Why I hired a PA and how I found her

When people found out I had a personal assistant (whom I adored), I started getting questions about how I found her, and she started getting propositions from other authors who wanted her.

So, I thought I should explain a little bit more about our relationship and how after only two months, I know I've found the perfect PA.

Let me start out by saying I've been writing and publishing since 2011 and have had assistants and PR people before. All I have parted ways with.

They either weren't doing the job right, didn't have time for it, or I just plain couldn't afford them.

A lot of things also changed from 2011 to now.

I started doing my own formatting and uploading.
I had a second child.
I moved across the country TWICE.
I quit my full-time job.
Sales TANKED.

I would have loved to go back with a PR company but at close to $400 a month (and over), I couldn't afford it.

I've had previous PA's who I paid in books and swag and I asked for help with promotion. But then their lives got busy and I started wanting more and more that they couldn't handle.

So I was without a PA.

Then, in July, we moved across the country AGAIN.

I wanted to release two books in a series within a week of each other. I knew that I needed help.

So I started evaluating, what DO I need help with? What was taking me away from writing (the ultimate money maker)?

Formatting paperbacks - Yes, I do this myself and, yes, it can take me about two hours to do, even without fancy formatting.

Uploading books to all sites - Again, PITA

Keeping Street Team, Facebook groups, all active. - I can post once a day, but sometimes I needed to spend days away from social media when moving (or when the internet is effed up).

Organization - Just remembering that I have ads, takeovers, etc.

Finding new places to advertise that were free or cheap and submitting.

Finding new reviewers.

Once I looked at this, I also thought about what I wanted in a PA and who I trusted to do these things.

I met Alissa a year or two ago. We actually met in an online group and found out we were both from the same small town and her husband took me trick or treating with my cousin when I was younger (he dressed as a woman).

She had been interesting in writing and publishing but life got in the way (two active kids, writers block, etc).

I'd been using bloggers in the past, who do help, but the business side of things was something I had to teach them, something they weren't that interested in.

So, I approached Alissa to do this as an intern/assistant. She immediately jumped at the chance.

Now we're going on our two month anniversary.

My advice for finding your own PA.

Write down what YOU want a PA to do (specifically). Interview applicants. Ask other people what their PA's do. And the biggest one: PAY THEM. They work a lot harder for pay.

Now we have an NDA and contract in place so she has to stay with me for a certain amount of time, but she is free to use this knowledge if she eventually PA's for other people or publishes her own book. As far as pay goes, she makes 10 percent of what I make a month. The more she helps and I get books out, the more she makes. We have a cap at a certain amount, but otherwise that's what she gets. You don't have to shell out a ton of money, if a PA is willing to work for this, but just books and swag doesn't always cut it.

This process may not work for everyone, but this is what I did to find my assistant and I couldn't be happier.

Magan Wants an Ereader: Kindle v. Ipad

On my continued quest for an Ereader/ Tablet I asked another one of my fellow RWA member, Kathy Tosh, about her Ereading devices.  She has an Ipad1 and a Kindle, so she decided to compare the two for me.


Does the device have a USB port?


Kindle – Yes

iPad – Yes

Can you read in the sunlight?

Kindle – Yes

iPad – Yes

Can you listen to music?

Kindle – Yes, although I never have

iPad – Yes

Can you access the internet / email?

Kindle – Sorta. I know I can send myself documents to read and edit on my Kindle, but I haven’t done so and probably won’t. I think it’s 15 cents to do it.

iPad – Yes


Can you write on this device?

Kindle – Not really

iPad – Yes

Can you edit on this device or critique?

Kindle – Sorta

iPad – Yes

What do you mainly use the device for?

Kindle – Call me a purist, but when I sit down with my Kindle, it’s to read. That’s why I wanted it.

iPad – I mainly use it to write, to surf the Internet, and yes, to play some games.

What do you like best about this device?

Kindle – I honestly LOVE both of these devices, but as I said, my Kindle is my reading-specific device. There aren’t other distractions taking my attention away from reading, which is my ultimate me-time enjoyment. Specifically, I really dig the dictionary at the touch of a button. The Kindle causes less eye strain than other devices (because it isn’t backlit). Shopping is maybe a little TOO easy, but it’s great, and since it’s directly connected to my Amazon account, they “know” me, and I get all those good recommendations.

iPad – The coolest of the cool, this is a device that you can truly customize. It does SO much. I especially love turning it on and instantly being connected to the Internet. None of that grinding away to get the computer up and running. I love that I have a computer that weighs next to nothing and is so portable. It’s fast, it’s easy to use, it’s awesome.

What do you like least about the device?

Kindle – I love everything about it.

iPad – Not having Adobe Flash

What program do you use to read books?

Kindle all the way (and the good old paper kind, too, of course).

How long is the battery life?

Kindle – Long. Depending on how much I read, I can go without recharging it for an entire weekend. I think because it’s not backlit it doesn’t use much charge.

iPad – If I use it heavily, probably the better part of a day. Depends on what you’re doing, of course. Some games suck battery life. I believe if you turn down the brightness, you can save on your battery life.


What are the graphic like?

Kindle – Pretty decent, although no color, but I’m not reading any picture books, so that’s fine with me.

iPad – Great.


What is the coolest feature of this device?

Kindle – It’s super fast to download books, and I can do it anytime, anywhere. It’s 3G, so I can shop in the car if I want (as a passenger, of course).

iPad – How much you can do, but it all depends on what YOU want to do. Our son-in-law is a doctor, and he uses one to take notes on his patients rather than dragging a computer around, so it’s a work tool (with a much longer battery life than a laptop). I love the portability of it and the ease of use. I can instantly turn it on anywhere and immediately start to work – in a restaurant, at my kitchen counter, in the car (again, as a passenger).


