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Today is Bookanista Thursday but I want to share something first.
My first book
Untraceable touches on the inhumane bear pits in North Carolina where bears are held in cement bunkers and treated horribly.
This month is a huge month because they are voting on whether to close them or not.
If you read the book or are interested in speaking out. You can write an email to the city council for the meeting on March 19th.
Here are the
email addy's and sample letterHere is the
agenda for the meeting in March.
Here is
my petition to stop it and here is another
larger petition going on as well.
And lastly, here's
a great story about a 6 year old who won the PETA kids award for helping these bear pits.
=============================
Now for the Bookanista Links this week:
I am so excited about this series. Check it out!
From the author of the bestselling Mindjack series comes a new future-noir serial, The Debt Collector. The first episode, Delirium, launches today (3/20).
What’s your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.
Lirium plays the part of the grim reaper well, with his dark trenchcoat, jackboots, and the black marks on his soul that every debt collector carries. He’s just in it for his cut, the ten percent of the life energy he collects before he transfers it on to the high potentials, the people who will make the world a better place with their brains, their work, and their lives. That hit of life energy, a bottle of vodka, and a visit from one of Madam Anastazja’s sex workers keep him alive, stable, and mostly sane… until he collects again.
But when his recovery ritual is disrupted by a sex worker who isn’t what she seems, he has to choose between doing an illegal hit for a girl whose story has more holes than his soul or facing the bottle alone—a dark pit he’s not sure he’ll be able to climb out of again.
Contains mature content and themes. For YA-appropriate thrills, see Susan’s Mindjack series.
Delirium is approximately 12,000 words or 48 pages and is one of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. You can find out more about the series at the Debt Collector website and facebook page. The Debt Collector newsletter is a special list just for episode releases. Early Praise
“The street-smart science of LOOPER meets the cold, just-the-facts voice of DOUBLE INDEMNITY in this edgy, future-noir thriller that will have you holding your breath, looking over your shoulder, and begging for more.” —Leigh Talbert Moore, author of The Truth About Faking, The Truth About Letting Go, and Rouge
“Do you owe more than your life is worth? No worries. A more deserving person than you can benefit from that excess life—and someone else will get paid with it. Enter the Debt Collector.” —Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and The Eighth Day (HarperCollins 2014)
The first three episodes of Debt Collector will be released a week apart, starting Wednesday 3/20. The remaining episodes will release every two weeks. Delirium can be found on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iTunes, Kobo. Or add it to your TBR on Goodreads.
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling YA SF Mindjack series. Debt Collector is her more grown-up SF. Her steampunk fantasy romance is temporarily on hold while she madly writes episodes to keep Lirium happy. Plus she needs to leave time to play on
Facebook. Susan has a lot of degrees in engineering, which come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mind powers, future dystopias, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. Mostly she sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets make stuff up full-time.
here's my weekend in a nutshell:
- Washer broken
- Plumber comes to fix
- Instead he blocks whole water line
- Oh no - plumbing burst, toilet overflowed
- Sewage in bathtubs and showers (disgusting!)
- Plumber says he cant fix til this wed (6 days without a toilet?? Call me regular!)
- Home warranty wont pay (of course)
- Plumber estimates 3000$, said roots in pipes (no problem b/c we have that kind of $ just lying around)
- No running water (shower, toilet, washer etc)
- Did I mention nasty "shit" tubs
- Stayed with friend (bless her heart) - she has stairs (like I can't handle some of those??)
- Got up early to meet another plumber at house at 6 am
- Woke 5 year old up - but alas he would not wake
- Carry son down flight of stairs (hey - Ive been working out to Jillian Michaels 30 day challenge for 5 days now. cant be that hard, right? wrong.)
- Trip on steps (because they should not be there) and fall down a flight of stairs
- Poor boy slams head on chair - I'm convinced his brain is bleeding.
- I try to stop him from hitting head, dislocate all knuckles on left pointer finger and left middle finger (thank goodness its not my typing hand ;)
- Husband rushes to son's side - "WT hell Shelli! sounds like an elephant coming down stairs." (gee sorry! so I'm up a few pounds - sew me!))
- Daughter looks horrified when she sees my hand.
- Fingers pointing in directions they should not be pointing.
- To prevent her from going to therapy at age 9, I pop them all back in myself (we'll do anything for our kids)
- Lie on floor: "I think I'm going to be sick. I'm going to pass out. Does son have brain injury? Wait, I think I broken my hand!"
- husband's response: "He's fine. The plumber's coming in 10 minutes."
- so my choice - shit toilets or emergency room????
- we go home to plumber - wait 3 hours
- keep both kids home for "post traumatic stress disorder"
- finally go to urgent care
- no broken bones but 2 dislocated fingers
- wearing splint - cant write :(
- pay plumber 2500 - to say "sorry no roots in pipes just a blockage" (WTF!)
- wasted 2500 - call home warranty and threaten lives
- still "no toilet until Monday"
- What are our options? hotel, friends dangerous tripping stairs, parents...??
- We order port o potty (oh not just ANY port-o-potty. The Cadillac of all port-o-potties is only 50$ for a week. What a bargain!- We get a VIP with flushable toilet and sink, running water, light, key/padlock to prevent any unnecessary break ins (hey you never know) and the ever so needed accessory so you can witness yourself in a port o potty - a nice little mirror. :)
- port o potty delivered -
- cant put it in yard to hide it and be discreet in nice neighborhood (of course they cant!)
- must sit it directly next to---- (wait for it) the mailbox (talk about going postal?)
- family forced to endure humiliation by trekking out to mailbox with toilet paper at night
- plumbing finally fixed sat night
- Sat night prayer - "thank you lord for modern plumbing!"
Needless to say the dog walkers probably got TMI.
