Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "kdp-select"

Those of you who follow my blog may have seen my interview last year with Stacy Juba.

Here's a link to that interview where we talked about her book Twenty-Five Years Ago Today-- Stacy Juba Interview

Since then, Stacy has been a busy woman, publishing many more books, some of which I've read. I decided that it's been far too long since I had a good old chat with her on my blog, so I invited her back.

Stacy is one of those writers who can turn her hand to many different types of books; Children's books, Young Adult fiction, fantasy, paranormal, murder/mystery. I've really enjoyed reading Stacy's books and look forward to finding time to read her new ones.

She has very generously agreed to give away a paperback copy of Dark Before Dawn, her YA paranormal novel, to one lucky reader of my blog. This contest is limited to those of you who live in the U.S. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this interview or simply 'Like' it :) A winner will be picked on the 12th of March 2012.




Here's my latest interview with Stacy:


Your novel Sink or Swim has been getting some great reviews. I found it to be a very engrossing read. The plot revolves around Cassidy, the main character, who is stalked after appearing on a reality TV show. To celebrate the release last year you interviewed quite a few reality TV show stars on your blog. Who was your favourite guest and why?


That was a fun month! I interviewed so many guests, from shows like Survivor, Top Chef, Beauty & the Geek, and Bachelor Pad and loved hearing all their stories. I was especially happy to have Michelle Costa from Big Brother 10 on the blog, as Michelle has been a great supporter of Sink or Swim. She gave me a back cover blurb for the book, interviewed me on her radio show, and has been wonderful about spreading the word on her social networks. Anyone interested can find links to all the interviews at Sink or Swim Interviews





Would you ever consider appearing on a reality TV show of the type featured in Sink or Swim?

No! I'm very introverted and just wouldn't be comfortable in front of the camera. My husband and I did try out for the game shows Jeopardy and The Price is Right, though, but I was praying that he would get picked and not me!

You have published a short story Laundry Day and it is also featured in the BestsellerBound Short Story Anthology - Volume 3. It's a fun and suspenseful read. Do you have any plans to write more short stories?





In the past, I never wrote or read many short stories, but I've been expanding my horizons lately by reading a lot of short stories on Kindle. As a result,
I'm planning an anthology of romance short stories to serve as a companion book to the romance/chick lit novel that I'm currently writing. I'm very excited about both projects and have been keeping a folder of short story ideas for the anthology. They're going to be upbeat, sweet romance stories. I'm also considering having Kris from Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Cassidy from Sink or Swim, and Dawn from Dark Before Dawn star in their own short stories, but that is on the backburner.

Last year you also released a Young Adult book, Dark Before Dawn, which I understand is a paranormal novel about a young girl with psychic powers. What was the inspiration behind that book?

I've always enjoyed reading books about psychics and I actually wrote the first draft of that book when I was in my early twenties. An editor at Random House thought another paranormal YA novel that I'd submitted had promise and encouraged me to start over with a new book, something in the vein of Lois Duncan's YA books. That's when I began Dark Before Dawn. It came close at many publishing houses, but wound up in my drawer for several years. I'm thrilled that it's finally in front of readers.

You also released Face-Off (Book One) last year. I understand that this Young Adult hockey-themed novel was first published when you were a teenager and has been acclaimed by The Hockey Hall of Fame's Junior Education Program and Booklist among others. What made you decide to re-release the book, and are there any differences between the original version and the newly published one?




It had been out of print since the early 1990s and re-releasing it was on my to-do list for the past couple of years, with the growth of e-books and all the independent publishing opportunities available now which weren't available before. It was on the backburner for awhile as it was quite a project. The manuscript was typed on a computer model that doesn't even exist anymore, and I didn't have an electronic copy. I had to send the paperback book to a company, which took the book apart and scanned it in for me. Then I had to carefully proof it, to make sure I caught all the scanning conversion errors. Lastly, I had to think long and hard about how much to change in the book, as e-mail, cell phones, the Internet, social networking, and texting were not part of our culture in the early 1990s. All of that was in its infancy. But setting the book in the present would mean tearing it apart, and I didn't want to mess with a book that so many kids had enjoyed over the years. I decided to keep it simple, and just delete references that might confuse today's kids, such as the names of rock bands, TV shows, and retired hockey players. For example, I deleted a few lines about The Brady Bunch, as I don't think most kids today are overly familiar with that show.

I read that you're soon publishing a sequel to Face-Off. Was the sequel also something written when you were a teenager, or is that something that you wrote much later on?

I wrote the sequel, Offsides, when I was about 19 or 20 but it was never published. There was a lot of editorial turnover at the original publishing company. It went in my drawer for years and all I had was the typed manuscript. Last year, I hired a company to scan in the manuscript as the thought of retyping it was unbearable! I do feel it needs some rewriting before it's ready for publication, so that's the stage I'm at now - rewriting. I'm balancing that with writing the romance/chick lit novel that I mentioned above.

I love your book covers. Who designs them?

My husband Mark is a graphic designer, so how lucky is that! He designed the covers for Laundry Day, Face-Off, Dark Before Dawn, Teddy Bear Town Childrens E-book Bundle, and my other children's books. He's open to working with clients if anyone is interested, and down the line, we'll probably add some information about that on my web site. In the meantime, if anyone is interested in touching base with him, they can email me through my web site. The covers for Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim were done by Mainly Murder Press, which published the paperback editions.

Your latest release is a set of 3 children's books: Teddy Bear Town. This comprises The Flag Keeper(which we discussed the last time I interviewed you), and two more recent releases: Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and Sticker Shoes. Tell us a bit more about the collection and why you decided to release them as a 3 e-book bundle.




I'm really excited about this bundle as I think it fills a niche for parents who love to read to their children, but don't want to clutter up the bookshelf with more books. It's priced at $2.99 and is exclusive to Kindle at this time, but will likely be available at more retailers down the line. I wrote the stories and my father illustrated them. They all feature teddy bear characters, hence the name Teddy Bear Town, and were done in colored pencil. It's targeted at people who have color e-readers. The Flag Keeper is about Elizabeth, a bear determined to prove to her dad that she is capable of raising the U.S. flag by herself while following all the rules of flag etiquette. Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise is about a bear who has to learn to overcome her fear of loud noises like the vacuum and blender. And Sticker Shoes is a fun story about a bear who tries to create beautiful shoes using stickers, but runs into a few problems along the way. Sticker Shoes is exclusive to the e-book bundle; the other two stories can be downloaded separately. But I thought 3 books in one download, at an inexpensive price like $2.99, was more likely to capture parents' attention than the standalone picture books so that's the edition that I'm marketing the most. The teddy bear theme tied them all together.

