I’m reading this book by an author I’ve not tried before. 35% in and I’m finding it hard going, not bad enough to stop, but a bit of a slog (cringeworthy metaphors, implausible actions, editing issues to name a few problems). When this happens, I usually look at reviews to see what other readers think and whether it’s worth continuing.

Unsurprisingly, many readers commented on the same problems and gave negative reviews. What prompted this post is the fact that the author engaged with the readers who wrote the negative reviews in an effort to defend the work. While the author’s comments were polite, they only served to elicit more negative feedback, and even went as far as to put off a number of readers (including myself) from picking up this author’s work again (I won’t name author or book so as not to harm another author’s career).

It’s damaging behavior and (IMO) looks unprofessional for an author to enter into a discussion over a bad review. Not everyone will like your work and that’s normal. Some reviews will be genuine and others won’t, and a thick skin is needed to survive in this business.

If you like action, adventure, and want a wild thrill ride, author Charles Carfagno has a brand new release that might be right up your street.

A Demon’s Quest is Charles’s first book and is a fantasy novel

Here’s a little about the book:

Torhan hunkered down behind a large boulder to think through his options. The monks were his priority, but how was he going to find them? The chamber was too large and there were so many ants. His first thought was to use the remaining flasks of White Light and blind the ants, but there were too many variables. Could he blind them all? If so, how long would they be incapacitated? If he was discovered close to the queen, and they came through, he would be killed.

Torhan watched as they were brought down the walkway and dropped in front of the queen like some sort of gift. Some of the ones that were alive struggled to their feet, but were quickly maimed or brought down by the warrior ants. The queen grabbed the first of her tasty morsels with her giant mandibles and began squeezing the human. The man’s dying screams were so loud it frightened Torhan. After he was dead, she swallowed him whole.

**********************

Connect with Charles at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarfagno and see what else this writer is up to.

It’s 1969 and Catholic girls are a species of their own.

When Katie Hayes arrives at Eastern Michigan University to attend college, John Norman Collins has just been arrested as a suspect in the brutal rapes and murders of 7 co-eds.

Armed with her rosary and her Nancy Drew books, Katie settles into a picture perfect life…until she becomes the victim of a vicious crime. Now, her life and the lives of those she loves are at risk. She must use her wits to trap the real murderer as well as make certain that the man already behind bars isn’t THE WRONG GUY!

Today is RELEASE day for THE WRONG GUY, a suspenseful mystery based on the real-life serial murders of seven young women in the late ‘60s. In the words of the author, Claudia Whitsitt, “the book will appeal to new adults as well as those who’d love a chance to relive their college days. Never fear, there’s plenty of romance!”

I’ve read it, and here is what other readers are saying:

“A great who-done-it!”
“Gripping and suspenseful!”
“A pleasure to read.”
*This is the re-release of this previously published title.

Find out more about Claudia’s other works:

http://www.claudiawhitsitt.com

“One man is scrambling to stay alive…while another man is seeking the truth.”

Did you know The Blackest Night is a Kindle-countdown deal?

Yep, for a few days it’s currently available for 99c in the US and 77p in the UK.

The Blackest Night is the 3rd in the Jackson detective series and is a psychological thriller with just a touch of paranormal.

Homicide inspector Mac Jackson is leading inquiries in a murder investigation. When an anonymous tip connects two seemingly unrelated crimes, Jackson learns a wrongfully convicted ex-con might be the only person who can lead him to the truth.

Here’s what reviewers say:

“…great character development…strong plot…believable. A compelling and entertaining thriller with a touch of paranormal. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.”

“…when I finished, I wanted more. I’m looking forward to reading more of the Mac Jackson series…”

“…will have you gripped from beginning to end…”

“…psychological suspense at its best…the characters keep us wanting more. This is definitely a title I recommend to anyone who wants to get lost in a great suspense story.”

I hope you’ll give it a try.

Congratulations and best wishes to my friend Gayle Carline, whose new book is being released today in paperback and on Kindle. MURDER ON THE HOOF is a contemporary romantic suspense about a young widow who goes to a horse show to buy a horse. What she finds is danger, and romance.

Here’s what the book is about:

Willie Adams is at the L.A. Eques­trian Cen­ter shop­ping for her first horse. A young widow strug­gling with the idea of dat­ing again, she never expected that a gor­geous trainer like Tyler Ran­some would notice her. But he did.
He wasn’t the only one, either. Bobby Fer­mino is not as hand­some, nor as pleas­ant. After attack­ing Willie he ends up dead in her tack room, leav­ing her the most likely suspect.

