All my dear Blog Readers:
Today I am going to try an experiment and include a short video of the reading of a first chapter of my book, Polynesian Dreams. It is almost the same as if the writer is reading excerpts at a meeting of a book club.
Sales of Polynesian Dreams on the E-book exchanges has not been overwhelming. I knew that it was not going to be easy because I am competing with literally thousands of writers, some of whom sell their masterpiece for as low as 99 cent. My book is priced at $8.50 but I am not enriching myself because I am donating my net proceeds to charity. I refuse to sell it lower because the 5 plus years I spent writing is worth more than 99 cent.
Please take a few moments and listen to this writer read the short first chapter of Polynesian Dreams. The book is for sale on all exchanges, Amazon's Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook, Kobo from Canada, WaveCloud.com, these are the folks who changed my manuscript in "kobi" and "epub" format. It is also on Google Book, ebook and more. I also have a request. I recently attended a seminar that emphasized the importance of reviews. I am kindly asking those who read my book to post a review, I like of course a positive but as long as it is honest, it is welcome.
After listening to the writer read the first chapter, go to one of the exchanges and read an additional sample chapter. If you like it, order the book and enjoy it on one of your devices.
I do want to thank WaveCloud for all the help in launching my book and staying in touch with me.All writers know how almost impossible it was to get your book published, now because of electronic publishing anybody who has produced his or her masterpiece can do so. I found WaveCloud when surfing for ebook publishers,and I hit on a good one.

Thanks in advance from Johan Van Oldenbarneveld

Hallo, Blog readers:
Yesterday I attended a seminar, via my computer, on how to launch your masterpiece. The seminar was given by Bill Van Orsdel, the CEO of WaveCloud.com. These seminars are offered free of charge to authors that had their manuscript formatted and put on the e-book exchanges. WaveCloud also has a POD (print on demand) service. I do not know much about that because I am one of their e-book authors. I find these seminars extremely helpful. It is one thing to write a book, editing, marketing and eventually selling it is something else. Polynesian Dreams was launched on May 1 this year and although I do not know the exact number of sales, it has not been overwhelming. My original cover lacked, let's call it 'zip". WaveCloud designed a much better cover, they made some obvious editing changes and within 2 weeks of first contact, my book was not only on Amazon's Kindle, but on Barnes&Noble Nook, on Google Book and Ebook, also waiting to put on the Aple ebook site.
I learned many things at the seminar and since it is recorded and available on the Authors dashboard, I can review it at my leisure. My request to you is to go to any of the mentioned e-booksellers and read a few sample chapters. If you like it and want to read more, get out that credit card and order a copy, the net portion of my share of the $8.50 sales price is going to charity. Thanks again for your attention. Scan the QR (Quick Reponse) graphic on this blog to go quickly to Polynesian Dreams. As they say in Hawaii, Maholo.

Dear Blog Readers:
Today in Holland it is Remembrance Day to honor the 193 Dutch Victims of the Malaysian Airline disaster. So in respect there is no blog today. May those innocents rest in peace. j.

A healthy and happy week wishes to all my blog readers:
I checked and a new cover for my book, Polynesian Dreams, is now on all the Kindle books and the folks at WaveCloud.com, who handle my mancuscript tell me that by the end of the week it will also be on all the exchanges.
I like to dedicate a paragraph to WaveCloud, a fairly new company who makes it possible for new authors to be published on most of all the e-book exchanges. I found out about WaveCloud by shopping around for companies that provide this kind of service. Being a bit of a penny pincher I settled on WaveCloud because of the price and because of positive comments about the company and services. I cannot be happier with my choice. They formatted my word document into kobi and epub format and had it on sale at the exchanges within two weeks. The editor had some useful suggestions and now designed the new cover, all without charge. They have a author dashboard and hold regular seminars for their authors to help them with the launching. Great job guys, I mention my contact, Justin Luzager and Emily who did the computer work. Wishing you all the success you deserve.
My book is not for everyone. Strange as this sound. If you do not believe in miracles, have a closed mind to re-incarnation, have a close mind regarding that our planet sometime in the past might have been visited by being from an other one of the millions of planets just in our Milky Way galaxy, you might not enjoy Polynesian Dreams. On the other hand, if you have some habits of have an addiction that is keeping you from your true potential, this book might be for you. I am in competition of thousand of titles, some selling for under a dollar, some available for free. The e-book price of my book is $8.50 because I do not want to give the five years it took to write away for nothing. Since I fortunately am financially independent I am donating my net portion to charities, animal shelter and Wounded Warrior. I am asking you to click on any of the exchanges, Amazon Kindle Books, Barnes&Noble Nook, Google Book, Ebook and preferable WaveCloud.com and read a few sample chapters. If you like the style and like to read more, pay the $8,50, the price of a fance hamburger, and enjoy the book on your tablet, laptop or other device. Thanks for reading this blog. Johan, writer.

