And now for something completely RANDOM

I am finally getting to work on the re-writes for my steampunk time travel novel, EXTRACTED. I can't describe how good it feels to be back on it. I had to step away for a few weeks and it was HARD. Also, I'm tinkering with my yet untitled project for Tell-Tale publishing. Can't talk much about that yet, but it's gonna be EPIC.

So now that I'm back in the swing, I've been spending a fair amount of time at my usual writing spots (McD's, B&N, and Village Inn, respectively) and I realized that 1) This is really BAD for my waistline and 2) I CAN NOT WAIT for my office renovations to be done. It's driving me insane actually.

We tore out all the walls, put up new drywall and windows, then the project ground to a halt thanks to the usual life stuff. So it sits, full of fixtures and dust and Spackle tubs while I watch longingly from my desk in the family room.

This is what my office looks like right now:

When the renovations began, I drew up an elaborate map of what I wanted my office to be. Of course, it would require more like a three level mansion with a moat than a small-ish room to accomplish my design. But there are still some things I really want to have in my ULTIMATE WRITERS OFFICE.

You know, the basics.

So here's my list of demands ideas:

1) A wall made entirely of magnetic dry erase board.
I never outgrew my love of drawing/writing on the walls. Especially when I'm working on a project. My brain storming plot maps are a thing of beauty.

2) A time machine (TARDIS)
This one is actually done. It's just a door facade that will act as the door to my closet. That way I can tell people it's "bigger on the inside".

3) A new desk.
It should look like this:

4) A robot butler.
Let's face it. I'm a slob. I need a robot who can clean my floors AND deliver snacks to me on a tray. I will name him Chip and teach him to give high fives. If it can make the R2-D2 sounds, even better.

5) A sign on my door that reads: Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.
This, is self explanatory. And on the same note, I will also need a peep hole.

6) I want one of those vinyl wall stickers.
Only mine will say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good".

7) Three clocks in a row, like you might see in a train station, that say New York, London, and China under them.
Only mine will say Mordor, Gallifery, and Hogwarts and they will all run backwards.

8) A table top soda machine.
I would also settle for a mini fridge stocked with Diet Mountain Dew.

9) A comfy seating area for guests.
Preferably two chairs and a small round table. Bistro style. For the ONE or TWO people I might be able to tolerate in my space.

10) A Venus Fly Trap.
I hate bugs. Thus, I love plants that eat bugs. And of course I will call him Seymore.

11) An elaborate display case for my rubber duck collection.
I'm talking FANCY. The kind with special lighting inside and mirrors. My duckies deserve the best.

12) A cool steampunk-ish light fixture.
And an equally cool steampunk switch cover. I'm going to make one. Cross your fingers for me. It always gets dicey when I bust out the blow torch.

and finally

13) A wall mounted dispenser.
It shall dispense pez, Motrin, tic tacks, and midol. And it won't be labeled. (that will keep the kids/husband from eating my pez/tick tack stash)


See? Is that really too much to ask for? I don't think so. I already have 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 12 taken care of.  That's almost HALF of my list. The rest should be easy.

Emotional Trauma and Goodreads

It's a serious issue for writers, and it's not exclusive to Goodreads. I'm talking of course about the sting of a bad review.

Now, the first thing I tell new authors is to NEVER read your bad reviews. They crawl into your brain and plant themselves there like carnivorous flowers, devouring your confidence from the inside out.
I like to believe that, for the most part, people mean well. But we live in a society where there are no consequences for the words we use online. We feel free to be as harsh, rude, and judgemental as we want with no fear of ever having to defend our words to someone face to face. So for readers, just keep this in mind. If you wouldn't say it to an author's face, then maybe you should rethink what you say in your review. And I'm not saying you shouldn't be honest. If you honestly don't like a book, by all means, say so. You can even articulate what it is specifically that you disliked. That's helpful. But seriously, there's no need to be rude.

And let's face it, some people can be completely cruel.

Writing a book is something extremely personal. Like handing your diary over to a total stranger and waiting on pins and needles to see what they think. Every poor review cuts us deeply because of our attachment to our project. It's one of the reasons I try to never give REALLY bad reviews. Often, when we receive a book to review on the Book Babes site, if the reviewer doesn't like it, I send the review only to the author, but I never hang someone out in public if I can help it. And I will never go on to Goodreads just to trash a book, even if I disliked it. I'll give it whatever stars I think it deserves and say nothing else. If you can't say something nice...Well, you know.

So for you writers who are tempted to get on to Amazon.com or Goodreads and read all your one star reviews, my advice is either run the other way (screaming for good measure) or get so boozed up beforehand that you won't remember the experience the next day. Seriously. The WORST thing you can do is respond to a bad review, even if, as I have seen be the case, the reviewer obviously only read the first chapter and/or confused your book with some other book.

Here's one example of a terrible, pointless review from Aryn Kyle's best selling novel The God of Animals:

"I hated this book. It is filled with cruelty, ugliness and defeat. There is not a single chapter where these things are not present in some form. The ending was the final straw. This book will not go to a book trade, or a friend. It will be the first book ever that I have simply put into the trash.
I will never suggest it to a friend, I will never even tell others that I read it and hated it.. as I do not want to draw its energy around me again, ever."

Wow, harsh right? Would it have been so hard to say the same thing in a kinder way? I mean, is it just me or does this person seem to just be being spiteful?

Here's another. See if you can guess what book it's for:

"This book along with the rest of the series, is a weak, pathetic imitation of literature that doesn't even deserve to be called a book."

That one was for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I KNOW RIGHT???

Okay, last one, I swear:

"This book really wouldn't bother me if it were being taken for what it is: a silly, sappy, shallow, juvenile, wish-fulfilling rag. The fact is, everyone is going on about how its literary merit rivals the frakking "Scarlet Letter" and how Bella Swan is the new Elizabeth Bennet (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?). "Twilight" should be rotting on some publisher's desk in a pile of rejection letters; not being lauded as the greatest novel since "Pride and Prejudice." I weep for literature."

Did you know that these books have a combined over 1000 'one star' reviews on Amazon alone? Yeppers. That's a whole truck full of depressing.

So, I hope you feel a little better seeing that EVERYONE gets bad reviews and that's okay. It doesn't mean you or your book isn't good. As a matter of fact, I'm willing to bet that MOST PEOPLE who pick it up will enjoy it. Do me a favor and don't bank your self worth on the number of bad reviews you receive. Just bask in the glow of the good ones and relax. Have a Twinkie. Breathe. And when you are done, go write your next novel, okay?

My Minion Army

So I've been spending this down time between projects by updating my website (which I don't do nearly often enough) and gathering swag for my MINIONS, when I came to a terrible realization. The file where I stored all my MINION data has been corrupted and is no longer opening correctly. *sigh* So I figured that this is the perfect time to wipe the slate clean, as it were, and invite people to join my amazing street team.