Willie has to con­vince Detec­tive Lucas Macy that she’s inno­cent, but her phys­i­cal attrac­tion to him isn’t mak­ing the task easy.

With grow­ing evi­dence point­ing to her, and two famous actors draw­ing atten­tion to the inves­ti­ga­tion, Willie decides to take the reins. She must find the mur­derer before they find her, but will she sur­vive open­ing her heart to some­one new?

Go to Gayle’s blog, http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com/ for all the details, plus a chance to win a free copy, and swag!

We’re celebrating.

THE BLACKEST NIGHT and CON GAME were released this week. To mark the occasion and to acknowledge our appreciation for our readers, Terry Ambrose and I are giving away copies of both books. For your chance to win, see below. But first…here’s a little about the books:

The 3rd in the Jackson mystery/thriller series, THE BLACKEST NIGHT is set in San Francisco and includes a touch of the paranormal: As a wrongfully convicted ex-con, William Law believed the darkest days of his life were behind him…until the night he is attacked in an alleyway.

Meanwhile, inspector Mac Jackson is leading inquiries in a murder investigation. When he receives an anonymous tip with startling information, connecting one crime to another, Jackson learns that the most unconventional path might be the only one that leads to the truth.

CON GAME is the sequel to License to Lie. Con artist Roxy Tanner just walked away with $2.6 million on her latest job, but left behind a dead body. Skip Cosgrove wants to help Roxy find out who killed her mark, but he has his problems – a man the former criminologist once helped put behind bars is back for revenge. With the cops closing in on Roxy, and a killer on the hunt for Skip, the last thing they need is a gutsy street kid turning their lives upside down – until it happens. Now, all three must decide how far they will go to survive a killer’s con game.

Click here: for your chance to win a paperback copy of THE BLACKEST NIGHT (US residents). For readers not located in the US, you have the chance to win a Kindle version by clicking here and leaving a comment requesting a copy. Two Kindle book winners will be selected at random at the end of May.

To enter the CON GAME giveaway for your chance to win a soft-cover copy (US residents), simply click here. Non-US residents are eligible for a Kindle version.

For more content on the authors:

Jenny: http://amzn.to/1kipJdW   http://jfhilborne.com

Terry: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0985954043  http://terryambrose.com/2014/03/con-game

An interesting blog tour is currently circulating and involves asking authors to give insight into their writing process. When I was tagged, I did a little inward groan and thought, “Uh-uh, who has the time?” followed quickly by “Oh, alright, it should be easy for me, because I don’t have a process.” So, I agreed to do it.

Thanks to the lovely and talented Linda Boulanger (the fabulous book cover designer for many authors, myself included) who tagged me to participate in the tour, you’ll get to learn a little more about my…uh…writing process.

The tour involves answering 4 questions. Here goes:

1. What am I working on?

My current works in progress include The Blackest Night, which is a paranormal thriller due out this month, and a new mystery/thriller called Easy Target (title subject to change). Easy Target is the sequel to No Alibi and is set in San Francisco, featuring homicide detective John Doucette. I can’t post more about it – I’m only a chapter in.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

While whodunits, thrillers, mysteries, and suspense may follow certain rules or a formula – plot driven, character driven etc – writers in this genre definitely have their own style. Some thrillers include romantic elements; others are dark and more sinister. I write on the darker side. My characters are always flawed and not always likeable. An amusing critique I once received called one of my works a ‘violence fest’. While they’re not meant for kids, the books only include moderate language and violence, nothing graphic. Romance does not feature heavily (and more often not at all) in my work.

3. Why do I write what I write?

Quite simply, it’s what I like to read, so it seems natural I should write it. Even though it’s fiction, I like to probe into and investigate the psychology behind the darkest of my characters. What makes them do what they do? I’m more interested in that than in the crimes they commit. Trying to understand the depths of some evil is disturbing, yet it’s fascinating to look into how the mind works.

4. How does my writing process work?

Ahem…process?

My method is different for each book. I might begin with a title or a general idea of the main plot, but I never outline and often I don’t know the ending until I get there. Inspiration for my stories comes from many places: conversations, my past, the pasts of other people I know, news. When I sit down to write, I write whatever comes into my head at that time. Editing is my favorite part of the ‘process’ as it’s my chance to clean it all up. A trick I learned at the first writing conference I attended was to keep a bio on each character, which I do. It’s especially helpful when writing a sequel and saves countless hours of hunting through former works for consistency. I usually have only one project on the go at any time. My head is filled with too many things to keep more than one story straight.