9 year old comes in (after "doing #3" she says) and yells, "THAT was NOT fun!"
yep good times :)
The beautiful Bridget Zinn finally has a book out. Ive been waiting for this book for over 2 years.
Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the "summer of love" and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was "Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.
Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers' copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads.
So we are celebrating Bridget's life by talking about her book.Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she's the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom's future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king's army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she's not alone. She's armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can't stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she's certainly no damsel-in-distress—she's the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.
If you didn't know bridget - here is your glimpse into a beautiful spirit,
Links about Bridget
Everything you need to know about helping spread the word (with lots of info and links)
A remembrance of Bridget written by her agent (with a video of Bridget that shows how vibrant and funny she was)
A post in which Bridget shares her Sneaky Tips for writing (which also has an audio file of her reading this post)
Find out what the other Bookanistas are recommending today!
The Indie Life has it's ups and downs. So does the traditional side. My goal is to experience both someday.
But for right now, in this moment, I am loving being indie in today's world. It was much harder a year and 1/2 ago when I started publishing, but now things are changing and becoming more acceptable in the industry and it's exciting.
The top 10 reasons I love being indie:1)
The control. Yes for those who don't know, I am a control freak by nature. So creating my own book and releasing it - no matter how hard - is awesome and rewarding.
2)
The way-smart business people - esp women. I love hanging out with some serious smart women who know how to run a business as well as have kick ass writing (Just to name a few out of all the awesome: All of the Indelibles like Rashelle Workman & Susan Quinn doing interesting things, Heidi MacLaughlin, Addison Moore, and M. Leighton) Again, this is just to name a few! It's a world of awesomeness.
3)
I can write what I want when I want. Branding is important in books but so is passion. If I want to write a sci fi series, I can. If I want to put out a marketing nonfiction, I can. I love the freedom of writing what is in me at the time.
4)
My book is what I envision. I know when I put my book out it is the best it can be and it is all me. The cover, the editing, the story. It's like having a baby. You know it's a direct product of you.
5)
The community rocks. Every indie author is so helpful and I love that we all support each other. Whether it is Hugh Howey giving shout outs or M. Leighton giving a pep talk. The indie authors are so approachable no matter what status they hold because they have all been there. And they know how hard it really is.
6)
Seeing people rise to the top. I love seeing indie bust their bum for years and then see them finally break through the glass ceiling. Hugh Howey, Abbi Glines, Addison Moore, M. Leighton, Samantha Young, Chelsea Cameron. Gosh, I could name so many others. They get there on their own and they work hard for it. It is never handed to an indie author to come out on top.
7)
Some stability options. With the state of flux in the publishing world, I feel this gives me ANOTHER avenue for my writing. Not always the only one but another one.
8)
A paycheck. I like getting paid every month, knowing my writing is bringing in income for my family and that people see value in what I do.
9)
Reaching readers (I had touching readers but it felt creepy :). I get mail from readers, librarians, and parents about how they love my book. That makes me feel like I'm making a small difference in someone's life.
10).
I love this business. No matter the ups and downs. I love publishing industry. I love both sides. I think both have things to offer that they other may not. And I'm honored to be a part of it in any way.
Here are more thoughts today on the INdie Life
What do you love?
Bookanistas are ramping back up again. Things got slow over the holidays but we are back!
So once again weekly, we will discuss and review books in a positive way.
This week, the Bookanistas are talking about:
Thank you to everyone one who visited us at IndieReCon last week!
We had almost 20,000 unique visitors and over 2000 comments in 3 days!!
I'm so glad people found it valuable.
The conference posts and recorded chats will remain live on the site so if you are just hearing about it - you can catch up anytime :) Here is the schedule with direct links to each event.
Publishing Perpectives wrote a great article about it yesterday. (yay!)
And yes at this time, we plan on having a mini-event in summer and an annual event. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to fill out the survey.
Great nuggets I pulled from each speaker at the conference:
Bob Mayer: "Product is king... and series is key."
Jessie Harrell - "And where are Indie and traditional publishing equal? Serendipity. So much in this business is timing and luck and that doesn’t change, no matter which path you choose."
SR. Johannes - "Self publishing is not the easy way out. It is just the fast way to publication. It should not replace writing a good book, creating a quality book, or everything that comes with self publishing."
Colleen Hoover - "I make choices based on each manuscript that I write and how I feel that manuscript can best reach the readers."
Joanna Penn - "The long haul career of a pro-writer involves always working on the next book. Celebrating the last, but getting on with the next."
Miral Sattar - "Spending money on quality editorial services will already set your book apart from the rest."
Heather McCorkle - "The most important thing to remember is to ask for help, and pay for it if need be, rather than put out a book that is less than stellar."
Denise Grover Swank - "While creating a business plan may seem like an intimidating project, just take it slow and give it some thought. You’ll have much more insight into the business side of your writing and will hopefully help increase sales.
Cheri Lasota - "Start with global issues and work your way down to the paragraph, sentence, word, and punctuation levels."
Alicia Kat Dillman - "Thinking you know more about design than a trained professional is down right foolish."
M. Leighton - "Enter New Adult. It’s got all the charm and innocence of Young Adult material, only it has teeth. Sharp ones. This stuff has some steam, people!"
Addison Moore - "There aren’t any hard and fast secrets to a successful series, there are only ideas that, through hard work and passion, can be plausible avenues to propel your private manifesto into a story that is wildly embraced by readers the world over..."
Hugh Howey - "Which is why it’s only natural for the freedoms inherent in self-publishing to make it the new indie. The word is short for independent. What could be more so than publishing on one’s own?"
Laura Pauling/Sybil Nelson regarding middle grade self-publishing- "Contacting librarians directly has done wonders in this aspect. School librarians are so wonderful and helpful."
Lori Culwell - "Put keywords into your website so that the search engines will associate your site with these words, with the ultimate goal of having your site pop up when people Google those words. The words are the demand, your site is the supply."
