KDP Select-Promoting Your Book on Free Days

In my last post, I discussed the Kindle Free Promotion days for my first novel, Eyelash.  I had studied several accounts by other authors about the pros and cons of participating in this type of promotion, and I have to be perfectly honest here—this experience seriously generated very high and equally low emotions.

Best Advice-When you read the information on enrolling a book in KDP Select, digest it carefully. Review the FAQ section and then decide whether or not you really want to travel down this road. Don’t be confused by the sample numbers given. It is questionable whether or not this experience will be a big money-maker for you unless tons of people borrow your book on Amazon Prime.

The Results-I set my free promotion for Eyelash to run on Kindle on 8/15 and 8/16/12.  In advance, I sent the information out to every site that I could access to help promote the free days. I was astounded as I saw the download numbers rolling in during the first day. After 2,000 free downloads, I asked my husband if he thought the total would reach 2,500. He was certain that it would.

By the end of the promotion, there were 13,181 downloads! Eyelash was #14 on the Kindle Best Seller List for Overall Fiction (free) at 9:21 p.m. on 8/16/12, #14 for all Kindle e-books (free) at 10:29 p.m., and #4 in Religious Fiction-Romance (free) at 5:45 p.m. I snapped screen shots from the Kindle Best Seller list so I could always look back and see what my eyes could hardly believe!

The good, the bad and the ugly:

The Good-Obviously, I was thrilled because of the great response and tremendous exposure to new readers. It absolutely translated into additional sales and interest in Never Say Perfect, my second novel. Sales for Eyelash dramatically increased once the promo period ended and the book was no longer free.

 

I had read that it was good to choose an older title to offer for the free promo days because it would lead to sales of one’s newer publications. This is definitely true. I'd like to offer a gigantic thank you to those who were nice enough to download during the promotion and also to help spread the word to others.

The Bad-Eyelash was my very first novel—my kindergarten-like literary experiment and a project I had published for the pure fun of it. I simply wrote it and had a blast without really knowing and understanding certain necessary pointers. We live in an age of desire for instant gratification, and when I wrote Eyelash, I seriously didn’t understand the importance of grabbing the reader on the first page or chapter or two. I was an advocate of the slow buildup, but have since learned that this approach generally will not keep the reader interested.

In writing my second novel, I studied from many resources that one must seize the reader and keep them spellbound to the end. Great improvements in this area were achieved in Never Say Perfect. As I write Never Say Hopeless, I am concentrating on this same aspect and also in remembering that the reader doesn’t want to be inundated with information that doesn’t aid the story in its progress. What I may see as entertaining little vignettes within the main story could also be viewed as useless drivel to some readers. There is a learning curve involved in most new endeavors--a painful fact.

The Ugly-I thought I was prepared for reading negative reviews from people who may be anti-Christian fiction or perhaps just didn’t “get” my humor or my first attempt at writing. Part of my problem is that I don’t have a mean bone in my body. If I don’t like something but, with a gun held to my head, am forced to comment, I try to find a polite way of expressing my thoughts. This is not the case with some folks out there in Readerland.

I am fully cognizant of the fact that one book does not generally please every reader. We all have different tastes, likes, dislikes and preferences in how a book progresses. As writers, we eventually have to face the fact that some people will simply hate our work; however, it’s nice if they keep that thought to themselves and don’t attempt to malign the book and author to others via nasty Amazon reviews. It takes solid, impenetrable skin to read those reviews and not feel sadness. We just want everyone to like the products that we have slaved over, even if we know this is asking the impossible.