The tour concludes with tagging fellow authors to share the method of their madness, so I will hand over to the following:

Gayle Carline

Gayle and I go back a little way and have attended a number of book signings and festivals together. Among other things, she writes humorous mysteries featuring amateur sleuth Peri Minneopa. I’ve read most of her work and love the way she mixes funny with serious.

I’m always on the lookout for mysteries and thrillers by readers I haven’t yet tried. For my birthday in February, I received a copy of Linwood Barclays Fear The Worst. Linwood Barclay is a new author for me, so I was anxious to get started on the book. The premise was intriguing.

The story starts with a good hook. Tim Blake had a fight with his daughter and now she is missing. As he tries to find her, the intrigue deepens as everything he believed he knew about her appears to be false. What follows is Tim’s unyielding effort to unscramble the lies from the truth and find her.

After the promising start, however, the story began to slow and loosen its grip on my interest.

The characters are unremarkable. Tim Blake is a divorced Dad and a used car salesman. His ex-wife lives with her new boyfriend, another car dealer, and his teenage son. Tim Blake has to work with his daughter’s employers, her friends – some of whom exhibit questionable behavior, his ex-wife and her new boyfriend to get at the hidden truths. Everyone could be hiding something.

The plot line is rather linear and somewhat predictable, and the few surprise elements thrown in might stretch the readers credulity. When the police make little effort to assist, suspicion is cast on them, too, until the whole thing eventually becomes a little too far-fetched and unrealistic, plus the denouement is somewhat unsatisfactory.

This is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller by any means, however, it was sufficiently interesting to finish and to find out where Sydney Blake is.

I’m always on the lookout for mysteries and thrillers by readers I haven’t yet tried. For my birthday in February, I received a copy of Linwood Barclays Fear The Worst. Linwood Barclay is a new author for me, so I was anxious to get started on the book. The premise was intriguing.

The story starts with a good hook. Tim Blake had a fight with his daughter and now she is missing. As he tries to find her, the intrigue deepens as everything he believed he knew about her appears to be false. What follows is Tim’s unyielding effort to unscramble the lies from the truth and find her.

After the promising start, however, the story began to slow and loosen its grip on my interest.

The characters are unremarkable. Tim Blake is a divorced Dad and a used car salesman. His ex-wife lives with her new boyfriend, another car dealer, and his teenage son. Tim Blake has to work with his daughter’s employers, her friends – some of whom exhibit questionable behavior, his ex-wife and her new boyfriend to get at the hidden truths. Everyone could be hiding something.

The plot line is rather linear and somewhat predictable, and the few surprise elements thrown in might stretch the readers credulity. When the police make little effort to assist, suspicion is cast on them, too, until the whole thing eventually becomes a little too far-fetched and unrealistic, plus the denouement is somewhat unsatisfactory.

This is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller by any means, however, it was sufficiently interesting to finish and to find out where Sydney Blake is.

….my goal of reading 75 books in a year. Work has a habit of getting in the way, not that I’m complaining. Reading doesn’t pay my bills. Why 75 books? I like to set goals a little out of reach, and I have a long TBR list on my Kindle that I’m determined to get through. There are so many new good books out all the time, the TBR list keeps growing. I set writing goals, so why not reading goals? With a hectic schedule like mine, goal setting helps me find a balance and set a little time each day to indulge in my one of my favorite pastimes.

With two titles down so far - The Last Temptation by Val McDermid (I rated it 3 stars) and As Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye (which I finished but didn’t enjoy enough to review or rate) – I’m already behind schedule. I’m now reading The Anniversary Man by RJ Ellory. I’ve read plenty of praise for this author and was thrilled to receive one of his books for Christmas.

How are your 2014 reading goals going? What will you be reading this year?

….my goal of reading 75 books in a year. Work has a habit of getting in the way, not that I’m complaining. Reading doesn’t pay my bills. Why 75 books? I like to set goals a little out of reach, and I have a long TBR list on my Kindle that I’m determined to get through. There are so many new good books out all the time, the TBR list keeps growing. I set writing goals, so why not reading goals? With a hectic schedule like mine, goal setting helps me find a balance and set a little time each day to indulge in my one of my favorite pastimes.

