Her first foray into publishing began, as many picture the life of an author, with a traditional publishing deal. But after releasing a few books, Michaels decided to turn down an additional deal and try self-publishing.

"I'd begun developing an audience for my books and wanted to try something different. Authors I respected had success and greater control over their work with self-publishing, so I was eager to try it for myself," says Michaels.

She mastered it quickly and decided to go "strictly indie" in 2015, using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service to publish in both eBook and print. Since her decision to self-publish, she has been on the USA bestseller list ten times. Her husband quit his job at a large technology company and now works with Michaels to run their publishing company.

"I wanted more control over not just the creative writing, but also the marketing strategy, cover art, and other business aspects of publishing. I grew frustrated being unable to make these decisions going the traditional publishing route," she says. "I'm both a writer and entrepreneur, and I'm enjoying more creative and financial rewards than I ever have."

For Michaels, who says the initial idea of going indie was "taking a leap off a cliff and hoping you can fly before you crash," the resulting benefits have exceeded her expectations.

For those authors wrestling with the idea of self-publishing, consider this:

- Creative control. Self-publishing a book allows authors to build characters and stories exactly the way they want and, ultimately, retain full rights to their original material. A book that has been nursed from inception to novel remains yours.

- Get to market fast. Once a book is ready, self-publishing services, such as KDP, guide authors through setting up their books and getting them in the hands of readers in just a matter of days.

- Make more money. Authors who opt to self-publish can set their own prices and take home a higher percentage of royalties.

While a self-published author serves as his or her own marketing department, indie publishers make marketing simple and effective. Self-publishing companies, such as Amazon, also offer authors additional promotional opportunities to make their work available to more readers.

Many authors find support through writers' groups online, such as Facebook groups, or in-person by attending workshops and writers' conferences. Most cities have local writing groups that meet regularly. These meetings can provide constructive criticism of your work and other resources.

"I fell into self-publishing by accident, and found that connecting with other authors and joining a local writers' organization helped me improve my technique and career tremendously," says self-published science fiction and fantasy author T.S. Paul. "When sales of my novels began to take off, I began working with freelancers and a virtual assistant, also, to grow the community around me."

Regardless of whether a writer is interested in romance, mystery, fantasy, or biographies, self-publishing with services such as KDP can empower them to pursue their dreams, especially if they're willing to study the business side of publishing as well as Jess Michaels did.

Who knows? Maybe the best seller list is closer than you think.

For more information, visit https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/.

The reality series makes its debut at 8 pm Eastern time (ET) on February 14, and features twin sisters, Heidi and Heather, who team up to start an interior design business aimed at providing families with creative, beautiful and functional spaces. To get the new venture off the ground, the twins move their families in together to save money and increase efficiency.

Viewers can empathize with their challenges as the twins, together with their husbands and a total of seven children under the age of 6, work to nurture both their families and their growing business, aptly named "Joyful Living."

The Atlanta, Georgia-based UPtv makes it a full night of love for Valentine's Day this season by also airing the much-anticipated wedding of Josie Bates and Kelton Balka at 9 pm ET on the popular series, "Bringing Up Bates," following the premiere of "Design Twins."

The wedding features a picturesque outdoor country setting and plenty of family participation in the festivities.

"At UPtv, we celebrate family and life's biggest moments," says Amy Winter, general manager and evp. "We are excited to add 'Design Twins' to our Thursday night lineup as we continue to bring viewers uplifting and inspiring stories."

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love and romance, but the network keeps heartwarming stories upfront year-round with new episodes of UPtv's hit series on Thursday nights, movie premieres on the weekend and fan-favorite acquired series throughout the week.

UPtv continues the themes of love and family in 2019 with UP Faith & Family. The streaming service offers a variety of commercial-free, faith- and family-friendly entertainment anytime, anywhere. UP Faith & Family offers endless hours of movies, drama series and kids' programming. It's also the exclusive home for past seasons of UPtv originals.

In February, UP Faith & Family will be adding the wedding-themed reality series, "Our Wedding Story," and "Crazy Beautiful Weddings," as well as other romance-themed programs, including the movies, "Bridal Bootcamp" and "Love's Last Resort." New titles are added monthly.