Jason Letts - "Every service you use to connect with your fans is trying to make money from you off of that relationship. The mission is threefold: (1) play the game by their rules, (2) know when to spend, and (3) find a way to own access to your fans."
Brittany Geragotelis - "I respond to every single comment that a fan leaves on my wall...it makes them feel like they have a connection with me, which makes them more likely to follow me and what I do."
DuoLit girls - "Your mailing list, when grown and used effectively, can deliver 24x the results of the more traditional book marketing methods, such as social media marketing."
Ali Cross - "Remember being true to who you are as a writer, and as a person, is the essence of your brand."
Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi - "Without the backing and promotional support of a publishing house, we are on our own. Success or failure is up to us, and to capitalize on the buzz rush that accompanies a book launch, we must work hard, think creatively and have a wide reach to give our book the strongest start possible."
Amy Edelman - "As far as Award’s go, the point of getting chosen as a winner is the same as with reviews: you want to get people’s attention for your book in a crowded sea of other titles."
Susan Kaye Quinn - "Write the best book you can. Write a series. Write in a different genre. The sales will come or they won't. You don't have control over sales; you only control what you write next."
Nancy Holder - "We can also keep one foot in the more traditional publishing world. We don’t have to choose one or the other."
Orna Ross - "We own our rights and we can decide what we want to do with them. We are not bound by a publisher's overall policy and can do what seems best for each individual book."
Stacey Wallace Benefiel- "You’ve already written the book and you’ve gone to the trouble to format it for e-book and print – just think of this as another distribution channel."
Steena Holmes - "Not all agents are equal. Not everyone will work in your best interest. Just because you get an offer doesn’t mean you have to accept it."
Barbara Freethy - "If something isn't working, change it. Try a new cover, change prices. Explore the top and the bottom of your price point. Run sales. Do giveaways. Most importantly - enjoy the process!"
Richard Smith - "The target market for Book Apps is any reader with a device using an Android or an iOS operating system (OS)."
Mark Lefebvre - "Booksellers and book lovers – the main thing that attracts people to get into bookselling isn’t a love for being a retailer; it is a love of books."
LM Preston - "Authors are getting a lot smarter about the ‘business’ of writing. And the days of writing books and sitting back while someone else promotes you as an author is long gone."
If you attended, was there any nugget that stood out to you?
My last intern, Kate Tilton is working with BiblioCrunch and busy at school.
So I am looking for a new intern for this year - on the marketing and publishing side.
I would like to have help setting up blog tours, obtain guest posts, prepare book mailings, setting up social media platforms, getting mailings together, drafting newsletters, running street teams and more. (like Pinterest, wattpad and tumblr). You will need Word/Excel skills, be up on social media, and be ok with reaching out to people.
It will be about 10 hours a week and can be remote with weekly phone call meetings.
I can offer a marketing/writing business reference (so if you want to get into publishing or marketing it would be good) and would also provide unlimited advice about marketing, the industry, self pubbing, and writing).
If you are in school/college, I'm happy to talk to a professor about credit. I will need commitment through April - August so it should not interfere with school.
I was going to go to a local college/high school but wanted to give some writers/bloggers a chance to learn the book marketing process and some new social media.
Email me your resume at shelli@srjohannes.com if interested. I can also send a formal job description.
Hey guys
I'll probably not be back until next week as I'll be facilitating INdieRecon that starts tomorrow!!
It's been a lot of work for a team of us but I'm excited about the agenda and hope to help writers decide or learn more about the journey.
Here is the
call to writers posted today.
And here is the
instructions on how to participate.Heres
how to register or help spread the word at a chance for a KoBo ereader.
All events are on the
indierecon site.Hope to see you there!
IndieRecon starts in 5 days.
For those who don't know IndiereCon is a free online conference inspired by WriteOnCon.
It is Feb 19 - Feb 21st. We have over 25 speakers and tons of prizes. This conference is online and free. It relates to any writer - traditional or self pubbed as it covers a variety of topics from the basics of indie publishing to how to market books into being bestsellers.
We recently had KOBO sign on as a partner/sponsor and they offered two ereaders up for grabs. yay! ;)
Two ways to win 1 of 2 Kobo ereaders:
1) Help spread the word for a chance at a KoboGlo.
2) Register for the conference and get a chance at a KoboMini.
Spread the Word!
(ends midnight Thurs night/Fri am 2/21 EST)
Register for IndieRecon! (ends midnight Thur night/Fri am 2/21 EST)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck! And we hope to see you there!
As you may or may not know, IndieReCon starts in less than 2 weeks from Feb 19-Feb 21.
The free conference features over 25 guests who will discuss the nuts and bolts of self-publishing from the pros / cons all the way through marketing and being a bestselling author.
Here it is - 20 reasons why you should register for IndieReCon Today!
1. Key note speaker Bob Mayer reveals the future of digital publishing.
2. Identify the biggest mistakes indie authors make and how to avoid them.
3. Find out all the nitty gritty details on self-publishing basics like pricing, distribution, and formatting.
4. Create a business plan and understand your costs.
5. Explore the elements of a great book and how to make your book stand out through editing and covers.
6. Learn the importance of creating a solid business plan and how to measure your success.
7. Discover everything you need to know about reaching your readers including: metatagging, blogging, and audio books.
8. Delve into marketing skills like building your community, utilizing social media and understanding your brand.
9. Learn how to throw a creative book launch by using events, blogging, and more.
10. Chat with some great bestselling authors and get the 411 you need to garner success.
11. It's FREE!
12. Since it's online, you can stay in your PJs and we won't laugh at you. :)
13. There are huge giveaways! Yeah... HUGE!
14. Learn about awesome organizations that support indie authors including: IndieReader, The Book Designer, Indelibles, World Literary Cafe, Fostering Success, Alliance of Independent Authors, Kindle Fire Department, Goodereader, and Bibliocrunch.