With two titles down so far - The Last Temptation by Val McDermid (I rated it 3 stars) and As Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye (which I finished but didn’t enjoy enough to review or rate) – I’m already behind schedule. I’m now reading The Anniversary Man by RJ Ellory. I’ve read plenty of praise for this author and was thrilled to receive one of his books for Christmas.

How are your 2014 reading goals going? What will you be reading this year?

Happy 2014.

London welcomed in the New Year in spectacular fashion and I hope the rest of the year continues the same way. I consider myself fortunate to be in my home country with my family for a belated Christmas and the New Year celebrations. We enjoyed a toast, the London fireworks, and an evening of English comedian John Bishop.

London Fireworks 2014 – New Year’s Eve Fireworks – BBC Onewww.youtube.comMore about this programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03mth1n London 2014 Fireworks on New Year’s Day.

Before we knew it, 2am had already rolled around. Fireworks were still going off at 2.30am. It’s exciting to start a new year with fresh ideas and goals for the coming months. Mine include a better balance of work and play, more time with family, and the release of my upcoming suspense, The Blackest Night.

Whatever your goals and plans for 2014, I hope the year brings you much happiness, good health, fun, and success in all your endeavors.

Happy New Year.

Happy 2014.

London welcomed in the New Year in spectacular fashion and I hope the rest of the year continues the same way. I consider myself fortunate to be in my home country with my family for a belated Christmas and the New Year celebrations. We enjoyed a toast, the London fireworks, and an evening of English comedian John Bishop.

London Fireworks 2014 – New Year’s Eve Fireworks – BBC Onewww.youtube.comMore about this programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03mth1n London 2014 Fireworks on New Year’s Day.

Before we knew it, 2am had already rolled around. Fireworks were still going off at 2.30am. It’s exciting to start a new year with fresh ideas and goals for the coming months. Mine include a better balance of work and play, more time with family, and the release of my upcoming suspense, The Blackest Night.

Whatever your goals and plans for 2014, I hope the year brings you much happiness, good health, fun, and success in all your endeavors.

Happy New Year.

I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise is intriguing.

The White Lie is a suspense combining the paranormal with the psychological. The story is set in modern day Scotland and is narrated by the ghost of Michael Salter.

Early on, Michael’s mentally unstable aunt Ursula confesses to killing her nineteen-year-old nephew by drowning him in the loch.

A great start.

To the aristocratic Salter family, Ursula’s confession is filled with inconsistency and appears absurd.

I was hooked.

When the family fail to find Michael’s body, they decide to hide his murder. Many of them are not even convinced he is dead. Some believe he took off to escape the rigidity of life with the high-born Salters and make his own way in the world.

To protect Ursula, they concoct their own tale to account for his disappearance. Or are they really protecting themselves? And from what? That Michael ran away, without even a good-bye to his own mother? Or the fact his aunt told the truth about what happened to him on the loch? It gets a little jumbled.

The book started to lose me about here.

Anyway, this alternate tale creates the basis of The White Lie, though it is certainly not the only lie nor the only secret kept by the fractured Salter family.

Years pass and the family are planning a seventieth birthday celebration for Michael’s grandmother, Edith Salter. As the preparations get underway, the dissent among the family members becomes more obvious. The reader senses the growing unrest between different generations, which centers on the truth behind Michael’s disappearance.

At this point, I was quite confused by the number of characters and the part they all played in the family.

The ghost of Michael’s great uncle David, who died in WWI, also haunts the woods near the family’s residence at Peattie House. The beginning chapters are suspenseful and brimming with conspiracy; a fascinating insight into a dysfunctional family.

However, the reader is challenged early on by the large cast of characters and the continual switch between past and present. At times, it becomes difficult to keep track of both the cast and the truth. As the narrator tells the story, we find ourselves tangled up with what really happened and the misrepresentations of the truth woven by various members of the family.

Though long, awkward sentences are spread throughout the text, the writing is mostly quite beautiful. The pace is slow and, at times, cumbersome. While the detailed descriptions take the reader deep into the setting, they tend to drag and drift, leaving the reader a little restless.

The characters are deeply layered and deeply flawed. It makes them realistic. The bottom of the story seems just out of reach. Always. As soon as one truth is uncovered, we learn there are other truths still hidden, and all of them shielding the family from the most damaging exposure of all. For me, it tends towards frustrating.

The pending disclosure of the darkest secret – what really happened to Michael Salter – is what keeps us reading.

Throughout the story, the landmark birthday celebration is simmering in the background. It is the thread that weaves all the story elements together. As the big day approaches, we anticipate the grand finale, so it comes as no surprise when the White Lie begins to unravel soon after the family members gather.

