Africa – Page 7

Use Your Wikipedia Donation to Support Indie Authors

Online encyclopedia Wikipedia has begun its annual pitch for donations to continue operating as an independent, non-profit information resource. Founder Jimmy Wales will once again ask those who visit the website to donate “to protect and sustain Wikipedia.” This year, I encourage you to put this donation to a better use. Please use the money to buy books published by independent (indie) authors.

Wikipedia is biased against indie authors it considers “non-notable” unless their works are cited by “credible” sources. In general, it prefers traditional media and does not recognize citations from social media sites, blogs, writers’ networks, self-publishing websites, or indie awards. Unless you are noted by select information resources, you’re out of luck receiving recognition from Wikipedia.

Wikipedia also strongly discourages autobiographies. It prefers second- and third-hand sources, which it considers more accurate and objective than first-hand accounts, even though such sources may be biased. Whether the biographer has an ulterior motive or a conflict of interest is irrelevant. Wikipedia assumes that its system to evaluate biases in its articles is sufficient, although its view on autobiographies suggests that it is not robust enough to root out misstatements, factual errors, or embellishments regardless of source.

If you are an author with a publicist who writes an article about you linked to a source Wikipedia that considers credible, then welcome to the club. If you’re a successful self-published indie author with an independent network, you’re out of luck. You and your books are not eligible to be included in Wikipedia. Don’t ask your friend to post your biography for you. Anonymous monitors who evaluate articles according to the site’s self-determined criteria will delete you.

Most self-published authors do not qualify for Wikipedia profiles. This does a disservice to the many hard-working, established writers who have chosen to self-publish. The rapidly expanding self-publishing industry operates differently than traditional publishing, and indie authors are more apt to promote each other through social media, writers’ circles, and independent networks than to wait for recognition from traditional media. Wikipedia’s rules are better suited to the pre-Internet and pre-social media eras. Rather than adapting to changes in the publishing industry, it simply chooses to exclude most indie authors.

This year, please support independent authors. The money saved from not donating to Wikipedia will buy some great books and recognize outstanding authors.

Here are three independent author communities with thousands of books to choose from:

Independent Author Network

Independent Author Index

World Literary Café

Thank you for your support.

The opinions expressed in this article represents solely the views of the author. Encyclopedia image courtesy of Microsoft; the indigo ribbon is public domain.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories and Alexander the Salamander, a children’s story set in the Amazon. His books are available to purchase as an e-book and in print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

Kilimanjaro Featured in the Foreign Service Journal

The prestigious Foreign Service Journal featured my book Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill in this year’s “In Their Own Write” compilation of books published by Foreign Service-affiliated authors.

The Foreign Service Journal wrote of Kilimanjaro (p. 36):

Approaching middle age, sick and overweight, Mike Edwards was hardly in shape to face the tallest mountain in Africa. But armed with stubborn perseverance and the desire to defy naysayers, he reaches for the top in his attempt to tackle Kilimanjaro.

The tale covers every aspect of the climb, from preparations that included being dragged through aisles of clothing by his avid shopper (and mountain climber) wife to eating a monotonous vegetarian diet for five days.

Once on the mountain, it doesn’t matter who you are. It’s just you and the mountain. Luckily, Edwards had a kindhearted guide and a well-planned expedition. But planning can only go so far when subjecting yourself and your team to the ruthless elements of Kilimanjaro’s highest altitudes.

This Global E-Book Award nominee is fuel for all aspiring mountain climbers as well as those heading “over the hill.” Climbing “Kili” changed the author’s life and gave him the motivation he needed to leave his diplomatic career and follow his dreams. And with this book he is living them.

Mike Edwards was a Foreign Service officer for 11 years. He left the Service in 2011 to focus on writing and now lives in Thailand with his wife, Jing, a Foreign Service specialist at Embassy Bangkok, and their son. This book is the first of his World Adventurer Series. He also writes mysteries, thrillers and science-fiction fantasies, and has published a volume of short stories, Real Dreams.

Readers have called Kilimanjaro “life changing,” “inspirational,” “gripping,” “an epic journey of self-discovery,” and “a peek into someone’s personal travel journal.” It’s a book for anyone who feels over the hill and needs encouragement to make a life change in the face of difficult odds. It’s also for the casual climber, mountaineer, or hiker who is interested climbing one of the world’s tallest mountains. Filled with insights and advice for those who are contemplating their own Kilimanjaro climb, this book will put you on the mountain and inspire you to go over it.

