I have moved my blog to a new address - please follow the link and come along and get Lost in a Book

http://annemstephenson.blogspot.co.uk/

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It's nice to know that my books can hold the attention of the under 5's even in a play barn with all those distractions... one little boy went off to play before the end of a story, but came back because he wanted to know what happened to all the sheep in Lucy's bedroom... Read the rest of this post

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I'm hoping to encourage lots of new readers to get Lost in a Book tomorrow at Creepy Crawlies in York by reading a selection of my books to anyone who cares to listen...

Come along and join me between 12 - 2pm and find out about the monster under Billy's bed, or what happens when Lucy can't sleep and starts counting sheep, and as for what Basil is making of the flappy thing...?

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Book promotion is one of those things that lots of people have a theory about. There are books on how to do it the right way, foolproof ways of selling a book...

The internet is full of advice on how to sell books, some seem more complicated than writing the book, and nothing seems to bring on an attack of writer's block like trying to figure out a way to bring more views to a website. So maybe the answer is to hide away and get the book finished... then just spring it on the unsuspecting readers, all shinny and finished and ready to read... Read the rest of this post

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The Stats monster reared it's head to have a look about after its mention in my blog... so now it looks even more like the Lockness Monster. Yesterday there were just the humps, but today there's a long neck and a head... I wonder what it will be doing tomorrow? Maybe it will get up and run away... or just grow and grow... Read the rest of this post

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Looking at the viewing stats for my blog over the past few days, the graph seems to go up and down much like the humps of the Lockness Monster. Maybe my next book should be about this illusive creature, the stats monster, that seems to have a life of its own, rising and falling as people out there in the cosmos click their mice. But is the stats monster a the prey or the predator of the mouse...  

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Surfing the web - is it really research or are we all just procrastinating?

I sit here typing into the abyss instead of getting on with the book that I know is nearly finished, but just needs a bit more editing.  There's so much advice out there about how to make amazing sales online, when really getting out there and mixing with people in the real world seems to drive more sales. And so we wander about the virtual world liking each others pages, and following each other to who knows where... but who is really selling the most books...?

It seems that writing a book about how to do something is the trick, but are they just full of hot air and more fluff? I've read about optimising my  website and twitter power, but still my book sales are coming from book signings.

And so my top advice to myself and anyone else who may be reading this: Turn off the internet and put on a CD that inspires and sets the right mood... and WRITE

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Happy Yorkshire Day 1st August and Happy 4th Birthday to my bestseller But I'm Not Sleepy

One look at this cover brings a smile of recognition to so many faces - it seems that everyone has a Lucy who just doesn't want to go to sleep.

But does everyone have a Downboy the sheepdog to help round the sheep up if the age old method of counting sheep leads to a herd of unruly sheep crashing around the bedroom...?

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A busy weekend ahead, I'll be at Creepy Crawlies Play Barn on Saturday, trying to resist the temptation to go and play on the slides, as I invite everyone to get Lost in a Book. And what could be better in the heat of a Yorkshire summer than sitting back and reading a book and inspiring a new generation of book lovers.

On Sunday it's up to Yarm, to a Baby and Toddler fair, where I'll be reading from my books, and doing a book signing.

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So what is it about the title book signing that attracts lots of page views but doesn't lead to links to a website and the purchase of a book...?

People like to meet an author in person in a bookshop or at a craft fair, and browse the books for themselves, and that's where the sales seem to lie. And yet the internet is the ideal place for buying and selling books...

A buyer can shop around, and read blurbs and reviews to their hearts content, and then order from the vast choice out there.

A seller can reach a vast potential readership that would never be possible to achieve by trying to go around meeting every customer.

An author can sell directly to the customer, and sign copies of their book.

So why the indie shop...? Because you might just find a gem of a book that either isn't available in the big shops and outlets, or is listed as out of stock, with a 6 week wait for a book.

So go on Get Lost in a Book... you never know what you might find there.

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So here's the thing... I've written another book, but it's not quite ready. Then I start reading alarming articles about how I should start marketing it already, in fact I've already left it a bit late... it's enough to send an embryonic manuscript leaping off the computer screen and back into the safe recesses of a writer's imagination...! It's like a wild animal (it's even about animals who can get a bit wild at times... especially if supper is late). It has to be coaxed into a book, not just caught while it's looking the other way, and the book slammed shut on it.