At the gathering, the only person who knows the entire truth starts to reveal it, but by this time, we’re not even sure what The White Lie is, as more sinister and truly shocking secrets are laid bare.

The White Lie is an absorbing plot line, a story filled with lies and surprises, but it drifts aimlessly in places and goes on for too long. Shortened by 100 or so pages, this could have been better.

I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise is intriguing.

The White Lie is a suspense combining the paranormal with the psychological. The story is set in modern day Scotland and is narrated by the ghost of Michael Salter.

Early on, Michael’s mentally unstable aunt Ursula confesses to killing her nineteen-year-old nephew by drowning him in the loch.

A great start.

To the aristocratic Salter family, Ursula’s confession is filled with inconsistency and appears absurd.

I was hooked.

When the family fail to find Michael’s body, they decide to hide his murder. Many of them are not even convinced he is dead. Some believe he took off to escape the rigidity of life with the high-born Salters and make his own way in the world.

To protect Ursula, they concoct their own tale to account for his disappearance. Or are they really protecting themselves? And from what? That Michael ran away, without even a good-bye to his own mother? Or the fact his aunt told the truth about what happened to him on the loch? It gets a little jumbled.

The book started to lose me about here.

Anyway, this alternate tale creates the basis of The White Lie, though it is certainly not the only lie nor the only secret kept by the fractured Salter family.

Years pass and the family are planning a seventieth birthday celebration for Michael’s grandmother, Edith Salter. As the preparations get underway, the dissent among the family members becomes more obvious. The reader senses the growing unrest between different generations, which centers on the truth behind Michael’s disappearance.

At this point, I was quite confused by the number of characters and the part they all played in the family.

The ghost of Michael’s great uncle David, who died in WWI, also haunts the woods near the family’s residence at Peattie House. The beginning chapters are suspenseful and brimming with conspiracy; a fascinating insight into a dysfunctional family.

However, the reader is challenged early on by the large cast of characters and the continual switch between past and present. At times, it becomes difficult to keep track of both the cast and the truth. As the narrator tells the story, we find ourselves tangled up with what really happened and the misrepresentations of the truth woven by various members of the family.

Though long, awkward sentences are spread throughout the text, the writing is mostly quite beautiful. The pace is slow and, at times, cumbersome. While the detailed descriptions take the reader deep into the setting, they tend to drag and drift, leaving the reader a little restless.

The characters are deeply layered and deeply flawed. It makes them realistic. The bottom of the story seems just out of reach. Always. As soon as one truth is uncovered, we learn there are other truths still hidden, and all of them shielding the family from the most damaging exposure of all. For me, it tends towards frustrating.

The pending disclosure of the darkest secret – what really happened to Michael Salter – is what keeps us reading.

Throughout the story, the landmark birthday celebration is simmering in the background. It is the thread that weaves all the story elements together. As the big day approaches, we anticipate the grand finale, so it comes as no surprise when the White Lie begins to unravel soon after the family members gather.

At the gathering, the only person who knows the entire truth starts to reveal it, but by this time, we’re not even sure what The White Lie is, as more sinister and truly shocking secrets are laid bare.

The White Lie is an absorbing plot line, a story filled with lies and surprises, but it drifts aimlessly in places and goes on for too long. Shortened by 100 or so pages, this could have been better.

One of the characters in my upcoming suspense is facing the trauma of returning to his home after a murder. The blood has been cleaned up, the crime scene tape removed, and all visual evidence is gone. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, and neither is he superstitious, yet the sigma of a murder house weighs heavily on his mind. He’s not sure he can go on living there.

His dilemma got me thinking about real life and how most people might feel in this situation. Is it a bad omen to live in a house where someone died? Even if the death was natural? What if the death was unnatural and violent? What if it happened half a century ago? Or if the house was offered up on the market at half of its value? Would you be tempted to pounce on the bargain?

Could you live in a house where a murder occurred? Would it depend on the type of the murder, or the type of victim? If you couldn’t live in the house itself, what about living next door to it? And what would you think about new neighbors who could move into such a house?

One of the characters in my upcoming suspense is facing the trauma of returning to his home after a murder. The blood has been cleaned up, the crime scene tape removed, and all visual evidence is gone. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, and neither is he superstitious, yet the sigma of a murder house weighs heavily on his mind. He’s not sure he can go on living there.

