Melanie Bell

Author, Writer, Editor

Tag Archives: recommended resources


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Where to Find New Book Discoveries and Deals

During London’s third lockdown (with restrictions just beginning to ease recently), I read more than ever. Books provided solace and escape into other worlds. I took full advantage of library loans and collected e-books, keeping my eyes peeled for deals and new discoveries.

If you devour books more quickly than popcorn, or simply aspire to read more, here are some of the ways I’ve found new books to read this year that you can use too. I hope you enjoy discovering new authors and filling your shelves!

Libraries: Let’s start with the obvious place. Public libraries are full of wonderful free reading material, and in many cases, digital collections have expanded during the pandemic. The user-friendly Libby app will let you download ebooks and audiobooks on your phone, computer or ereader, and some libraries offer click and collect services for physical books even while closed.

Little free libraries: You may have one or more of these in your area. They’re tiny structures where people put a selection of books and neighbors can take or leave a book. They often look like cute little sheds or birdhouses. (Naomi Kritzker wrote a fun story on Tor.com about a little free library that connects to another world – I’ve yet to encounter one of those, though!) Similar places to find books are book exchanges (some buildings and workplaces have shelves of these) or free book bins (some bookstores have these where they leave old stock that hasn’t been sold for passers-by to discover).

Social media: Following authors, publishers and other book industry insiders on social media will keep you informed about upcoming releases you might enjoy, book sales, and giveaways. I’ve found Twitter to be especially informative, with authors sometimes posting links to free ebooks for a limited time, and lots of buzz about titles I’ve discovered and enjoyed. Author newsletters can also be interesting, with some of them giving access to free stories you can’t find elsewhere.   

Book festivals and events: With many of these now taking place online, people from all over the world have access to a wide range of book events (and if you can’t make it due to time zone differences, the event might be posted on YouTube for you to listen on your own time). You can hear authors talk about their books, learn what’s going on in the industry, and discover new reads. Sometimes there are sales or deals on offer as well. 

Book bundles: Places like Humble Bundle and StoryBundle offer pay-what-you-want packages of ebooks grouped by theme. You might find cookbooks one month and mysteries another. Humble Bundle also offers bundles of games, software, and other digital content, and you can allocate some of your payment to charity; StoryBundle’s content is completely DRM-free. If there’s a themed bundle that appeals to you, it’s a wonderful way to find new books and authors that have been vetted for quality.

Giveaways: Above, I mentioned that there are sometimes giveaways on social media (“retweet this giveaway and I’ll pick one person to win these books”). A lot of indie authors also have series first books available as giveaways. You can also check sites like BookBub or Freebooksy for daily deals.  

Note that I haven’t mentioned bookstores, including used book stores, as they’ve been closed here, but they’re good places to find new books as well, often have sales, and many booksellers give wonderful recommendations. I also haven’t mentioned websites that post “books” online for free, as many of them are involved in piracy and undermine authors’ ability to make a living off their work (whereas libraries, for instance, pay authors when their books are borrowed). A lovely exception is Project Gutenberg, which offers classics in the public domain for free download online and also has a self-publishing press. 

Where do you like to find new books and deals on books?   


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The Bestseller Experiment: Can You Write a Bestselling Book in a Year?

For two years, I’ve wanted to go to London Book Fair. This year I was finally going to get there, accompanying colleagues to look after ICE Publishing’s stand, network, and learn. Then, as you can probably guess, the fair was cancelled due to the coronavirus. The sound reason did not dim my disappointment. Despite the cancellation, though, I got one good thing out of the London Book Fair: acquaintance with the Bestseller Experiment. 

When reading through the list of Insights Seminars planned for the fair, I saw that there was a live episode planned for the Bestseller Experiment podcast. The name intrigued me. A bestseller is a big promise. What could a “bestseller experiment” be and how did it work? I looked the podcast up and discovered it was created by two British men, both named Mark, who sought to write, edit, publish, and market a bestselling book in a year. What an awesomely audacious goal! I began listening, and soon I was hooked. 

The pair of podcasters make appealing foils for each other. Mark Stay is a seasoned writer, with a novel and movie to his name, and a veteran employee of the traditional publishing industry. With the benefits and cynicism of experience, he acts as the podcast’s pessimist, skeptical of the likelihood of success but game to go forward. Mark Desvaux, a Canada-based life coach who’d started books prior to the podcast but hadn’t finished them, is the pair’s optimist, bringing enthusiastic belief in their success and a sense of spirituality to offset his co-host’s national outlook. It’s fun to listen to the two Marks bouncing off each other. What really makes the podcast shine, though, is the caliber of its interviews. 

From the get-go, Mark and Mark interview industry professionals and bestselling authors of both traditional and indie titles. They set out to find the “secret sauce” that makes a book or an author into a bestseller, speaking to the likes of Bryan Cranston, Joanne Harris, Joe Abercrombie, Michelle Paver, Shannon Mayer, and professionals from NaNoWriMo, Kindle Direct Publishing, authors, agents, editors, and more. All the interviewees speak lucidly and eloquently about their craft and share a wealth of knowledge about the industry. Their writing journeys differ, from those who have worked in obscurity for years before having a sales or publishing “breakthrough” to early success stories, from those who hate revision to those who love it, but all share a belief in writing success because they have all experienced it. Every episode I’ve listened to so far has been worth the time, and all have left me with a feeling of hope.  