15. Discover some great new authors to read.
16. Walk away knowing what self-publishing entails and if it's right for you.
17. Did we mention it's FREE?
18. Find out secrets from bestselling authors like Bob Mayer, Hugh Howey, M. Leighton, CJ Lyons, Barbara Freethy, Colleen Hoover, RaShelle Workman, Darcie Chan, and Addison Moore.
19. Because it will be epic! (At least we think so.)
20. Did we mention it's FREE AND ONLINE?? Why? Because we like YOU :) (Just call us the Mickey Mouse club of indies.)
Every single blog post, chat, vlog will be packed with all the information you need to help you on the self-publishing path.
IndieReCon will help you learn all the dirty secrets about the indie pubbing industry and help you succeed.
February 19-21!!!
Tell your friends.
Hang out with us all day. Hourly posts. Check out the amazeballs
schedule.
See you there!
They are so many places to try and push your book but which ones are worth the money.
You will have to put some money into advertising - you just need to figure out what your budget is.
I wanted to give you guys a few insights to some marketing channels that have worked for me that are very affordable.
1 - Pixel of Ink - Great for boost in sale or increasing free downloads. Unfortunately they do not take paid sponsorships anymore. But if you ever have a free book, let them know on their web site. They have a wonderful following of readers and are very supportive of Indie Books. It's hard to get air time but if you do, it can make a HUGE difference. They rock.
2 - Kindle Nation Daily - Great for increase in rankings. They have very affordable sponsorships that have always impacted ranking as well as sales. Depending on how much you spend, will depend on if you earn your money back. It's a great way to climb the charts though. The triple play has always worked for me the best.
3 - Kindle Fire Department - Great for awareness and ranking boost. They are very affordable and really growing as a channel.
4 - BookBub - Great for sales and ranking boost. Again, you can purchase spots from affordable to expensive. You can also choose spots based on your target audience. I think this tends to work better for adult romance and thrillers as opposed to YA though.
5 - WLC - Great for awareness. Especially for adult books. I'm not sure young adult or children's books get as much benefit. But the community is awesome and the tweet parties are fun.
6 - ENT - Great for increasing rankings and sales. It is hard to get a sponsorship because they sell out quickly but they do list bargain books or free books.
7 - Digital Book Today- Great for awareness and
8 - Goodreads Giveaways - Great for getting your book added to
9 - Book Blasts with Bloggers - Great for awareness and exposure. These are awesome! I love Kathy at I am a Reader not a Writer. She does great author events and book blasts. They are very effective in increasing your social media and presence.
10 List of free sites - Great to report free books for exposure. Bibliocrunch has a full list with links
Do you have any other sites that work well? What sites do you use to promote your book? What sites do you look at to find a book?
It's here! I can finally share with you the cover of the fourth Soulkeepers novel, Soul Catcher.
Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it's changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.
When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.
About The Cover
Adam Bedore of Anjin Design creates all of the covers for The Soulkeepers Series. Book four revolves around Dane, pictured here, and introduces Cheveyo, a Hopi indian boy and the last Soulkeeper on the list Dr. Silva conjured in book 3. Cheveyo is represented by the dream catcher and adobe wall behind Dane. Fate, also known as Fatima, plays a role in the story. You can see her shadow hanging from the red stone in the dream catcher. (Yes, she is represented as a spider. She is a master weaver after all!) And if you think there is something up with that shadow behind Dane, you are not mistaken. There's more to him than meets the eye.
About The Book
Soul Catcher is slated for a March release and is the fourth book in the bestselling Soulkeepers series.
For those of you who haven't heard of Brittany Geragotelis, (where have you been?:). Here's a quick recap of her awesome journey. She wrote a young adult book (Life is a Witch), uploaded it to Wattpad for free, had more than 18 million reads over 12 months. This got the interest of news media. Once a story was published about her - she was contacted by an agent and then given a book deal by S&S.
She is now releasing What the Spell - a three e-book series packaged together - a prequel to her successful book Life is a Witch. packaged as a book. It comes out tomorrow and you can preorder at Amazon or B&N
Today's awesome giveaway (US only): (enter using Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post)
What the Spell Bound Manuscript (signed) - An early form of the book, before it was edited into its current form, and it has no cover.
A signed finished copy of What the Spell
A What the Spell lip gloss
A teenage witch juggles popularity and romance while keeping her powers a secret in this spellbinding debut.Almost-sixteen-year-old Brooklyn feels invisible, but she desperately wants to be pretty, to be popular, to be adored by a cute guy. Luckily for her, she’s a witch about to come of age—so she’s only a few spells away from making it all happen. On her milestone birthday, Brooklyn’s conservative parents finally unbind her powers, which include the ability to magically match couples with a love spell. Brooklyn uses her special skills to get a makeover, new friends, and the attention of her crush, Asher. But the popular clique Brooklyn wants to infiltrate puts her in the same precarious position as her Salem ancestors: If she’s found out, she could be vilified—and lose Asher in the process. Can she make the most of her magic, or will she be luckless and loveless? Be careful what you witch for.
=================
Hi Brittany, thanks for stopping by. Wow this year has really taken off with you. Tell us how long you've been writing and why did you decide to start with your book on Wattpad?
Well, I'd been writing since I was 15 and when I moved to NYC, I began my quest to get published. After a few years, I was lucky enough to get an agent. But after he couldn't sell a few of my books, he dropped me as a client. By this point, I began to wonder if I should even be writing. It's a lot of work for no one to ever read what you've written. So I took a 6-month hiatus from writing.
