19 Things I learned

The following post will consist of 19 things I learned this semester in Acc 255.
1. I learned how to create a free blog site and how to regularly make post.
2. I learned how to create a website and add tabs, articles, pictures, etc.
3. I learned how to advertise through Google AdSence and AdWords
4. I learned how to track my sites number of views and which topics were most popular, through Google Analytics.
5. I learned how to become an affiliate with Amazon and promote their products.
6. I learned how to create my own products through CafePress.
7. I learned how to use ClickBank and promote their products.
8. I learned how to create a PayPal account and collect money.
9. I was able to learn how time consuming it can be to regularly update your blog.
10.  I was able to learn how to create an About Me page and a Purpose page.
11. I was able to learn some marketing terms through the use of my textbook.
12. I learned how to make an EBook.
13. I learned how to create a business development plan and think about how I would execute it.
14. I learned how to promote my website articles through Ezine databases.
15. I learned how to add counters to my pages so I could keep track of how many visitors I was having on each page.
16.  I was able to learn how to promote my sites through search engines.
17. I was able to learn more about the fantasy world and get recommendations on books I haven't read, through the promotion of my blog and website.
18. I was able to learn some new interesting facts while researching for my articles.
19. I was able to learn the overall experience of creating and running my own ebusiness.

Best of Everything Fantasy

Throughout the semester there have been several posts that cover material that I would consider the best, or my personal favorite. I would like to revisit some of this material to remind you about topics that were previously covered. 

Once Upon a Time - Once Upon A Time is an amazing show that allows the audience to constantly be on edge. It is also amazing to see how the classic fairytale stories that we all know tie together.

Secret Circle - Secret Circle is both a book and a TV show series that follows the life of a teenage girl who just discovers she comes from a family of powerful witches.

Song of Fire and Ice _ The Song of Ice and Fire series is a book series that has always been adapted in the famous TV Show, Game of Thrones.

Vampire Diaries-Vampire Diaries was written by the same author as Secret Circle and has also been adapted into a popular TV show.

True Blood - True Blood is a television show off the HBO channel but was originally the book series The Southern Vampire Mysteries.

Vampire Academy - Vampire Academy is a book series that allows that audience to get captivated in the action, romance, and thrill.

Lost Girl- Lost Girl is a TV series that was just released this year. This series allows us to learn about the world of the Fae.

The Mortal Instruments - The Mortal Instrument Series is one of my favorite book series because it continuously keeps me guessing and thinking about what will happen next, and I never guess right.

The Black Dagger Brotherhood - A book series that is targeted towards adults and contains a lot of action, romance, and gore.

The Twilight Saga - The Twilight Saga is the book/movie that I believe got the younger generations addicted to vampires! 

The Hunger Games - The Hunger Games is another book to movie adaptation that allows that audience to get lost in the action and adrenaline. 

One book/movie that I did not discuss was the amazing Harry Potter! Like I mentioned in my first post, Harry Potter is the book that first got me addicted to fantasy and if you have not read the books and watched the movies, I recommend you start now!

Review of my Blog

What is good about my blog is that it covers a wide array of material that should appeal to both sexes. Since I am a female, most of the material I cover does appeal more towards the female fan base. However, I am open to new material and strive to be diverse. For instance, both Game of Thrones and The Dresden Files are targeted towards men, but I absolutely love them both!  In additional, the majority of the content I cover was released after the 2000s. Another good thing about my blog is that I give my honest opinion and present both the pros and cons. Also, I regularly post which always for a constant update of information. Lastly, I am always open to the ideas and recommendations of my readers and promote their opinions.

When it comes to the presentation of my blog site I have tried to make it visually appealing. I stick to the Gothic vampire theme and provide my readers with pictures and videos to go along with each post. I provide easy access to author’s websites and blogs to allow readers to further look into each recommendation. In addition, I also supply them with links to quickly purchase the material that they are interested in. Overall, I aim to provide my audience with material that will both interest them and allow them easy access if they want to purchase it. Like I mentioned before, I am always open to your ideas and would love to hear your input on my blog as well as recommendations of readings and other content.

The Hollows

The third series that I found by Amanda Hockings through Amazon Kindle was The Hollows. There are currently two books in the series Hollowland and Hollowmen. To read excerpts from the first book check out http://thehollowsseries.blogspot.com/p/hollowland-excerpt.html. What I really loved about this series was that the main character is just your average nine-teen year-old girl, but when the “shit hits the fan” she becomes your ultimate badass. 