Conclusion-Will I enroll Never Say Perfect on Kindle Select and run a free promotion in the future? It is, after all, a better book in every way, but I’m not sure. The jury is still out on this. Perhaps when Never Say Hopeless is published, I’ll be brave enough to cast NSP out into the waters of scrutiny to the critical masses for free for a couple of days. I’ll have to evaluate the thickness of my skin at that time. In the interim, I’m making Never Say Hopeless the most amazing story it can possibly be! With God’s help, we press forward and strive to learn new ways to excel and  to glorify Him. Although I know I can't please every reader with every book, my goal is to continue producing material to which many people (probably baby boomer generation women) can relate in some way, to offer hope and inspiration and a temporary escape from any difficulties that may be dampening their spirits. I am thankful for those who loved Eyelash, and I am also overwhelmed by the amazing response to 7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing: Build a Priceless Legacy One Story at a Time!, a book that helps in memoir writing, based on wearing my Certified Lifewriting Instructor hat. Thank you to everyone who has responded so positively to this publication and shared it with others. You are awesome readers!

Great News-Watch for new, exciting blog posts featuring Anne Holmes of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and Bob Soukup, a Florida senior citizen whose legs display his family history in the form of tattoos. There will be several fascinating interviews posted in the near future. Stop by and see us soon, and may God bless you as you travel life’s roller coaster paths!

KDP Select-Giving it a Try!

Eyelash was my first novel. You know how it is—the one you wrote before you really knew some of the “rules” such as: Show instead of tell, start at a crisis point rather than building to it with backstory, kill the adverbs, don’t use passive voice, eliminate weak verbs, ditch the negatives, overuse of “had,” and on and on and on. We learn these “rules” if we are willing to take the time to study more about the craft of writing before we move on to the next work-in-progress. An insightful resource on this topic is 11 Secrets to Getting Published by Mary E. DeMuth.

As in any new endeavor, we take baby steps and learn how to balance what we would like to achieve with what is actually achievable given our individual skills. My second novel, Never Say Perfect, is a good example of working toward practical application of these writing “rules” and became a better book for the expended effort.

That said, Eyelash, is still a story filled with challenging family relationships, twists and turns, emotional roller coaster rides, humor, temptation, mystery, romance and inspiration. That is why I decided to offer it for FREE during my Kindle promotion days through KDP Select.

I’ve read everything I could locate on the topic of how to most efficiently participate in the FREE promotion events.  I’ve eagerly devoured various author accounts of successes and failures in undertaking a FREE promotion. With information in hand, I have notified every possible site that will pass along the information on my first FREE day, tomorrow-August 15, 2012. I have sent an email to friends and family, scheduled Tweets, Facebook and LinkedIn posts, Goodreads events, and whew!!! Have I covered all of the bases? I doubt it!  Will it be worth it? I have no idea, but I will be certain to follow up with a post that will tell you whether or not this promotion really worked for Eyelash.

The goal is to introduce new readers to my characters in Eyelash and hope that they will then be interested enough to continue with Never Say Perfect. There are two additional titles scheduled for completion in this same series—Never Say Hopeless and Never Say Final. I’ve read all of the scary warnings that the FREE promo days will also bring reviews from readers who would never normally pick up a work of Christian fiction and are less than enthusiastic that they did. Hence, one and two star reviews. I’m bracing myself for that possibility.

I just know that I’ll keep writing because there are enough people who make it a point to tell me that they loved Eyelash and/or Never Say Perfect, and say, “When is the next book coming out? I can’t wait to read it.” That’s what keeps my pen in motion.

So mark your calendars, or write yourselves little sticky notes, but please remember to download Eyelash for FREE on your Kindle tomorrow, August 15 or Thursday, August 16, 2012, and tell your friends to grab it and run! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006GHI0U8

I'll be back when the jury is in...

Hoping your day is filled with special blessings,

Mary Anne

A Cleaner Ocean

Sullie Saves The Seas

Goffinet McLaren is on a serious mission! Her enthusiasm for the topic that resides deeply in her heart is hard to ignore. This feisty author and Pawleys Island, SC resident strives to raise awareness about the negative impact of plastic pollution that is so prevalent in our society today.

Goffinet McLaren

I met Goffinet a couple of years ago when she walked into a publishing workshop that I was teaching at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Coastal Carolina University’s Litchfield, SC location. Navigating the Publishing Highway was a class that I had developed to help people understand exactly what their publishing options are today, provide the facts and allow them to decide on an informed course of action for their particular projects.

