“Sip, mudah-mudahan buruan selesai skripsinya, buruan kerja, hahahaaa….”

“Dan buruan ngelamar kamu ya, Mi? Hahahahaa….”

Mia menjerit tak bersuara. Tubuhnya kini berguling-guling di kasur. Kalimat Rizal menembus alam bawah sadarnya. Membuatnya benar-benar terjerembab dalam cinta. Love can drives you crazy.

“Hehehe…,” cuma kata ini yang bisa keluar dari mulut Mia, walau sesungguhnya dalam hati ia mengamini kalimat Rizal berkali-kali.

“Ya udah gih buruan mandi, baunya sampai sini, bau kambing.”

“Hahaha iyaaa aku mandi sekarang.”

“Oke, have a great day, Mi.”

“You too, Zal.”

-klik-

Mia melempar ponselnya sembarangan. Senyumnya merekah. Benar-benar sedang dibuai asmara. Mia menghentikan perilaku konyolnya ketika kemudian nama Nadia muncul di layar ponselnya. “Haaalllaaaaawwwwww Nadiaaaaaaa!!!”

“Buset! Aduh! Sadis banget teriakannya!”

“Ahhh maca ciiiiiiyy??” Mia beranjak dari tempat tidurnya, berjalan menuju cermin.

“Lebay deh…,” gerutu Nadia. “Ohhh habis telponan sama Rizal nih pasti?”

Mia melihat wajahnya di cermin. Merah total. Tersipu-sipu. Hatinya melayang-layang. “Iyaaa doongg, kamu pintar deh bisa nebak hahahaa….”

“I know you well, darling Mia. Jadi ikut ke Kampung Roti?”

“Jaadiiiii donggggss,” sahut Mia lebay.

“Miaa! Ngomongnya biasa aja dong jangan ganjen-ganjen, risih tau!” Protes Nadia.

Mia terbahak. “Hahahaha ya udahhh maapp yaaa namanya juga lagi bahagiaaa.”

“Iyaaaa tauuu yang lagi kesambet cinta. Udah, buruan mandi!!”

***

lebih lengkap bisa dibeli di www.cetakbuku.net

REVIEW: Wait! Wait! by Hatsue Nakawaki and Komako Sakai (Illustrator)

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Pre-Kindergarten


Summary: A toddler explores the outside world, chasing after a variety of creatures only to have them escape. Eventually the child is scooped up by dad for the trip home from the park.


First Lines: "Wait! Wait!"

Tracy's Thoughts: Gentle, minimalistic text and delicate acrylic and oil pencil illustrations beautifully capture a child's sense of wonder and growing independence in this quiet picture book originally published in Japan. Simple lines and smudges are used to convey both emotion and movement. The child's facial expressions and movements are perfectly rendered in realistic, subtle detail.Curious children will almost feel the cat slipping from their grasps and will fully relate to the child's startled awe when the pigeons take flight and flap away.

The book's palette is mostly neutrals, with small splashes of color to emphasize flushed cheeks and background details. But the focus throughout is on the toddler, who is at the center of a series of two-page spreads. Dressed in a black and white ensemble of overalls, shirt, and chunky shoes, the child could be either a boy or a girl, adding to the universality of her actions. This is a tender and lovely work which perfectly illustrates a child's curiosity and early interaction with the natural world.

Cover Buku Percaya Diri Merintis Usaha

Buku Percaya Diri Merintis Usaha disusun sebagai bagian dari proses kreative penulisanya dalam usahanya mewujudkan sebuah bisnis sederhana yang dapat dikembangkan untuk membantu orang-orang yang menganggur membangun usaha mereka sendiri dengan tanpa modal dalam bentuk uang. Penekanan pada modal kemampuan dalam individu tiap orang menjadi kata kunci penting dalam mewujudkan keinginan mereka dalam mencapai kemakmuran hidup sebagai insan yang membangun usaha sendiri dengan modal kreativitas.

Buku ini bisa dibaca lebih detail dalam format e-book dan buku fisik yang dicetak secara eksklusive dan hanya bisa dibeli secara online di www.cetakbuku.net
untuk ringkasan isi buku dapat dibaca sebagai berikut:

Tujuh tahun sudah berlalu sejak pertama kali buku Percaya Diri Merintis Usaha diterbitkan, semula judul buku ini adalah Home Bussines yang terbit tahun 2005. Sejak saat itu pula perubahan, penambahan materi dan pengembangan tulisan di buku ini terus terjadi. Di tahun 2006 terbit dengan judul yang sama namun perubahan di tampilan dengan penambahan studi kasus pembaca yang menggunakan buku ini untuk mentransformasi kehidupan mereka. Kemudian di tahun 2008, judul Percaya Diri Merintis Usaha digunakan sebagai judul utama yang mencerminkan pertumbuhan keyakinan bagi pembaca buku ini untuk benar-benar mengambil keputusan jalan hidup bagi mereka baik secara ekonomi mau pun keyakinan dalam menjalankan usaha mereka untuk memenuhi kebutuhan hidup.