I know you have young children. What do they think of your children's books?

They loved the picture books, especially the illustrations, and I read Face-Off to my older one. They're not overly impressed about the books being published, though. They're used to my writing and publishing addiction so when I show them a new book cover, they nod and smile, and then go back to what they were doing. I'm looking forward to them reading Dark Before Dawn someday though - then I think they'll think Mom is pretty cool!

You are one of the first authors to try out Amazon Kindle's KDP Select. How is that experience going? Do you think it is something more authors should be getting involved in?

It's going very well so far. I think authors should definitely consider it, unless they are making a significant amount of money at other outlets. But the majority of authors do best at Amazon. I think it's especially beneficial for authors with multiple titles, as if readers enjoy one book, they're more likely to seek out your other books. You don't have to put all your titles in it - you can try one or two and see how it goes. And you don't have to keep them in it forever. It's only a commitment of a few months, and then you have the option of whether to extend it or let it lapse. It takes some effort removing your titles from other outlets, but for many authors, I think it's worth the effort. I do understand why some authors are reluctant to give an exclusive though, and it's unfortunate for readers that have other kinds of e-readers such as the Nook. Authors on both sides of this issue have valid points. But personally, I thought this was the best decision for my career at this time. I've been working for 20 years to get established as an author, since I was in high school, and my royalties through Amazon have allowed me to cut back on other kinds of jobs and focus on my fiction.

Thank you, Stacy!

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Remember to leave a comment for Stacy or 'Like' this blog post, for your chance to win a copy of Dark Before Dawn! Good luck!

Coincidences is still doing very well in the free promotion on Amazon. 11,000 downloads so far, with 12 hours to go!

It's #1 Drama in both Amazon.com and Amazon UK!

Again, a big THANK YOU to everyone who's downloaded the book, or helped in any way with the promotion. I couldn't have done all this by myself, after all!

Special shout outs are due to authors, Susan Buchanan (@Susan_Buchanan),Terry Tyler (@TerryTyler4), and Darcia Helle (@DarciaHelle), who have been sending out tweets and retweeting lots!

Also a special shout out to readers Deena Rae Shoenfeldt (@eBookBuilders), and Helle Gade (@Lyshawk), who have been tweeting every hour or so about the promotion! And, not forgetting, Doreen Cox (@mothersitting), and Judee Bee (@OfficialJudeeB) who wrote lovely reviews and have been retweeting about the promo!

Those girls are great and you should all follow them if you're on Twitter!

In fact I could probably write a long list of fabulous Twitter followers who have helped with this promotion, but that would take me all night, and I have a promotion to do! Thanks again to all who have helped... you know who you are!


The purpose of this update was to let you all know that Coincidences was hand-picked for promotion by another website, Indie Book Bargains! I know, I'm showing-off, but how often do I get to do that? (Bear with me LOL, I'll be back down to earth after the promo has ended.)

Anyway, here's the badge with a link to my page on the site!



I'll try to write up another blog after the promotion has ended with all the information that might help other authors who are doing these events.

Keep downloading and spreading the word!

Thank you!!

I just wanted to let you all know that since the phenomenal success of the Coincidences free promotion on Amazon KDP Select last week, I've decided that I am going to enrol the book in the Select programme for 90 days more. This means that it will only be available as a Kindle version until that 90 days is over. Of course, you don't need to own a Kindle to read Kindle books, you can download free apps from Amazon so you can read them on your PC, Mac, smartphone, iPad.

The thing that has made me decide to continue with KDP Select is that not only is Coincidences continuing to sell well on Amazon since the free promotion, but people have also started lending the book from the Kindle lending library. Before this last promotion, no one had borrowed the book from the library so I thought it wasn't worth continuing with the KDP Select Programme. Now though, I think it will be great if people are starting to notice the book and are lending it from the Kindle library. I'll be interested to see whether the royalties that are paid on books lent from the library are worth me staying with the Select Programme.

I have had to make this decision quickly as my current contract with KDP Select ends on 6th October. At this point, I don't want to withdraw my book from the scheme when it seems to be helping me promote my work.

Sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to reading the book in a different format. All my other books are available in all e-book formats, and the sales I get from the other sites don't compare to the sales I get through Amazon, so for me it's a financial decision.

It will be interesting to see whether keeping the book in the KDP Select Programme for another 90 days will be beneficial. I will, of course, report here with my findings for the benefit of other indie authors.

Thank you again to everyone who has bought a copy of the book from Amazon (or even downloaded the free version). I am very grateful to all of you, and hope you will enjoy the story.

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to meet today's guest on Twitter. Terry Tyler has published four novels, and is working on her fifth. I recently read one of her books, You Wish..., and after reading that, she is now one of my favourite authors. I can't wait to find time to read the rest of her books.




After reading You Wish..., I had a few questions for Terry. Here's the interview:


Without giving too much away. You Wish... is all about fate and destiny versus free will and choice. What's your personal view about this? Do you think we are responsible for our futures or do you think there's an element of destiny/fate involved?

I think our lives are what we make them. On the other hand, coincidence seems to play a large part, sometimes. I suppose the answer to this is - I don't know! I like to rationalise and say that I think all things like fortune telling, horoscopes, destiny, etc, are a load of bunkum, but of course no-one really knows for certain, do they?



Have you ever made a wish on something like a Wishing Stone that came true?

My first reaction to that was 'don't be ridiculous'. However, you know at the end of the summer when you get those fluffy things floating about? I think they're from dandelions! When I was about 15 my friend told me that if you caught one in mid-float you could wish on it. We called them 'fairies'. I caught one, wished to go out with a certain boy, and it happened. Of course, he wouldn't have asked me out if I hadn't wished on the 'fairy', would he, eh??! Oh, go on, then, I'll admit it. I still do catch and make wishes on them....



