Pat Wahler's Blog, page 4

It Isn’t Only for November

November is the month of gratitude.

For a learning project, I decided to help my grandson create a Thanksgiving wreath. When I asked him to name something he felt thankful for, he didn’t hesitate.

“Lettuce,” he announced.

Lest you think my grandson is a salad connoisseur, let me explain. Lettuce is his favorite stuffed animal; a cat. Well-loved enough to have become worn and shabby, Lettuce travels to school for nap time every day and is snuggled in bed every night. Not to mention the little cat is a powerful antidote whenever life hands out lemons.

[image error]Lettuce in his prime

My grandson’s devotion to Lettuce got me thinking. Is gratitude firmly linked to all things which bring comfort and reassurance?

I scoured the internet for articles, and found enough material to fill a library. Anecdotal tales and a number of studies indicate an attitude of gratitude does indeed bring measurable benefits. Among them include better health, greater happiness, and improvement in sleep. I’d say that’s enough to bring me a dollop of comfort.

If you’re detail-hungry, here’s a great article on the subject at a site called Happier Human. It’s a fascinating read.

Sadly, daily events don’t always lend themselves to warm and fuzzy feelings of thankfulness. But don’t let that stop you from cultivating the possibility.

As with most things, the key is habit.

Some people like to keep a thankfulness journal. Others put notes on a dry-erase board. I know several folks who write on a slip of paper each day and place it in a gratitude jar to be read at year’s end.

If pen and paper aren’t your thing, don’t worry. Mindfulness works too. A simple, “I woke up today,” can start you on a positive note. And consider your interactions with others. A thank-you isn’t only good etiquette. It’s a way to express…gratitude. Use it.

Once you decide what method (or methods) you like, start building the habit. Count a blessing or two on most days of the week. First thing in the morning, right before sleep at night, or anywhere in between. Come on. Aren’t you thankful for making it through the yellow light?

Jesse James on the Silver Screen

I grew up during the heyday of television westerns. Gunsmoke, Maverick, Bonanza, High Chaparral, and the Big Valley are a few of the many shows that shaped my fondness for the Old West. It isn’t a stretch to believe my viewing habits led me to write the story of Jesse James’ wife.

As I researched, it surprised me to realize people are still quite fascinated by Jesse and his family. Movie-makers are a lot smarter than I am. They figured this out early on. Even the mention of Jesse’s name sold tickets. Evidence of this can be found in the many shows which feature the outlaw. Some of the productions are fairly decent. Others…not so great.

Multiple-Spur winning author, Johnny D. Boggs, separates the good from the bad and the ugly in his highly entertaining work, Jesse James and the Movies. As someone with more than a passing interest in the James family, this book caught my eye right away, although I only recently had the pleasure of reading it.

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According to Boggs, Jesse has been in forty-plus movies in addition to many television shows and documentaries. He’s been portrayed by actors such as Tyrone Power, Roy Rogers, Clayton Moore (of Lone Ranger fame), Audie Murphy, and Brad Pitt. Even Jesse’s own son played the part of his father on film, although it’s a stretch to describe Jesse Edwards James as an actor.

Beginning with the silent movie era, the reader is given a synopsis of each movie’s plot, a breakdown of its historical accuracy, a brief bio of the players, and an analysis of the film. Fascinating details are supplemented by photos and seasoned with a liberal dose of humor. As an example, this line is from the author’s summary of Jesse James’ Women – “It’s probably not the worst Jesse James movie, but it’s right up there with the truly awful ones.”

Hey, what else can an author do but laugh after watching Jesse star in films alongside the Three Stooges, Bob Hope, or Frankenstein’s daughter?

[image error]This one looks like a true spine-tingler! (Wikipedia)

Anyone who loves old movies, remembers television shows from their childhood, or simply enjoys learning more about the cult icon Jesse James, I suggest you grab this book for yourself or as a gift. You will not be disappointed!