His dilemma got me thinking about real life and how most people might feel in this situation. Is it a bad omen to live in a house where someone died? Even if the death was natural? What if the death was unnatural and violent? What if it happened half a century ago? Or if the house was offered up on the market at half of its value? Would you be tempted to pounce on the bargain?

Could you live in a house where a murder occurred? Would it depend on the type of the murder, or the type of victim? If you couldn’t live in the house itself, what about living next door to it? And what would you think about new neighbors who could move into such a house?

First, what do I mean by loss leader?

It’s term bandied about a lot in the book publishing world. A loss leader is a product sold at a discount in order to attract customers. Authors might offer a permanently lower price on one title to encourage readers to try the book, with the goal of introducing those readers to more of their titles, most of which will be at the original price. A lower price presents little risk to readers who are unfamiliar with an author.

The idea of loss leaders is not unique to books. In other industries, such as retail, vendors might reduce the price of one item, say a computer or even a Kindle, to get customers to spend money on other associated items and gizmos, many of which often come with a huge markup.  With books, readers get to sample at a discount, usually without being gouged on the cost of other titles.

But with the free sample chapters available on Amazon (not to mention the volume of perma free books available), are loss leaders even necessary for authors? Does the lower price indicate an inferior quality book?

I decided to do a little experiment with my own titles to see what would happen. A little under a month ago, I reduced the eBook price of my first title Madness and Murder (which, so far, has been the best selling of all my titles) from its usual price of $3.99 to $0.99 with the intention of letting it act as a loss leader to entice readers to try my other books.

So far, the results have been quite interesting and, while not quite what I expected, what I’d hoped. I thought I’d sell more of the reduced priced title, yet I’ve noticed an uptick in all titles, and with sales of two of the full-priced titles outpacing the “loss leader.” The same story is repeated with sales in the UK. It’s hard to tell from the results if the loss-leader is working, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen.

So, as authors and readers, what do you think? How effective are loss leaders? How often do you go on to buy a full-priced title from an author offering a loss-leader?

First, what do I mean by loss leader?

It’s term bandied about a lot in the book publishing world. A loss leader is a product sold at a discount in order to attract customers. Authors might offer a permanently lower price on one title to encourage readers to try the book, with the goal of introducing those readers to more of their titles, most of which will be at the original price. A lower price presents little risk to readers who are unfamiliar with an author.

The idea of loss leaders is not unique to books. In other industries, such as retail, vendors might reduce the price of one item, say a computer or even a Kindle, to get customers to spend money on other associated items and gizmos, many of which often come with a huge markup.  With books, readers get to sample at a discount, usually without being gouged on the cost of other titles.

But with the free sample chapters available on Amazon (not to mention the volume of perma free books available), are loss leaders even necessary for authors? Does the lower price indicate an inferior quality book?

I decided to do a little experiment with my own titles to see what would happen. A little under a month ago, I reduced the eBook price of my first title Madness and Murder (which, so far, has been the best selling of all my titles) from its usual price of $3.99 to $0.99 with the intention of letting it act as a loss leader to entice readers to try my other books.

So far, the results have been quite interesting and, while not quite what I expected, what I’d hoped. I thought I’d sell more of the reduced priced title, yet I’ve noticed an uptick in all titles, and with sales of two of the full-priced titles outpacing the “loss leader.” The same story is repeated with sales in the UK. It’s hard to tell from the results if the loss-leader is working, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen.

So, as authors and readers, what do you think? How effective are loss leaders? How often do you go on to buy a full-priced title from an author offering a loss-leader?

Two years ago, at the LA Times Festival Of Books, I got my first request for my book in Audio. The request came from a non-sighted reader, and I was sad I couldn’t help her. Back then, I’d never even considered audio. I promised her I’d make them available…and then, as I often do, I procrastinated. Actually, I just didn’t know enough about it, or how popular an audio book would be.

Move ahead two years, and the request for audio books seems to be on the rise. The question comes up at almost every book signing I attend, including the 11th Annual Duarte Festival Of Authors last Saturday. This time, most of us had at least one title available in audio.

As my booth buddy and I were discussing the trend, he happened to have a sample of his audio book with him, and he set it to play at our table. The narration was fab and brought his book to life. It got attention from readers who were passing by. As I was listening, it struck me as a fun idea to have an audio sample playing in the background at book signings. Not so loud it drowns out any conversation or interferes with other authors – just enough for a reader at that particular author’s booth to get a nice sample. Much more enticing than a pen or a bag of candy (although those freebies never fail to draw people to a booth). It was just very cool listening to a sample of the book you were about to buy.