Goffinet told us about her wonderful idea for a book, and she had already begun roughing out a manuscript. She wanted to learn more about publishing options, and she wowed everyone in the class with her adorable Irish accent and the information that she passionately shared. She explained that until people are presented with the facts, many do not realize that, at alarming rates, plastic ingestion is harming and killing our ocean wildlife.

Her book is now a reality, and although Sullie Saves the Seas is targeted at educating children, the powerful message it conveys is a subtle warning to adults as well.

I asked Goffinet two important questions:

1-What is most difficult about publishing a book?

The most difficult thing about publishing Sullie was knowing that I had very important information to impart to children and their parents, but being unable to find a traditional publisher to pay attention. Having read some books that were best sellers, I felt that Sullie had a much more substantial message and could be become a real icon for cleaner oceans, if given a chance.

2-What is the most rewarding aspect?

The most rewarding aspect of publishing the book was knowing that now I could spread the word about the damage that plastic is creating in our oceans and to marine life. And Sullie could  tell children about his mission.

Written from Sullie the Seagull's point of view and featuring his bird friends of the Secret Society, this book tells the story of beach litter and presents the startling revelation of the proven existence of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an enormous collection of plastic waste that threatens the ocean environment and its inhabitants. While it tells a compelling tale, it also offers a complete list of suggestions for eliminating as much plastic waste from our world as possible.

You will want to obtain a copy of Sullie Saves the Seas for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews so they will understand these critical issues, but please take the time to read it for yourself—for the benefit of our planet!

Look for Sullie at Litchfield Books in Litchfield, SC or on Amazon at:

 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Sullie+saves+the+Seas. 

Also available on Kindle!

7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing:

I had the recent privilege of speaking to a wonderful group of ladies (and one gentleman) at a meeting of the Archibald Rutledge Club (a private book club) in Murrells Inlet. What a friendly, receptive group! A few shared some of their family history bits and pieces, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them. I love having the opportunity to speak to small groups about the importance of preserving our life stories while it is possible to do so. We can't rewind.

Inspiration: 

In Never Say Perfect, Laina Strickland (normally very upbeat and positive) becomes involved in a tragedy that has shaken her life upside down and caused her to plunge deeply into a pit of depression for a period of time. Her friends come to her rescue and propel her from her state of despair. Do you have a friend who has lost a loved one and you really don't know what to say or do to help them? Please don't just ignore them because that's the easiest way to handle it. Certainly, it's difficult to know when it might be a good time to call or stop by. At least send them an occasional "Thinking of You" card, or an email or text. Just let them know they are in your thoughts and prayers. See if they would like to go to lunch or a movie when the time is right. They may just be feeling incredibly lonely, and your contact with them could be exactly the boost that they need today. Be an encourager, and the benefits come straight back to your heart.

See you soon with more author interviews and chats with fascinating people!!

Best of my love,

   Mary Anne

Becoming a Turtle

Well, I can hardly believe that I have three books out there now for the world to read! I'm so thankful for every single person who has been so supportive and enthusiastic about my work and to those who help spread the word, I am eternally grateful! All three books are available on Amazon, Nook and Kindle, and there will be more publications in the future. Thanks again to fans and to friends old and new!

Today, I'd like to feature Dr. David W. Powers, author of a fascinating book about his travels. Not only does he chronicle his literal paths, but he also offers his straight forward thoughts and observations with no sugar coating attached. 

The following is my book review and a special interview with Dr. Powers:

Becoming a Turtle

If someone asked you what animal most closely represents your personality and approach to life, what would it be? Would you choose the intimidating tiger, stalking its prey? Would the vision of a tiny, adorable Yorkie with a pink bow in her hair, hopping around on miniature legs and waiting for someone to pat her on the head be your choice? How about a graceful dolphin, skimming along the open ocean waters on a brilliantly sunny day?

