Eva Pasco's Blog, page 43

Happy FIRST Birthday!

On September 20th, my second novel in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction, 'An Enlightening Quiche', will be a year old. Though the paperback version was available as of August 16th, the Kindle Edition went live at Amazon in September. I then created a universal Amazon link:

http://mybook.to/AnEQuiche

*In celebration, I’m hosting a Goodreads Giveaway contest open to US residents for the chance to win a signed paperback copy of the novel (September 1 – 30):

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Leading up to my book’s first birthday, I’m proud of the recognition it has received along the way:

5-Stars from Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review:

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/...

October 30, 2016 - UBR (Underground Book Reviews) congratulates Eva Pasco, author of our latest Pitch Perfect Pick winner:

http://ow.ly/DPW2305IZRM

November 8, 2016 - Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review: http://tinyurl.com/zhapjmc

March 7, 2017 - ATAI (Authors Talk About It) Fiction Finalist: http://tinyurl.com/jgxsa42

(2016 – 17) - 9 Goodreads/Listopia Ranks:

1st in Must Reads by New Authors

1st in Books Set in Rhode Island

https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/3...

August 31, 2017 - The book cover for 'An Enlightening Quiche,' along with several others, were winners in OUR AUTHOR GANG’s “Friendly Book Cover” contest:

http://tinyurl.com/y9nrxvun

*'An Enlightening Quiche' is a 2017 SIBA Nominee in the genre of Contemporary. Voting officially starts at midnight CDT, September 1st. You can vote once each day from Sept. 1 – 11. In competition with many worthy contenders, I’m asking for your vote to increase my novel’s chance of winning:

https://goo.gl/m57r61

I am "September Author of the Month" at blog host, Janet Irvin’s, “The Write Side”. Short and sweet, inquiring minds may want to know my “favorite comfort or reward food”:

https://janetirvin.wordpress.com/sept...

Coming Up:

I’m scheduled for two live radio appearances:

OFF THE CHAIN with Author and Radio Host, Yvonne Mason – September 9th (8-9PM):

https://offthechainwithauthorandradio...

DIALOGUE: Between the Lines with Susan Wingate – September 16th (10 – 10:30 AM):

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dialogue

In all honesty and sincerity, I attribute each opportunity along my journey post-publication and beyond to the support and encouragement within the Indie community. May each of us persevere to reach more potential readers and their valuable reviews for our books.

Overlooked Four-Leaf Clovers

An Indie author, my novel in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction—'An Enlightening Quiche'—is just one of many overlooked four-leaf clovers in the field of books, along with yours. So, it is all the more rewarding when readers “look over any one of our four-leaf clovers they may have overlooked before.”

Having piqued reader curiosity by whatever means necessary—free or paid ad—to click on the book link, perchance the blurb enticed them to take a leap of faith to make that purchase. I tend to think their decision may be influenced by reviews. Reviews not only contain previous readers’ opinions about our book, but they often provide insight and further details on content not revealed in the summary.

An avid reader who selects books written by fellow Indies, I’m constantly looking over other four-leaf clovers, those often overlooked, to read and review. It’s my belief that reviews make an Indie author’s pasture greener for attracting more consumers outside our network.

That mentioned, it’s an opportune time for me to introduce Indie Fab author/historian J.B. Richards’ monthly IHI (Indies Helping Indies) Book Review Project providing FREE “verified purchase” Amazon Reviews and Cross-Promotion for Indie authors through free promotional advertising on Twitter, and about 100 author/reader groups on Facebook.

Those Indie authors with less than 15 Amazon reviews can submit books for IHIBRP reviews posted at her Writers Block on the Yeshua and Miri website:

https://www.yeshuaandmirinovelseries....

*At the end of each month, Jeannie will post a notification on her Facebook wall to let you know when she will be accepting new submissions. Once the IHI Book Review Project Submission notification is posted (usually on the last business day of the month around noon to 2PM EST), you may enter your book in the drawing at that time!

http://www.facebook.com/jeannie.b.ric...