Most of the readers who asked us about audio like it for the convenience. They listen when they commute or work out at the gym. A lot of them weren’t aware of the significant discount Amazon makes available to those who have already purchased the eBook. For example, the regular price set by Amazon for Madness and Murder audio book is $17.46, reduced to only $1.99 with the purchase of the Kindle eBook. With Whispersync for Voice, it’s easy to switch between reading and listening, once the reader buys the Kindle EBook and adds the narration. Bargain.

I’ve started downloading audio myself. While it’s not for everyone, I love hearing a narrator’s interpretation of mood and character and letting them set the tone for the story. The energy of a good narrator brings the book alive. I felt that way when I listened to the audio samples of my own book as it was produced. I’ve gone back and listened to audio on a few other author’s books that I enjoyed. Kind of like watching the movie after reading the book, only better because nothing gets left out.

What’s your experience with audio?

Readers: do you enjoy hearing a narrator depict the mood and tone of a story, or do you prefer to create your own relationship with the book and the characters? – See more at: http://crimefictioncollective.blogspot.com/#sthash.oCQU0Sn1.dpuf

I’m giving away three complementary audiobooks of MADNESS AND MURDER. Leave a message if you’d like one and I’ll send you the free download code.  First come first served basis.

Two years ago, at the LA Times Festival Of Books, I got my first request for my book in Audio. The request came from a non-sighted reader, and I was sad I couldn’t help her. Back then, I’d never even considered audio. I promised her I’d make them available…and then, as I often do, I procrastinated. Actually, I just didn’t know enough about it, or how popular an audio book would be.

Move ahead two years, and the request for audio books seems to be on the rise. The question comes up at almost every book signing I attend, including the 11th Annual Duarte Festival Of Authors last Saturday. This time, most of us had at least one title available in audio.

As my booth buddy and I were discussing the trend, he happened to have a sample of his audio book with him, and he set it to play at our table. The narration was fab and brought his book to life. It got attention from readers who were passing by. As I was listening, it struck me as a fun idea to have an audio sample playing in the background at book signings. Not so loud it drowns out any conversation or interferes with other authors – just enough for a reader at that particular author’s booth to get a nice sample. Much more enticing than a pen or a bag of candy (although those freebies never fail to draw people to a booth). It was just very cool listening to a sample of the book you were about to buy.

Most of the readers who asked us about audio like it for the convenience. They listen when they commute or work out at the gym. A lot of them weren’t aware of the significant discount Amazon makes available to those who have already purchased the eBook. For example, the regular price set by Amazon for Madness and Murder audio book is $17.46, reduced to only $1.99 with the purchase of the Kindle eBook. With Whispersync for Voice, it’s easy to switch between reading and listening, once the reader buys the Kindle EBook and adds the narration. Bargain.

I’ve started downloading audio myself. While it’s not for everyone, I love hearing a narrator’s interpretation of mood and character and letting them set the tone for the story. The energy of a good narrator brings the book alive. I felt that way when I listened to the audio samples of my own book as it was produced. I’ve gone back and listened to audio on a few other author’s books that I enjoyed. Kind of like watching the movie after reading the book, only better because nothing gets left out.

What’s your experience with audio?

Readers: do you enjoy hearing a narrator depict the mood and tone of a story, or do you prefer to create your own relationship with the book and the characters? – See more at: http://crimefictioncollective.blogspot.com/#sthash.oCQU0Sn1.dpuf

I’m giving away three complementary audiobooks of MADNESS AND MURDER. Leave a message if you’d like one and I’ll send you the free download code.  First come first served basis.

If you haven’t yet met Maria Savva, allow me to introduce her.

Maria is a writer of both short stories and full length novels. So far, she has 5 published novels, including a psychological thriller, a family saga, and a fantasy/paranormal/time travel book. Among her short stories is “3″, a new release and so named as it is a trio of short stories. They include all the favorites: romance, paranormal, mystery, suspense. “3″ is already garnering 5 star reviews.

Maria’s short stories are known to take readers deep inside the hearts and minds of her characters. Toss in a little twist on the side, and you have a compelling read.

In “3″ we have NEVER TO BE TOLD, in which Tom and Amber share a first date. One of them is hiding a secret, and the past may come back to haunt the present.

The second in this collection is called THE BRIDE. This story has a chilling paranormal element that some readers may find frightening (who doesn’t love to be scared? At least from the couch). Rod has proposed to Olivia, but his dark secrets are disturbing and frighten the bride-to-be. Can she look past them and marry the man she loves?