Interestingly, Dr. David W. Powers opted for the turtle as his symbol of personal likeness. In his book, Becoming a Turtle: My Journey Across North America, he not only explains his similarities to the turtle, but also takes us on an amazing journey. He was engaged in a solo automobile trip from South Carolina to Alaska commencing May 26, 1999 in his 1991 Ford Explorer named Betsy, otherwise known as his "turtle shell." With 168,903 miles already logged on Betsy, it was intriguing to see exactly how far the shell would actually be transporting this turtle.

His extensive journey was not merely a wanderlust-induced road trip, but was also fueled by the ultimate purpose of participating in an Alaskan marathon that would benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. There would be may miles to cover before reaching intended objective.

Complete with “Event Stops,” which were special breaks in the trip that were pre-planned for visiting friends, family, parks and important landmarks, Dr. Powers provided a day by day diary of his adventures, informing us of many fascinating facts and opinions about a wide variety of locations along his path.  His sidebars offer information about different types of turtles, as well as key data about “must see” stops that he had encountered.

As a passionate travel lover, I could truly appreciate that he had taken the time to include details and helpful information as seen through the eyes of an enthusiastic and curiosity-driven turtle. Part of the adventure, as he points out in the book, is in the numerous characters one meets during the journey.

Don’t think for a moment that this turtle was living it up in the shell of luxury. He actually opted to spend most nights sleeping (or not) in his shell, Betsy, having parked in truck stops and campgrounds. So much for the thrill of the open road!! He even offers valuable tips of hygiene rules for travelers.

One would expect that his story would end on Day 46, which was July 12, 1999; however, he surprises the reader with an Epilogue bonus accounting of an ambitious climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.

I enjoyed the vivid descriptions, factual information and personal observations during his travels, as well as his habit of displaying his Christian flag to commemorate special moments. If you’ve ever had a desire to pack up your vehicle and head out on the open roads, you will absolutely devour this book! Visit http://www.drdavidpowers.com for additional information. LINK to purchase Becoming a Turtle is:

http://stores.ebay.com/Museum-of-Unnatural-History/_i.html?_nkw=becoming&_sid=10428586

Interview with Dr. David W. Powers

                  Q. From reading your Web site, it appears that you are all of these:

     Author, mountain climber, professional scuba diver, founder/Pastor of The Pilgrimage Church, martial art black belt, civilian and military combat paramedic, veteran of two branches of military service-Marines & Army, founding member of the Department of Homeland Security, trained improv actor, long distance marathon runner, bicyclist, husband, dad to three feral boys.You speak to groups on Teamwork, goal setting, perseverance and inspiration with a “get off your butt and do something” theme. Is there anything you’d like to add to these? You sound like someone with some amazing stories to write!

   A.  I'm definitely not a 'motivational' speaker, but I do love inspiring people to do something more, bigger, or better.

                 Q. I read that you are Founder/Pastor of The Pilgrimage Church-Could you elaborate more about this? A little bit of history of the church and its statement of faith?

   A. We started on January 1, 2012, the first day of the year that the Mayans told us the world would end. We're non-denominational, more of a community church model, and very non-traditional in how we do things. Our focus is on social justice efforts, living out our faith in action. Our philosophy is that we're not a church, but a movement where church happens.

              Q. I saw Becoming a Turtle—My Journey Across North America being offered on your Web site. Can you elaborate about the book? What message are you conveying in the book?

  A. The book was written after I set off on a three month solo journey by automobile across North America. I drove from Myrtle Beach to Anchorage Alaska to run a marathon. Three months by myself, sleeping out of my car like a vagabond. It was an awesome adventure, and the book tells about it.

4            Q. Have you written other books that are available?

  A. I have written several other books. One is on my Africa trip when I summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. In your line of work, another of my books is the collected stories and illustrations of my grandfather, a World War II Marine Corps veteran.

5      Q. What is the main message that you would like to convey to people through your business?

   A. My main message that I try to convey through everything is that you have to find life balance before you can really enjoy life.

6       Q. You certainly are an action kind of guy—briefly, what journey has led you to where you are today?

  

A. I was inspired early on by my heritage. My people were Vikings, always exploring and seeking new lands. After all, it was the Vikings that first discovered the New World. That's in my blood and comes out as a wanderlust that keeps me wanting to travel and try new things.   