One of the most hilarious parts of the book involves Petra and her obsession with a man on Facebook. Have you ever had an Internet stalker? If so, tell us a little about it.

Not a stalker as such, but I've had some pretty persistent would-be male friends on Facebook, who wouldn't stop 'poking' me (they wished!) and sending me friend requests until I blocked them. Also some troll types, but the least said about them the better.


Your book has some scenes that take place in the 1980s and I have to say it really took me back to that time, and was very realistic. Did you research into all the '80s stuff or was it just taken from your memory of the decade?

My memory. I was 21 in 1980 and 30 in 1989, so it was the decade of my twenties. The hair salon, Catz, was taken from a real one, of the same name.


Your character Ruth and her friend Fleur are great fans of Kate Bush. Who were your favourite '80s bands?



I loved Kate Bush, too. My favourite music has always been rock, but in the 80s I also loved Blondie, The Human League, Bowie, UB40, Devo, Madness.... oh, and I bought loads of pop singles, too. Nik Kershaw, Howard Jones, Kajagoogoo - ha ha! And George Michael's first solo album, I seem to remember.


One thing that you've managed to show very well in your book You Wish... is how much technology has changed since the 1980s. For example, people didn't have mobiles and the Internet. If we had to go back to that era what would you miss most, the Internet, your mobile, or something else?

I can't imagine NOT having a mobile or the internet, now, but wasn't it kinda nice when everyone couldn't always get in touch with everyone, all the time? You could actually be a bit elusive if you wanted to be without people sending you Facebook messages to ask you why you haven't been around for a while! I DID more stuff before the internet, too; went out and socialised more. Probably just not having everyone immediately accessible, all the time. Now, if you lose your phone, you can buy another one and email/Facebook message/tweet everyone to tell you their number again. Then, if you lost someone's phone number or address, it was really hard to find it again.


You Wish... is full of true-to-life, realistic characters. There will be someone in there that everyone can relate to in some way. Which one of the characters is most like you?

None of them. There's probably a little of me in every character I write, but no-one in that book, specifically.

If you had to spend a day with one of the characters in You Wish... who would you choose, where would you go, and what advice would you give him/her?

I'd probably like to go out and get wrecked with Mel the Builder's Labourer. I always quite fancied him. I certainly wouldn't want to go Jay hunting with Petra, or be all serious with Ruth!

Were any of the people in You Wish... based on people you know?

I take parts of all my characters from stuff within me and observation of others. It's rare that one character is based on one person. That's not to say it never happens, though. All of the characters in You Wish... came mostly from my imagination, though Nicky and Linda who worked in Catz hair salon existed. As did the lesbian owner!! I used to have a friend at school when i was about 8 who had white blonde hair and was a right little madam, so perhaps Fleur came a bit from her!

Apart from You Wish... you have 3 other novels. Can you tell us a bit about each one, what inspired the book, what it's about and what you would hope the reader gets out of it.



Nobody's Fault was my 2nd novel published on Amazon. I'd been wanting to write a novel about a fake Facebook profile for ages, and also one about a grand passion. I just combined the two!







My 3rd one, The Other Side - I've always been fascinated by thoughts of, for instance, what would have happened if I hadn't gone to that party where I met my first husband - then tracing it back by thinking, ah yes, but I went to that party with my friend Angela. So if I hadn't taken that job where I met Angela - and so it goes on! I first wrote this novel in 1999, but the other way round - I started it when the character was 14, then gave the reader options at the end of the chapter - to make his/her own choice. Thus, there were 8 different endings. I remember at the time my step daughter and her friend (then aged 15) spending the WHOLE weekend going back and forth, finding out what would have happened if they'd made different choices...! It was in manuscipt form, of course, and they laid the chapters all over the floor in a pyramid so they could see which one to read next!



My 4th novel, Dream On, I first wrote in 1995. I was in a pub (The King Billy in Northampton, which later became The Romany in Dream On!) with my sister. There were two chaps at the bar, who we didn't know; we started weaving a story around them and their lives, just for a laugh - except that I went home and turned it into a novel. The two characters became Dave and Shane. It was only ever read by my brother, my sister and a couple of others, but they all said they liked it the best of anything I'd ever written, so this summer I decided to dust it off, and write it again. Incidentally, 4 years later I got to know the Shane character, and married him.... the Dave character was best man at our wedding.
What do I hope readers get out of them? I just hope they enjoy them and find them unputdownable, and that the characters become real to them - the greatest compliment I have is when people tell me that they think about my books for a while after reading them.

I know from a recent conversation on Twitter that you've done very well with promotion of your books on KDP Select. I understand you had 17.5K downloads with 2 of your books. Do you have any tips for authors as to how they can best promote the free days on Amazon Kindle. And, have you noticed an increase in actual sales after the free promo?

This is probably too involved a subject for an author interview; I'll just outline some basics: PREPARE. You should build up your network of retweeters a while before you do your free promotion. You will need to get your promotional links retweeted over and over if you are going to make a success of the free days - if you want other people to help you, then you should have already helped them first. You also need to look up all the profiles on Twitter and Facebook on which you can advertise your free promotion, or who will advertise it for you. Be aware that you will need to be at the laptop more or less permanently during the promotional days - you'll need to keep retweeting back all those people who are kind enough to retweet you, don't forget!

The increase in post promotion sales depends on how successful the promotion is. My first one was amazing, and got me to number 24 in the PAID Amazon UK top 100 after it had finished. There is nothing written down anywhere about any of this, but it does seem that the 2nd time you do a free promotion for a particular book, you don't get anything like that huge boost afterwards; I presume this is because Amazon doesn't give you the visibility it does the first time round. I say this only through my own experience, and through observation of others'.

Your books are only available as Kindle eBooks, is that correct? Do you have any plans to make them available as paperbacks or other eBook formats?

No. I might research paperbacks, one day.


Do you have any tips for someone who may be thinking of self- publishing?