Dalam perkembangannya buku ini telah banyak memberi semacam candu pikiran bagi pembacanya sehingga tidak sedikit yang gelisah dan mencoba mencari cara yang lebih nyata untuk mewujudkan impian memiliki usaha sendiri. Beberapa pembaca menelpon untuk mendiskusikan solusi usaha yang bisa dikerjakan. Mayoritas terbentur dengan kata modal yang secara umum mereka pahami sebagai uang sekian puluh juta. Karena itu untuk edisi revisi kali ini, saya sisipkan sekelumit informasi yang dapat digunakan sebagai jalan keluar untuk tetap memulai usaha sendiri dengan apa pun yang Anda miliki saat ini.

Untuk menuju ke sana, ke informasi yang sederhana dan bisa membuat Anda menjalankan bisnis Anda sekarang juga, saya berikan kata kuncinya yaitu INTERNET.

Pernah pada suatu masa di tahun 2010 seseorang dari Lampung menelpon dan bertanya, dengan uang Rp. 200.000 usaha apa yang bisa saya jalankan?

Mendengar pertanyaan tersebut, saya langsung menjawab, jualan pulsa saja. Saat itu sebenarnya saya sudah menghimpun informasi yang lebih sederhana, bahkan tanpa memerlukan uang, secara fisik misalnya 200.000. Melainkan memerlukan waktu dan kesediaan mengerjakan beberapa hal teknis yang mungkin tidak membutuhkan uang sama sekali. Hanya saja memang membutuhkan koneksi internet dan komputer tentunya. Hal ini bisa disiasati dengan menggunakan warnet.

Mengingat saat ini perkembangan teknologi internet di Indoensia sudah memasuki wilayah-wilayah perkampungan, di mana buku ini pun diakses oleh mereka orang-orang desa yang berpikiran maju, membangun usaha sendiri, sehingga saya meyakini, saatnyalah sekarang saya terbikan edisi revisi yang memberikan sekelumit informasi yang mengantarkan pembaca pada pembangunan usaha secara online dengan media internet.

Patut disyukuri kenyataan bahwa handphone hampir dimiliki oleh setiap orang di Negara ini, dan dengan handphone tersebut hampir bisa dipastikan bisa digunakan online paling tidak dengan Facebook.

Beberapa hal teknis mungkin membutuhkan pendalaman dari buku ini mengenai pembangunan usaha secara online, namun secara umum dengan informasi yang disisipkan di bagian akhir buku ini, para pembelajar muda dengan sendirinya dapat mempraktikan memulai membuka usaha dengan modal koneksi internet dan informasi yang disertakan dalam bagian akhir buku ini mereka bisa menikmati suatu hasil penjualan yang sepenuhnya menggunakan media internet.

Mengingat membangun sebuah bisnis adalah membangun kesadaran yang positif dalam diri sendiri, maka, semua bagian dari edisi buku Percaya Diri Merintis Usaha ini tetap utuh dan dapat dibaca dengan sempurna, dengan tambahan di beberapa bagian di setiap babnya yang memberikan wawasan dan pencerahan akan peluang kehidupan yang lebih baik dengan menjadi masyarakat mandiri secara ekonomi, dan tidak lagi menggantungkan hajat hidupnya pada pekerjaan semata, melainkan juga pada sumber-sumber penghasilan yang tersebar dalam kapasitas pendapatan yang lebih besar dan memungkinkan untuk digunakan sebagai sumber pertumbuhan ekonomi perseorangan dalam kehidupan mereka.

Akhirnya saya ingin menyampaikan, perhatikanlah cara pandang Anda dalam kehidupan ini, niscaya dari sanalah Anda akan menemukan solusi untuk setiap persoalan yang Anda hadapi saat ini.

Yang tak mungkin adalah ilusi, karena apa yang menurut Anda mustahil, sudah dapat diverifikasi, ada orang lain di belahan bumi ini yang pernah melakukannya. Jadi… Bangkitlah dari mimpi buruk hidup Anda. Anda adalah makhluk Tuhan yang berpotensi tak terbatas untuk mewujudkan apa pun yang Anda inginkan atau pun yang Anda butuhkan.