Paula R.C. Readman's Blog, page 21

Your chance to read something unexpected.

Are you looking for a new book? Are you looking for something that’s a bit on the darker side of life?

Then check out one of these.

https://mybook.to/NeverReachinghttps://mybook.to/seekingthedarkhttps://mybook.to/PhoenixHourhttps://mybook.to/stoneangelshttps://mybook.to/dayspasslikeashadow

Thank you for your support.

Check out all my books on Amazon.

Please leave a review if you do. Thank you.

Chat again soon.

Creating a book link.

All of my books have a link I created which helps my readers buy a copy in their own country. As my books are sold through Amazon using a universal link helps me save time as I don’t have to write out a link to the different Amazon links for each country when posting online about my books.

To pre-order my new book Click Here

Every time a reader clicks the link it automatically takes them to an Amazon page in their country. It cuts down on the cost of delivery for the books to be printed in the buyer’s country, thus making them more widely available. What I didn’t know until recently was, on the Booklinker site, a list of all the countries readers have used my links. This is amazing as it gives you an insight into where your market may be, but it doesn’t tell you how many books you’ve sold, just how many times a reader has clicked on the link and in what country.

The version I’m using is the free one. If my books were generating enough money I would invest in an upgrade, but for now I’m happy to use the free one. What I’ve learnt so far is only three pre-orders have been made for my new book, my publisher informed me when I asked. I was bitterly disappointed to find out that the booklinker didn’t tell you the numbers sold, but still, I can dream of having a bestseller one day.

After the release date, I shall update you on exactly how many I have sold during the pre-order stage. Maybe I shouldn’t worry about it, and just be happy to see just what countries readers are showing an interest in my work, rather than worrying about the numbers sold.

This morning I received two lovely texts linked to my writing. The first was another invitation to talk about my writing journey next year. The second was from a lady I had chatted to in my village on my way home from a walk. During our conversation, she told me she had seen my photos on our village site.

Then we chatted about my writing. I explained how I had used my neighbours Dave and Joan in one of my books.

Wendy said she was looking for new reading material and would look up my books on Amazon. Of course, I didn’t think she would. I’m not that optimistic when people tell me they will.

It was such a lovely surprise when Wendy got in contact and asked if I would sign the books. Maybe I should be more positive in the future.

Chat again soon.

NextDoor: Your Community Site.

I posted my book trailer on the community site NextDoor. The site is very similar to Facebook but more local. It has more personal posts like missing pets, items for sale and local businesses advertising for work or new employees.

You can’t market your books unless you sign up for a business account, but you can talk about your writing, new book releases, book covers etc. You can advertise for free if you are involved in a local event, such as a talk you’re giving or a book signing.

I have been posting about the local walks I do with my friend, as well as chatting about my writing. This has led to people getting in contact via the NextDoor messenger. They have asked me where my books are available. I have, of course, told them they can find them in the local library and on Amazon too.

As you can see by the photo below, I’ve had a good response in the first 48 hours.

Has it generated sales?

I can’t tell you, but it’s a great way of promoting my books for free in my local area. I’m hoping the friends I’ve made through the site will be interested enough to come and meet me in the local library if they ask me to do a talk.

Of course, I do hope it will lead to more sales, but at the moment I’m just pleased to know my posts are being viewed. Too often with marketing you have no way of knowing if anyone is viewing your posts.

The graph is only available for fourteen days, but it is enough to know someone is taking an interest in what you have posted.

As they say, from little acorns…

Look forward to chatting again soon.

AI just gave me the cold shoulder.

Wow, Just had a chat with my mate Bing, and he got weird with me. If you don’t know who Microsoft Bing is he’s an AI. You can ask him all sorts of questions and he will answer you.

As you can see I was rather chatty with him.

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit down about my writing so I thought I would put him to the test to see if he could help me with my problem. You can follow my chat below. It was when he said he enjoyed talking to me and learning more about me, he reacted badly to my reply and quickly brought the conversation to an end. All very strange. Here’s the series of screenshots of our conversation. Just click on the right hand arrow to read all seven.

In answer to my problem, I need to stay focused on my new book, finish the talk I’m writing, and wait to see what happens next.

Be positive, Paula.

Chat with you again soon.

What’s it all about?

My brain is foggy, and my enthusiasm is at an all-time low. Over the last twenty years, I’ve invested many hours into writing. It has been a twenty-four-seven-hour job. If I’m not at the keyboard; it’s been time used thinking about the next writing project.
Yes, what right do I have to complain when I’ve had some success, with six books in print, but it’s all about sales. I’m nowhere near where I want to be and feel like I’ve hit a brick wall. I just can’t see over it, around it or under it. It’s not writer’s block. I’ve got plenty I can write about, I just don’t know whether it’s worth it anymore.