What is a MINION you ask?

Well, MINIONS are army of fans around the world. Basically, I want people to read my books. That can't happen if people don't know about my books.
That's where the Minions come in. They help me spread the word about my books, appearances, and online events in exchange for all manner of free swag. They blog, tweet, and FB about cool stuff I have going on and generally help me spread the word. Simple, no?

Obviously, you want to join up immediately. I mean, who wouldn't? It's free. Totally, completely free. And there's goodies involved. Yeah, you're welcome.

Each month, Minions receive my author newsletter and get automatic entry into cool drawings. Every so often Minions receive surprise perks, too, just for being awesome. This might be early peeks at upcoming books, swag, or special contests just for them.

Pretty much, being a Minion makes life worthwhile.

So if you are interested in joining my MINIONS, you can fill out the form HERE.

So sign up now! What are you waiting for?

Amazon takes over the world

Or at least, the digital, e-book world. Okay, some people think I'm coming down pretty hard on Amazon who ISN"T EVEN PART of the DOJ lawsuit. My question is, really? I mean, isn't it illegal to take a massive loss on sales to drive competitors out of business? Because that's exactly what they are doing. Don't get me wrong, I love cheap e-books as much as the next gal but as an author who is barely scratching out a meager income from them, I have to ask, can't we find some middle ground? And I'm not the only one who sees the real issue. This is an excerpt from an article in today's NY Times:

"Let’s stipulate that there may have been some manner of price-fixing here, perhaps even arranged in “private rooms for dinner in upscale Manhattan restaurants,” as the complaint darkly charged. The Justice Department is entrusted with, among other things, protecting the interests of American consumers and, given a narrow focus on price, its move on the publishers make sense.

But pull back a few thousand feet and take a broader look at the interests of consumers From the very beginning and with increasingly regularity, Amazon has used its market power to bully and dictate. It leaned on the Independent Publishers Group in recent months for better terms and when those negotiations didn’t work out, Amazon simply removed the company’s almost 5,000 e-books from its virtual shelves. The Seattle Times just published a series with examples of how Amazon uses its scale not only to keep its prices low, but its competitors at bay.       

The deal struck with Apple allowed other players into the e-book business, including independent bookstores. Previously, Amazon’s $9.99 subprofit price was a virtually impenetrable barrier to entry for anyone who couldn’t afford to lose millions in order to gain market share. Remember that it was only after agency pricing went into effect that Barnes & Noble was able to gain an impressive 27 percent of the e-book market.

Now Amazon has the Justice Department as an ally to rebuild its monopoly and wipe out other players. If the decision to charge the publishers was good for competition, why had the stock price of Barnes & Noble dropped more than 10 percent since Wednesday? Borders is long gone, and the possible loss of Barnes & Noble would be bad for consumer choice, online or off.

There are some ironies here. Amazon views e-books as cheap software sold to animate device sales, in this case, the Kindle. And who does that remind you of? Ah yes, Apple, which shrank music to a 99-cent single business to propel the sale of iPods.

Scott Turow, a big-time author who is president of the Authors Guild, worries that the club is going to get a lot smaller. “It is breathtaking to stand back and look at this and believe that this is in the public interest,” he said. “The only rationale is e-book prices will go down, for how long? What happens when there is no one left to compete with them?”

That's a very good question.

So for all you new and aspiring authors scratching your heads wondering how you ended up with that stack of rejection letters or $12 dollar royalty checks, this is the long answer to that question. Right now major publishers are taking such a loss that they are mainly taking only projects either from celebrities (YES, SNOOKI--who might not even be able to read--just got a six figure book deal) or authors with a large following/established sales base. And on the flip side, smaller publishers have to keep prices super low just to be able to compete with the .99 cent e-book folks.


So what can YOU do? Some advice from Chuck Wendig (cleaned up for the masses):


" Publishing pinballs drunkenly between the bumpers of optimism and the flippers of holy F&^*&#S%&*-H%$*  the meteors are coming fairly regularly.

The Internet is good for this: we get to see every moment as it happens and we have zero time to process it. All our processing is done out-loud, together, and mass hysteria runs rampant. Every shadow that passes over our prairie dog heads seems like a hungry hawk when it might be nothing more than a harmless vulture or a passenger plane. Or, y’know, Underdog.

Once again the cries of panic have risen over the walls of our digital city. A big shadow is passing over our heads. Publishers and bookstores are in danger. Amazon is a mecha-robot stomping toward Bethlehem.
And writers feel lost. Worried. Bookstores are exploding like a landmine gophers! Books are on fire! Publishers are throwing writers out of windows! An army of self-publishers is marching on New York!

So you turn to me. Your drunken, pantsless Sherpa. Waiting at the top of Mount Penmonkey, stroking my beard seductively at you. *stroke stroke stroke*

Okay, you don’t really turn to me so much as I kidnap you in a van and yell at you as we barrel toward the liquor store at increasingly troubling speeds, but whatever. Just the same, let me tell you what to do:

Nothing.

Calm down.

Breathe easy.

In. Out. In. Out.

Maybe have a drink. Take a walk. Sip some oolong tea.

Then, when you’ve relaxed: keep writing.

Stay the course.

Let the squirmy anxiety-ferret you’re holding go. Free him. You don’t need him. He’s bitey.

Put all of this out of your mind.

Stories aren’t going anywhere. Books still exist, both inside Kindles and on meatspace shelves. If a major publisher goes down in flames, a smaller publisher will wink, shake its hips, and step up to the plate. If a major bookstore chain craps the bed, indies will fill the gap, or another chain will rise. If libraries suck the pipe — well, that’s bad for a community and not good for books, but you, little Wordomancer, Inkslinger, Storyspinner, can’t do s#%* about that. You can’t control any of this. You can, however, control your output. And there exists an audience for your stories. Which is the key, isn’t it?

What, you’re worried about Amazon? Amazon Schmamazon. It’s done no favors to the publishing industry (or the government, given their lack of paying sales tax), but it’s done a lot of favors for overall reading habits. They’re an imperfect juggernaut of a company. You’re free to distrust them (I certainly cast them a wary gaze), but to reiterate: you don’t control them. They’re going to do what they’re going to do. And if things start to suck for writers, other solutions will slide into the gaps — new competitors, new services, or authors who sell their work DRM-free and direct to the readers.
People always want stories.

Book sales — e-books in particular — are up.

Authors have more options now than they had ten years ago.

The Internet is a disruptive-yet-equalizing force that even Amazon cannot fight.

Should you educate yourself? Sure. Should you be aware of your options? Absolutely. Read. Talk about it. Express frustration. But don’t let it get in the way of doing what you do.

Don’t let it get in the way of your stories.