This book takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where zombies have populated the world, leaving the world in waste.  “Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies” (Amanda Hocking’s Blog).  Ever since her brother was bitten and wasn’t taken over by the virus, he has been in quarantine under constant watch.   After their facility was attached by zombies, her brother was evacuated and Remy has been searching the country for him since. 

This book has action from the very beginning and Remy constantly has to fight off zombies as she hunts for her brother. She comes off as fearless because of her strong motivation to find him. Along the way she meets people who begin to travel with her, probably because they realize they have a higher chance of survival with her than alone. As she journeys across the country she is not only faced with zombies but all sorts of evil, even a creepy man that “protects” all these little girls. Overall this book is filled with action, suspense, gore, and even some romance. To read more information about the series check out Amanda Hocking’s site at http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/p/hollowland.html.

The Immortals Series

The Immortals Series was written by Alyson Noel. There are currently six books in the series: Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, Dark Flame, Night Star, and Everlasting. Noel as wrote four spin-off books to the series called The Riley Bloom Series. The four books in this series are: Radiance, Shimmer, Dreamland, and Whisper. To get more information on the author and the series, check out http://www.alysonnoel.com/immortals/.  You can also read an excerpt from the first book by going to http://www.alysonnoel.com/immortals/evermore1.php. 

According to Alyson Noel’s website,

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.

Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him. 

The Immortals was another series that I found through the Amazon Kindle’s store. I really love this series because you are not presented with vampires, but instead immortals. However, the immortality was not caused by an infection, bite or anything else supernatural. Instead, Damen had created an elixir when he was a teenage that allowed him to live forever, as long as he continued to drink the special ingredients that made up the elixir.

Blade

The first Blade movie was produced in 1998 and is an American vampire superhero action firm. The firm stars Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, and they movie is loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The main character is Blade, a human-vampire hybrid who protects humans from vampires. There were two sequels made, Blade II and Blade: Trinity.

 

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_%28film%29,

A pregnant woman is treated in the hospital after being bitten by a vampire, but the doctors mistake the wound for an animal bite. They try to revive her, but she dies after they deliver her baby boy. The boy inherits the superhuman strength, regenerative healing factor, blood lust, and enhanced senses of vampires, but does not suffer their weaknesses, such as garlic or sunlight. He grows up to be Blade, the vampire hunter.

Several years later, Blade locates a vampire rave club and kills most of the attendees, including the vampire Quinn, who he pins to a wall and burns. When police and fire crews arrive, Blade escapes and the police take Quinn's body to the morgue. As Dr. Karen Jenson carries out an autopsy with a co-worker, Quinn returns to life and attacks. Blade rescues Jenson from Quinn and flees to his base with Jenson while Quinn escapes. There, Blade and his mentor/weapons technician Abraham Whistler attempt to prevent Jenson from turning into a vampire.

Oddly enough, I have only seen the second and third movies but I loved both of them. I enjoyed Blade’s cold sense of humor and the overall thrill in the movies.

My Blood Approves

My Blood Approve is another series of Amanda Hocking’s that I came across. Like Tyrlle Trilogy I found this series through Amazon Kindle Store for only $.99 and was amazed at how good it was. I was instantly hooked and flew through all four of the books and the short story and have been anxiously waiting for more. There are currently four books and one short story in this series. The order of the books is as follows: My Blood Approves, Fate, Flutter, and Wisdom. The additional short story that going into Peter's past is Letters to Elise. To read an excerpt of My Blood Approves click here http://mybloodapprovesseries.blogspot.com/p/my-blood-approves-excerpt.html/. 

 According to Amanda Hocking’s blog,

 “Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met. Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood...”

 

This series, like so many other fantasy romance novels, creates an issue of two loves and the audience picking sides. I am definitely team Jack. Jack is such a sweet heart and truly loves Alice, even through all the crap she has put him through.  Peter, on the other hand, has an instant connection with her but because of his past love; he is a complete jerk to her in order to compress his true feelings.  To be honest, I really need to reread this series since it has been so long since I initially read them. I need to refresh my memory and fall in love all over again!

Check out more on the amazing Amanda Hocking’s and learn about her other books at http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html.