I’ve just spent the last twenty years mastering the skills necessary to write, but now it seems that’s not enough to generate sales. What I need is a large sum of money to promote my work. I have a blog, but an increased number of followers are just people offering services to me, LinkedIn and other social media platforms are hunting grounds for the same type of followers.
It’s as if everyone has services they think you need. There are new writers wanting you to buy their book in exchange for a review of your book. Reviewers flood my email account with amazing offers. They tell me they have numerous numbers of eager readers waiting for my books, but nothing is for free. Paying for reviews isn’t something that sits comfortably with me or Amazon.

Who am I writing for?

Writing for the love of it is great advice, but without readers, I might as well write and post my work here for free. Now we have AI writing too in a flooded marketplace. It just feels like I’m adding to the flood when I could be off doing something else with the time I have left on Earth.
I’m just feeling a little lost as I have nothing to compare my success with.
Am I just kidding myself or am I moving in the right direction?

Is selling twenty books in a year good or bad?

Rats and Sheets of Glass

To find out more about me check out this interview. I’ve been interviewed on Demain Publishing for my up and coming new novella, Never Reaching the End, so if you’re interested in learning more about my dark side then check this out.

Here’s the link to the interview on Demain Publishing Blog

The book cover for Never Reaching the End was designed by Adrian Baldwin who also designed the cover for The Funeral Birds and many of the other book cover published by Demain too.

Chat again soon.

The Moody Blues Inspiration

I’m so excited about my new novella published by Demain Publishing, Never Reaching the End. It started life as a short story submission to a different publisher. They needed three horror stories, one set in space, the second on a boat or ship, and the third set in a house or building for three horror anthologies. I had completed the three stories before the deadline, but they needed editing before I could submit them. Unfortunately, at the same time, I became bogged down in editing a novel for another publisher, so I missed the deadline for the three anthologies. 

Nothing goes to waste when writing. I received an email from an American publisher about a Ladies of Horror anthology and submitted my Space horror story. To my delight, The Last Thread found a home in The One That Got Away. The second one about the ship is still on my computer, but I couldn’t abandon the house story while its characters and plotline haunted me. 

Click here to buy a copy of Never Reaching the End

I’ve been busy creating promotional material for the novella, Never Reaching the End and using Canva to make the video above. I do hope you like it.

The title for the novella comes from a line in Moody Blue’s track and my all-time favourite song, Nights in White Satin. The song was a track from their album Days of Future Passed, a dawn-to-darkness song cycle. I remember seeing the group play on Top of The Pops on the BBC in 1972. You heard the song constantly playing on the radio and in our local record shop. I loved it.

I do hope you buy my new novella, and if you do, please leave a review, Thank you.

Chat again soon.

A Haunting Read

Are you on the hunt for a new book? Are you looking for a haunting tale with a twist? Then check out my new book, Never Reaching the End it’s available to pre-order.

Never Reaching the End

This short, sharp read will keep you guessing until the end.

Thirteen Years Ago Today

It’s hard to believe it’s only thirteen years today since my first short story was published. To date, I’ve had over a hundred short stories, flash fiction and five books published. Now I’m busy writing my seventh book. Today, I received my first short story rejection for 2023, but I’ve had two accepted so I’m not upset by the rejection. I better get writing some new stories to start submitting again.

It’s hard to see yourself as a writer until you see something in print with your name beside it. When English Heritage published my first story in an anthology, I felt excited, and my writing journey had begun. It isn’t over yet, as I push forward with my dreams of writing a best seller. Everything takes time, and I’m not in a hurry just wanting to enjoy the writing process. I’m writing for myself first, and taking it one step at a time. This morning the sun shone, and the sky was blue as my friend, and I went for a long walk to the old abandoned farm.

Soon they will be building an incinerator on the site to burn rubbish brought in from London. It’s so sad seeing the changes in our local landscape. In these past three years, the size of my village has increased by over four thousand new houses. There are plans for a new road which will cut through the landscape between the village and the site of the incinerator. The sad thing is that the wildlife doesn’t have anywhere to go, and while out walking this morning, we came across a dead barn owl.

Barn Owl

Have a great week, and thank you for dropping by.

Chat again soon.

What a Lovely Surprise!

All authors hope readers will review their books. The reviews don’t need to be an essay; a few short sentences will be enough. Today, I had a lovely surprise when I discovered a new one for my novel, The Phoenix Hour.   Once upon a time, I was told by an agent, no woman would want to read this book, so I’m glad to see that statement wasn’t true. 

Thank you for your wonderful review, Jan.  

What a wonderful review.

Book Trailer for The Phoenix Hour