Tons and tons - again, too much for an author interview. Do you mean tips about writing or about self-publishing? If the latter, I'd say that unless you are really good at editing, cover art & formatting, get other people to do it for you. Always get it proof read by someone else. I edit my own work but others do my cover art and formatting. Make sure your cover is eye-catching in thumbnail size and make sure your blurb is snappy and interesting. It's an advert for the book, not a synopsis. Be prepared to do a lot of promotional work; you have to realise that you now have your own business; you are trying to sell a product. Don't think you have to join lots of blogging groups and Facebook groups and Goodreads forums and God knows what else; while you're writing ABOUT writing you're not writing your novel(s). Chatting on Facebook author groups about the difficulties of promoting your work or how to deal with bad reviews won't get your book written, and it won't make you a better writer, either. I agree a certain amount of this sort of interaction can be helpful, useful and entertaining, but it's best to keep it limited. Never, ever be tempted to pay for reviews, or get fake ones. If someone has told you they like your book, ask them if they wouldn't mind writing a review for you; most people don't mind. if you can't get reviews, you might need to re-think your marketing - or maybe the book itself. If it's your first novel, don't worry too much if you get a fair few negative comments - very few people get it right first time.

Which authors were your favourites when you were growing up, and was there any author in particular that inspired you to start writing?

As a child? CS Lewis and Enid Blyton. Oh, and I loved the Jill pony books by Ruby Ferguson.





I grew up in the 1960s; you probably won't remember them, Maria! There was no particular author who inspired me to start writing except perhaps CS Lewis, who said that no-one was writing the books he wanted to read, so he wrote them himself.



Have you read any good books lately?

I don't get very much time for reading these days; I'm always writing. I'm currently reading Rathbone Kydd - sex'n'drugs'n'quantum stuff by K J Bennett, about a 1970s rock musician who accidentally time travels into 2012. It's funny, and I'm enjoying it (apart from the fact that Rathbone Kydd says 'street cred', which people didn't say in the 70s, KJ!). This year I've also read a couple of Deborah Moggach books, a new Emily Barr, a new John Boyne (The Absolutist, set in WW1 - marvellous, wish i could give it 8 stars!) and also Thrift by Phil Church which was very funny, and Wild Water by Jan Ruth which I also enjoyed; it reminded me of early Jilly Cooper. There are tons more I would love to read if I only had the time.

What are you working on now?

A sequel to 'Dream On', which I hope to have out in February 2013.

Where can people find you online?

Amazon UK


Amazon US


Facebook


Goodreads

Thank you for inviting me to feature on your blog, Maria!

It's my pleasure, Terry, and I wish you every success with your novels!

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I hope you enjoyed the interview. I'd recommend you pick up a Terry Tyler book next time you're on Amazon. You'll be glad you did!

Continuing in my popular series of Self-Publishing and Writing tips, today's subjects include Klout, Libraries, and Mondays, among other things. Yes, it's letters K-M.

Here we go:

K

Klout

Even after joining http://Klout.com and using it for a while, many people still ask the question, what is Klout? I have to admit I don't have a definitive answer. What I do know about Klout.com is that you can use it to connect your various social networking accounts and it will calculate a score for you to say how influential you are in terms of how many people actually seem to take notice of what you say on different sites.

I quite like the site. The way you use it is either connect through your Twitter or Facebook account and you can give +K 'rewards' to people based on what they are influential about and in theory you will also be given +Ks by people on the site. The thing I like about it is the way it helps with keeping in touch with people on Twitter. When time is limited you cannot always chat with people, but if you sent +Ks it's like a way of saying 'hello' and keeping in touch. Having said that, it is also hard to find time to use Klout!

I am not sure what Klout does to help promotion of work, but I would assume that the higher your Klout score is, the more visible you will be on the site and that way you may gain more followers on different social networking sites. I'd advise people to give it a try and see if it works for them. Some people like it and some people hate it.


Kindle

Kindle books are probably the most popular of all e-books. Amazon is the market leader. It took me a while to decide to convert my books into e-books. I love paperbacks and hardbacks and didn't think that I would ever get used to reading e-books. I gave in last year and bought myself a Kindle 3G. I have to say, I love it. Before buying the Kindle, I found that I was reading e-books anyway but reading them on my computer. I'd connected with so many indie authors and most of them were publishing mainly in e-book formats. Reading on a Kindle is so much nicer than reading on a computer screen. It's easier on the eyes.
If you're a reader who is wondering whether to purchase an e-reader, I would definitely recommend it. The price used to put people off buying e-readers, but these days, the fact that you can download so many free and low cost books means that the cost of the e-reader shouldn't really be an issue. Not that I am happy with the fact that we, as authors, are now in a position where we more or less have to give away our books, but the theory is that when we give away one of our books this should result in readers buying some of our other ones.

If you're an author who has so far only published in print, you are missing out on a wide audience. E-books are now outselling print books, and it's time for all authors to make sure they have their books available as e-books.

KDP Select Programme

All this talk about free books brings me on to the subject of the KDP Select Programme on Amazon. I have recently had great success with this promotional tool. I won't repeat it all here as those of you who follow my blog have already seen my post about my findings. Here's the link for those of you who may not have seen it: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

To cut a long story short, I would recommend all authors to try it out. The main advice is that you should prepare beforehand. My blog post gives some guidance about that.

L

Libraries

It often gets overlooked that libraries are great places to promote books. I would advise authors to try to get their books into their local libraries. And, readers, if there is a book by an independent author that you want to read and you are a member of a library, you should order the book through the library. Word of mouth has always been the best way to sell and promote books. If someone reads a good book at a library, they might buy a copy for a friend, or even for themselves. They might tell a friend about it. In the UK, authors can register their books with Public Lending Right: http://www.plr.uk.com/ You will then get royalties paid yearly based on an estimated number of books lent from libraries around the country.
While I'm on the topic of royalties from lending, another L word 'Licensing' should be mentioned. In the UK authors can also join the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) http://www.alcs.co.uk/, If your books, or magazines and journals containing your work are available to be photocopied or scanned in schools, universities, businesses, public sector bodies or libraries then you may be entitled to a share of the income collected by the Copyright Licensing Agency. There is a one-off payment for membership of ALCS, but once you're a member you will receive payments twice a year based on the royalties for your books. I didn't think I had any money owed to me but I have been receiving payments from this organisation. It's worth joining. I am not sure whether these types of things exist in other countries, but if you're not a UK author, it may be worth looking into this.