Because all the publishing woes — or publishing successes — mean a soggy sack of #%&^ if you don’t have a finished story to bring to the party. So keep writing. Keep telling stories. Eye on the prize, Eye-of-the-Tiger."


Good advice.

The DOJ takes on publishers

For those of you who aren't in the stream of goings on in the publishing world, let me give you a quick recap. This week the DOJ (Department of Justice) filed a lawsuit against several major publishers (Apple, Penguin, and Macmillan are the only ones not to settle out of court) and are accusing them of price fixing. They alleged that they got together and colluded to 'fix' ebook prices. Basically they say the publishers got together and decided to artificially inflate ebook prices.

There are many reasons these big publishers may actually have done that. One would be to try to preserve traditional print books/mortar stores in the wake of Borders going under because, let's face it, publishers still make the bulk of their money in print books. Also, at the time the ipad was about to come out and they were afraid they wouldn't be able to compete with Amazon's stranglehold on the ebook market.

And they were right to be afraid.

Suddenly we are in a whole new publishing world where POD and self-published .99 ebooks are driving business away from the big publishers. Ironically, the only way they can keep making money is to keep the Vulcan death grip they have on the brick and mortar stores and keep the prices on their popular ebooks high.

The original model these publishers used was a wholesale model, where the publisher got half the cover price and the distributor got the other 50%. So if the book sold for $20, they each got $10 a sale.

The problem was Amazon started selling those e-books at $9.99 instead of $20 and taking a loss on those sales, all the while locking readers into their proprietary format. (Don't get me started) Not only did this devalue what consumers felt an ebook "should" cost, publishers were worried that competitors wouldn't be able to enter the e-book space because they wouldn't be able to compete with Amazon's prices. No competitors would mean a virtual monopoly for Amazon, and publishers were presumably concerned about Amazon's ability to then dictate terms.

Enter Apple and the iPad. They penned a deal with the publishers to use a new model in which the distributor takes 30% and the Publishers get 70% and they get to set the prices. The publishers then went to Amazon and made them give them the same deal. (Which is probably how the DOJ got involved in the first place)
So, they end up making less money per sale, but gained the ability set their own prices and prevent Amazon from undercutting them.

How are they losing money? Say they had that $20 ebook. Now, instead of getting $10 from the sale, they lowered the price to say $12 (which is still considered high for an ebook) and they get $8.40 a book, but Amazon can't change the price or sell it for that $9.99 anymore.

But Amazon's new 'prime' program has a way to get around that. I'll use my book for example. If my book is 'prime' elegable then if you are a prime member, you can get it free. Yep free. But I still get from Amazon whatever percentage my royalties would have been if it had been sold at cover price. So they are LOSING money on each purchase. Why? To keep you buying books from them and them only. They are also offering incentives for publishers (and self-publishing authors) to publish with them "exclusively'. For your book to be listed as a 'Prime' book, you have to be exclusive. This means the only place your ebooks will be sold is, you guessed it, through Amazon.
Who's to blame?
Some believe the publishers were acting only to preserve their own necks, so to speak. If they hadn't done exactly what they did it's completely possible Amazon would already have crushed them into oblivion. But I feel like they did that on the backs of not just readers who have been faced with massive ebook prices, but the authors that work for them who, because of the publishers losing money, are also losing money on their end.

Amazon, however, is far from blameless. Their methods of underpricing and therefore driving their competitors out of business is exactly the kind of monopoly the DOJ is complaining about. Yet, if they win this suit, that's exactly what they would be helping to create. Amazon's new 'prime' program is gobbling up the competition and while they are taking a massive loss on those sales, they are slowly weeding out the competition.

Who will come out on top?

I believe that small press publishers and POD services will win the day. Once the big boys are done eating themselves to death, the small press publishers (who have less overhead, who have policies borne in this new type of publishing world, and pricing much more flexible with places like Amazon) will finally be the ones filling shelf space. I also think if brick and mortar stores want to succeed in the wave of ebooks, they need to embrace the POD method of publishing. As of right now, POD books are mostly non-returnable (because they are printed specifically to fill each order, therefore eliminating large print run fees and warehouse costs) aren't available in chain stores. But with more and more publishers moving to that method as a way to keep costs down so they can in turn keep prices low and be competitive, they will need to find a way to integrate this new technology.

As a wise man once said, "I, for one, welcome our new robot Amazon overlords."

Exciting news!

It feels like I've been sitting on this forever but we had to wait till all the ink was dry to make the official announcement. then today, I received this:

Big news today from Publisher's Marketplace: "Sherry Ficklin and Tyler Jolley's EXTRACTED (The Lost Imperials, Book 1), in which two siblings, unknowingly stolen from history, fight on opposing sides of a battle to control time and space, to Kate Kaynak at Spencer Hill Press, in a nice deal, for publication in November 2013 (World). Rights: mancinirj@verizon.net"

To say I'm excited doesn't quite cover it! We will be doing a big cover reveal in a few months and a bunch of other fun stuff along the way. So Stay tuned!

Marketing Tips for New Authors

As part of my advice to authors year, I want to take a chance to answer some of the questions I get from new authors.

One of the questions I've gotten recently is, "How do I set up a newsletter/website without spending a fortune on it?"
Once you are publishing a book, especially your first book, the urge to spend a ton of cash on marketing is nearly overwhelming. You want bookmarks, postcards, t-shirts, websites, and all manner of things that can cost a pretty penny. 99% of the time the cost for these things is entirely on you.

So here's my advice.

A website. Yes, you need one. But if you are just starting out, it's not worth paying a fortune for hosting. Go someplace like Blogger where you can set up and design your page for free. Then buy a domain (from GoDaddy or a similar service) and direct it to your blogger page. (Instructions are under your settings page). Now when someone searches your web address, they end up at your  blog, which when done well, can look just as professional as a hosted website. Later, once you are making actual cash, you can always pay for hosting elsewhere and redirect the domain name then. If you can't afford the $12 a year or so for the dedicated domain, then it's OKAY to start off with just a blog. The big thing is that people need to be able to FIND YOU online, and you want your website to be the first thing they find (not those unfortunate photos from spring break two years ago).

Once you have a website, start up a newsletter. You can get a form from any number of places (Google Docs is a good one) and add it to your page. Have the responses bounce to a dedicated email address (also free with Yahoo, Google, or AOL). Then, you can set up an account with a free newsletter service like Mail Chimp. It is free. The only catch is that you have to import the information from your form manually. (I set aside an hour a week to import new subscribers). Now there are other services that will do the grunt work for you, but they charge for it. And when you are just starting out, you need to keep costs down as much as possible at least until you know what you can reasonably expect to make back in sales.