Dear Blog Readers:

This blog is only to offer my condolences to all the family and friends whose loved ones lost their precious lives in the Malaysian airline disaster. Among the victims were 189 citizens of the country of my birth, Netherlands. To those and all nationalities go my thoughts over this tragic loss of lives.
Johan Van Oldenbarneveld

 

 

 

 

 Below a copy of the description published by Kindle. WaveCloud is in the process of publishing a new cover. Thanks for reading. JOhan

 

Polynesian Dreams, an epic memoir, takes us around the world as we follow the story of Johan. Beginning in 1940 as a startled ten-year-old Johan witnesses the German invasion and destruction of his home in Holland, and continuing into the long adventures of his youth, Johan Van Oldenbarneveld’s is a tale that captivates, which draws his readers close. In 1950, Johan, now a young man, emigrates to the United States and is soon drafted into the Military Police. He is stationed for duty in Germany.

After his honorable discharge from the service, Johan’s life becomes a long and uncontrollable downward spiral of alcoholism, amphetamines, and bad behavior.

Bankrupted financially and morally, at the point of physical collapse—he finally asks himself what went wrong? Slowly, Johan fights his way back to health. He discovers that inner voice within himself, the voice within us all, which is the source of all the good in humanity.

Reading Polynesian Dreams, we grow to hear our own inner voices more clearly. In great vivid prose, Johan Van Oldenbarneveld shares himself at his most vulnerable, takes us on great adventures, and reveals the frantic realities of war. In what is not your average rags-to-riches tale, Johan finds greater meaning in his life, and articulates his journey with such humble honesty that we too are moved to seek out something deeper within ourselves. This is a personal, powerful story of spiritual turmoil, of exodus and return, which everyone will enjoy no matter their chosen path.

Hi, Blog readers:
Another day, another dollar is the old adage, in my case it is another day, another blog entry. Almost every day I am trying to motivate folks to order my book, Polynesian Dreams from Amazon.com Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook, WaveCloud.com, Ebooks, Google Book and others. Writing a book is easy for some, hard for others. I have written several but my biography, Polynesian Dreams was difficult and took over 5 years. I find selling the book even more difficult. I am a daily contributor on a FaceBook page, titled, Je bent een echte Rotterdammer als: tranlated this means: You are a real person from Rotterdam if you were born in that city; as I was on May 8, 1930. I have lived in the US for 64 years and my Dutch is rusty, to put it mildly. Everyday I translate a few sample paragraphs of my book and publish it on this Holland FaceBook page. The response has been more than positive, people are encouraging to write more. Does this mean my book is a best seller in Holland? No, because it is written in English and although I have made a number of sales in The Netherlands, ordinarily the Dutch people do not buy books in another language.
The folks at WaveCloud.com who did the format in kobi and epub have been more than helpful. Next week there is another seminar on how to launch your book. My contact person also suggested that I change the cover and I in the process of doing just that. Below is the sample of the proposed new cover.
I emphasize in each blog that I am donating my portion of the sales to my charities, Animal Shelter and Wounded Warrior. So far, there have not been enough sales to make this a reality. Please read a few sample chapters on the E-book sellers sites. Thank you in advance for doing so.
Johan Van Oldenbarneveld, writer, publisher of Polynesian Dreams.

Hallo to all my blog readers:

In a way I am glad that the World Cup of soccer is finished until the next one, four years from now.  I have been an avid soccer fan ever since I played the game as a young boy growing up in The Netherlands. Now I can concentrate again on trying to promote my book: Polynesian Dreams that is available on all the major E-book publishing sites. 

The folks at WaveCloud.com who converted my manuscript in kobi and epub format are working on a new cover because they do not think that the present cover tells a lot of what the book is about. What is the book about? Polynesian Dreams is about adventure on the high seas, about romance, some good, some not so, about growing up in occupied Holland but the main theme is inspiration.  Is there anyone who wished they could get rid of that bad habit or worse, bad addiction. I sure had many but in the book I describe my battles and my ultimate victory over alcohol, drugs, bad behavior. In animals they talk about instinct but we, human sapiens, have instincts as well, given to us at birth. We have an inner voice but often we choose to ignore it, we do not like what it tells us. My friends, ignore that inner voice at your peril. I did for many years with disastrous results. How I fought my demons and how ultimately defeated them is the major theme of my book. Along the way you will be taken to many places and meet strange characters. I recommend you go to Amazon's Kindle of Barnes&Noble and read a few sample chapters. If you like it, order it for $8.50. At my age I fortunately have enough financial security until it is time to move to the Military cemetery in Riverside California so I am donating my net proceeds to charity, animal shelters and Wounded Warriors. This book makes good reading while waiting in an airport lounge and on your long flight, or while relaxing on the beach at at the pool of your resort. Do not read it in bed before going to sleep because you will not be able to put it down. Your friendly blogger, Johan.