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Pat Wahler is the author of Western Fictioneers’ Best First Novel of 2018 and Walter Williams Special Award winner, I am Mrs. Jesse James. She is also the author of On a City Street, the first of three Becker Family contemporary romance novels, and Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas. Pat is co-author of a picture book, Midnight the One-Eyed Cat.

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Successful Book Events

Let’s face it. Setting up a book event is work. Hard work. There are many things to think about and countless factors that go into celebrating a success. It all starts with your first importing decision – choosing a venue. Consider these questions:

Cost. Is there a charge to participate? If so, how many books must you sell to break even? To make money? Are there other side benefits to the venue such as exposure or making new connections? Time investment. Will the event take place over a few hours or a few days? How much time are you willing to lose from writing or other responsibilities? Location. Is the event local or will it require costs for travel, hotel expense, and meals? Contact fellow authors in your genre who have used the location, especially if it requires a hefty investment. Were they happy with the result? Will your target audience be there? If you write sweet contemporary romance, you probably won’t do well at a comic con featuring superheroes. That said, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting at inexpensive venues. Who knows? You might discover a new jewel.

Excellent. You’ve vetted and chosen your location. Although there are no guarantees legions of adoring fans will appear to snap up every single book you brought, there are certain things you can do to tip the odds in your favor. Here’s what I’ve learned from my experience at book events, as well as from what other authors have reported.

Bring more books than the number you think you’ll need. If you have easy access to your car, store extras there. Even if you’re selling in a bookstore, it’s good to have copies available. I’ve twice done events in bookstores where the supply ran out, but the customers did not. Thankfully, the stores and I worked out an arrangement enabling me to bring in my own books when theirs were gone. Readers love a deal. Group two or more books at a special discount (particularly effective for a series). Or give a book away as a gift with purchase. I have a large inventory of anthologies from a well-established brand which contain stories I contributed. People love the books, so they’re perfect for a giveaway!



[image error](Pixabay)

Ready to sell your books? If you’re in a bookstore or gift shop, a cashier will handle purchases and sales tax. If not, you’re on your own.

Bring a cash bag/box with start-up cash. Rarely do people pay with the exact amount. You’ll need to make change.Cash purchases are a thousand times easier to handle with round numbers. I reduce the cost of my books slightly so the price with tax will become a flat dollar amount with no coins. (Consult your state sales tax rates to calculate) As an example, I am Mrs. Jesse James normally sells for $15.95. Including tax, the cost is $16.90. At events I sell the book for a flat $15, which means I’m charging $14.16 for the book, plus tax of $.84 = $15. MUCH easier to make change. I lose a bit of profit, but let customers know they’re getting a good sale price. Set up a method to accept debit/credit cards. I use Square. Yes, there’s a fee involved with each purchase, but a lot of people buy with cards, and I’d rather pay a fee than lose a sale. Something I may consider in the future is charging full price for charge sales since Square recently upped their fees.

Defeat of Jesse James Days

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending Defeat of Jesse James Days in Northfield, Minnesota. Northfield is a small town that comes alive with visitors (it’s estimated about 10,000) for this event each year, to celebrate the downfall of the James/Younger gang. It takes place on the weekend after Labor Day, and is well-worth seeing.

The Northfield Historical Society (NHS) is one of several event hosts, and the result is pretty spectacular. Along with food and vendors aplenty, spectators are enthralled by multiple reenactments of the attempted robbery – complete with (real) horses and (fake) guns blazing.

NHS is housed in a building that includes the historic First National Bank, which has been lovingly restored. Click HERE to find out more about the bank raid and discover what the Northfield Historical Society is doing to preserve this historic site.

The museum portion of the building houses a number of artifacts and research materials.

[image error]First National Bank



[image error]First National Bank



[image error]Period saddle

These photos are a mere snippet of what’s available. If you’re interested in a fascinating point of time in our country’s history, or in the James/Younger gang’s activity during their final bank robbery, Northfield is a must-see.