But after that, I got the itch to write again and decided I needed to change things up. Instead of writing to get published (more specifically, being published by going through the process of getting an agent who sells your book to a publisher), I decided to change my focus to writing because I loved it and so that people could read (and hopefully enjoy) my stories. Around this time, I was introduced to the writing community site called Wattpad. It was described to me as a YouTube for writers, and I decided to give it a try. So, I started writing an original book that was loosely based on the Salem Witch Trials, called LIFE'S A WITCH.
Life’s a Witch is the story of Hadley Bishop, descendant of a woman executed for being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. She’s a teen witch in contemporary times and must face down an evil and supernatural presence from the past while dealing with the usual problems of a popular high school teenager.
Can you tell us what you did to grow that readership? Did you have a specific approach you can share with us?
Well, Wattpad has a great platform to begin with. They have 10 million unique visitors a month and a new member registers on their site every 2.5 seconds. People who are on Wattpad are there for one of two reasons. Either they love to write or they love to read. Some of them do both. When I began to upload LIFE'S A WITCH, it was a bit slow taking off at first, but once people began to comment, there were a few things I did to continue to get the word out there.
One was that I responded to every single comment that was left on my page and on the stories. This is really hard to continue in present day (and four-five stories/books later), but I try my best. I think it makes my fans feel like they know me and that I'm accessible to them. And when a fan has access to you and can see you more as a real person and not just a faceless writer, I think it makes them more prone to become brand ambassadors or super fans who will tell their friends about your books if they like them. So, there was that...but I also have a YouTube channel where I do author videos where I talk about the writing process, I have a blog where I talk about my experiences writing and am active on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
By the time I'd finished uploading LIFE'S A WITCH on Wattpad, I had over 6 million reads of it. And just about a year after I began uploading the book, I had 18 million reads of it!
You must have totally freaked out. What happened after the hits started climbing? Give us the deets!
Ahhhh! Man, after I had 1,000 reads of the first chapter, I was beyond psyched! I remember thinking it was just such an amazing feeling, after SO many years of rejection, hearing that people were enjoying the story! And then the number just kept getting bigger! I million, then 6 million and just before a year after I began uploading, I had 18 million reads of the book! People were acting out scenes from the story in public, fans were calling themselves "Twitches" (a term in the book for teenage witch). And then some of my fans started asking where they could buy it, even though they could read it on Wattpad for free. But book lovers want that tangible book in their hand, on their bookshelf, so they can share with friends....so, I decided to self-publish.
An incredible journalist at Publisher's Weekly heard about my story and decided to do an article on me, and that got the publishing industry buzzing. Then, a few weeks after I self-pubbed, he did a follow-up on me. By this time, I'd gotten a literary agent, a foreign rights agent and a movie/TV rights agent. And then something was written about me in The Huffington Post and suddenly the whole publishing world was interested in the book. We ended up going into auction with four different publishers and ultimately, I chose to go with Simon & Schuster!!!
After all the success, what made you decide to sign your book with a publisher instead of staying in self publishing?
Although I got my start by self-publishing it wasn't my sole intention. I self-published because there was a demand for my book and it wasn't happening traditionally. When I was approached about going with a traditional publisher, I weighed my options. The bottom line is that signing with Simon & Schuster offered me benefits I couldn't have gotten through self-publishing.
One, I got an advance, which allows me to now write full-time. This was one of my biggest dreams since I was a little kid. Now I get to wake up every day and do what I love, while sitting at home and being my own boss. It's pretty amazing, and I couldn't do it without the generous advances from my books. Two, by going with S&S, I have help with so many aspects of the publishing game. From publicists to marketing, to editors....everyone is a pro at their jobs and I have access to them. Of course, I'm not their only author, so I still have to do stuff myself, but I would have had to do it all if I was self-publishing. And three....being with a traditional publisher gets me into bookstores and libraries. This, I couldn't have done on my own. But the reason I went with S&S specifically was because they're forward-thinkers. They've tried some outside-the-box ideas in the past and understand that the literary world is changing and they want to be a part of that. I'm SO happy with my decision!
What's next for you in your career? Do you plan to continue self publishing or stick to the traditional route. Maybe both?
I won't count out anything for the future. We live in such an amazing time right now, where there are so many opportunities available to us as authors. You can go traditional, you can do self-publishing. You just have to decide which one's right for which project. There are a ton of really successful self-published authors--in fact, a large amount of the books that are on the top books lists are self-published. Gone are the days where self-published authors are automatically branded as wannabe writers who aren't good enough to be published traditionally.
Right now I'm looking forward to my traditional publishing journey with S&S! WHAT THE SPELL?, the prequel/spin-off to LIFE'S A WITCH, will be the first book in the LAW series and comes out everywhere January 29th! Then, a new and improved LIFE'S A WITCH will come out in May 2013, followed by the sequel, THE WITCH IS BACK in Jan 2014! Hopefully those books will do so well that we'll be able to do more. I also have a few other books I've already written that I'd like to try and publish. But, if those books aren't traditionally published, I'd be fine with self-publishing them. I think in the future, it won't be a matter of whether more of my books will be published, it will be how.
Okay, here are a few things to help us get to know you better. Just say "This" or "That"
Witch or Fairy (Duh! Didn't you hear? This is the year of the Witch?)
Book or ebook (Book....I love the feel of it in my hands. I love the smell. I love the pages. I love everything about it. BUT I did just get a iPad mini for Christmas, so I might have to give an e-book a try!)
Sports or art (Television and movies...does that fall under art? I'm a huge TV buff and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE movies! If only I could act, I might've become an actress! Now, I'm just hoping that LIFE'S A WITCH is made into a movie or show, too!!!)
Thanks for stopping by Brittany!
If you are interested in the giveaway, enter the random drawing below. Or feel free to ask Brittany a question in the comments!
Catch up on her books on the web:
New Adult and Marketing
You’ve probably heard about the relatively new genre that has entered the scene: New Adult. It’s been around on the web for a while (since 2009 according to Wikipedia), and lately it has started to really take off. TheNew York Times article in December really got a lot of people talking.