There is only one thing she asks—that upon completion of her duties to you, you heed her request to then turn around and surprise another fellow Indie author by paying-it-forward and doing them a favor (it can be anything such as a book review, author interview, spotlight feature on your blog, or book promotion) with no expectation of anything in return!

Through the endeavor of Indies helping other Indies, may each of our books be looked over, rather than overlooked.

The Hustle

Like snake oil salesmen, tin men (aluminum siding smooth talkers) and Avon sales reps, the Indie author hustles to sell books. While I may not knock on doors to peddle my wares, I’m tapping into social media. Prior to publication of my second Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel, ‘An Enlightening Quiche’ (September 20, 2016) and shortly thereafter, I’ve hustled with bustle:

Facebook author page launch party

Month-long blog tour with Pump Up Your Books

Facebook Author events

Paid ads on promotional sites that offer a subscription service for readers, providing recommendations for eBook purchases through advertising my book along with many others in its genre.

Seeing negligible results despite knocking myself out, I’m skeptical of most things in a market glutted with free and reduced to pennies-on-the-dollar book offers which only serve to deplete the author’s potential to sell eBooks retailing for under five bucks to begin with. Mine is priced at $3.95 for 361 pages—so that’s my bottom line!

Currently, my minimal hustling is reserved to posting five daily Facebook ads in various free promotional groups. It’s catch as catch can for grabbing someone’s attention to click on the link and take a leap of faith in purchasing the Kindle Edition. It’s too far a stretch to bank on signed paperback acquisitions even at a reasonable price of $19.95 for a print book containing 550 pages.

Ads are just one aspect of the hustle. Hustling for publicity is another. In that regard, I’ve lined up a guest spot for “Author of the Month” in September at ‘The Write Side’:

https://janetirvin.wordpress.com/

I’m also getting psyched for two upcoming live radio appearances:

OFF THE CHAIN with Author and Radio Host, Yvonne Mason – September 9th (8-9PM)

https://offthechainwithauthorandradio...


DIALOGUE: Between the Lines with Susan Wingate – September 16th (10 – 10:30 AM)

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dialogue


As with most hustling endeavors, there are no guarantees for measurable success via sales, other than the certainty—“Nothing ventured, nothing gained!”

A Rave Review!

Just prior to and since the publication of my second Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel—'An Enlightening Quiche' (September 20, 2016), my blogs starting from #45 (Letting Go) - #120 (WIP!) pertain to aspects of my life as an Indie author. Not so with #121, a departure, whose title actually refers to the 5-Star rating I’ve allocated for vacation time spent with my mother and sister this week.

Pacific meets Atlantic Coast!

Highlighting a few of our favorite pastimes:

MONDAY

We hit the ground running by embarking on a girls’ day out which entailed hunting down bargains at Burlington, an off-price retailer. Afterward, we enjoyed a lavish lunch at our favorite restaurant, The Old Grist Mill Tavern, where we dined by a window overlooking the waterfall on Burr’s Pond which pours into the Runnins’ River. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my mother and sister ordered baked stuffed shrimp for their main entrée, and I opted for lobster sauté.

In keeping with our follow-up tradition, we stepped inside Vinny’s Antiques, just next door, and wandered amidst all the nooks and crannies of yesteryear.

We capped off the afternoon by browsing the aisles of Marshalls.

TUESDAY

In the aftermath of enjoying lunch at Chelo’s on the Waterfront in East Greenwich, the three of us made our own way aboard a high-speed, sightseeing catamaran for a 90-minute, narrated, lighthouse tour viewing 60 miles of coastline. We cruised by ten lighthouses along Narragansett Bay, sailing under the Jamestown and Newport Bridges.

Back on land, we dug into ice cream sundaes at Newport Creamery. There are currently 12 of them—10 in Rhode Island and 2 in Massachusetts.