Lending

For the reasons mentioned about (i.e. promotional) I would recommend that all authors allow their e-books to have the lending facility activated when uploading books onto Kindle. Kindle has a lending library for Prime Members so that books in the KDP Select Programme can be lent by members, but there is also a way that any Kindle books can be shared between Kindle users if the author has allowed lending. The key thing to remember is that we want our books to be read. There is no point writing something that no one ever reads. Bestsellers, in the old days, became bestsellers because people used to borrow books from friends and discover new authors. If you are a serious writer you will be writing more than one book, you can afford to make at least one book available for free. As far as I know the sharing facility means that the book will only be available on the lender's Kindle for 14 days, after that it will disappear. So, you may get a sale out of it if the person liked the book but didn't have time to finish it. More importantly, remember that when someone buys a paperback copy of your book, you have no control over how many times they lend that to their friends, so why should it be any different with e-books?

LibraryThing

http://www.LibraryThing.com is a website similar to Goodreads in that you can list your books there, you can set up giveaways, and join groups where you can chat about books. My advice to all authors is to join as many of these sites as possible. It may not always be possible to maintain a presence on all of the sites, but you can have an Author Page on LibraryThing, and keep that up to date with all your books. I have set up giveaways on that site in the past, and definitely think it's worth doing as it promotes your books to people who may not otherwise see them.

Likes

I'll just briefly mention this here as I think I already mentioned that it's useful to 'Like' Amazon Author Pages, when I was dealing with the letter 'H' in this series.

Readers, if you have favourite authors, you should go and 'like' their Amazon Author Pages, and Facebook fan pages. You should also make sure that when you read a book that you enjoy, you go to the Amazon page and click the 'like' button for that book. All of this helps with promoting books and authors.

Links

I think it's always a nice idea to include links on your author websites or blogs showing other authors' websites/blogs or book promotion sites. For example, take a look at the links page on my website: Maria Savva - Links

This is a way of helping to promote other authors' books. Indie authors need as much help with promotion as possible, so if you've read a book you enjoy, why not help promote it on your own site? Other authors are more likely to do the same for you if you help them. In this way you can reach a wider audience. I know that some blogs will swap links, so they will ask you to put a link on your website or blog and they will reciprocate. Again, this is a good way to build a wider audience.

M

MySpace

Is it worth having a profile on MySpace? I am not sure. I set up my profile a few years back when MySpace was still relatively popular and I did like the site. I have noticed that people seem to have chosen Facebook and Twitter as the main networking sites these days and MySpace has been abandoned by some. I still post links to my blog there, but have stopped actually blogging on MySpace. I don't use it much, but what I would say is that it's good to have a profile on as many sites as you can because in that way you can reach more people. There are some book groups on MySpace which I joined years ago and haven't visited recently, but many of them had large followings, so it's worth at least checking some of those out if you get time. I mainly try to keep the profile page up to date there, and post links to news about my writing as well as my blog.

Mention Monday

This is a hashtag on Twitter. So, on a Monday, you would type #MentionMonday or just #MM into your Twitter comment and then a link to a blog with the Twitter name of the person you are mentioning. This is a good way of directing people to interesting blogs that you have discovered. Readers, you could use it to support your favourite authors. Authors can also use it to support their fellow indie authors.

So, for example, if you wanted to mention my blog, you could tweet: #MentionMonday Check out author @Maria_Savva's Goodreads blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Morguefile

For those independent authors who like to design their own book covers and who also like making book trailers, I would recommend a great site full of royalty free photos that you can use, http://www.Morguefile.com. I usually make a point of contacting the photographers on the site and letting them know what I will be using their photo for. The idea of the site is that you can use the photos free for creative projects, including book covers, book trailers, etc. You will need to check the licensing agreement for each photographer as there are sometimes restrictions on the use. I have found it a very user-friendly site, and have used it for all my book trailers. The covers for my books, Fusion, Second Chances, and Love and Loyalty were taken from photos I found on Morguefile.






Most of the photos in my book trailers were also from that site:

Coincidences

The Dream

Second Chances

A Time to Tell

I hope you enjoyed this instalment. You can find the earlier posts in this series at the links below:

A-C: http://nutsandcrisps.wordpress.com/20...
D-F: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
G: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
H-J: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

A few months ago, I came across a woman on Twitter who is so full of life and exudes love. She is such a fun, happy person, and I feel lucky to have connected with her. Doreen Cox is the author of Adventures in Mother-Sitting. The book is a true account of the time she spent caring for her mother who suffered from dementia. It's such an important book in so many ways, it is a no holds barred account of what a carer faces when taking on the responsibility of looking after an infirm relative. I wanted to introduce Doreen to all of you as I believe her story will help many people who are facing similar problems.

Doreen or 'Dody', as she is known to her family and friends, is such a wonderful person. Please feel free to ask any questions you many have about dementia and related carer issues in the comment section below. I am sure she will be able to give some guidance.

Here's my interview with Dody:


Your book, Adventures in Mother-Sitting, is a wonderful tribute to your late mother as well as a book about how you coped during the years you were responsible for caring for your mother who suffered dementia in the last few years of her life. I found it a very open and honest account. How hard was it for you to share your innermost feelings and experiences in a book that way, knowing it would be read by complete strangers?

Ye gads, Maria! Not saving the tough ones for last? Here goes: The experiences I encountered with my mom tore away the usual defenses that I habitually used to keep hidden any rough edges. Simply put, I became too tired to care about how I was seen by others; more so, about how I saw myself. It was akin to a massive shrug of my shoulders that, if it could have spoken, would have said, ‘Yes, this is me being human; emotionally naked.’ My mom had always wanted me to write a book, any book. Being her Care Bear gifted me with the experience of becoming more honestly human, especially to myself. The memoir is my gift to her; a sharing of the love that carried us during the toughest of times. There was fear in letting others read of my meltdowns yet somehow, more freeing for me to move through the fear.




Have you always kept a journal, or was it just during the time you looked after your mother?


My first bit of journaling was in the form of letters to my mom, beginning when I was in college and when I lived in the Washington, D.C., area. I found them after she died. Journaling to myself began in 1984 after a woman was killed in a water skiing accident in which I was the skier. It became a more daily habit when I went through a year of group therapy. Prior to Mother-sitting, my journaling habits were less consistent.