Basically, New Adult is targeted toward 18-25 year olds who are leaving home, entering college, experiencing changes in relationships, and learning what it means to be an adult. While there have been plenty of cries of “marketing-ploy” around the web, I think New Adult fits a needed gap in books I wish I’d had when I was younger. The only books I can remember reading that were set in college were the Sweet Valley University books (I am totally dating myself by admitting to reading those!). Books were always my way of pre-experiencing life changes, and I would have loved some books that talked about what it was like to share three sinks with twenty other college freshman in the dorms.
Some of the marketing concerns about New Adult come from bookstores, who are scratching their heads over what to do with these books—place them with YA, or with adult? Maybe find a way to squeeze in a new shelf somewhere? As the popularity of the genre grows, and I think it will as it draws from the older fans of YA and huge adult-loving-YA base, it will sort out.
There is also the question of whether college kids really read. I’ve heard this so many times—that people this age don’t have time to read. Considering I work with college kids every day, I can definitely say this isn’t the case. Yeah, sure they are busy and may not read at the same rate as they did in high school, but I always get an enthusiastic response when I ask what a student is reading for fun.
One of the really cool aspects of marketing New Adult is the fact that this age group often has their own source of income that they are free to use on any book they want. They no longer have to ask, or get approval from parents to purchase what they want to read. There’s been a lot said about how this allows for the steamier scenes that won’t be censored by an adult who wouldn’t want their child reading any explicit. In terms of selling books, it allows more room for targeting the audience directly, and not the parents (though they may want to read your book too!).
(Goodreads graph on New Adult growth)
Another bonus is the fact that many people this age already have ereaders, read on their phones, or computers. A lot of the early success in this genre was with self-published books, and this is testament to the fact that the New Adult age range is much more willing to pick up and ebook and read it on the bus or between classes.
My second novel, The Chemistry of Fate, will release in April and it falls firmly into the New Adult genre. In pulling together some marketing plans, there are a few things that I’m thinking about that capitalize on this market:
College creative writing classes. I live in a university town, and there’s also a junior college nearby. Both offer writing classes, and it doesn’t hurt to send an email to the professor asking if they’d be interested in a little presentation to their students about writing/publishing/something unique you can offer. (It’s probably better to do this early in a semester—just a recommendation from this professor!)
Book clubs. Maybe it was just me, but this was an area that I had a hard time with when my first book came out, as Colors Like Memoriesis YA. A lot of book groups (even ones I’m an active participant in!) weren’t willing to read it as it was meant for “kids.” Well, New Adult definitely allows for a broader base in that area. Also, I think more and more adults are getting comfortable with reading books with younger characters—50%+ of YA books are purchased for adult readers according to Bowker.
Word of mouth.Okay, this is a part of any marketing plan, but the thing with YA is that while there are some awesome teens that run book blogs and other means of spreading the book-love, there are a lot more college students who do so. Plugging into the college social media scene has its perks (even more than wasting time during lecture!).
Have you read any New Adult? Do you have any additional ideas for how to market to this age group?
Here are a few resources I’ve found useful:
-The twitter #NewAdult hashtag always has great links and books listed.
-There are a lot of blogs, but I’m partial to NA Alley (do see their Resources tab—lots of great links!)
Find Meredeth online:
Reference: Graph image from: http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/398-young-adult-gets-old
Some how I missed this news with holidays and Disney trip.
Untraceable was named a Finalist in the U.S. Book News Book Awards for Young Adult!
Thanks to U.S. Book News!
I will say I was alsop a finalist in The Kindle Book Review along with the last entry - Wanted Dead or Undead. The book is a good book so if you are looking for a new zombie book - try it!
Fiction: Young Adult
Winner
The Whitest Wall by Jodee Kulp
Better Endings New Beginnings
978-14563248498
Finalist
Freedom Road by T.M. Souders
CreateSpace
978-1479283231
Finalist
Guardians Inc.: The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain
CreateSpace
978-1466455337
Finalist
Pirate & Hoopoe by Diarmid Cammell & Karima Cammell
Dromendary Press
978-0-9788966-0-7
Finalist
Unchained by L.B. Tillit
Saddleback Educational Publishing, Inc.
978-1616517922
Finalist
Untraceable, Book I in the Nature of Grace Series
by S.R. Johannes
Coleman & Stott
978-0984799121
Finalist
WANTED: Dead or Undead, The Zombie West Series (Book #1) by Angela Scott
Evolved Publishing
978-1622538515
So I have some great (unexpected) news that came up over the holiday!
I have a new foreign rights agent! Yay! Jennifer Custer is with AM Heath in London, one of the oldest literary agencies in the UK. Now Untraceable and friends will be at Bologna in March and fingers crossed we can jump the pond. :)
In a way it was serendipitous as I think these things often are - Jennifer is from Atlanta and the South so she personally connected to the story when it came across her desk. She lives in London with her hubby so we also share foreign hubbys (not the same one but our hubbys are foreigners :). Also - a big thank you to the Alliance of Independent Authors because they introduced me to Jennifer. You can find out more about them on the right side of my page.
This is very important to me. For one - it is hard to get your indie-pubbed work out internationally. And two - I must say it is nice to have someone on my side again. I haven't had that for a couple years since my last agent and I parted - so this is a great change for 2013.
I've also reestablished my goals for the year.
I'm trying to balance social media with writing and giving back to the writing community. I don't want to just focus on one or the other. And as I've mentioned before, giving back in some way is important to me.
Priorities
- Write more on a schedule
- Post blogs on a schedule - 2-3 times a week
- Schedule time on social media when taking breaks
- Only attend conferences I speak at or have a direct tie in to my craft or the business of publishing
- Find ways to give back to all authors and the writing community.