WEDNESDAY

Having saved money by splurging on bargains at Burlington and Marshalls earlier in the week, we made a pit stop at the upscale Garden City Center in Cranston and browsed inside Ann Taylor, L.L. Bean, and Talbots. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at the largest independent dining operation in Rhode Island, and ranked number 66 in the United States—Twin Oaks, overlooking Spectacle Lake. Worthy of mentioning, the rice pudding and tapioca pudding my mother, sister, and I had for dessert.

THURSDAY

Before saying our final farewells, we ate breakfast at The Modern Diner, a red-and-cream-colored Sterling Streamliner shaped like a locomotive. The first diner to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located in Pawtucket.

After we hugged good-bye, my sister’s parting comment resurrected a memory preserved in a photo taken during the summer of 2013—“Let’s continue to maintain what we have moving forward!”

WIP!

With a little help from my friends!

Fellow Indie Fab author, Joanne Van Leerdam, made the suggestion. It was “huzzahed” by the other Fab authors: Lyra Shanti, Aliya DalRae, JB Richards, and R.M. Gauthier.

That suggestion? Compile all 100 of my Sixties Memoirs into an eBook!

This turned out to be an offer I couldn’t refuse because I see this project as passing on a legacy of family memories to my grandnephew who lives on the opposite west coast. My sister, his grandmother, is also keen on the idea because her grandson enjoys listening to her relate stories about her childhood. The collection will enable him to get a glimpse of a maternal great grandfather he never met. The endeavor of dredging dormant memories of my childhood and adolescence enabled me to relive the past and celebrate the spirit of my father who passed from this life too soon.

The beginning:

After the publication of my first Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel 'Underlying Notes' (2007), I sought ways to market and promote it. Because there are elements of the Sixties scattered throughout, I composed and submitted a Memoir to
'The Sixties Official Site.' Webmaster, Carl Hoffman, graciously suggested I become a regular contributor, offering me a featured page on the site. I did just that, and cruised along writing ninety-nine more, along with numerous Retro Flashbacks.

http://the60sofficialsite.com/The-Six...

My first Memoir—"A Mini Tribute to Twiggy"

Twiggy allowed me to become a trendsetter my freshman year of high school. "The Face of 66"—that’s what London's Daily Express called Leslie Hornby (Twiggy) at the age of 16. Skinny, waiflike, hair chopped into a boyish cut, the modish ingénue became the world's first supermodel, and at the same time, my heroic icon.

Twiggy allowed me to become a trendsetter my freshman year of high school. While most of my teen peers were ironing their long hair straight after the Beatles made landfall in America, it became Greaser passé for me to backcomb or rat tease my hair to dizzying heights. While most girls my age developed curves and began to veer into the fast lane, I was rake thin and bookish. Kids in my homeroom affectionately called me "Skinny Bones" or "The Brain."

Twiggy's debut on the model runway put everything in perspective for me. Suddenly, I transformed into one of the cutest kids in ninth grade sporting my new chic Vidal Sassoon haircut with a peek-a-boo wave, and showing off my fawn legs in fishnet stockings as I sashayed down the classroom aisles in miniskirts.

Today, Twiggy Lawson still offers us Sixties Chicks inspiration with her ethereal beauty, chic manner of dress, and super achievements through acting and singing. Twiggy herself is quoted as saying, "The Sixties were a time when ordinary people could do extraordinary things."

Working in earnest to get these Memoirs road ready for eBook publication, I’ve rounded up 41 thus far. Huzzah!

The Pigeonhole

One Indie author among many who promotes in public forums, I strive for unique engaging ads with potential to garner clicks on my universal Amazon book link. This link enables me to gage its effectiveness on any given day. If coming up with an original ad for one’s book isn’t challenging enough, I also find it necessary to distinguish my book in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction apart from “Chick Lit”.