In the book, you describe your time looking after your mother as the "care bear" years, what made you choose that as a way of describing your experience?


During my first year as group counselor at an alternative school, many of our students used their earned free time to color pictures of those cute little cartoon Care Bears. I’d often bring one home to my mom. About 4 years before needing me full time, she had a very bad month yet my aunt was able to be there for her during the day. During that month, every morning before I left for school, I drew her a cute cartoon and wrote a short poem. She recuperated from those mini-strokes and began teasing me about being her Care Bear. Fortuitous?



Being someone with experience of looking after an elderly relative with a debilitating condition, did you feel that you were adequately supported by the system, or were there things that the state could have done better to help you?


I was luckier than most it seems. Having been a Public Health nurse for many years, my mom’s retirement insurance (that supplemented federal Medicare) got us through any financial tangles at the Emergency Room, Hospital and doctors’ offices. Plus, she had an excellent primary doctor and nurse, good bedside manners. Lake County is made up of small towns. I often wonder if this attracts more medical persons who are patient and caring.

If a friend came to you asking for some advice about how best to deal with caring for someone with dementia, what do you think would be the most important advice you could pass on?


Your loved one is on a journey of ‘unlearning’ whereas a child is on a journey of ‘learning.’ Be patient; listen; try reminding of correct actions yet be attuned to the point at which your loved one can no longer respond to reminders. Also, be patient with yourself. When you find yourself arguing or losing it (and you will), breath and breath through the anger and frustration; take five if you can.

From reading your blog, I know that you occasionally write short stories or poems. Do you have any plans to publish any of your fiction or poetry?


What a fascinating question! I’ve enjoyed writing a slew of fanciful short stories for the birthdays of family and friends. There is an unusual name that has stayed in my mind for several months. I’m considering developing a fantasy type of novella with this character. More will be revealed. I’ve been considering using the cartoons/poems I drew for my mom (mentioned above) and configuring a short care-type guide relating to dementia.

I know you love to read, and you're a great supporter of fellow authors. In your memoir, you said that your mother was also a book lover. What were some of your mother's favourite books?


We enjoyed the same genres: intrigue, adventures, mysteries, dramas, romances that were fun yet insightful. One of my toughest moments was when I discovered Charles Martin’s novels and she could no longer enjoy them with me. Maria, she would have loved your novel, COINCIDENCES! Other recently read books of authors I so enjoy and wish that she were here to read with me include: Julia Hughes, Flick Merauld, Jan Romes, Arleen Alleman, Diane Rapp, Charles E. Wells, Stephen C. Spenser and Helen Hanson. A few writers whose memoirs would so resonate with my mom are Micki Peluso, Madeline Sharples, and Sonia Marsh. And I have no doubt that my mom would be, like me, waiting for JT Therrien’s novel to be published! Truthfully, as I read a good book, I still hear in my mind her comments, her joy.

What do you hope readers will take away from reading Adventures in Mother-Sitting?


The knowledge that anger/frustration in caregiver situations are merely human, defenses against fear and despair; part of a journey through grief, one the begins before a loved one dies. A sense of feeling kinder and gentler towards older folks, their caregivers, their loved ones. More so, however, for a caregiver to treat her/himself more kindly and gently during any very human reactive episodes.

Do you prefer print or e-books?


I love walking into my home and being greeted by old friends, favorite books. E-books have their place in this techie world; saves trees, etc. I’m a long-time lover of the smell, the texture, the feng-shui look of books on a shelf.

You've recently started back at work after spending time at home caring for your mother. How easy/difficult has it been to adjust?


Within 2 months after my mom died, I began writing our memoir. Though this process was cathartic, after it was published, I went through a long period which I have termed as, ‘finding my way back to me.’ Family and friends graciously supported me, giving me the time and space that I needed. Around 1 1/2 years had passed and I woke up one morning with the clear words, ‘Start Twitter,’ in my head. So I did and a whole new world of information and cyber friendships have added nourishment to my life. Financially it became time for me to get a part-time job. My career experience has always been a convoluted one, so I wondered, what will I do next? Out of the blue, my new friend, Aaron, asked if I wanted him to query his boss about a job. He did and here I am, with a new nourishing vocation! I tell people that this new part-time job as TABE/GED instructor found me. I have the pleasure of facilitating the process for a multi-cultural group of adults to learn language, reading and math skills in order to obtain a high school equivalency diploma. When folks ask how I like my job, ‘Fiercely!’ is my answer. I am blessed.

What are some of the early signs to look out for that might indicate someone is suffering from dementia?


Several months before I chose to step in as my mom’s Care Bear, I came home to find her standing before a plate of meat. She said to me, ‘I don’t remember how to make this meat loaf.’ For the previous 7-8 years, she had often laughed and said things like,’ I can’t remember what I was going to do.’ She was not laughing this time; there was a befuddled look on her face that I had not seen before. I actually sensed that something different was going on with her; so senses are important. Do not discount them. Words can offer clues; yet, the affect or facial expressions that depict confusion, befuddlement can offer the best clue. Old age for most equates to memory loss. Dementia-related illness takes memory loss to a different level and can be quite subtle. Discuss this with their doctor. My experience was such that those moments of befuddlement began to come with a twist: Mother’s brain began to get cagey. When questioned, even by a home health nurse, she’d make light of, try to change the subject and even deny what she had said or done. I still get a chuckle at a memory of her walking around/away from her walker while giving me straight eye contact and clearly saying, ‘I know how to use that!’ Even while I felt despair, her brain’s responses often amazed me.

Do you have any upcoming news/events for your readers?


The e-book version of Adventures in Mother-Sitting will be available for a free download on Sunday, November 18 – Thursday, November 22, a perfect time to express the gratitude that I feel for the many gifts of spirit given me by my mom.


Where can people buy your book?

My publisher offers the paperback and has a link to Amazon for an e-book http://olmsteadpublishing.com She also has other very interesting, compelling books.

Direct from Amazon:
Kindle
Paperback

Where are the best places for people to connect with you online?