De foto from 68 years ago, where did the years disappear to?

Hi, dear blog readers:

What now? Or in the a phrase from yeas ago, How Now Brown Cow?
I am referring to how to sell my book, Polynesian Dreams, that is available on all e-book exchanges, such as Kindle, Nook, WaveCloud.com and more.
Writing a book, using the analogy of constructing a building, is first to start with a solid foundation. This has to be the idea. Next you built the frame, beginning, end and everything in between. Finally you begin to put on the outside and inside walls. The last thing you do is to put the final touches on your building, such as landscaping and finishing the inside. Writing a book is much like it. Most fiction books are written using a true and tried formula. Polynesian Dreams and most other biographies are the exception. Polynesian Dreams contains plenty of adventure, travels around the world on Dutch Royal Navy and Dutch merchant marine ships, but it is also inspirational, the main purpose of my labor. People that were familiar with my life's ups and downs often advised me to write a book. When I retired and was living in Hawaii, I finally got around doing just that. My book has been available on the e-seller web sites for two months and have had marginal sales. If you look at the hundreds, no thousand of titles you bound to become somewhat discouraged and wonder how I can convince readers that my book is different and a real page turner. I am doing my best, blogs, FaceBook, Twitter but I need to do more. Any suggestions, anyone? I sure could use some. Go to Kindle for instance, search for Polynesian Dreams, and read the description and a few sample chapters. Remember I donate my net proceeds to animal shelters and Wounded Warriors.
Happy vacation reading. Johan Van Oldenbarneveld.

Today is July 3d, and tomorrow is Independence Day. I am not going to bore you today with begging to read my book. In fact, I am not even giving you the name and how you can get it.
If you are really interested, email me at: pokerbydutch@verizon.net or visit my web site: www.polynesiandreams.com 
The picture on this blog was taken when I was about 7 years old and as you see, I am already writing. Never stopped. Love to all my blog readers and a happy Fourth of July.
Johan Van Oldenbarneveld.

Hallo Blog Readers:
I have had many struggles in my life. The worst was the winter of '44-'45. I was a 14 and living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The western part of Holland where all the large cities were located were completely cut off from the rest of the country. We had no food, no fuel, little water, scant sanitary facilities and it was one of the coldest winters of record. I stood for hours in line, in freezing weather for a small pan of watery soup with a few carrots, onions and glassy potatoes that had been previously exposed to frost. I walked for hours outside the city into the countryside to beg for a crust of bread from the farms. We were saved from starvation by a kind neighbor who was cook in a hotel that housed German Army officers. This man shared a little food that he was allowed to take home. Eighteen thousand people died that winter, mostly babies, young children and the elderly. There were no men, they had been rounded up and shipped to Germany to work in the war factories; a very hazardous job. Finally when in April '45 a thousand people a day died from hunger, the German commander allowed the Allied Air Forces to drop food to the starving population.
Is it a wonder that I said that nothing in my life could be worse then that winter.
I might have been wrong. I suffered plenty more bad situations in my life, some death threatening. I had failed marriages, addiction to alcohol and drugs, financial and physical ruin. I wrote a book about that and more, Polynesian Dreams, a inspirational tale, because it chronicles my world travels, my struggles, often self inflicted and the fight to overcome and get my life back on the right track.
Now I am facing another struggle. I am in the winter of my life, fortunately enjoy robust health but before I close my blue eyes for the last time I would like to have my book read by as many folks as possible. Who among you who read this blog have also things in their life they wished they could get control over? My book describes how I overcame my bad behavior and addictions. The struggle now is how to get folks to order my book from the E-book sellers such as Kindle, WaveCloud, Kobo, Nook, Ebooks, Google Book and others. I will never stop promoting my book, just as I never ceased to fight my way back to health and happiness. At my age, I am financial independent and I do not need the my proceeds from my inspirational book and therefor am donating it to charities close to my heart, namely Animal Shelter and Wounded Warriors. Please take the time to read at least a few sample chapters on your tablet or lap top. If you enjoy my style, are curious about the rest, order the book from the e-book sellers. Thank you for reading my blog. Johan Van Oldenbarneveld.
The photo is from a RAF Lancaster bomber dropping food over drop zone in Holland.