I’m grateful for the invitation from NHS to be a part of this event, and highly recommend a visit during Defeat of Jesse James Days. It’s something you’ll remember forever!

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Pat Wahler is the author of Western Chanticleer Best First Novel of 2018 I am Mrs. Jesse James. She is also author of On a City Street, first in a three-book contemporary romance series; and Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas. Pat is co-author of a picture book, Midnight the One-Eyed Cat.

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A Year in the Book Biz

A glance at my calendar turned up a big surprise this morning. I am Mrs. Jesse James released one year ago today! In some ways, it doesn’t seem possible that my first book baby is now a toddler.

So like any parent, I figured this might be a good time to take a look at her milestones. What went well? What didn’t? While I don’t have access to all the detailed information, here’s what I learned.

Sales

The big questions always start here. I don’t yet have the most recent sales report, but I do know I am Mrs. Jesse James (IAMJJ) did quite well during a BookBub/Kindle Deal of the Day promotion (I’ve been told more than 3,000 ebook sales!). During the Kindle Deal of the Day she soared in ranking for all her Amazon categories and achieved the orange #1 Bestseller tag in Historical Romance.

What did I learn? Paid advertising plus judicious use of social media plus reader recommendations = effective marketing. If someone doesn’t know a book exists, how can she/he find it?

Reviews

This has been a mixed bag. IAMJJ has received some red-hot fabulous editorial reviews while other editorial reviews were lukewarm. However, reader reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. As of this writing:

Amazon: 66 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.Goodreads: 238 ratings, 37 reviews. Average rating 4 out of 5 stars.BookBub: 8 reviews with an average 5 out of 5 stars.

Note: Many readers said they tried to leave Amazon reviews but were unable to do so because of Amazon’s rules (there are spending requirements before reviews are allowed). However, other review sites exist (see above for examples); especially relevant for cases where a reader can’t leave a review on Amazon, but would like to do one.

What did I learn? It’s a continuing challenge to get book reviews. By the way, Gentle Reader, if you haven’t yet reviewed I am Mrs. Jesse James (or my other books) please consider leaving an honest review on one or more of these sites. Reviews really do help readers find a book. A review doesn’t need to be fancy, but doing one is like giving an author a fudge-covered double-scoop ice cream treat. Oops! Now I’m hungry.

Honors

I went all out entering contests which is an expensive endeavor, but I figured, why not? With any first child, you tend to take a lot more pictures, right?

Confronting the Green-Eyed Monster

Sound familiar? A fellow writer accepts a publishing contract and earns a tidy advance. Is picked for a celebrity book club. Wins a major award. Gets a movie deal. Scores hundreds of glowing reviews on their book without begging for a single one. I’m happy for them, of course. But small as it may seem, I also admit to feeling more than a tiny bit…jealous.

Oh, the thorns of envy. Why does it plague us so?

Writers (and likely other artists as well) tend to measure their own success against the yardstick of what others have accomplished. With social media available 24/7 we can’t help but see each announcement as another loose thread in the fragile fabric of our self-esteem. If our work doesn’t measure up, why are we doing it?

[image error](Pixabay)

Once upon a time, a spark ignited the desire to put words on paper; to tell a story and communicate ideas. After a writer pours countless hours and mega-angst into writing, it’s only natural to send the result out into the world for others to read. Who knew such a simple act would turn into a competition?

Yet truth be told, if we drill deep into the emotion of jealousy, we find it usually doesn’t surface because we want our fellow authors to fail. It exists because we want to experience the same success.

Aha! That puts a whole new spin on envy and provides a road map to get over it.

How?

To achieve a goal, consider where there may be shortcomings, and take concrete steps to improve. Does your writing need to be strengthened? Take a class or workshop. Need support? Join a writer’s group. Want to win contests? Enter them-often. Unsure how to sell your work? Learn about effective marketing.

Develop a plan and then start to measure yourself a new way. Not by your friend’s accomplishments, but by your own.

Last year you published a story. This year you published two. Congratulations!

For the first time you placed in a writing contest. Woo-hoo!

