Conversations With Colleen: Meet Author & Poet, Annette Rochelle Aben

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Conversations With Colleen

Hello everyone! This week I’m thrilled to bring you author and poet, Annette Rochelle Aben. I asked her to pick three or four questions from my huge list HERE. We all aspire to be successful authors and the best way to learn some of the tricks of the trade is to ask questions.

Annette and I go way back… at least four years to the beginning of my blogging journey. We both share a love of poetry, and she has been a participant in my weekly poetry challenge since its inception. As we got to know each other and to grow as friends, we discovered a shared passion for all the magical things in the world. Annette was the first person to recognize the magic inside of me.

She is a great friend and always leads everyone toward the goodness and light in the world. I’m honored to call her a Sister of the Fey, and one of the authors who contribute to our group blog: Sisters of the Fey.Wordpress.com.

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I loved her book, Haiku Perspective 2018. Read my review HERE.

Please meet my guest, Annette Rochelle Aben:

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Poet, Annette Rochelle Aben

I was born writing! At least this is how it seems. I had the good fortune to be published while a sophomore in high school so continuing the journey by publishing books has been a natural course of events.

It is my pleasure to announce that the book I have just released is # 1 Best Seller! And that is: A Haiku Perspective 2018 which is available in both Kindle and paperback formats! Enjoy celebrating a year of my life as told using the framework of Haiku style poetry.

Angel Messages Two – songs of the heart, is a book filled with beautiful photos and remarkable tanka poetry. People LOVE this book because of the comfort it provides. Many have gifted it to others and been thanked over and over again.

A Tanka Picture Book is exactly as the name suggests. I took photos of a variety of everyday objects, works of art and nature, then wrote a tanka poem for each. I suggest this book for all the right reasons. It will entertain, provoke thought, stimulate conversation and be a great addition to your library!

I have chosen to release my annual haiku collection in time to celebrate National Poetry Month, in April. A Haiku Perspective 2017 is filled with smiles, laughter, wisdom and creativity, all cleverly disguised as haiku poetry. Enjoy!

My book, GO YOU some encouragement when you need it, is a pep-talk in a book! Each page gives you a quick way to start your day, help you through a moment or even provide someone else words that can inspire them to a better life. We can all use a cheerleader, when one isn’t available, this book fits the bill!!

Most of the books I have published here are centered in poetry, Haiku poetry to be exact. Much of the feedback I receive about the haiku poetry is that people can really understand the messages and they appreciate that the poems are short and sweet!

Angel Messages – a wing and a prayer is my first book about Angels. Filled with photos, prayers, poems and prose of and about Angels, this book will delight any Angel lover in your life. Check out the reviews, people are drawn to the inherent inspirational nature of this book and as result is fast becoming their favorite. You can have it right away using the Kindle option or order a paperback copy (or two) and carry it with you wherever you go.

I mentioned that many of my books are filled with my poetry and several of them combine that with my love of taking pictures. Books that feature poetry and photos include Perspective, it’s all about replacing one thought with another, PhoKu, visual perspective haiku and BooKu, Halloween haiku. Perspective has a wide variety of pages that can feature prose, poetry and nature photographs, while PhoKu is filled with the photographs I have taken in nature with Haiku poetry added to them, hence the title: PhoKu. BooKu is a “behind the scenes look at how Halloween decorations feel about their jobs. All three of these books are available in print and Kindle formats.

A Haiku Perspective 2015, and A Haiku Perspective 2016 are haiku poetry books. When I first experimented with the haiku writing format, I have no idea I would enjoy it as much as I do. These days, I am writing haiku daily and finding myself thinking in 17 syllables. You can find these books in both print and Kindle formats
There are several other books planned for release this year alone, So please, check back frequently to see what I have published and share what YOU are doing! Cheers!!

Hi, Colleen. Thanks so much for this interview. It’s always great to meet up with old friends.

Hi Annette. I’m glad to see you again. Will you tell everyone about your blogging journey? How does blogging help you sell books?

Yes, I DO blog and I love having a blog-presence. I believe that my blog is rather subtle where promoting my books is concerned. There is a separate page on my menu for my books where I announce everything from COVER REVEALS to RELEASE INFORMATION.

I do use visuals in my posts that are not connected to my books to help promote the books I have available. And, when there is something nice posted about my books on someone else’s blog, I repost it on mine.

All this being said, the only way I really know if my blog helps to sell books, is from the COMMENTS that my readers leave. For instance, if I am running a SPECIAL PRICE PROMOTION, people will COMMENT and share that they grabbed their copy!

Oh, and there was the time that I was reading the blog of another blogger I follow, and SHE posted a selfie of her and one of my books!  I was so amazed because I know she FOLLOWS my blog. Guess I can surmise that this is how she found out about the book.

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I love when that happens. So, tell me… Is it true, that anyone can be a writer?

 Gee, as I ponder this, I would like to say that MOST PEOPLE can be writers. I feel writing is a teachable skill. Learning sentence and paragraph structure is something composition classes teach us in school. However, I believe there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between being a writer and being a storyteller. Storytelling can be taught as well. Just ask any stage actor – every time they don their costume they tell a story through the presentation of the script. If a writer can tell a story through their writing, well that’s the pinnacle of the craft.

I agree. I also think that the more you write, the better you become. But Annette, have you ever designed your own book covers?

ALL of them! Of the 12 books I have available right now, I designed all the covers. From staging the photographs (if need be) to choosing the colors and title placement, I made them happen. The first few, I used templates provided by the now defunct, CREATE SPACE but one day I decided they were too restrictive, so I learned how to create them using PIC MONKEY and PUBLISHER. *the only book that does not boast one of own photos, is CHOOSE, the 2-step plan. I asked a friend of mine to take the photo because she had the visuals. I told her what I wanted, and she delivered.

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Amazon Author Page US

You are such a creative! When you look back on your past, do you feel accomplished?

 Absolutely! I have been blessed to work in several careers that have brought me so much joy; TELEVISION BROADCASTING, JOURNALISM, and PERFORMING. Through my volunteer efforts, I was able to be a part of formulating recycling legislation for the State of Michigan. Artwork of mine has been included in the SWAG BAGS for the red-carpet guests of events such as The Sundance Film Festival, The Canadian Country Music Awards and The ESPY’s. AND, I have been inspired to create and publish a dozen books of my own, one of which is a #1 BEST SELLER. I have been loved and loved in return.

I’m so proud of you. However, do you think you still have a story left to tell?

 Heavens to Betsy, I hope so. Can you imagine being a writer and feeling there is nothing else to write?  I mean, hello, just poison the wine right now. There have been experiences in my life that I feel would make great books.

This, of course, means I have to become a more proficient storyteller. The ideas are there, and I have even gotten some notes together which gives me hope. Guess I’ll have to allow my fears to motivate me as opposed to holding me back and kick it into gear! When this all comes together, I promise to let you know.

Thanks, Annette. I know you will! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your journey. 

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Here’s how to get in touch with Annette Rochelle Aben:

Facebook: Annette Rochelle Aben Communicates

Twitter: @YouAretheExpert

Blog: http://www.annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com

Blog: http://www.themagichappensnow.com

 

k luv u bye Thanks for stopping by to meet Annette. See you next week! ❤

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