Once you have built a dedicated list of subscribers you should offer them some incentive to OPEN those monthly emails. Run contests, host giveaways, and generally try to offer them something they can't get elsewhere. This doesn't have to cost a fortune.
I offer my subscribers two options, a newsletter only via email, or they can join my "Minions" and get physical swag too. For the email only subscribers I send monthly emails, special book release announcements, giveaway free ebooks, and offer links to exclusive expanded content such as short stories and deleted scenes.
For the Minions I go the extra mile. They get bookmarks, postcards, and sometimes stickers or t-shirts or key chains.
So how do I keep the cost down for my giveaway swag? Well, the secret is this. For the paper goodies I use Vista Print, a printing service that, every few months, offers things like free business cards or 250 postcards for $7.  When these sales hit I stock up on whatever I need for the year and only spend $20-$30. For t-shirts I hit sales at my local printers (if you aren't picky about color this is a great option). For the release of Military Brats I wanted to do dog tag key chains and I found them for next to nothing at Oriental Trading and got them engraved with my book title and website address. I think I ended up paying like .50 each.
The reason I am willing to spend more cash on my Minions is because they are my street team, my word of mouth promotion in cities all over the country. There is no better marketing than a person who is willing to drop your name and talk about how much they love you/your books at every opportunity.

Other things you should be doing:

Blog Tours- There are many fine companies who will set up tours for you, and that's great. But when you are starting out, it's often better to do the leg work yourself, ferret out blogs you love, and schedule your own tour.
Cost-$0

Press Releases- If you can get your story picked up in a newspaper or magazine it's a great way to reach readers. There are a half dozen or so Press Release sites where you can upload and distribute your release for free. Also, you can send your release directly to newspapers, local and in other places featured in your book or where you have personal ties. Again, this is time consuming, but once you have made those contacts, you have a list of places and people to go to with your NEXT project. (and if you don't know how to make a press release, you can google it and find many pages of great tips and examples)
Cost-$0

Social Networking- Chances are good you are already doing it. I suggest a dedicated author page on Facebook and Twitter and a Goodreads author page. Build a fan base who loves you. Then they will come to love your book. *tip: don't fill your friends list with only authors and publishers. They aren't your audience, they are your competition. That doesn't mean NEVER friend other authors. Author to author networking is very important too. But make sure you are reaching lots of people who read and buy books as well.
Cost- $0

Public Speaking- Offer to talk at Book Clubs, libraries, conferences, schools, anywhere you might be able to hit your target audience. Talk about genres, writing, publishing, or whatever. It's good practice for later in your career and it helps you get your name/book out there. Plus, you never know what contacts you might make when you meet new people.
Cost-$0

I hope this helps all my new writer friends. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll get to them asap! Have a great weekend and as always, Happy Reading!

Social Networking: The 80/20 rule

People tout social networking as a great way for an author to build a brand and sell books. What they often forget to tell people is the 80/20 rule.

When using social networking, you have to be, well, social. If all you do is post purchase links to your books, you will never grow your brand and your friends/followers will jump ship like rats off the Titanic. Because that's boring.

No one wants to be part of a constant, relentless stream of sales pitches.

So how can you properly use these outlets to sell books?

As a rule, your posts/tweets/blogs should be 80% of the time about you. Something funny or thought provoking or useful. Keep in mind you are building your BRAND with these sites so my advice is to stay away from topics like politics or religion. Inevitably, you will alienate buyers.  However, post a funny picture or a shrewd observation. Build a fan base based on YOU and your style.

Only 20% of your posts/tweets should be sales related. If you just signed a contract or your book just hit shelves in B&N, post about it. If your work is on sale somewhere or you're just really excited about a new project, post it. Just don't beat people over the head with a buy my book buy my book buy my book.

I generally post only half a dozen times a month with purchase links to my book. If I'm doing a blog tour or some kind of media event that number will go up a little.

If you want to do a page dedicated only to your book (like, say if you write under a pen name) I suggest setting up a page AS your main character. You can post AS the character which kills two birds with one stone. It gives your readers an expanded, interactive experience to go with the books, and gives you the freedom to post as many purchase links or whatever as you want. I've found it is also a great way for me to get into my character's head when I'm feeling disconnected. Many of her posts end up as either plot lines or chapter headings in the books. So if my readers follow the posts, they get sort of a sneak peek at what's going on in the next book months before it hits shelves. 

So, where should you be networking? The most effective places are Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and your own, personal blog. There are lots more out there, Google +, Pintrest, etc. Just make sure you don't get so bogged down that you forget to actually write your books! The 80/20 rule applies here also. Only 20% of your overall time (the time you spend working on the books) should be spent 'networking'. The the other 80% should be actually writing.

I hope this helps! Good luck and Happy Reading!

How to make money as an author

In the beginning it's all the same. Once you decide not just to write, but to publish your novel, you begin to dream about all the cash you will be raking in.
I remember the day I got the call that my first novel was being published. I was doing laundry and the phone rang. After talking I looked down at my stack of dirty socks and thought, shouldn't I have people doing this for me now? I'm an author.
Alas, that is not the case. We hear tales of these authors who make six figure advances and then we look at our meager (if any) advance and think, WTF?

The odds of making an advance like, say, Stephanie Meyer's which is well into the 700K range, is about the same as winning the lottery. More likely you will get in the $500-$5000 range, though many publishers have done away with advances all together. No advance isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means you will start earning royalties faster, so don't let that turn you off to a publisher.

But whether you write for fun or as a full time job, you want to make money. That's how we keep stocked in things like ink and paper. So how are you going to ever get to that point where you have enough coming in to meet your expenses?

 Most successful authors who make actual money writing do it not by hitting it big with one book and getting that massive advance, but by having a dozen books out that sell pretty well. You need to think of writing as your career. If you were a baker who only sold one kind of bread in only one store, your profits would be non existent. Same rules apply to writing. Your books are your goods and to make money, you should have as many on sale as possible, in as many genres, stores, and websites as possible to maximize sales. If you have ten books on sale (and this isn't a huge number, trust me) and each book makes $300 a month, then you can entertain the idea of quitting your day job. If you have 20 books out, they only need to sell $150 a month each to make the same money. And THAT is where a writer will make their green.
If you are self-published (and I use this is an example for ease of math only, the same basic idea applies to all writers) how many copies do you need to sell to make money?

Here's a nuts and bolts breakdown. Say you have one ebook published and you need to make $2k a month to support yourself. If you sell exclusively on Amazon (and see my above comment about selling in MANY places) and your ebook is priced at 2.99 then you make aprox. $2 a copy. So to make $2k, you need to sell a thousand copies a month. That is a LOT of books. I don't know any author who sells that many copies every month consistently. Keep in mind that even a popular book will sell very well for a while, then sales will wane. Now, if you have two books published at that price, each book only needs to sell 500 copies a month. You see where this is going?

Now, that's just an example. But there's one more major advantage to having a large catalogue of work.