You successfully completed a writing class. You are awesome!

Keep a record of your “wins” posted by the computer. You may be surprised to realize how far you’ve come.

When you stop to think about it, perhaps creative jealousy isn’t such a bad thing after all. It’s a kick in the pants to do better, something we all can use from time to time.

And don’t be afraid to employ levity when dealing with how you feel.

Anne Lamott wrote a chapter titled “Jealousy” in her classic book on writing, Bird by Bird; describing it as an occupational hazard for writers. “…if you continue to write, you are probably going to have to deal with it, because some wonderful, dazzling successes are going to happen for some of the most awful, angry, undeserving writers you know-people who are, in other words, not you.”

Anne decided to focus her energy on her own writing: “So I wrote about trying to pay closer attention to the world, about taking things less seriously, moving more slowly, stepping outside more often. Eventually what I was writing got funnier and compassion broke through…”

When dealing with jealousy, it’s important to find solutions, but just as vital to keep your sense of humor. Both will serve you well in this tough, hard-scrabble business we love-and sometimes love to hate.

I’m not sure about you, but I feel oddly comforted. Solutions are so much more productive than clicking the “Unfollow” button.

I Need a Director!

What grabs attention on social media?

Odds are good an image is what catches the eye. Tons of text is boring, but it’s practically impossible to scroll past a puppy without taking a good look.

[image error]See what I mean?

Statistics say videos are even more appealing. It’s no wonder they’ve become a preferred medium for advertisers. From food to clothing to movie trailers, people are mesmerized by videos. And if it’s good enough, people can’t help but watch…watch again…and share.

Even authors have ventured into the realm of creating a book trailer. Some pay big bucks to have a trailer made. Me, not so much. I prefer the less costly (and much more fun) do-it-yourself process. Now this may mean my videos aren’t the fanciest entries on the block, but hey, I enjoy doing them.

Here’s my latest trailer for On a City Street. I’d love for you to take a look and critique. It hasn’t been posted anywhere except YouTube, and is easy to edit, so give me your best shot. What should I keep? What should I change? Is a lighthearted approach a good one…or not?

Put on your director beret and have a seat. Leave your reaction in the comment section so I can decide what to tweak, and thanks for your input!

By the way, making videos isn’t only for marketing. If you’ve ever thought about doing a slide show with family photos and pairing with music, not a problem. While I’m sure there are a number of programs available online, I use the free version of Lumen 5. You can create a fun video with photos/GIFS and add music straight from their site, or upload your own photos and choose from Lumen 5’s selection of background music.

It’s entertaining to come up with something cool to share with family and friends or on social media.

WARNING: Playing around with videos is a tiny bit addictive.

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Pat Wahler is an award-winning author. Her newest release, On a City Street, is first in a series of lighthearted contemporary romance novels featuring the Becker Family. Her other books include I am Mrs. Jesse James, Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas, and Midnight, the One-Eyed Cat.

To order, click on the right-hand sidebar book cover image.

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Have You Read It?

There are many online book clubs, and I belong to several of them. It’s fun to discuss a story, see what others think, and generate a lively discussion. From time to time, people in the group will post a recommendation about something they’ve read or are currently reading. These tidbits are fun, because it makes a book stand out for me. If Kerry (or whoever) liked it, maybe I will, too. So I hunt down more information which may result in me adding it to my TBR stack.

[image error]Nothing like a good book! (Pixabay photo)

As an example, after seeing about fifty billion glowing reviews and recommendations from readers in all my groups, I decided to get a runaway bestseller which has been sitting at the top of every chart for a while now. In addition, if I had a dollar for every time someone wrote, “This is the best book I ever read in my life!”, I’d be a wealthy woman. How could I resist? So I bought it.

A few chapters in and I had to ask myself a question. Did I accidentally get the wrong book? (Checks title) No, it’s the same one. Am I missing something?

On I pushed, hoping things would improve. They. Did. Not.