How much does this device usually cost?

Lucky me, I didn’t pay for either of them. They were gifts – the benefit of a significant other who hates to shop and is willing to pay not to have to! However, had I purchased them, the Kindle was around $300 at the time (cheaper now), and iPad was $800 because I got the one with 32 GB and 3G enabled.


Do you have any upgrades on this device?

Kindle – Good question. I think it automatically upgrades, which I’m pretty sure it’s done a few times but I haven’t noticed anything significant changing.

iPad – The Apps upgrade.

Do you have any apps on this device? What kind?

Kindle – No apps. This is my dedicated library. I’d call it my quiet friend in that I can curl up with it and completely unwind. That’s what it’s for.

iPad – Oh, yeah. The iPad is my wild friend that’s all over the place. It’s exciting. It’s fun.

o I have a couple of games – Angry Birds, Solitaire, and Cut The Rope (HUGE time wasters).

o Like my Kindle, my iPod is dedicated to only music, so I don’t have any tunes on my iPad, but I do have Pandora and Shazam. Both very nifty apps.

o Restaurant apps (I think I have two or three), that are kinda sorta okay, although one of them told me about a restaurant that I might be interested in that was over 1,000 miles away!

o I have a number of writing prompt apps, and they’re okay, but not great. Also, a few note-taking apps, including one that’s virtual note cards for organizing. Haven’t used them yet. I wonder if that’s significant J

o I have two “word processing” apps – One is Office Works (or something like that). It’s basically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I think it was $15. It’s not bad. I also have Pages, which is an Apple product. I just got it, and I think it will be easier to use than the Office Works. It allegedly will transfer to Word with no problem. I believe it was $10.

I don’t have a wireless printer yet, so I just email the documents to myself and then print them. I do, however, have a wireless keyboard. I got the Apple one, and it’s fantabulous. If you’re going to use the iPad for a lot of writing, I recommend it. Then again, wanting the keyboard could be generational.


I really love that Kathy was able to compare both systems side by side for me.  It really made it easier to compare and contrast the two devices.  I like having a just reading device that wont distract me from reading or critiquing, but I did take a trip to Best Buy and saw the coolness of the Ipad 2 this past weekend... 

Do you have an Ipad or Kindle?  Do you have anything to add?

Magan wants an Ereader: The Nook

In the first of my research of a quest for an Ereader/Tablet I decided to check out The Nook.  The president of my local RWA chapter, Dixie, agreed to answer some questions for me about the Nook and my critique partner, Kienna Riley, offered to let me play with hers.  So without further ado:  The Nook.

Basic questions (yes or no, usually):


Does the device have a USB port: YES
Can you read in the sunlight: YES
Can you listen to music?: YES
Can you access the internet/ email: NO
Can you write on this device? (i.e. use word): NO
Can you edit on this device or critique?: NO
Is it easy to use?: YES


More in-depth questions:

What do you mainly use this device for?: READING AND BUYING BOOKS

What do you like best about this device: I CAN READ IT ANYWHERE AND BUY ANYWHERE. EASY TO USE. AND IF I HAVE PROBLEMS, B&N IS RIGHT HERE TO HELP ME OUT

What do you like the least about this device: NOTHING. CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING.

What program do you use to read books?: NOOK

How long is the battery life?: 10 HOURS

What are the graphics like?: NO GRAPHICS BUT CAN ADJUST WORD SIZE

What is the coolest feature of this device?: NON GLARE SCREEN

How much does this device usually cost?: WELL, I BOUGHT THE EXPENSIVE ONE. THE ONE THAT HAS USB AND WI FI. ABOUT $200

Do you have any upgrades on this device?: YES. I GET NOTIFIED WHEN UPGRADES ARE AVAILABLE.

Do you have any apps on this device? What kind?: NOPE


My thoughts on the Nook:  The biggest thing that bothered me about The Nook was that it was basically an Ereader and that's it.  Yes, I want to be able to read books and my critique partner's manuscripts, but what if I want to edit them?  What if I want to play games?  I like that I can play music on the device and that B&N is right there if I have questions, but all in all I'm not sure that The Nook will be the winner.

Magan wants an E-reader

So it's not much for a Monday Musing, but I'm going to try something new on the blog...

With the release of the Ipad 2, my husband and I have been talking more about me getting an Ereader/Tablet.  The problem is...I'm not sure which one I want to get.

That's were you come in!

Not only do I want to do my research about the differant Ereaders and Tablets, but I want to share that information with my blog followers! 

So here is the deal:  If you own a Nook, Kindle, Ipad, Ipad 2, Galaxy Tablet, Sony E-reader, Android Tablet, or any other kind of E reader or tablet I would LOVE for you to comment or e-mail me at magan.vernon@gmail.com and let me ask you a couple of questions about your cool toy and then post them on the blog to share with other blog followers.  (Note:  So far I do have someone with an Ipad, Nook, and Nook color who are going to be doing posts.  If you have a Kindle, Ipad 2, or some other tablet I'd be VERY interested in learning more).

The questions will probably include, but aren't limited to:  What do you use your Ereader/tablet for mainly?  What don't you like about it?  Does it have a USB port?  What kind of apps does it have?  Can you use it outside?  Can you access e-mail?  How easy is it to type on?

If anyone has any other questions that they can think of please share them in the comments as well!  Hopefully this can be interactive and the interviee can also help out with answering the questions as the segments are posted!  I hope to get these posted on Mondays/Wednesdays and then will let everyone know what I finally choose!

Hope to get lots of participation!