We all know that getting published is hard. Query letters and rejections that never seem to stop. But, it's easier to be published once you've been published. Stupid, but true. And I don't mean self-published. (unless your self-published sales are AMAZING, it will actually hurt your chances with a major publisher/agent) But when you can begin a query letter with:
"This is my seventh full length novel. I've previously been published with X, Y, and Z."
You get taken much more seriously. I have found that the amount of attention I get for a project now, with six novels under my belt, is about double what I got with my first book.

Another way to make money is by writing what I like to call Break Books. During summer vacation with all my kids home and demanding my attention, it's all but impossible for me to write a full length novel. So during those months I write as many short stories and novellas as I can (usually 3-4) and self publish them under a pen name as .99 ebooks. Now, let me stress that it's tough to scratch out a living on .99 ebooks alone, nay impossible. But it does add to my other royalties and during the summer especially, they sell very well. Though I only make .40 a copy sold, the volume of sales is greater so I have a constant stream of revenue from them. Hence, they are my 'Break Books'. It's also a great way for me to sort of clear my head between major spring and fall projects.

So why are they under a pen name? Well, I write mainly YA/teen fiction. My Break Books are romances. So it does me no good to use the same name for both. I keep the brands separate because the target audience is so very different. Now if you write mysteries and do a few Break Books in paranormal, then you can use the same name or not. It's up to you. But crossing over audiences won't be detrimental.
So how do you make money as an author?
1) Minimize expenses (do you really need to order bookmarks to promote your ebook or will a free blog tour suffice?)
2) Build your author brand (make sure people know who you are. Social networking, people. It's not just for college kids anymore)
3) Write a lot of books. Be writing all the time. (duh)
4) Sell your books EVERYWHERE. (Is your book on Kindle? Great. What about sony or kobo? Smashwords? ARe?)
5) Don't rush into self publishing. The experience and credibility you get from a publisher, even a small publisher, is worth having. Then if you want to self publish your next project, go ahead.

That's all the advice I am going to drop today. I hope it helps. I know the idea of writing ONE novel sounds daunting so talking about ten probably makes your skin want crawl off. But you can do it. The ideas are all there. Make the time, be disciplined. It will pay off in the long run.

Paypal has ended their stab at censorship

This is the letter I recieved today from Smashwords:

March 13, 2012

Smashwords author/publisher update:  PayPal Reverses Proposed Censorship


Great news.  Yesterday afternoon I met with PayPal at their office in San Jose,
where they informed me of their decision to modify their policies to allow legal
fiction.

Effective last night, we rolled back the Smashwords Terms of Service to its
pre-February 24 state.

It's been a tumultuous, nerve-wracking few weeks as we worked to protect the
right of writers to write and publish legal fiction. 

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Smashwords authors, publishers and
customers.  You stood up and made your voice known.  Thank you to every
Smashwords author and publisher who wrote me to express opinions, even if we
disagreed, and even if you were angry with me. You inspired me to carry your
cause forward.  

Smashwords authors, publishers and customers mobilized. You made telephone
calls, wrote emails and letters, started and signed petitions, blogged, tweeted,
Facebooked and drove the conversation. You made the difference.  Without you, no
one would have paid attention. I would also like to thank the Electronic
Frontier Foundation (EFF), The American Booksellers Foundation for Free
Expression (ABFFE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). These
three advocacy groups were the first to stand up for our authors, publishers and
customers. Their contribution cannot be overstated.  We collaborated with them
to build a coalition of like-minded organizations to support our mutual cause.
Special kudos to Rainey Reitman of EFF for her energy, enthusiasm and
leadership.

I would also like to thank all the bloggers and journalists out there who helped
carry our story forward by lending their platforms to get the story out. 
Special thanks to TechCrunch, Slashdot, TechDirt, The Independent (UK), Reuters,
Publishers Weekly, Dow Jones, The Digital Reader, CNET, Forbes, GalleyCat &
EbookNewser and dozens of others too numerous to mention. 

I would like to thank our friends at PayPal.  They worked with us in good faith
as they promised, engaged us in dialogue, made the effort to understand
Smashwords and our mission, went to bat for our authors with the credit card
companies and banks, and showed the courage to revise their policies. 

This is a big, bold move by PayPal.  It represents a watershed decision that
protects the rights of writers to write, publish and distribute legal fiction. 
It also protects the rights of readers to purchase and enjoy all fiction in the
privacy of their own imagination. It clarifies and rationalizes the role of
financial services providers and pulls them out of the business of censoring
legal fiction. 

Following implementation of their new policies, PayPal will have the most
liberal, pro-First-Amendment policies of the major payment processors.  Will
Google Checkout and Checkout by Amazon be next now that the credit card
companies have clarified their positions, and have essentially given payment
providers the permission to adopt more enlightened policies?   Finally, thanks
to Selena Kitt of Excessica and Remittance Girl for helping me to understand and
respect all fiction more than I ever have before.

This is a bright day for indie publishing.  In the old world, traditional
publishers were the arbiters of literary merit.  Today, thanks to the rise of
indie ebooks, the world is moving toward a broader, more inclusive definition of
literary merit. Smashwords gives writers the power and freedom to publish. 
Merit is decided by your readers.  Just as it should be.


Thanks,

Mark Coker
Founder
Smashwords

Kicking the crap out of writers block

Writers block is a catch all belief that when we are coming up dry creatively, we must be blocked. Every writer has their own ways to deal with this phenomenon but the truth is, it's usually not a block at all. It's one of three common issues.

1. Lack of motivation
AKA, I just can't get into it.

You've been working on a project and suddenly your motivation to set eyes on it again has evaporated. Maybe you had to take a few days off to focus on something else or maybe you've been looking at it for so long your eyes are crossed. Either way, you just don't feel the intense drive for it that you used to.

2. Distraction
AKA but there's just so much other stuff to do

Your kids are on spring break and need to be entertained or you're busy promoting another project. Whatever it is, it has taken all your attention. Maybe it's just as simple as a severe addiction to Facebook or Pintrest or the like. But you just spent all day on your computer and your word count hasn't even flinched.

3. You're lost
AKA I have no idea where to go next.

You've written yourself into a corner and there's no way to escape. Your well of awesome story ideas has dried up or your characters are running you in circles. Bottom line, you can't see the forest for the trees.

These are the biggies. MOST cases of 'block' come from one of these three issues in some form. But don't worry. Auntie Sherry is here to help.

For a long time people talked about inspiration like it was this mysterious, magical thing that only very creative people have. But that's not true. I bet if you asked people, 99% of them have some sort of idea or story they'd love to write. What separates us from them is the ACTUAL WRITING of the words. That's all. So when you are facing down one of the above issues, give these fixes a try.

