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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: self pub, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 7 of 7
1. Soul Catcher Cover (G.P. Ching)

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.


4 Comments on Soul Catcher Cover (G.P. Ching), last added: 1/31/2013
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2. Protected Blog Tour - Cindy Hogan


If you haven't heard about Cindy M. Hogan's novels, today's your lucky day. Her first novel, Watched was featured on Jessie's blog here with a "dream cast" for that novel.

Today we will be highlighting her dream cast for her second book, Protected.


First, a little about Protected

Christy has the guy. The terrorists have been taken care of and she has a shot at becoming popular. Life is great!
Until they find her.
Now she must run and leave behind everything she knows, including herself.

If you love suspense with a dash of romance, you'll love this novel.




Now for the DREAM CAST- are you ready to drool?
John (Paul Walker) Intolerable, pompous trainer we all love to hate, who just happens to be Alex's dad
Mrs. John(Mila Kunis) Alex's mom who has it in for Christy
Christy's mom (Sian Williams) Overprotective mother who believes so much in her daughter that she overlooks her.

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3. Thinking of Self Pubbing? Read this

Guys - you have to read this post "The Seduction of Self Pubbing" if you are even considering self pubbing. It is so true and so accurate that I wanted to address it today.

As you guys know, I chose to self pub after some serious hardships with my book not making it in the traditional world after some really close calls. And I would not change that decision now for the life of me. I love where I am.

I do want to say that this road I've chosen is not all glitter and glamour.

I have had people emailing me offline saying that I've "inspired them to self pub". Not first of all - that is always wonderful to hear - I mean I never thought I could inspire anyone. But, before you decide on this path - I think you should stop, take a deep breath, and think through your options. Don't make a rash decision. Every situation is so different. I'm not saying you ( in general sense)  won't or can't be successful. There are many successful self pub authors as there are traditional authors. I dont know how you define your level of success or what you are shooting for. Shoot, I'm flying by the seat of my pants too.

I'm just saying research self pubbing as you would agents and publishing houses. Take the time to check out the details because you don't hear all the nitty gritty things that we self pubbers face. I've tried to share as much as I can but there are daily bumps that I couldnt possibly remember to get into.

Here are a few things I didn't know when I got started:

  • The total investment. To do it right, you will spend AT LEAST $1,000 on your first book - cover, editing, fees to get it up, blah blah blah. To. Do. It. Right. Im not saying you cant do it somewhere for 50bucks. But in my mind that is not the best way. Just my opinion.
  • The time it takes. I started this process in September and it's ALL I'VE DONE - morning, noon and night - just to get my book out there and get it up. Man and I thought I didn't write enough before? Now I'm desperately trying to carve out an hour a day to write.  The self pub marketing takes tons of time. It takes over. It's hard to sit back and pass up any opportunity to keep your name and book out in the crowd. Because when you leave, the book drops off too. 
  • You are one man show. As a self pubber, you are standing on a corner with a harmonica, a pair of cymbals between your legs, bells on your toes, and a guitar in your hands playing your heart out. Meanwhile you are now competing against a 50 piece bands that has dancers and baton throwers and FIRE! They get more attention with one song in 10 min than you get playing songs for a week. You have no marketing team behind you to open doors, do the legwork. You get no advice. No have no credibility or pull in the marketplace. I have a solid marketing background and this process has been so challenging and exhausting for me! And even somewhat disheartening.
  • You don't make much money - you may if you are in it for the looooooonnnnnnggg haul. But don't think you will put out one book and BAM "Welcome to Cash-ola city". Some self pubbed ebooks rise over time - if you put out one after another. Look on amazon - most in the top 100 have several books out a year. Self pubbers count on build momentum. If you don't have a second book coming or in the works soon - you are the news of the day and can easily lose your voice to all the other much LOUDER voices out there. It's different for traditional authors b/c they have names and marketing teams behind them.
  • If you just want to write - this is not for you. You have to wear all hats and writing becomes 10% of your life. If you hat to interview. hate to social network. hate to make cold calls. Hate to put yourself out there. Don't feel comfortable in a marketing mindset. This is going to be extra tough.
Indie pubbing has been the right decis

11 Comments on Thinking of Self Pubbing? Read this, last added: 12/9/2011
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4. The Naysayers of Indie Publishing

So here's another brutally honest post.

The hardest thing about indie publishing or self publishing is NOT doing the cover or writing the jacket copy or even the marketing.

At least not to me, anyway.

The hardest thing is coming up against the people who look down on self publishing. The people who don't give you a chance from the very start. The people who assume you are not good enough before they even read your first page.

The uphill battle we - as self pub or even indie authors - face is just getting our work to be considered equally as other authors.

We have our books judged by its cover - and I mean that literally. That's why it is so important to do everything you can to make sure your book doesn't appear self pubbed. Because then maybe - just maybe - you can sneak by the doubters and get a Kirkus Revew :).