Publishing Goals- Continue indie publishing while maybe testing out some traditional publishing options.
- Query my shiny new project to see what publishing path is best - indie or traditional (haven't decided yet)
- Release Unstoppable (book 3) in May (indie)
- Finish releasing the SUFFOCATE novelette series over the summer (indie)
- Release a fourth book in Fall? (indie)
Marketing goals
- Reach the reader more directly - skype visits etc
- Update my web site - lord knows it needs it
- Continue to be authentic
- Try to find a way to support a couple nature organizations with my Nature of Grace series
- National coverage (have not clue how yet :)
Aggressive but doable only because my books are already planned and plotted - it's just writing and editing, which is the easiest part for me.
A huge personal goal is to establish my worth and stick to it. Without going into detail, I often accept less than what I deserve to accommodate others or I give more than is expected - so this shift in mindset is a hard one for me.
Writing Goals
From a writing perspective, I am moving in one direction for now: Contemporary Thrillers (adult and new adult)
I want to create fast-paced novels.
Untraceable was not as fast-paced as
Uncontrollable (in my opinion). I think that was primarily because there was too much feedback on
Untraceable in the beginning and I lost confidence in my own work with my old agent.
- Tone down my urge to add descriptions and narrative
- Up the pacing
- Plot in advance to make the writing part easier
- Continue being open to feedback and learning my craft
What are your goals for writing/publishing this year? I'd love to hear them :)
20 Amazing Authors plus more than 100 of the Best Bloggers have joined together to bring you 1 Amazing Giveaway!The winner will have the option of receiving a Kindle Fire HD (US Only)Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)
This giveaway is sponsored by these Awesome Authors:
The Essence by
Kimberly DertingAlaina Claiborne by
MK McClintockExcuse Me, My Brains Have Stepped Out by
Pandora PoikilosUncontrollable by
S.R. JohannesHunted by
Ednah WaltersCliffhanger by
Amy SaundersI Was Here - Before You Came by
Camelia Miron SkibaEverlost by
Brenda PandosBlood Oath by
T.L. ClarkeReaper's Novice by
Cecilia RobertBulletproof by
Jeff LaFerneyLancaster House by
Taylor DeanTwo Halves by
Marta SzemikMurder on Potrero Hill by
M.L. HamiltonBellyache by
Crystal MarcosKill Shot by
Anne PatrickSkid Out by
Ann Marie FrohoffBetween by
Mary TingDragon Stones Saga by
Kristian AlvaRapunzel Untangled by
Cindy C. BennettGiveaway Details1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 1/31/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can see all the winners of the hunts here: http://yascavengerhunt.blogspot.com
RED TEAM WINNER:
Janice Bartelt
BLUE TEAM WINNER:
Sharrice Hewlett
MY WINNER:
Taharah (taherahabbas@aol.com)
Congrads and thanks so much for playing. I met tons of great new bloggers and plan to visit your blogs - yay! :)
First of things, big Happy bday to Elana Johnson!! To celebrate her bday, Christina Fonseca is giving away a PRINT collection of all three of her books (yes, even the last one once it is released), and ebooks of Regret, Possession and Surrender. The contest will run through 12/15.
Ive known her for years online, skyped with her, and online grouped with her in many amazing forums. She is brilliant and lovely and I adore her so give her a bday shout out!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
=============
In other news,
Do I have a surprise for you! :)
Welcome to the first INDIE ReCon - Make Indie Publishing a Mission Possible
Are you curious about Indie publishing, but don't know where to start? Or, are you already a published Indie author looking to boost your sales or expand your reach? Then you'll want to attend a new exciting online conference happening in 2013 - INDIE Revolution Conference. Or as we like to call it,
INDIE ReCon.
INDIE ReCon is happening online from February 12-14, 2013.
INDIE ReCon is a FREE, ONLINE conference that is modeled after the awesome annual
WriteOnCon. It is designed to help
any writer or author who is curious about the ins and outs of Indie publishing.
However any author or writer can attend because we cover topics all of you may want to know more about (marketing etc)
Everything from the pros and cons of Indie publishing, essential aspects in creating a high-quality book, successful online marketing, and expanding into International markets.
We will feature over 30 guests that include industry experts as well as some of the bestselling adult and young adult authors in the publishing industry today including: Bob Mayer, Hugh Howey, M. Leighton, and Samantha Young (just to name a few).
For three days,
INDIE ReCon will highlight
new topics every hour (sometimes every half hour) for 8 hours a day which will include interviews, blog posts, vlogs, and live online chats. You'll receive advice from authors, bloggers, marketing partners, cover designers, editors, and more. You can check out our line up of topics and guests on our
website.
Did we mention it's FREE and ONLINE? Well, there's more. Tons of Giveaways! There will be awesome giveaways from each and every speaker and partner. This will include books as well as services like free book designs, free editing, book development services, marketing prizes, and more.
So mark your calendars for Feb 12-14th!
But, more importantly, sign up now with your email and we'll be sure to send you updates, news, and reminders as the conference gets closer so you won't forget.
You won't find this much information (or excitement) about Indie publishing anywhere else. The hosts, partners, and presenters are all giving their time and knowledge for free for one simple reason: they're excited about being Indie and they want to help you decide if it's right for you too.
You can already sign up on the home page to receive updates and news.
We hope you join us at INDIE ReCon - where we'll help you make Indie publishing a mission possible!
See you there!
Founders/Hosts:
Special thanks to our partners:
Finally, Susan's third book is out. I love this series so don't miss it. You can also get the digital box set and read it all at once.
Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn
(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!
When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.
Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.
Early Praise for Free Souls “Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”
— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day
"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."
— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking
“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”
— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review
InterviewSusan's over at
Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works.
Digital Box SetSince
Free Souls is out, there is now a
Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!