1. Get the hell away from the computer.

Sometimes when you are tied up mentally, trying to 'push through' only makes it worse. Step away, just for a day, and get out of your comfort zone. Spend time in a place you've never been or hang out with people not in your usual circle of friends. Sometimes all you need to discover that next great idea is a change of perspective. Also, try limiting your Internet time to an hour a day. Just enough time to check in  in the morning and out in the afternoon. Don't let social networking distract from the overall goal of finishing the book.

2. Get the hell away from the coffee.

We've all done it. Caffeinated ourselves to nearly toxic levels to push through a project, but guess what? That can sometimes be worse for the creative process. Are you one of those people who often has great ideas in the shower or while lying in bed? That's because a relaxed brain can actually make connections more easily. So go soak in a warm bath or find a dark room and lie down for a nap. Meditate or whatever you do to calm yourself down. Have a cup of herbal tea. Relax. And bring a notepad just in case.

3. Print out what you are working on.

Make the above mentioned cup of tea and curl up under a cozy blanket just like you would with any other book. And read. Read not as the author but as just a reader. When you get to the point where you are confused or bored, go back to the previous chapter and begin again from there. Yes, it may mean losing precious pages but more than likely, your story went wrong somewhere around there and by reading it in that way, you are more likely to have a better idea of where to take it. If you have the original notes from when you had the idea for the story, bust them out. Wade through them and try to pinpoint what about the project had you so excited to tell it in the first place.


I hope this helps, dear writer friends. And if you have any tips or techniques that work for you please feel free to add them in the comments! Thanks!

Book Launch Party

Firstly, let me just give a big thank you to everyone who came out for the launch party for HINDSIGHT, my final Gods Of Fate novel, last week. People wandered in and out through the evening but the turn out was pretty good considering it was so close to my local Spring Break and many folks were out of town or otherwise engaged.

Book Launch Parties are every author's dream. Or nightmare. For me, I love to party. I love socializing and use pretty much any excuse to chat with my friends about books. Still, the lead up is pretty nerve wracking.  I mean, you worry about things like invitations, location, food, decorations, and all that jazz for weeks before the event then basically just cross your fingers and pray someone shows up. for that reason I like to keep it pretty informal. Snacks, tunes, jeans and t-shirts. Oh, and I sign books. (This time around i was coerced into doing a reading from Hindsight too. Tip for authors who hate doing live readings, just have your nine year old stand between you and the crowd holding up a blanket. It was quite a hit for me, lol. Of course, I didn't realize she was doing it until I heard people snickering and I looked up to see a wall of tan fabric. She's so helpful.) No big deal. Except that it really is, at least to me. I want everyone to have a good time. So I go a little overboard. So sue me. In the end, it was great fun and that's pretty much all I care about. Now, as promised, pictures! Keep in mind once people started showing up the camera vanished so I only have a few pics of the set up.

NEWS: 3/2/12

I got some great news today. Tell-Tale publishing has accepted Palmetto Moon: Grave Secrets for publication. This is the second book of this series and I couldn't be happier. I don't have specifics yet, but as soon as I do, I'll pass them along.

On a related note Palmetto Moon: Born of Blood is now available on Smashwords, a great site that sells ebooks in any format so no matter what type of reader or device you use, you can get it there. If you use the code REW50 at checkout, you can get it for 50% off, which makes it only $1.50. I don't know how long the sale will last, so if you are gonna get it, you might want to do it soon. And you are definitely going to want to read book 1 before Grave Secrets hits the shelves later this year!

Also, I just got word that Born Of Blood is on it's way to print! So all you great folks clamoring for the paperback will be able to get one soon. I'll announce it here and on my Facebook page as soon as I have a release date for it.

That's about all for the updates. You may notice a new item on my pages list above this post. Rifters is my newest project, a YA steampunk/time travel novel I'm working on with fellow author Tyler Jolley. I can't release any details on it yet except to say, wow. This is going to be an amazing book.

Finally, my Book Launch Party for HINDSIGHT, GOF book 3 is tomorrow night. I will try very hard to remember to take some pics and post them here for you. To be honest, I'm usually so busy having fun that I forget, so I will do my best to remember!

Have a great week everyone, and as always, Happy Reading!

~Sherry

Censorship and money

Some of you heard my small rant about Paypal's censorship of some books on Facebook and wanted the details. Here's what happened.

About three weeks ago I received emails from Smashwords, BookStrand, All Romance E-books, and Omnilit. These are all e-book distributors that I work with, primarily for the romance I write under my pen name. The emails all said the same thing. PayPal, the service practically everyone in the digital world uses to pay for and get paid from book sales, has set down a new rule in their contract. If a publisher or distributor sells any books that include in any context, rape, incest, or bestiality, PayPal will refuse to provide services for them. Thus, the distributors passed the message that anyone who had such books on sale through them, would be immediately dumped from their listings and we were told to immediately remove such books or we'd have to pay stiff penalties.

Now, I don't write this. I don't read books with those themes. But I can't help but be horrified that someone like PayPal can unilaterally decide what fiction is worthy of being sold and go the step further by demanding the materials they find offensive be removed from sale.

I think of books like I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and heck, even every book ever written by VC Andrews and wonder, is PayPal going to try to purge those books from literary history. It's like looking down the barrel at book genocide.

You may think, well, those things have no place in books anyway. But who says they will stop there? What prevents them from demanding that any book with foul language or anti-government themes be removed from sale? Once they are given that kind of control over what we read, what keeps them from going even further, into what music we buy or what products we can order online? PayPal has their fingers in almost every aspect of sales on the Internet. I have even worked with publishers who pay royalties exclusively through PayPal.

PayPal says that it is only bowing to pressure from major credit card companies (Visa, Amex, etc). They say that it is those companies making the rules, and that they are only the enforcers. If that is true then big distributors like Amazon and B&N could be next on the chopping block.

As a writer and reader this idea terrifies me. The idea that someone can tell me what I can and can't write or read reminds me of communist Russia. And before you say they aren't doing exactly that, let me pose this. If there is no way to sell or buy the books they are banning, they are effectively controlling my ability to find them.

While none of my books are directly effected by this new rule, I will stand firm against it. Not because I think these things are morally acceptable, but because if I do not stand up now, it will be too late.

Censorship is a person or organization's way of telling us we are too stupid to choose for ourselves, so they take away our options. I can think of another being who said that, a very long time ago. Am I saying PayPal is like Satan? Maybe. Or maybe he's just the CEO.