Prospective viewers can enjoy a 14-day free trial of the service by downloading the UP Faith & Family app or visiting Upfaithandfamily.com.

For more information about UPtv, go to UPtv.com or check for updates on Facebook at facebook.com/Uptv, Twitter on @Uptv and Instagram at UP_TV.

The Shen Yun Performing Arts company captures the imagination as it celebrates Chinese culture with a unique presentation of classical Chinese dance combined with original orchestral works and eye-popping special effects. 

Learn about the rigorous physical, mental and spiritual requirements for studying at the highest levels of classical Chinese dance and being a Shen Yun dancer in a video. This video is written and narrated by Shen Yun performers and illustrated through real practice footage. 

"Awe-Inspiring!" - ABC

"A Must See!" - Broadway World 

Watch the video here.

UP Faith and Family (UPFF), the streaming service developed by UPtv, offers commercial-free, family-friendly entertainment, including the popular series Heartland, which airs its 200th episode this season.

Heartland, a multi-generational family drama set on a horse ranch in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, is in its 12th season, and remains popular with viewers who value the family bonding time as much as the program itself.

"From day one, I've felt such a strong connection with all of the actors," says actress Amber Marshall, who plays lead character Amy Fleming.

"I think that makes our show special, because when people watch Heartland, they can see that we genuinely love one another, and I think that's important."

Heartland is filmed and produced in Alberta, Canada, and the stunning scenery adds to the show's appeal.

Viewers of all ages and demographics can relate to the family drama, love, and fun, not to mention the beautiful horses. Longtime fans have followed the characters and their stories for years. Storylines include the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and brothers and sisters, as well as interactions between humans and horses that create moving and powerful plot twists.

Even after 12 seasons, Heartland remains consistent in its goal of providing programming that parents need not fear will be inappropriate for children.

"We need shows that have good wholesome values, and a show [where] people can sit down with their families and feel good about it," Ms. Marshall adds.

In honor of the 200th episode, UPFF will present Heartland: Through the Years, a special program featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the principal actors, producers, horse trainers, and other members of the crew.

UPFF is available anytime for uplifting entertainment suitable for all ages, including kids' programs, documentaries, and reality series. Families can download the app or visit Upfaithandfamily.com for more information about subscriptions and a 14-day free trial.

The SVOD service is available on all major mobile and streaming platforms, including iOS/iPadOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox. It is also distributed by many partners, including Amazon Prime Channels, Xfinity, Dish, Sling, Cox and The Roku Channel.

His view is supported by a National Intelligence Estimate, multiple Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports and testimony, and the recently released new Global Health Security Index by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

After more than a decade of study, Dr. Hatfill and his team have published a comprehensive book, "Three Seconds Until Midnight" which revisits the challenges of the 1918 pandemic and highlights the limitations of the current U.S. public health system while offering some possible solutions. With an introduction written by the famous virus-hunter C.J. Peters, MD, the book also delves into the causes and problems caused by the continuing emergence of new human infectious diseases previously unknown to science.

"The overwhelming majority of Americans assume that the CDC and public health authorities will rapidly detect a new outbreak of a lethal infectious disease and quickly respond with a vaccine, drugs, and other measures to contain the event. In reality, none of this is guaranteed," Dr. Hatfill emphasizes.

The latest Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) documents show that in a 1918-type pandemic Influenza event, a minimum of 123 to 125 million Americans will not receive any anti-viral drugs or vaccine until after the peak period of infections and deaths. As these individuals watch some of their neighbors, co-workers, or family members become ill and some die around them, all there will be is government advice to frequently wash their hands, cough or sneeze into their sleeve, and if sick, to stay home from work.

In the book, Dr. Hatfill and his team point out how the U.S. has an insufficient public health workforce and lacks the "surge" medical capacity needed for a lethal pandemic situation and that no programs are currently in place to train volunteers on how to safely work in an infectious disease environment.