It’s a fine line because Chick Lit is genre fiction which consists of heroine-centered narratives focusing on the trials and tribulations of its female protagonists. The genre often addresses issues of contemporary women from romantic relationships to female friendships.

That fine line? Written in humorous and lighthearted ways.

While the female protagonists/narratives in ‘An Enlightening Quiche’—town siren, Augusta Bergeron—and historian, Lindsay Metcalfe, may interject sardonic humor, the story they weave is anything but lighthearted.

The Chick Lit pigeonhole itself conjures images of fluff and frivolity with book cover images of cocktail glasses, designer handbags, and stilettos. Whereas, Contemporary Women’s Fiction seriously tackles the hopes, fears, and dreams of females. In my book—they’re flawed, feisty and over 40 years of age!

I like to classify my Contemporary Women’s Fiction as “Lit with Grit” or “Fiction with Conviction” because my novel embraces realism and portrays women who grapple with, confront, and overcome their personal dilemmas to become empowered in making profound life changes for the better. My novel is descriptive, introspective, and explores the gamut of inner conflicts: convention vs. rebellion; fate vs. free will; loyalty vs. betrayal; unbridled love vs. sacrifice; death--inevitable or tragic?

That mentioned, at Amazon, my book is listed under:

Women’s Fiction > Friendship
Women’s Fiction > Contemporary Women
Romance > Contemporary

http://mybook.to/AnEQuiche

Perchance, the book blurb and reviews will entice you to acquire “Lit with Grit”!

Twenty-Five!

Waiting for the break of day

Twenty-five or six to four

Twenty-five or six to four

*(Lyrics from the song, “25 or 6 to 4," recorded in 1969 by the band, Chicago)

My break of day:

July 19th - My Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel, 'An Enlightening Quiche,' merited its 25th Amazon review one day shy of turning 10-months old.

Breakdown: Twenty-two 5-Star and three 4-Star reviews

I’m grateful for each unique review which offers valuable insight to potential readers.

https://amzn.com/B01LX9UXWV

Arguments: Twenty-five—less or more?

Less:

Don’t get hung up on reviews. Many bestsellers have few reviews when they hit hot. Sales are always going to be more important than reviews to Amazon. Around ten to fifteen reasonable (3.5 – 4 star) reviews and a few strong editorial reviews will do nicely. You don’t need 300 reviews.

http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/2...

More:

Reviews immediately add credibility to your book, communicating to potential customers that it is a worthy read. They also improve your book’s ranking when consumers are searching on Amazon, which is the primary reason to stay committed to getting reviews. And that, hopefully, will translate into more book sales.

http://www.blurb.com/blog/how-get-rev...

More, more, more!

Purportedly, 50 is the magic number of reviews that triggers Amazon to start paying more attention to your book. After you hit 50, you gain more visibility on Amazon.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brooke-...

From my own experience, nothing generates more of a buzz on social media than when I post my latest 4 – 5 Star review for a book I’ve read, or post the latest 4 - 5 Star review my book has received. Word of mouth is the best marketing strategy money can’t buy, discounting the cash outlay for a verified purchase. Since reviews can make or break a book on Amazon, it behooves the Indie author to foster feedback from readers, as the pen is mightier than the sword!

*Doing my small part to help an Indie author rise above the ashes of obscurity by reading and reviewing—I’m currently reading Aliya Dal Rae’s Sweet Discovery (The Jessica Sweet Trilogy) (Vol. 2) in the genre of Paranormal.

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Discover...

Who are you reading?

Cooperation and Comradery

A former elementary school teacher, cooperative learning played a key role in my third-grade classroom. The banner suspended from the top of the front wall captioned the theme in our learning environment—“Compete with yourself; cooperate with each other.”

This week in real time:

July 12th – The cutoff in voting for authors who are semifinalists in the “Golden Box Books Quill Award”. I sure hope my Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel, ‘An Enlightening Quiche,’ is one of the finalists announced on August 1st.

http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/golden-...