Email: dodecx -at- hotmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mothersitting

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mothersitter

Treasured Encounters blog: http://doreencox.blogspot.com

Thank you, Dody, for answering my questions

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Remember, you can download Adventures in Mother-Sitting on Amazon for FREE from 18th - 22nd November 2012




Here are the links you'll need:

Amazon.com (includes India): http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-in-M...

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-in...

Amazon France: http://www.amazon.fr/Adventures-in-Mo...

Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Adventures-in-Mo...

Amazon Spain: http://www.amazon.es/Adventures-in-Mo...

Amazon Italy: http://www.amazon.it/Adventures-in-Mo...

Amazon Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Adventures-in...

My guest today is 
Geoffrey David West, author of the gripping thriller Rock 'n' Roll Suicide.

After reading his book, I was keen to invite him here and introduce him to all of you. His book is a great murder mystery, and I would highly recommend it. As luck would have it, you have the chance to download your copy FREE from Amazon this week (between 14th and 18th January)!

The Kindle edition is readable not only on a Kindle e-reader, but also on your PC, Mac, iPad, or smartphone - you can get free apps from Amazon to read Kindle books if you don't own a Kindle. So, make sure you grab a copy of "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" this week.

Here's the link you need (this clever link should take you to your local Amazon store): viewBook.at/B009XA5SQ4



Here's my interview with Geoffrey:

When did you start writing Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, and did you have a plan for the story when you started?

About a couple of years ago I think. Just had a hazy idea at first, began writing, put it away for a while, then started again in earnest. Had no plan at all when I started.

Did you do all your own editing?


Yes, and in retrospect it was a mistake. I didn’t want copy editing, as I’d already done that, but I thought I’d done the proofreading, having read it over several times. But on the kindle screen I saw more mistakes, and republished. And now I know there are still more mistakes, so I’m going to republish again. I’m really short of money, but rather than have the nightmare all over again I’m going to ask Julia, Terry Tyler’s sister, for help with my next book, as an amateurish manuscript with typos and missed words is awful and embarrassing.

Hmm... to make you feel better, I have just read a book published by Penguin that had no less that 6 typos... there may have been more that I didn't spot, of course. I do believe that it's not possible to get a completely typo-free book.

There is a lot of description in your novel about places and buildings. Did you visit all the places mentioned in the novel, during the course of writing it?


I already knew the places in Kent, because I write for a magazine called Kent Life, in which I described towns and places, so that was fine. And I know Paris slightly. But as for Hamburg, I’ve never been, did it all from books and on the net, so I hope there aren’t any mistakes.



I know that you also write non-fiction. After writing your first novel, which would you say you prefer, fiction or non-fiction writing?


Fiction, definitely. Nonfiction is a lot easier, and also rewarding, but essentially you’re just presenting facts, not creating anything.

Do you think your experience in non-fiction writing helped or hindered you when you came to writing fiction, and in what ways?


Helped definitely. I’ve written many articles about subjects I knew absolutely nothing at all about when I started, to the extent that if I phoned experts, for instance on a building-related subject, I wasn’t even sure which questions to ask. I realised that you just have to bundle into it, get something down, not wait around until it’s crystallised in your mind. Even if you put down rubbish, you can extract what’s any good from it, arrange it into a different order and so on. Many people talk about writing, but hardly any actually get down to doing it.

When you came up with the idea for your novel, did you plan to write a series or is that something that you decided on later?


Decided on later, when I found Jack Lockwood seemed to be an interesting person.

Jack Lockwood, your protagonist, is a psychologist. Do you have any psychology qualifications?


No, none at all I’m afraid, it’s all from what I’ve read and tried to understand, and I hope I’ve got away with it.

How many books do you plan to write in the Jack Lockwood series?


I’d like to write about six, I think, maybe more, but depends if they sell.

Part of your novel revolves around a conspiracy theory about John Lennon’s murder. Were you/are you a Beatles fan? If so, what do you think is their best album?


I was about 10 when they had their first breakthrough (I remember ‘I want to hold your hand’) and back then I was certainly a fan, and followed their careers until I was around 18 I suppose. I always remember the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club album being played at a friend’s party when I’d just left school – that one I suppose is my favourite.



Much of your novel includes characters who are in some way linked to the music industry. Do you have a musical background?


No, I’m afraid not. But I have read a lot of pop star autobiographies.

What is your favourite type of music?


Country Music, and it’s sad because you hardly ever hear it in Britain. I love Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, the Dixie Chicks, Lyle Lovett. I also like the old rock bands, for instance Lynyrd Skynyrd. And I do like David Gray, Fleetwood Mac and Richard Thomson and the old folk bands, such as Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span.

Was Maggi O’Kane, or any of the band members in your novel, inspired/based on real musicians?


I suppose I loosely thought of Suzi Quattro, but only because she’s the closest to what I had in mind – Maggi is certainly not based on her. However the place, ‘The Mansh’, I think was based on someone (I think a Fleetwood Mac member) who owned a country mansion, and they called it ‘The Manor’ and used it as a recording studio. The lovely old building and the musicians in it, gave me the idea for the beginning of the book, and the ‘What if’ extension of the beginning turned it into a story.



How much research did you do for the book?


Quite a bit I suppose, but nothing too deep. For instance, I read a lot of pop star biographies, researched Hamburg for the travel details and so on, and also researched the ‘new’ career of being a Behavioural Investigative Adviser, and read books by leading criminal profilers about their careers and cases they worked on.

The book is written in the first person, and often when I read books written in the first person, I wonder whether the character is similar to the author. How much of you is there in Jack Lockwood, or is he based on someone else/purely fictional?
  

A lot of first person writing is, perhaps, wishful thinking – I would love to be a fearless righter of wrongs and intrepid in the face of danger. I would also like to be extremely clever! However the only real way Jack Lockwood I suppose is like me in that I love building, crafts and DIY and do a lot of that kind of work, and know plumbing, carpentry etc.

Apart from the Jack Lockwood series, are you working on any other projects?


Yes, I’m lucky enough to get writing work for Kent Life magazine, also I’m trying to get back into writing articles about building and DIY, plus I’m planning to do a few building/DIY books on kindle. I tried to interest publishers on books on Kent, but with no success at all.

Your book is only available in e-book format at the moment, as far as I know. Do you have plans to make it available as a paperback?