I’m still scratching my head over this one. No book is perfect (except To Kill a Mockingbird, of course – my personal favorite of all time), but this story had plot holes big enough for a cruise liner to sail through, with numerous unbelievable situations, and unrealistic characters with whom I found it hard to sympathize.

Yet the book continues to sell like proverbial hotcakes. Meanwhile the author (I feel sure), has been offered a generous book deal for the next story – and no doubt a movie deal, too. Kudos on the success, but at the same time, ouch! I’ve read novels so well-written and delicious I never want them to end. Yet often these stories never come close to super-stardom.

This got me thinking. What makes a ton of readers flock to one book over another?

Celebrity Endorsement

A number of mega-hits were first endorsed by celebrities in a position to make or break a book. Think Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jenna Bush Hager to name a few. A national platform and fame give selected books a boost most stories will never be able to achieve on their own. While I can’t verify this, I’m willing to bet many publishers scurry to mail celebrities the newest releases in hopes they’ll be picked up.

Join the Club

As every online retailer and television shopping network knows, when other people rave about a product or service, it piques interest and builds credibility. We pay attention when someone who has nothing at stake offers an honest testimonial. Not only does this make an item more desirable, we want to be part of the club who owns it. Social validation doesn’t end after high school, you know. If everyone says the book is amazing, I better read it too.

Sell, Sell, Sell

Publicity sells. People read and rush to chime in; adding their opinion. “Yes, I agree with everyone else. It’s the best book I’ve ever read in my life!” What happens? More books are sold, resulting in additional opinions and recommendations. Some rebels (like me), will post contrary views. However, this often fans the flames of sales too, as readers become even more eager to buy or borrow and decide for themselves.

When Does It End?

Momentum can carry a book for a while. Although most sales appear to occur within the first few months of release, a few books sit near the top of a bestseller list for a year or more, until they start to lose their steam. Thus the reason for a big “release day” push by publishers and authors. Their mission? To launch a new book like a rocket and keep it in the air as long as possible.

So what does it take for a book to become a commercial success? (Pssst! If you know the formula, please share.)

[image error]What’s the formula? (Pixabay photo)

In truth, I suspect it can be any combination of the above factors, and quite possibly others I haven’t mentioned.

Such as a story so well-written and satisfying, it’s a pleasure to read.

Is there a book which didn’t live up to all the hype for you?

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Pat Wahler is author of Western Fictioneers’ Best First Western Novel of 2018, I am Mrs. Jesse James. She is also author of a contemporary romance, On a City Street, and a holiday-themed collection, Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas.

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An Author’s Lament

I’m not a juggler, but wouldn’t it be nice? I don’t mean the performer-type who has five or more objects he or she manages to toss and catch without dropping a single one. I want to be the kind of juggler who can handle a multitude of tasks without dropping a single one.

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To date, my skills in this area prove I need a lot more practice. For example, I haven’t put up a blog post since early May. A major item this not-so-great juggler dropped. Why? I blame it on the cycle of writing.

We all know writing takes a fair amount of time. What often is not considered, however, is all the other things that go into it. Here’s an abbreviated version of what I like to call a typical author’s writing cycle.

The Idea

First comes the excitement of an idea. Hooray! Then comes the research. This takes a fair amount of time, but once information is finally gathered, strong and solid enough to support the story, onward to an outline followed by writing a rough first draft.

Now comes the fun part. Edit, edit, edit, and polish the piece. Did you get rid of plot holes? Tie up all the loose ends? When the manuscript looks practically pristine, send it to a super-pro editor. The truly persnickety editor (the only kind you want) will find hundreds of things which must be fixed. This leads to several more rounds of back-and-forth edits prior to a final proofreading.

Oh, and don’t forget to find beta readers who will give honest feedback (this usually involves more fixing). Finally, the interior must be formatted and the cover design inspected and confirmed. File all the paperwork to ensure every legal “i” has been dotted and each legal “t” has been crossed. Now is a good time to order a proof copy for another critical look. More errors will be found here (guaranteed), which must be corrected before the final print. A release date is chosen, and – you guessed it – time to start publicizing the book before it even becomes available.