Nevertheless, cooperation and comradery in the Indie author community got it nominated. The judges who read my book nominated it one of the semifinalists. I’m very grateful and honored my book is amongst an impressive roster.

The way I roll, it was very difficult for me to ask for the popular vote, though I recognized I had to in order to make the most of a golden opportunity. Fortunately, one could vote for more than one book which enabled me to give a shout out to those few books I’d read and reviewed.

By and large, cooperation and comradery are prevalent among those who comprise the Indie community. I’m always glad to cast my vote for a book at the request of a fellow Indie if I’m familiar with it from author takeovers, or its reputation among readers precedes it.

Oftentimes, it’s cooperation and comradery among fellow Indies that keep our books in the public eye. Only another writer knows the anguish and struggle to publish and market a book despite the vagaries of life which compete against us to do so. Only another writer understands the importance of mutual support while seeking recognition. Whether or not my book wins any award, pales in comparison to my self-respect in the Indie community.

Knock, Knock...

Who’s there?

Opportunity!

I hear you knocking—please, come in!

Though Opportunity may knock but once, to my surprise and delight, it knocked three times for me this week!

In real time:

July 1st – I discovered that I’m a semifinalist along with so many other impressive authors for this month’s “Golden Box Books Quill Award”. A shout out to fellow Indie Fabs: Aliya Dal Rae, JB Richards, and Lyra Shanti whose books are also represented. If you’re inclined to vote for my Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel—‘An Enlightening Quiche’ is number 8.

All you have to do is click on the link and enter a number as a comment. That said, you can vote for more than one entry, but you can vote only once. I placed my votes for these books which I’ve read and reviewed: #1 (Sweet Vengeance); #9 (Shiva XIV); #21 (Miriamne, the Magdala).

Link: http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/golden-...

July 2nd – Taken by surprise because I never submitted a book review request, my novel received a wonderful review from esteemed author/blogger/reviewer Roy Murry:

http://conniesbrother.blogspot.com/20...

July 5th - My exclusive book interview on “The Authors Show” went live for the third time since it aired originally! Packed into this 15-minute, fast-paced segment, I delve into what I deem is the single most important idea in ‘An Enlightening Quiche’ —letting go of the past! I hope you’ll lend me your ear:

http://wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsS...

May Opportunity knock more than once for every Indie author who has a story to tell and sell!

The Beach Read

T-shirts, cut-offs, a pair of thongs—and a book to read on the beach!

We'll be having fun all summer long…

(My twist on the lyrics to “All Summer Long” by the Beach Boys; 1964)

An Indie author who writes Contemporary Women’s Fiction, I’m sensitive about the coined phrase “beach read” for its tendency to peg a novel such as mine a “quick and easy read”.

Channeling Joe Pesci playing the role of Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas—“Quick and easy, how? What’s quick and easy about my book?”

Citing a phrase from the pre-publication review by Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review:

“Now, one normally expects that mention of a food-garnished women's book will make for light, breezy beach reading; but An Enlightening Quiche is anything but vapid, offering hard-hitting insights and reflections from its very first chapter.”

http://tinyurl.com/j3na3h4

Hence, I avoid labeling my book “Chick Lit” which has potential to conjure visions of cocktail glasses, designer handbags, and high heels typical of the breezy, beach read.

Fine and dandy, if you prefer a light literary jaunt.

I prefer to classify my book as “Lit with Grit” because it embraces realism and portrays women over forty who grapple with, confront, and overcome their personal dilemmas to become empowered in making profound life changes for the better. My novel is descriptive, introspective, and explores the gamut of inner conflicts: convention vs. rebellion; fate vs. free will; loyalty vs. betrayal; unbridled love vs. sacrifice; death--inevitable or tragic?

Under my umbrella, I believe that a book in any genre constitutes a beach read as long as it’s a page-turner you can get lost in while basking in the sunshine on the sand. So, besides toting beach towels and a blanket, suntan lotion, bottled water, and snacks—what book are you packing?