HINDSIGHT

My newest novel and the final book in the Gods of Fate trilogy is now available! Pick up your copy at any of these locations:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

SMASHWORDS

ARe/OmniLit

Price Pointers

There is a lot of debate right now about something called the "price point" for ebooks. The price point is sort of the sweet spot for pricing a book, it's the most people will pay for an ebook. The problem is there are lots of different opinions on what that price actually is. So let me ask you,
What are you willing to pay for an ebook?
There are lots of factors, at least for me, that determine what I'm willing to pay. For example, if it's an ebook by a popular author that I read often, I'm willing to pay up to about six dollars. Sound low? Well, if I can get a paperback for 7-8 dollars I'm not willing to spend more than that on an ebook. What about short stories and novellas? I never spend more than .99 on one. Why? Because I don't have to. There are SO MANY good ones at that price, why on earth would I spend more?

The problem is when you have a full length novel by a fairly unknown writer. What do you do then? I've been tracking my own sales for a while. I have ebooks, all full length, priced anywhere from 5.99 to .99. Here's how it rolled out in December.
The 2.99 ebook sold practically no copies at all. Now price may not be the only factor here, but bet your bottom dollar it's a big one.
The 5.99 ebook did better, but sales were still slow. Why did this book do better than the lower priced one? That's a very good question.
The .99 ebook outsold all the others by a landslide, but only in ONE place. on Amazon the sales were comparable to the 5.99 book.

Yet, with all the mass sales from the .99 ebook, I still MADE about the same as I did from the slow sales on the 5.99 book.

My hope with releasing one book at a substantially lower price was this, to draw in new readers to my other books. It's marketing. Maybe you've seen books that are offered free for a few weeks, then jump to 2.99 or so and do very well. In that aspect it's worth taking a small loss in royalties to build your brand. But, let me tell you a little story.

When I was living in Washington I decided to have a yard sale. I put out one box marked 'free' and filled it with stuff. The day went on and NO ONE took any of it. So my friend who was with me says, 'watch this'. She picked out almost everything out of the box and put price stickers on it between 1-2 dollars for things like half burned candles and old dishes. In no time we had sold almost all of it. Why? Why would people buy for a dollar what they wouldn't take for free? Because there is a mentality that if it's free, it probably isn't that great. I know, it sounds crazy. But it's true.

So if you are asking too little for your ebook, it can actually hurt sales. People assign it value based on three things IN THIS ORDER.
1. The cover (yes, a poorly done cover can TANK a book)
2. The price
3. The content (this is last because people actually have to have already purchased the book to decide if it's good or not)

If you've hit the sweet spot on those three things, that's when sales take off. So I'm doing an experiment with my .99 book. It has a great cover and is a wonderful book (so all the reviews say). I'm trying to hit that sweet spot on the price point. I've had it at .99 for a couple months and now I'm going to bump it to 2.99 and see what the sales do. If they drop a little, but I still make the same in royalties, then I'm getting close. If sales completely drop off I'll know it's over priced and I can adjust from there. If the 2.99 price point worked, then the next book will open off at somewhere around 3.99, which I think is still very inexpensive for an ebook. I'm not trying to be greedy, but I don't want to sell my hard work for less than it's worth either.

I'm curious what you think. How much are you willing to pay for literary satisfaction?

Query SOS

The biggest question I get from aspiring authors is, How do I get published? Well, I want to help you guys out here. When I was starting out I had NO IDEA what I was doing and had to learn through trial and error. So I'm going to be doing a series of posts this year that will (hopefully) help all you writers navigate the treacherous waters of publishing.
You're welcome.

I'm going to start with one of the most daunting parts of the submission process, the dreaded Query letter. Now, I've posted on this before but here's a refresher. a Query is a letter you send to agents and or publishers you want to pitch your work to. It's scary because they get SO MANY queries everyday, yours really has to stand out. Not in a gimmicky, this paper smalls like roses way, but in a professional, concise, interesting way.

So what should your query letter look like? Well, here's a good template that someone shared with me so I'm passing it along.

Dear Ms. Agent of my Dreams (be sure to personalize. No one likes to be mass emailed):

{main character} is a {brief description} who {standard state of affairs} until {name the inciting action of the novel that changes things.}

Now {this is the character's problem} and {this is what the character must do to solve it.} {This is the thing that prevents the main character from solving the problem,} but {this is what will happen if the main character does not solve the problem.} Making it worse is {something that makes it even worse/raises the stakes.} But now {and this is the bad thing that will happen if the main character DOES solve the problem, the personal stakes which create tension in the reader.}

My previous publications include {this, that and the other thing} and {this may be some relevant detail about why I'm qualified to write this book, as applicable.}

TITLE OF THE BOOK (word count, genre) is available immediately on request.


It's very basic, but it will give you a good starting place. As a rule, don't use dialogue in the letter, don't ask rhetorical questions, and don't ramble or give the entire story away. It's like a first date. You want to let them see who you are, but leave them wanting more.

I hope this helps. I'll be back in a few weeks with tips on writing a synopsis and how to create a marketing proposal. Have a great week everyone!

Developing memorable characters 101

Every writer has their own, unique system for world building and character creation. Some use fancy software while others have paper notebooks full of notes and pictures. One of the easiest ways I've found to get to know a character is to do an in-depth interview with them. And not just main characters, but even the supporting cast. This is how you get those great back stories and really discover the voice of a character.

I shared my questionnaire with a writing buddy today who was struggling to "get to know" his character. It got me thinking. I have a fair number of writer buddies who follow my blog and FB page so why not share this with all of them? Goodness knows I was glad when someone shared it with me. I've added a few of my own questions over the years and you are free to do the same. This page will be left unsecured, so feel free to copy and paste it for your own, personal use if you'd like.

I know this looks daunting, but I promise you that if you finish the whole thing, you will not only know your character inside and out, but you will also have a much more interesting plot because of it. Enjoy!

Q.

What does he/she look like? Talk like? Smell like?

Q.

List family members and how he/she feels about each.

Q.

If he/she could go anywhere, in any time, where would he go and why?

Q.

Who is the person in his life he/she respects most and why?

Q.

What are his/her favorite and least favorite things about his/her life?

Q.

What does his/her bedroom look like?

Q.

What music does he/she listen to?

Q.

What does he/she consider is the best decision he ever made?

Q.

If he could change anything about his life, what would it be?

Q.

What is his greatest fear?

Q.

What is his greatest strength?

Q.

What is his greatest weakness?

Q.

What does he want to do with his life?

Q.

What does he like to eat/drink?

Q.

How does he relax/unwind?

Q.

When provoked, how is he likely to react?

Q.

Would he rather follow orders or give orders?

Q.

What is his earliest memory?

Q.

What traits does he find appealing in others?

Q.

Is he impulsive, hedonistic, or practical?

Q.

What are his ticks? OCDs?

Q.

Does he have a moral code, and if so, what is it?

Q.

To what extent are his actions defined by his morals?

Q.

Is he supersticious? Religious?

Q.

Does he value faith or instinct or reason more?

Q.

Does he believe in an afterlife? Does that belief comfort him?

Q.