Not at the moment because I cannot afford it. Although I suppose there’s the Print on Demand option, how do you sell books when you’re unknown? People might risk wasting 77p (99c), but would they risk £5 for a book they may not like?

Do you prefer reading e-books or print books?


I suppose print books, it’s nice to feel a book in your hands, but the convenience and cheapness of e-books is their advantage, being able to buy one within seconds.

Do you have any tips for someone who may be considering self-publishing a book?


Yes, get someone to read it to check for mistakes, or, better, pay a professional proofreader, because, for some reason, there are always more mistakes than you realise, and you can’t see your own mistakes. And don’t be put off by the technical side of formatting, because Kindle and Smashwords.com both offer very good free guide books that take your through the entire process. I was also lucky enough to hook up with some really nice people on Twitter who helped me in many ways: Terry Tyler , Maria Savva (of course!), Darcia Helle , Martin Johnson , Mary Metcalfe and a number of other kind folk. Going on Twitter is an excellent way to try to market your book and discover other tremendous authors to read.

Who designed your book cover?


Ian Scaife, of www.isgraphics.co.uk He
did a terrific job.

Yes, it's a great cover!

Who are your favourite authors?

Robert Goddard, Dick Francis, Douglas Kennedy, Tony Parsons, Sarah Waters, Barbara Vine.

There are lots of twists and turns in Rock’n’Roll Suicide, and lots of murders/deaths! As a crime fiction writer have you ever based a character on a particular person you dislike and then killed him or her off in the novel?

Great question, but actually no, I don’t think I hate anyone enough to want them dead. But who knows about the future?

Where can people buy your books?

Rock’n’Roll Suicide: viewBook.at/B009XA5SQ4 And I’ve got a page on Amazon for my others: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geoffrey-West...

Where at the best places for people to connect with you online?

www.geoffreydavidwest.com and my blog at http://bit.ly/QoYXbv

Thank you, Geoff! I wish you continued success with "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", and look forward to reading the rest of the series!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Don't forget to download your free copy of "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" between 14th & 18th January 2013: viewBook.at/B009XA5SQ4

There are going to be some free promotions on Amazon next week that I thought you should know about.

Firstly, as revealed in my interview with the lovely, Tasha Harrison, last week, her book, Pearls will be free to download on 13th & 14th February.



Here's a link that should take you to your local Amazon store: viewBook.at/B00A8RJE8O

The next free download is of a newly released book. J. Michael Radcliffe has just published the third book in his 'Beyond the Veil' fantasy series: Rise of the Shadow




This one will be free to download on the 14th- 16th February. Here's the link you need: viewBook.at/B00B923LN6


Once Upon Another Time by Rose McQuestion will be free between 12th and 14th February: viewBook.at/B00AEGD70A This is one that I haven't read, but have been told it's very good.



Another one I haven't read yet, The Gay Mardi Gras Murders, by Sylvia Massara, will be free on Amazon Kindle on 11th and 12th February. Here's the link: viewBook.at/B00BBS2R88



Enjoy!

If you're an author with a free promo next week, or if you've heard about a free book, you're welcome to post about it in the comments section below :)

Following the release of my latest collection of short stories Delusion and Dreams, I have a special promotion on all my earlier short story Kindle books. You can purchase each book for the price of $1.99/£1.32 for a limited time. remember, you don't need a Kindle e-reader to read Kindle books; with the free apps from Amazon, you can read the books on your smartphone, iPad, Mac, or PC.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can currently borrow Delusion and Dreams free from the Kindle Lending Library.







Here's a bit about each book, and the links you'll need:

Pieces of a Rainbow

'Pieces of a Rainbow' is a collection of seven short stories, each one based on a different colour of the rainbow. You will find a full spectrum of emotions within the stories. Some are sad, some uplifting. There are not always happy endings, but the tales reflect the real world, and the forces of nature at work in our lives; sometimes beyond our control. The stories are diverse in style, and the characters, although fictional, are true-to-life. There is something for everyone in this inspired collection.

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Pieces-of-a-Rai...

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pieces-of-a-R...

Love and Loyalty (and Other Tales)

Love and Loyalty (and other tales), is Maria Savva's second collection of short stories. This is a diverse collection of stories, written over a period of ten years. Many of the stories were short-listed in various short story competitions. These are thought-provoking, memorable tales of life and love, luck and loss, deceit and lies, the unexpected and the true to life.

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Love-Loyalty-Ot...

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Loyalty-...

Fusion

Crime, passion, ghosts, obsession, hope, faith, and new beginnings-you will find all these things, and more, within these pages. A mixed collection of short fiction, by the prolific writer, Maria Savva, who has been praised for her story telling abilities by fellow authors as well as her fans. Sit back, relax, and begin your journey with a story of deep love, and follow through to read insightful tales reflecting our world today, but at the same time taking you away to a world of fantasy. Thought provoking and eventful stories written to entertain and inspire. Maria Savva's latest collection is sure to please, with haunting and psychological tales, blended with romantic and humourous ones. A diverse assortment, brought together by 'fusion'.

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Fusion-ebook/dp...

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fusion-ebook/...

I hope you enjoy the stories!

I just wanted to thank all my readers, fellow authors, and random people on the Internet for helping spread the word about my free promotion. For 3 days from 3-5 July, I was giving away my book Delusion and Dreams as a free Kindle download, and within a couple of days it was listed on two categories on Amazon.com, and reached #1 in one of the categories. It also made it into the top 100 free books on the whole of Amazon.com.

I couldn't have done this without everyone's help. Lots of people helped out by Tweeting on Twitter, sharing on their Facebook pages, and telling their friends.

Thank you to everyone who downloaded the free book, to everyone who Tweeted, shared, told their neighbour about it etc.

I am truly grateful.

For those who downloaded a copy, I hope you enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed writing them :)

For short story fans, I have a bit of news! I will be publishing another collection of short stories very soon. I have made the book trailer, and designed the cover.

'3', is -- as the title suggests -- a collection of three short stories.

They're all new stories. They have quite dark themes.

I'll be telling you more about this soon.

Hope you love the cover as much as I do!



The photographer is Dave Wicks. Here's a link to his website: http://www.opticgroove.com.au/