So... patience. There's a new book on the way, but it still needs a bit more nurturing, then it'll get wrapped up safely in a cover bearing its name, and sent out to caring homes.

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Let's hear it for the paper and pen - you don't have to remember to save when writing with a pen, the ink stays on the page without further instruction. A note book doesn't tell you you're not authorised to make changes to your own work, if you want to add more to the work you wrote yesterday... I've never heard of a notebook driving its user to the point where they want to throw it out of the window.. Technology - its a love hate thing.

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Book signing in York this Saturday at Poppleton Road School Summer fair 1-3pm

I'm hoping for a nice sunny day for this one, as it's an outdoor event and I don't have a gazebo, or an ark...  If I had a big enough table I could always set out my stall under the table with a tarpaulin over the top... but I'm sure the sun will shine, and the clouds will see what we're trying to do and float off somewhere else - while I keep dry in  my bubble of optimism :)  

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Lost in a Book is venturing forth to do an outside a book signing at Poppleton Road School Summer Fair on 22nd June 1-3pm - what's the worst that can happen: wind, rain, floods... sun burn? It's summer in Yorkshire - I'm sure it'll be beautiful :)

On 21st July it's up to Yarn where I've been invited to do a reading and signing.

 

On 28th July I've got another exciting venue - yet to be confirmed... Read the rest of this post

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Could anyone out there offer a good home to well behaved books? All they require is someone with a little time to open their pages from time to time and share the story within, with the young, or young at heart. And in return they'll give you unquestioning service and be ready at any time to transport you and your imagination    on a journey into fiction and fantasy... so go on get Lost in a Book you'll be glad you did.

Visit my indie bookshop now and I'll post your choice of books out to you, post free.

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What is it about editing that makes me want to do some messy art...? Maybe it's the process of trying to clean up any errors that's making my creative side rebel - or maybe I just want to make a mess... Either way I'm feeling myself drawn towards paints and maybe a bit of glue...

So what conclusion should I draw from this need to make a mess - maybe artwork is a good thing to do alongside editing, to bring some balance back.

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But I'm not sleppy," said Lucy.
“Then I’ll let you into a secret,” said Granny. “When I can’t sleep I count
sheep. It always works for me.”
“Have you got sheep Granny?” asked Lucy, her eyes wide with
excitement. “Where are they? Are they in your knitting bag?”

Lucy looked everywhere...
She even looked in Granny’s knitting bag, just in case.
“I’ve lost my sheep Granny, and I can’t find it anywhere,” said Lucy.
“That’s because you’re looking in all the wrong places,” said Granny.
“Now get back into bed and close your eyes. Where there’s one sheep,
another one always follows.”

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Round up a bestseller this weekend, and find out how Downboy the sheepdog gets on with a herd of unruly sheep, who charge about Lucy's bedroom, as Lucy tries to count them, to try and get to sleep...

But I'm Not Sleepy is bestseller at Lost in a Book - and the secret seems to be that everyone has a child in their family who just doesn't want to go to sleep, and will try anything to stay up a bit longer - strangely, not many of these people seem to remember being just as bad when they were little... Read the rest of this post

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I've been invited to do a reading and book signing at https://www.facebook.com/SecretEventDesign in July.


This came about because one of my books The Monster Under The Bed set out into the world to share a story - a story born in my imagination, put into print and now out there around this country and beyond. It's great to hear from a family who have enjoyed reading and sharing my story.

Books are a wonderful thing - and reading to babies and young children is such an enjoyable way to give them a life long love of books. Spark the imagination and get to know the characters, and just lose yourselves in a good book.

Keep up to date with events I'm attending on Lost in  Book's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lost-in-a-Book/145249238859854

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Basil watches as Mr Feed-Me opens the cat flap. He sits and looks at him through the new hole in the door - but it's going to take a lot more than that to get him to adopt it as his new door...

Read the excerpt, buy the book and share the fun...

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Book signing in my online bookshop - the books at the ready, the pen is poised... The characters in the books are all getting excited to be off to new homes to be set loose into the imaginations of young readers everywhere.

But I'm Not Sleepy is still on Spring promotion at just £5 and all my books are postage free, so why not browse around this weekend, you might just stumble across your next favourite book... Read the rest of this post

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