Last week, I had one lady at a newspaper email me for an interview. She talked about how much she loved my cover and jacket, my press release, and the sample chapter. But the minute she realized I was indie/self pubbed - she simply cut the conversation short and said, "I'm sorry we don't review self published work."

Really? Why? She loved everything I gave her! My feelings were hurt and to be frank - it just sucked. In a moment when you are doubting everything you have done and are doing - those people just make it worse. Once again, the negative stigma of self pubbing gets in the way. Every time a friend turns her back b/c my book is self pubbed or a reviewer refuses to give my writing a look - it stinks. To be honest it breaks my heart. I can't help but immediately go back to that space of "I'm not good enough". Self pubbing still gets you rejection and its just as hard.

You don't have a team of marketers, or your agent, or your editor to pump you up and have your back.

You are alone.

And for me - at least not yet - those rejections never gets easier.

I just want to be judged on my work. My writing, my story. My plot, my character development, and my voice. I don't want any favors or undeserved reviews or breaks.  I just want the same chance for my little book to shine as the author that pubs theirs with a large house. And to be frank - it sucks when it's not.

That is why I have spent the last two long months showing you everything I have done - the behind the scenes - gosh to honest truth - about how to tackle doing indie pubbing the RIGHT WAY. I am not saying my way is perfect - it is different for everyone and just as in traditional pubbing - there is no magic formula.

But you will automatically hit discrimination to a certain extent because you do your book on our own. So if there is anything you can do to avoid some - do it.

Even typos come down hard. Every book I've ever read has had some typos.  But - if you are self pubbed - those typos (along with any plot holes or underdeveloped characters) are magnified. The typos suddenly mean you are not good enough and that is why you self pubbed.

You already get shunned by those who don't think you are good enough. And you would be surprised who those people are who turn their back on you. I guess it's a moment when your true friends and blogger buddies shine through. For some reason, self pubbing divides people and you can easily see (and quick) who falls on each side of the line. You can see those who judge you not based on your merit or writing but based on a perception...a judgement...that you arent' good enough or that you sold out in some way.

To be honest, I don't blame the naysayers to a certain extent - I've seem some serious crap put out and unfortunately - we ALL get lumped together in self pubbing or even indie pubbing. And even though some books that are traditionally pubbed suck - they don't all get mixed in together. They each get a small shot to stand on their own merit. Unaffected by their predecessors.

When a big house signs an author

19 Comments on The Naysayers of Indie Publishing, last added: 11/25/2011
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5. Quick Update on Book News

Hey guys - 


I am overwhelmed with book stuff. But wanted to give you a quick update on where I am for my book launch. 


Good news - I am starting to get some reviews back. Check out this one from Heather :)


Expense Total for Book: $1900

  • $10 for stock photo
  • $50 donation to Teen Book Scene
  • $500 for editing with professional editor
  • $300 book design
  • $650 for advertising 
  • $40 CreateSpace Pro Plan
  • $250 ISBN block of 10
  • $100 giveaways for launch


Expected expenses coming:


  • Lightning Source - $150
  • Facebook AD - $250
So far here is what I have set up for the launch:
  • 50 blog tour for NOv 15 - Dec 24. 
  • Feature on yalit chat for December
  • Set up teen blog tour for Jan 15-30th
  • 3 day ad

    2 Comments on Quick Update on Book News, last added: 11/2/2011
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6. Tips and Tricks from Indie Authors

I shot out an email to a few blogger buddies of mine that are/have self pubbed or are being published with a small, independent publisher.


Thanks to everyone who took time to send some tips. Some of these ladies will also be coming back on Fridays to provide more insight.

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7. Editing - is it necessary?

Housekeeping Stuff


I am collecting names for my newsletter. If you are not sure if you signed up - you can always sign up again. You won't get double I promise.


If you sign up between today and my launch, you will get a free ebook on everything I have learned about self publishing and online marketing - this will be for anyone who is self publishing or who markets online. I'm pulling together and formatting all my notes on this whole process as well as some online marketing tips and tricks (some I haven't even talked about yet) and putting them all into one place. I plan to be complete by Jan once I get through the entire process. That way you would not have to go back through a bunch of old posts to find information. Who knows maybe I'll even turn it into a self pubbed book one day :)


My newsletter will have author news, but it will also have arc giveaways, marketing contests, as well as online marketing and self pubbing advice. The first one will go out before my launch. If you don't like it after that - you can opt out and still get the ebook.


Also I added my online virtual launch party to Facebook so you can sign up there if you didn't get it. :) I will be doing an online chat on online marketing, self publishing journey, and my book as well as giving away prizes and special secrets.


If you are on Goodreads, friend me :) You can also mark Untraceable "to read". Somehow, it's already gotten on some good lists: Self publishing books to watch for in 2011 and Best Cover.  Nice :)


Enough boring stuff....


============


Editing - is it worth it? And why?


I just got my copyedits back.


First, let me say if you need a good copyeditor, email me. Because m

10 Comments on Editing - is it necessary?, last added: 10/12/2011
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