To decrease hospital overcrowding during a 1918-type pandemic, the DHHS will advise communities to set up Neighborhood Emergency Help Centers to triage which patients can be nursed at home. Yet most adults are uninformed on how to care for ill family members if they contract a contagious and possibly lethal infection, and entire households will become ill, Dr. Hatfill says. Historically, the poor, socially disadvantaged urban communities will have the highest infection, hospitalization, and death rates.

The major problems in pandemic preparedness occur with the local city authorities who are largely unprepared to manage an outbreak of a serious lethal infectious disease on a 1918-type scale. This includes developing methods to manage essential worker absenteeism, pre-planning alternate care sites, gross rapid expansion of mortuary capabilities and teaching non-pharmaceutical interventions to the public.

"There are worse viruses in nature than another 1918-type influenza strain. These viruses are simply waiting for the right conditions to adapt and jump species into man," says Dr. Hatfill. "We are the only large mammal to have ever achieved such a high-density global population level and we have no precedent to indicate if we are nearing a threshold or not." As a consequence, we are all participating in a huge on-going biological experiment."

His book outlines the urgent need for a universal flu vaccine and more effective antiviral drugs. It also describes a disaster train concept for improved military support to disadvantaged communities acting in a disaster response mode, similar to the role played by the Armed Forces after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"Three Seconds Until Midnight" is available for purchase online via Amazon or Kindle.

For more information, visit www.threesecondsuntilmidnight.com.

The three-part series is executive produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ron Chernow, author of the 2017 biography, "Grant," along with Appian Way's Jennifer Davisson and Leonardo DiCaprio, and produced by RadicalMedia in association with global content leader Lionsgate. The first episode airs on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, and continues over the next two nights at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

"Ulysses S. Grant is one of our most brilliant, yet misunderstood presidents and HISTORY is committed to telling the compelling stories, like his, of those who have shaped our great nation," says Eli Lehrer, executive vice president and general manager for HISTORY.

"This is an important part of American history that deserves to be told and we look forward to delivering our latest premium core history documentary series to our audience," he adds.

Today, Grant is unfamiliar and misunderstood by many people, despite his worldwide fame at the time of his death in 1885. The three-night miniseries event combines dramatic scenes, expert commentary, and archival images to reveal Grant's true legacy, which involves a rise from humble beginnings through the highest ranks of the military, and finally to the presidency.

While serving as president from 1869-1877, he held the United States together during the challenges of reconstruction after the devastation of the Civil War.

Many people may be unaware that Grant's initiatives while in office include protecting the right to vote for the four-million formerly enslaved people freed at the end of the war despite violence and widespread resistance.

In addition, "Grant" features on-camera interviews with "Grant" biographer Ron Chernow, as well as David Petraeus, retired United States Army General and former Central Intelligence Agency director; Ta-Nehisi Coates, acclaimed writer and journalist, and Elizabeth Samet, professor of English at West Point.

Visit history.com for more information about the series and other premium, fact-based storytelling and entertainment.

Also, follow @history on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Recent hits include the top three movies in ad-supported cable for 2020: "The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel," "Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story," and "Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer."Audiences with more time at home will not be disappointed, as Lifetime premieres 50 new movies between May and the end of 2020.

The summer-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Lifetime Original Movie begins with two-time Emmy nominee Niecy Nash (star of the critically acclaimed "Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story") hosting a special kick-off movie marathon weekend, May 30-31. It features two full days of Lifetime's most celebrated movies, as well as two movie premieres - "The Captive Nanny" (May 30) and "My Husband's Deadly Past" (May 31).

"The legacy of Lifetime Original Movies is undeniable, as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the pop culture phenomenon this year," says Amy Winter, executive vice president and head of programming for Lifetime and LMN.

"With everyone's lives radically shifted in the past weeks, what has remained constant is Lifetime's ability to deliver top-quality movie premieres such as "The Clark Sisters" to our audiences and provide them some much needed entertainment and escape. With over 50 more titles to debut between now and the end of the year, our storytelling ability is further strengthened by the incredible talent partners we have lined up."

Upcoming projects engage the talents of stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis, who will executive produce, star in, and direct the new film, "How We Sleep at Night: The Sara Cunningham Story," the true story of a devout Christian mother who comes to accept her son being gay.