Mindjack Origins CollectionWant more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from
Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.
Includes: Mindjack NovellasMind Games (Raf's story)The Handler (Julian's story)The Scribe (Sasha's story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.
ENTER TO WINone of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Many of us have watched the tragedy fall out on T.V.
Innocent lives lost. Heroes found. Hearts broken.
As a publishing industry, we can ban together to make a difference in more lives once again.
As parents, we need to honor our own children in this tragedy by helping others.
As humans, we can step up and help each other.
What is PubHeartsConn?
It’s an online auction to benefit the victims of the Sandy Hook Connecticut shootings through Newtown Youth and Family Services. The auction is currently scheduled to start Monday, Dec 17th (9am EST) and the first round will end Friday Dec 21st (11:00 PM EST)
Agents, editors, authors, illustrators, and industry experts have donated various products and services to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with donations being made directly school.
We plan to donate the money to the school's relief fund for the families to possibly help with grief counseling, funeral arrangements, and scholarships for students.
You can bid on an items or donate directly to The United Way of Western Connecticut.
I have a couple of bids up for auction at the "Publishing Hearts Connecticut" which continues until Friday night, 11:59 PM EST
A 1 hour phone call/consultation (can be on marketing or indie pubbing or query)
An Untraceable Deluxe Book package (Signed Untraceable, Signed Uncontrollable, limited edition Grace bracelet, and swag)
There are tons of great items for bidding still open - agent critiques, editor phone calls, signed books and more!
Thanks for giving back! :)
The auction has come to a close!
Thank you to everyone who participate in donating and bidding! Special thanks to those who wanted to donate but we could not squeeze in :(
Notes:
- All bids are closed.
- All emails to winners have gone out.
- Please donate your bids by tomorrow at the link sent in your email.
- If you did not leave any contact information and we could not find you - the second person won.
- If you left a twitter id only - we have tweeted you. Please contact us by midnight tonight for your item/instructions.
- All winners and donators will be linked up by tomorrow - once donation is complete. :
We appreciate your generosity during this auction.
We raise over $5, 500 in 5 short days!
We have been overwhelmed at the response from both donators and bidders! My goal was 5,000 and as you can see we exceeded this.
Thank you for your support in the auction and for a good cause - esp right before the holidays.
Happy Holidays!
Shelli, Miral and Kate.
So as my first post, I'm going to talk about hypocrisy in publishing.
JA Konrath has been a pioneer in self-publishing. Those of us who have traveled down the self- publishing road know of him. His blog, his opinions, his books. He's been a man who has stood up for his right to publish. A man who has been vocal in his distaste for publishing. And a successful self publishing author (who of course build his audience with a traditional publisher).
Every year, Konrath lists his New Years Resolutions and sometimes gives his prediction for indie publishing for the year to come.
This year JA Konrath's big statement - is telling indie authors and writers to "Get over yourself and just write."
Really?
For years, JA Konrath has promoted social networking, connected with readers, supported indie publishing, and helped authors move forward in their goal of publishing.
But now that he's made it big - he suddenly preaches, "Go on your own and forget everyone who helped you get there?" which of course was picked up by MediaBistro.
I'm sorry Mr. Konrath, but for once, I respectfully disagree with your post. I dont want to start a battle with him because to be frank he would chew me up and spit me out.
But this hypocrisy is what bothers me about some big-time authors. Self published or traditionally published.
They network with writers, connect with readers, network, blog and then when they make it big (usually with the help of those people) - they suddenly decide they don't have time for it anymore.
They decide they should just focus on themselves.
All in the name of writing.
Don't get me wrong, I think we do need to focus on writing more. The craft. Creating good stories. Spend less time online. But this to me was a - forget you- kind of statement. Not in the name of craft persay.
This view is a bit distorted. A tad shady. It makes me feel like they're networking just to sell. Not to connect and learn and assist. It's a mentality of "Let's do what we can to meet as many people to get ahead, build readers, and then when we make it really big and boast about sales and money - we don't have time for you anymore."
Now JA Konrath's big revelation is that he just wants to write??
Don't we all?
I understand this view. Sometimes I just want to write. Check out. Be alone. And sometimes I do take that time. But does it have to be all or none?
I kinda feel like I have somewhat of an obligation to continue connecting with those I've met along the way. Those I've been connecting with. Those who have helped me. To respond to readers who give my book a chance. To connect with authors. But most of all, to give back to others.
Maybe this is a problem of mine. Maybe this is not the popular view anymore. But I think it should be. Especially if readers and writers are a big part of what got you where you are today.
I understand the need to write and prioritize. But to use the system to your benefit - start a blog, go on Facebook and pretend to connect, - make it big, and then back-out or disconnect when paychecks get too big and your name gets known - is a crappy thing to do.
What Konrath forgets is there are many authors who make it big and DON'T forget their readers, still talk at conferences to help writers, and maintain connections who helped them. They are able to do both. Sometimes one may falter but they try. maybe not equally but at least a little.
I hope as I continue to grow my career and explore different paths that I continue to blog, tweet, connect, share, and help others. I hope I don't blow people off.
I don't think it has to be one or the other. I think I can write and still make time to connect.
Will I be able to do all of this every day or as much as I have in the past? No.
Will I let people down? Probably.
But will I try? Yes.
Will I make a declaration that I no longer have time for readers, writers, or the publishing industry? Never. Because that is not what I believe.
Bestselling authors would not be where they are without the community of writers and their loyal readers.
What are your thoughts?
View Next 25 Posts
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I signed the big petition (yours was closed). I can't believe this is still going on! Thanks for the heads up.
e
I read Untraceable and the bear pits sounds horrible. Best of luck in the petition helping close them down.
Thanks for raising awareness about this. Petition signing....
So hard to believe people can be this cruel. Good for you for helping spread the awareness!