Would he be more likely to do what’s best for many, or for one person he cares about?

Q.

Does he have a motto or saying?

Q.

Does he make friends easily?

Q.

Does he have a best friend?

Q.

Does he trust people easily?

Q.

How hard does he find it to influence others? Get them to do what he wants?

Q.

How does he react when he doesn’t get his way?

Q.

How does he dress?

Q.

Does he have any scars/tattoos and where/why did he get them?

Q.

Would he choose to alter his appearance if he could, and if so how?

Q.

Is there something about his appearance that he particularly likes/dislikes?

Q.

How good is he with technolodgy?

Q.

If he were lost in the woods, how would he survive?

Q.

Where did his knowledge come from? Did he go to school?

Q.

If he baked his friends a cake, would they eat it?

Q.

Does he have any artistic talent?

Q.

What three words would he use to describe himself?

Q.

Does he have to work hard to learn things or do things seem to come naturally to him?

Q.

What is the first thing he thinks about in the morning and the last thing he thinks about at night?

Q.

How would he react to being betrayed by someone he trusts?

Q.

What are his physical limitations?

Q.

Is there any one subject or talent he is particularly good at or known for?

Q.

If he could have any one thing, right now, what would it be and what would he do with it?

It's almost party time!

Well, It's a new year and what better way to kick it off than with a few awesome book launch parties? Yes, I'm hosting paranormal author June Stevens book launch party for her debut novel, Voodoo Moon on February 29th. There's going to be all sorts of goodies and goings on here, so mark your calenders and make sure you stop by! Also, over on the Gods of Fate page I'm going to be launching my own novel, HINDSIGHT on April 1st. So it's like a double helping of awesomeness!

In the mean time you may see me tinkering with the blog, setting up new links and pages. Be patient! I'm just setting up for the parties. If you can't wait till then, you can always jump over to June's website and check out the ParaNorm world.

Have a great month and as always, happy reading!

5 major plot twists!

Woot Sandi, the winner of the day 6 giveaway! Congrats!

Only 5 days till Christmas and it's hard not to get antsy in the pantsy. My friend (a middle school teacher) says the holidays are literally driving the kids CRAZY with excitement. I admit, I feel the same way. I keep looking at me tree and all the shiny gifts below it thinking, would anyone really notice if I shook mine a little early? When I was little I used to sneak out of bed at night and shake my gifts, promptly pushing anything that felt like socks to the very back of the tree.

For today's giveaway I'm offering up two really cute notebooks by Green Tree and a bucket of book swag including magnets, book marks, etc. 

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your most treasured holiday memory from childhood.

Boring Details:

This contest is for US residents only. Shipping before Christmas not guaranteed. *note: swag does not come in actual bucket

6 character bios

Congrats to this weekend's big winner JoEllen! Your mug and key chain are on the way!

Wow, is it really 6 days till Christmas?? Where has the time gone? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind having just a few more weeks of this season before the new year creeps in, bringing all the guilt and pressure of 2012.

Today's giveaway is a good one. I'm putting up an e-book copy of the ENTIRE Gods of Fate series, FORESIGHT, SECOND SIGHT, and HINDSIGHT. Yep, that's right. One lucky person is going to wake up tomorrow with the advance e-book copy of HINDSIGHT in their inbox. How cool is that??

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this blog and tell me what you are most looking forward to in 2012.

Boring Details:

This contest is open to everyone, everywhere, INCLUDING past days winners. Yeah. You're welcome. 

Good Luck!

8 spiral notebooks, 7 sharpened pencils

Way to go Jennifer P! You've won the day 9 prize pack with Palmetto Moon: Born of Blood, and the digital goodies that come along with it! Enjoy!

I'm lumping the day 8 and 7 giveaways (because I have a really busy weekend and I might not have time to check in). So this time I will be picking 2 winners on midnight Sunday. What's up for grabs this weekend? Well, I have recently acquired some awesome goodies for the HINDSIGHT blog tour and I'm going to give a few of them out early. So one winner will receive a HINDSIGHT coffee mug and another winner will receive a HINDSIGHT key chain.

How to Enter:

Copy the link to this post and share it on your Facebook page, Twitter, or blog, then leave me a comment on this post letting me know you've done so. Easy, right?

Boring Details:

This contest open to US residents only. Prizes will be shipped via USPS.

GOOD LUCK! Have a great weekend!

9 agents, um...agenting?

Way to go AMANDA, the lucky winner of the After Burn e-book! It's on the way to you right now!

Only 9 more days till Christmas and I can feel the excitement growing like a pressure cooker! Today I'm offering up an e-book copy of Palmetto Moon: Born of Blood AND a digital goodie bag that includes the Palmetto Moon short story, Midnight Rayne as well as some other cool stuff.

AND

How to Enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite holiday tradition is!

Boring Details:

This contest is open to EVERYONE! Books will be delivered in secure PDF format unless otherwise requested.

10 Readers Reading

A big congrats to yesterday's winner, Heather! Your Winter Writer's Survival Kit is on the way!

 

 Today I'm giving away an e-book copy of my YA Mystery, AFTER BURN. Keep it for yourself or give it to the young reader in your life!

TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment on this post and tell me, what is the best gift you've ever received? I'll pick a winner at random by midnight MST tonight!



BORING DETAILS:

This contest is open to EVERYONE. E-book will be delivered via email in secure PDF (universal) format and can be opened on any reader or computer.

Good Luck!

11 writers writing

A big congrats to yesterday's winner Lynne Lux! Your paperbacks are on the way!

Today's giveaway is a little different. Today I'm giving away a Winter Writers' Survival Kit. This is great for all you writers/aspiring authors.

TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment on this post and tell me, if you were writing your autobiography, what would you call it? I'll pick a winner at random by midnight MST tonight!



BORING DETAILS:

This contest is for US and Canada residents only. (Don't worry, there will be stuff for you Int'l friends too!) No purchase necessary. Books will be shipped first class via the USPS. Arrival before Dec. 25th NOT guaranteed.

The 12 Days of Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas celebration here on the Circular File! I'm going to spend the next 12 days giving away books, swag, and all manner of goodies to my awesome peeps. Why? Because it's better to give than to receive (though receiving isn't bad either!).

So today I'm kicking things off with a big one. Today's winner will receive a signed paperback copy of FORESIGHT AND SECOND SIGHT! I will send it to you or wrap it up and send it to someone on your Christmas list! I'll choose the winner tonight at 11pm MST.

TO ENTER:

Just leave me a comment on this post and tell me how YOU are going to celebrate the season!

BORING DETAILS:

This contest is for US and Canada residents only. (Don't worry, there will be stuff for you Int'l friends too!) No purchase necessary. Books will be shipped first class via the USPS. Arrival before Dec. 25th NOT guaranteed.

So that's it! Good Luck and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!