Thank you, Foreign Service Journal, for including Kilimanjaro on your 2012 list. I am grateful that my book joined other superb works written by Foreign Service colleagues and alumni. I encourage readers to browse the books featured in “In Their Own Write” and to peruse the pages of the Journal to learn more about the Foreign Service.

Kilimanjaro is available to purchase as an e-book or in print from these booksellers:

U.S. Booksellers

Available to purchase as an e-book for US$3.99:

Amazon.com for Kindle

Apple iTunes for iPad/iPhone

Baker & Taylor for Blio e-reader

Barnes & Noble for Nook

Google Play for Android

Kobo Books for Kobo e-reader

Smashwords for iPad and other e-readers

Available in print for US$9.99:

International Booksellers

Available as an e-book or in print (prices vary by format and local currency):

Amazon.co.uk for Kindle (United Kingdom)

Amazon.fr for Kindle (France)

Amazon.de for Kindle (Germany)

Amazon.co.jp for Kindle (Japan)

Amazon.it for Kindle (Italy)

Amazon.es for Kindle (Spain)

Available as an e-book (prices vary):

Barnes & Noble for Nook (United Kingdom)

Available in print (prices vary):

Amazon.ca for Kindle (Canada)

Visit my website for a complete list of booksellers.

About the Foreign Service Journal

The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thoughtful articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy and the U.S. Foreign Service. The Journal is published monthly (July/August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The November issue features its annual “In Their Own Write” compilation, the largest edition yet, with some 90 new books by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. The list spans almost every conceivable literary genre: from history and foreign policy to memoirs and biographies, and from novels and short stories to mysteries and how-to books.

About the American Foreign Service Association

Established in 1924, AFSA is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service. With close to 16,000 dues-paying members, AFSA represents over 28,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees of the Department of State, Agency for International Development (AID), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

You’re the Adventurer–No Brazilian Visa

Welcome to an experiment. You’ve been a spectator reading my travelogues about life overseas from Korea to Zambia, but now it’s your turn to go on your own adventure! Immerse yourself in the story and make key decisions by choosing from among several options. Your selections could make the difference between a great trip or a travel disaster! Read and make your choice, and stay tuned as your story unfolds.

If you haven’t read the story from the beginning, stop reading this post! Click here to begin your journey.

You’re all set for your trip to Brazil. You can’t wait to experience the Amazon, Rio de Janeiro, the beaches, and the vibe of Latin America as the country gets ready for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. It’s going to be a great trip!

You arrive at the airport and check in with the airline. Presenting your travel documents, the agent flips through your passport and asks, “Where is your Brazilian visa?”

“What do you mean?” you ask, perplexed.

“You need a valid visa to travel to Brazil,” they explain.

The realization dawns on you that you should have applied for a visa before departure. You assumed that you either didn’t need one or could get it upon arrival, recalling that many countries let visitors apply at the port of entry. “I didn’t realize that I needed a visa before I traveled.”

“I’m sorry, but you must have a valid visa before I can issue the ticket,” the agent informs you. “Not only that, your passport has less than six months’ validity left, and you’ll need to renew your passport before the Brazilians will issue you a visa.”

“What?” you exclaim, surprised. “I can’t do that! My flight is in two hours.”

“Unfortunately, you can’t fly until you have a valid passport and visa to enter Brazil,” says the agent in a monotone voice. They’ve obviously confronted this situation before.

“Is there any way I can get one on short notice, like here at the airport?”

“No, I’m afraid not. You have to renew your passport online and then apply by mail for the visa through the Brazilian Embassy. It can take quite a while,” they tell you and hand back your passport and ticket.

You stand dumbfounded with your bag and travel documents as the ticket agent helps another customer.

Not only are you going to miss your flight, but you’ll have to postpone your trip until you update your travel documents. It could take weeks until you can head to Brazil. What a disastrous start to what could have been a great trip!

THE END

Images courtesy of Microsoft.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories and Alexander the Salamander, a children’s story set in the Amazon. His books are available to purchase as an e-book and in print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

© 2012 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. All characters and events appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.