The third story is called WHAT THE GIRL HEARD. In the words of one of her reviewers: The final story opens with a baby sitting evening that ends disastrously for all involved. It is only many years later that babysitter, Victoria, learns the full impact that her bedtime story had on her young charge, Minnie Baker.

If you love short stories, why not give “3″ a try. It’s only $1.99, has a cool cover, and is available internationally in Kindle format (can be read on a Mac, PC, iPad, Smartphone etc., with the free downloadable apps from Amazon). Look out for the paperback coming soon.

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

As well as writing, Maria is a also lawyer (not currently practicing law). During her career, she worked in family law, criminal law, immigration, residential property law, and wills & probate, among other things. Many of her stories are inspired from her own experiences and the experiences of those she knows or has known. Chances are, if you get to know this author it won’t be long before you are changed forever into a fictional character and appear in one of her books. If she likes you, you may become a romantic hero/heroine; if she doesn’t… well, she writes a good thriller I hear.

Maria currently divides her time between working as an administrator in a university, and writing/reading/editing/blogging. She maintains the BestsellerBound Recommends blog helping to promote fellow indie authors. She’s also a music blogger for UK Arts Directory where she helps promote independent musicians.

Connect with Maria at the links below:

Official website: http:www.mariasavva.com

Goodreads Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1418272.Maria_Savva/blog

BestsellerBound Recommends: http://quietfurybooks.com/bestsellerboundrecommends/

UK Arts Directory Blog: http://ukartsdirectory.com/category/blog/maria-savva/

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/Maria_Savva

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Maria-Savva/171466979781

You may also watch her Book Trailer:

http://youtu.be/ezKxjPs-FIU

If you haven’t yet met Maria Savva, allow me to introduce her.

Maria is a writer of both short stories and full length novels. So far, she has 5 published novels, including a psychological thriller, a family saga, and a fantasy/paranormal/time travel book. Among her short stories is “3″, a new release and so named as it is a trio of short stories. They include all the favorites: romance, paranormal, mystery, suspense. “3″ is already garnering 5 star reviews.

Maria’s short stories are known to take readers deep inside the hearts and minds of her characters. Toss in a little twist on the side, and you have a compelling read.

In “3″ we have NEVER TO BE TOLD, in which Tom and Amber share a first date. One of them is hiding a secret, and the past may come back to haunt the present.

The second in this collection is called THE BRIDE. This story has a chilling paranormal element that some readers may find frightening (who doesn’t love to be scared? At least from the couch). Rod has proposed to Olivia, but his dark secrets are disturbing and frighten the bride-to-be. Can she look past them and marry the man she loves?

The third story is called WHAT THE GIRL HEARD. In the words of one of her reviewers: The final story opens with a baby sitting evening that ends disastrously for all involved. It is only many years later that babysitter, Victoria, learns the full impact that her bedtime story had on her young charge, Minnie Baker.

If you love short stories, why not give “3″ a try. It’s only $1.99, has a cool cover, and is available internationally in Kindle format (can be read on a Mac, PC, iPad, Smartphone etc., with the free downloadable apps from Amazon). Look out for the paperback coming soon.

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon BR: http://www.amazon.com.br/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/3-ebook/dp/B00EUM59XM/

As well as writing, Maria is a also lawyer (not currently practicing law). During her career, she worked in family law, criminal law, immigration, residential property law, and wills & probate, among other things. Many of her stories are inspired from her own experiences and the experiences of those she knows or has known. Chances are, if you get to know this author it won’t be long before you are changed forever into a fictional character and appear in one of her books. If she likes you, you may become a romantic hero/heroine; if she doesn’t… well, she writes a good thriller I hear.

Maria currently divides her time between working as an administrator in a university, and writing/reading/editing/blogging. She maintains the BestsellerBound Recommends blog helping to promote fellow indie authors. She’s also a music blogger for UK Arts Directory where she helps promote independent musicians.

Connect with Maria at the links below:

Official website: http:www.mariasavva.com

Goodreads Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1418272.Maria_Savva/blog

BestsellerBound Recommends: http://quietfurybooks.com/bestsellerboundrecommends/

UK Arts Directory Blog: http://ukartsdirectory.com/category/blog/maria-savva/

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/Maria_Savva

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Maria-Savva/171466979781

You may also watch her Book Trailer:

http://youtu.be/ezKxjPs-FIU