Fans of biopics, and those who can't get enough royals can look forward to a third installment in the Harry & Meghan movie franchise, which follows the couple's controversial detachment from traditional royal life after the birth of their son Archie.

Before you know it, the holidays will be here.

As the home for holiday movies with something for everyone, Lifetime's popular "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" event will return later this year, featuring holiday-themed movies and national treasure Betty White in a can't-miss role as (perhaps?) Mrs. Santa Claus.

Lifetime also is ramping up its 2021 movie pipeline, which is scheduled to include Salt-N-Pepa and Wendy Williams biopics, as well as the V.C. Andrews Ruby Landry Movie Series.

Visit mylifetime.com for more information about upcoming programs.

One might interpret those words as a plea to humanity to keep cool and ride the course of these unprecedented times - this too shall pass.

Not Paul Willette. An MD for 26 years, he has now authored "GPS: Global Pandemic Solutions: Directions for a Healthier Immunity against Coronavirus, " which advances the "10th opinion" theory that we've got it all wrong.

"Shutting down businesses and economies worldwide, overvaluing the importance of vaccines and ventilators, and increased testing for the virus in healthy people are fundamentally wrong," claims Willette.

"In fact, there is little proof they accomplished anything. In some instances, they made things worse. For example, the highest SARS-CoV-2 positive testing rate came from the stay-at-home self-quarantining group."

"Do we have a pandemic?" asks Willette. "You cannot test for a virus without distinguishing between colonization versus infection (disease). Pandemics are spread of disease between one person and another within a population. Increased viral testing is not a pandemic."

Current testing, argues Willette, only identifies the presence or absence of the Coronavirus, but the premise that a positive test for Coronavirus represents infection is flawed. Willette believes a case of the Coronavirus should be "counted" only when the virus has multiplied in sufficient quantities to cause severe sickness. Furthermore, correlation of positive Coronavirus testing is not causation of Covid-19 death.

Willette's company, Global Health Science Solutions LLC, has been over 30 years in the making. The starting point is medical school, residency and fellowship training. But what makes it different, according to Willette, is the pursuit of solutions incorporating nutrition, biochemistry and cell biology. Visit baisavhealth.com.

While much of Willette's narrative is quashing commonly accepted beliefs about the Coronavirus, he also provides a list of solutions and recommendations for healthy living. Willette says a broader understanding of all living things provides insight into the Coronavirus and the importance of maintaining a healthy immune system. His book delivers great insights into this understanding, including solutions that answer questions such as: why do bats harbor deadly viruses, yet do not die from them? Willette argues the early intervention of steroids (such as Decadron) helps prevent damage to normal tissues, i.e. lung, as the initial general inflammatory response is blunted (similar to bats) until the adaptive immune system specifically targets just the virus.

"GPS: Global Pandemic Solutions: Directions for a Healthier Immunity Against the Coronavirus" is the beginning of a discussion not just about stamping out disease, but about redefining and improving health in order to move forward for a better future.

To learn more and purchase, go to http://baisavhealth.com.

NOTE: BookBites is a continuing series bringing readers information and ideas for their next read. For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Beginning on January 1, 2021, you can stream every episode of The Office only on Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service. Whether you have watched the series ten times through, or have never seen a single episode, Peacock has every fan covered. Peacock provides a variety of ways to relive The Office's best pranks, romances, quotes and more.

Binge through every milestone in Jim and Pam's relationship and listen to Michael Scott utter the words "that's what she said" more times than you can count in the original series or enjoy these moments and more with The Office: Superfan Episodes that include never-before-seen footage and deleted scenes in extended cuts. See a sample of an extended cut clip from season 3 of The Office here.

Looking for more? Peacock offers fans behind-the-scenes content, including bloopers, featurettes, and interviews, as well as special curated, themed episode collections, clip playlists, and a 24/7 channel of ambient noise devoted to the sights and sounds of an office.

Just like the soft pretzels on Stanley's favorite day of the year, Pretzel Day, the first two seasons of The Office are completely free to enjoy. The remaining episodes from seasons 3-9 and The Office: Superfan Episodes are available for Peacock Premium subscribers. In February, Spanish-language streaming options will become available for the first time, too.