Q. What makes Dr. David Powers smile? 

I smile so much when my kids do silly things. They'll draw pics of me fighting zombies or these big huge superhero parties. Or they'll say the funniest things.

8          Q. After such a diversified background, what would surprise us about you?

      A. I'm a softie and love romantic comedies.

Thank you for visiting today! May God richly bless you and keep you safe in His loving arms.

   Mary Anne

Misconception About Dedicated Writers

This is a glimpse of today's walk at Garden City Beach, SC--the epitome of a spectacularly sunny, warm day. After living in NY for so many years, I thoroughly appreciate today's 74 degree temperature at the end of November.

I hope that everyone enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving weekend 2011. As it comes to a close this evening, I'm thankful that Fred and I were able to spend the time with my sweet, loving mom. She's the best!

The Writing Life:

I have to laugh when I think about the misguided perception regarding the life of a writer. People probably think that we sit around in our pajamas all day, dreaming up articles, settings, characters and plots for our books. They may think we have all the time in the world to write at a leisurely pace and that the words magically flow every time we are seated with our fingers hovering over our keyboards.

They may imagine us sitting at our desks with fluffy foo-foo dogs stretched out beside our sock-clad feet. They picture our four-legged friends adoringly gazing up at us as they wait for an occasional pat on the head or a treat. When we need a little break, we change into a pair of sweats and mosey outdoors to walk the grateful critters, stopping at the mailbox to collect the enormous pile of royalty checks awaiting us, and then settle back in for a few more hours of uninterrupted work.

Dream on! If this were only true! A friend recently sent a video via Facebook that was so real, it was scary. It features a British woman who is describing her day. She begins with the intent to pay her bills, but is so distracted by every other thing she encounters (and one thing constantly leads to another), so by the end of the day, she still hasn't focused on paying her bills. I had to laugh because I'm afraid I can really relate. I begin my day with a definite "To Do" list, but between interruptions, various tasks around the house that need my attention, and complete disruption when I decide to take a few minutes to check Facebook or post a comment, it is really difficult to finalize anything and gleefully cross a completed item off my list. Heaven help me if I ever learn how Twitter works (also on my "To Do" list).

Many of my long term projects are in various stages of completion, so it is difficult to feel as though anything is actually accomplished by the end of the day. Baby steps toward finalization ... that's all I'm doing. There's always more research to do, more review, more editing, changes that entered my mind in the middle of the night, and very important publishing decisions to be made. And more research. What is the latest in our speed of light changing industry? Everyone thinks it's so easy.

The truth is, however, I couldn't possibly be more enamored with what I do. I'm creating publications that will hopefully entertain through my "Never Say" series and guide people in writing their memoirs with my "Easy Steps" series. I can hardly wait to announce that these projects are finalized and available.

During the next few days, I will be working on formatting my first novel, Eyelash, for Kindle, Nook, and every other e-reading device. It was released as a print book in 2006, but I can easily see the value in offering it as an e-book before I release Never Say Perfect. Eyelash is actually a prologue to Never Say Perfect, though NSP is a stand alone book and contains a great deal of mystery, family relationships, friendships, inspiration and flirts heavily with romance.

As I study the constant changes in the publishing world today, I am more and more inclined to throw my hands up in the air and press on with self-publishing so NSP will finally reach my readers. People constantly ask me when my next novel will be released, and if I continue to hold out for a traditional publisher via an agent, I'm afraid that those fans will lose interest over time. I'm beginning to feel that they've waited long enough.

I'll keep you posted on how this project of formatting Eyelash for Kindle, Nook, etc. is going. It should be mighty interesting! I'm a DIY kind of individual, as I do enjoy holding the reins in my hands. I can only hope that I don't drive myself wild with this adventure.

Inspiration for today: Don't be disheartened when all seems grim. Ephesians 1:13b-14 (NIV) tells us: Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of His glory. It reminds me that He gives us strength and that our hope and power are in Him alone. May you face today with that peace in your heart.