What bestselling secrets has the podcast shared? So far, the interviewed authors share a belief in taking yourself seriously as a writer (most of them write every day and set themselves word counts), having deadlines (I share their experience of writing faster when somebody gives me a due date), and writing about topics that matter to you. Again and again, the authors reiterate that you can’t write a bestseller cynically, and that good books come out of love of the subject you’re writing about. Many of them recommend go-to books on the craft of writing, and some share marketing tips. Editors and agents encourage writers not to worry about trends and to write what they’re interested in. The need for self-care when writing is also explored.  

The Marks also share the stages of their journey in writing a book. In one of my favorite episodes, Ben Aaronovitch tells them off for writing a 50,000-word “outline”! I also enjoyed listening to the Marks discuss an editor’s critique of their manuscript. Since they wrote about a female protagonist, the editor suggested using a female pseudonym, and I’m pleased to note that they succeeded without one (though Mark Desvaux used the shorter pen name ‘Mark Oliver’). It’s no spoiler to note that the Marks indeed wrote and self-published a Kindle bestselling novel in a year. Back to Reality is a fast-paced story about time-travel, body swapping and the lives one could have lived. Its success doesn’t surprise me given the excellence of the Marks’ podcasting platform, but it does make me smile. They did it! And the podcast is still going and growing, with many of their listeners publishing books including more bestsellers. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a bestseller, you might enjoy listening to it, too. Thank you, London Book Fair!   


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Five Enneagram Audio and Video Resources We Love

Co-written with Kacie Berghoef

Last month, we shared some wonderful Enneagram books from the Resources section in The Modern Enneagram. This month, we’d like to spotlight audio and video resources that bring something unique to the Enneagram conversation. Recent forms of online learning have been huge assets for bringing new perspectives on the Enneagram to the comfort of your own home, and the wealth of resources that you can listen to or watch add an immersive dimension that you can’t get from book learning.

We had a lot of fun creating our own Problem Solving Through Personality audio recordings, as a quick and accessible way of teaching about the Enneagram at work, and speaking about communication styles and the autism spectrum on AASCEND TV. We aren’t the only ones who’ve made use of the strengths of audiovisual learning. These modalities lend themselves beautifully to interviews, personal examples, and auditory or kinesthetic methods of transformation. From an at-home conference experience to a “video panel” of the masters to audio downloads that will put you to sleep (in a good way: take note, insomniacs!), here are five audiovisual resources that we’ve found both enjoyable and groundbreaking.

  1. The Enneagram Global Summit

First up, we highly recommend the biggest audio event in the Enneagram world. If you’ve ever been to an Enneagram conference, you know how exciting it is to be surrounded by leaders in the field, immersed in the exchange of new ideas. The Enneagram Global Summit brings this dynamic experience to anyone who wants to listen in. Starting in 2015, the Summits have featured such experienced and cutting-edge voices as Dr. Claudio Naranjo, Russ Hudson, Helen Palmer, Dr. Dan Siegel, Cheryl Richardson, the Enneagram Prison Project, and many more! The 2017 Enneagram Global Summit, from June 5-9, will feature over 40 speakers with incredible insights to share. You can sign up here to listen, or to order the recording after the event has taken place.

  1. Tom Condon’s Changeworks Resources    

Many Enneagram practitioners teach primarily through speaking or panels. Tom Condon’s approach is unique in integrating NLP and Ericksonian hypnosis. Trained in the use of auditory modalities to interrupt our usual patterns and facilitate change, Tom brings powerful auditory tools to anyone who wants to work on themselves. You can learn from his Dynamic Enneagram videos and recordings on the nine types, or download recordings to boost your confidence, reduce your stress, help you sleep, deepen creativity, and more. Access The Changeworks’ wealth of resources here.

  1. Enneagram HQ Video Resource Library

There are a lot of Enneagram videos out there where people talk about what it’s like to be different personality types, each with their own insights to offer. Enneagram HQ’s Video Resource Library stands out among the offerings for its videos of prominent Enneagram teachers, each of a different type, sharing self-knowledge gained from years of studying the system. They offer in-depth insights into each type’s internal dynamics, challenges, instincts, and growth. It’s wonderful resource to learn from and share. You can access the videos here.    

  1. Tapping for Your Type

Here’s another tool for change, customized to your personality. Psychotherapist and coach Rachel Alexandria’s video series uses EFT, or tapping, to free you from your usual blocks and create the change you want in your life. She guides you in using your fingers to tap on physical pressure points, while repeating statements that anchor constructive self-talk in your body. If you’re an Eight, say, and want to work on issues with food and eating, Rachel has a process video especially for that. If you’re a Two seeking to improve your work life, there’s a video for you, too. The comprehension and customized focus of each Enneagram type’s set of videos allows you to work on the most relevant areas of your life at your own pace, coming back to them as desired. Check out Tapping for Your Type here.     

  1. Wild Crazy Meaningful Enneagram Podcast

Pace and Kyeli offer a fun, interactive take on the Enneagram in this weekly podcast. Each episode features a different speaker or topic, which Pace introduces through one of her signature haikus. The podcast follows a conversational style, with the hosts teaching about various Enneagram-related topics or holding insightful exchanges with others. In addition to discussions of type psychology, books, and more, it boasts an impressive array of interviewees. Past episodes have featured authors, scientists, coaches, and panels of type exemplars or experts. A new episode goes live every Wednesday. Melanie had a wonderful time talking about modernizing the Enneagram with Pace and Kyeli this February. You can check out their fun, accessible way of learning about the Enneagram here.