The Backlist

Wait a minute. I have existing books. What about them? Well, don’t worry. They still require plenty of TLC too; including scheduling talks, writing social media posts, and setting up signings. Writing ad copy and buying a few ads doesn’t hurt either. Failure to do these things, means the existing books will drop into obscurity with the biggest thud you’ve ever heard.

Note to self: Refresh your memory before talks on what’s in the older books – easy to forget when you just finished a totally different book, and are working on another book because…

The Next Book

An author’s work is never done. A next book must always be in the pipeline. So before the latest release even comes out, and while publicizing the existing books, an author is way behind the curve if they haven’t started creating the next book (refer back to “The Idea” for what this looks like).

And so it goes. Rinse and repeat. Over and over and over again.

Do you see what I mean? The struggle is real, and isn’t going away anytime soon, which is why I need to learn how to juggle. Right this very minute. While I’m trying to figure it out, I hope you’ll take a look at my upcoming release – On a City Street. Here’s what a few reviewers had to say:

“I found it really hard to put the book down and loved the twist ending.” –Trudi LoPreto for Readers’ Favorite

“This well-written novel has a plot that keeps readers engaged, and characters who soon come to feel like old friends.” –Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite

This 5-star Readers’ Favorite novel is a sweet romance that contains a touch of mystery. Click HERE or on the right-hand sidebar book cover image to learn more and/or to preorder On a City Street. Releases on July 9!

By the way, this story was inspired by certain events which occurred a few years ago (no spoilers here). The same type of events have also been reported recently in today’s news. Does this pique your curiosity?

I hope so!

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Pat Wahler is the author of multiple award-winning novel, I am Mrs. Jesse James; On a City Street, first in the Becker Family series; and Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas. She is co-author of a picture book, Midnight the One-Eyed Cat.

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On a City Street – Coming May 28!

May is here. I’m not exactly sure how it arrived so quickly, since it feels like only last week that I packed away the Christmas decorations.

Nevertheless, here we are, and panic is nipping my heels as I prepare for a May 28 release of my new novel, On a City Street. The cover is complete (and gorgeous, I might add). There are still a few edits and tweaks to be done to the manuscript, and then layout will begin. Ah, the process of selecting appropriate fonts and ensuring words appear nice and neat – not only on the printed page, but the ebook. Thank goodness for people who know what they’re doing. If I was on my own to figure it out…well, let’s not go there. Fun times indeed.

[image error]I don’t work on a typewriter like this, but wouldn’t it be cool? (Pixabay)

Since we’re in the home-stretch, I thought it time to give a peek into the story. Here’s the back cover blurb for my first contemporary romance/women’s fiction novel:

The cure for a painful breakup requires drastic measures. And quite often, a moving van…

When veterinarian Carolyn Becker catches her fiance cheating, her problem-solving skills come to the rescue. She swears off love and leaves suburbia for a fresh start in St. Louis to launch a low-cost animal clinic…and bury the past.

But new beginnings can be complicated. A mysterious man, a troubled teenager, and an injured dog trigger unsettling questions. Before she knows it, Carolyn’s best-laid plans unravel, and solutions are farther from her reach than Mars. Sometimes even a problem-solver can use a little help.

Especially when it comes to mending a broken heart.

Praise for On a City Street

“A heartwarming roller coaster of emotions and sparks.” -Jeanne Felfe, author of Bridge to Us

“I found it really hard to put the book down and loved the twist ending.” -Trudi LoPreto for Readers’ Favorite

“A delightful read for fans of contemporary romance with a touch of real-life angst.” -Louanne Piccolo for Readers’ Favorite

If you enjoy a story that includes hints of humor and mystery – plus an adorable dog – I think you’ll love On a City Street.

I hope you’re as excited about this new book (the first of a three book series centered around the Becker family) as I am.

More soon – including a cover reveal!

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