ENJOY COMEDY CLASSICS AND MORE ON PEACOCK

The Office joins Peacock's library of comedy classics and current hits from NBCUniversal and beyond, including Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond, George Lopez, The King of Queens, The Amber Ruffin Show, Saved by the Bell, and much more.

Peacock brings together everything people love about TV and streaming to deliver the best live and on-demand programming from NBCUniversal and beyond. Sign up for Peacock today -- completely free -- and enjoy thousands of hours of current and classic movies and shows, exclusive channels, timely news and sports, late-night, reality, and more. Or upgrade to Peacock Premium for just $4.99 per month and enjoy access to thousands of hours of movies, shows, originals, live news, and sports. You can also go ad-free for just $5 more per month.

HOW TO WATCH

Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex customers enjoy access to Peacock Premium, including all episodes of The Office, at no extra cost. X1 and Flex customers can also unlock an exclusive The Office surprise by repeating famous quotes from the iconic series into the Xfinity Voice Remote such as "Dunder Mifflin," "Bob Vance," "I'm not superstitious," and "Fool me once, strike one" to hear audio Easter eggs from Michael and the gang.

Peacock is available nationwide on the Roku platform; Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K, and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices, including Android, Android TV devices, Chromecast, and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft's Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; Sony PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro; and VIZIO SmartCast TVs and LG Smart TVs. In addition to Comcast's Xfinity X1 and Flex customers, Cox Contour customers enjoy Peacock Premium with their service at no additional cost.

Visit Peacocktv.com to learn more.

"Her Eyes Underwater"
by Romona Simon

She's an unsuspecting university student. He's a stranger with a dark secret. Will she see past her infatuation before she becomes his next victim? During a chance encounter, Julia Strauss meets a captivating man. She is instantly attracted and pursues him obsessively. What she doesn't know is that behind all the charm, he has a secret agenda. 

Can Julia see beyond the haze of her infatuation before it's too late?

If you enjoy impassioned dark romance-thrillers full of suspense, then Her Eyes Underwater is for you. Set in the vast and pristine wilderness of 1970s Montana, this true-crime-inspired novel is a unique mix that will grab you from the first page. Purchase at https://amzn.to/31cyXbM. 

"Emergency Powers"
by James McCrone 

A ripped-from-the-headlines urgency: a fractious FBI, an undermined Attorney General, corruption, murder, and powerful people using all manner of treachery to maintain their hold on power.

The accidental president is no accident. When the president dies in office, FBI Agent Imogen Trager knows that the conspiracy she chased down a blind alley still has life- and she needs to get back in the hunt. The old case may be the key to stopping a brutal, false- flag terrorist attack meant to finalize the new puppet president's grip on power. Imogen doesn't know it yet, but she's running out of time. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2FtVvft. 

"Boop and Eve's Road Trip"
by Mary Helen Sheriff 

Eve is done - with college, with her mom, with guys, and with her dream of fashion design. But when her best friend goes MIA, Eve must gather the broken threads of her life and search for her.

When Eve's grandmother, Boop, a retiree with Southern charm, finds out about the trip, she hijacks her granddaughter's road trip. Boop knows healing Eve will require a lot. Nevertheless, Boop is frustrated when her efforts yield the same failure that her sulfur-laced sip from the Fountain of Youth wrought on her age. She knows sharing her 60-year secret might lessen Eve's depression - but at what cost? Purchase at https://amzn.to/2JMbncn. 

"Purple Lotus "
by Veena Rao 

Three years after her arranged marriage to tech executive Sanjay, Tara moves to the American South from Mangalore, India. Tara's memories of childhood abandonment and isolation mirror her present life of loneliness and escalating abuse at the hands of her husband.

Constantly pressured by her patriarchal family to make peace with her circumstances, Tara learns to confront the victim-shaming society she was raised within, finding strength, self-worth and support in kind-hearted strangers, new friends and her first love. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3flAv7i. 

NOTE: BookBites is a continuing series bringing readers information and ideas for their next read. For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.