Jennifer Becton's Blog, page 45

All's Quiet on the Blog

I apologize for neglecting my blog for the past week and a half. My grandmother passed away last week, and honestly, I just haven't felt much like posting. My grandmother was a spitfire, and everyone who has read Death Benefits has met her in Mrs. Twilley, who was inspired by her. I don't want to spoil the scene for anyone who hasn't read the book, but my grandmother would have done the same thing if someone tried to force their way into her house.

I Call This "Research"

In other news, Riding Fear Free, the horseback riding book I'm cowriting with Laura Daley that I've been teasing for the past year and a half, is almost ready to head to my early readers and editors. I'm very excited about this project because the principles in this book not only changed the way I ride, but also the way I approach life. I think Laura is a fear genius, and I hope our book will help others. Plus, I get to call all my horse time "research."

But I'm also still working on At Fault. In fact, I'm 1/5 of the way through the first draft, and I'm feeling good about the direction it's heading: drag racing, fraud rings, and–of course–more Vincent. I hope you'll be pleased too.

So in the remainder of 2012, I'll be releasing Riding Fear Free and At Fault, and in 2013, there will definitely be another Southern Fraud Thriller and maybe another historical romance. We shall see how the spirit moves.

Indie Jane and KDP Select

Come over to Indie Jane today to see the results of 3 KDP Select experiments.

The Experiment Continues

Publishing is a business; writing is an art.

Last Wednesday, I offered Death Benefits free on Kindle, and despite the fact that the giveaway actually began five hours late, it turned into my largest yet. Because it was book 2 in my series, I expected a slight improvement in the sales of Absolute Liability, but I didn't anticipate the jump it took, going into the top 1000 in the Kindle store.

Two days after the free promotion, sales of Death Benefits began to increase, and it eventually peaked at rank 193 in the Kindle store, and 6 in women sleuths, a fact of which I'm very proud considering that category is dominated by about 20 books by Janet Evanovich. My price at the time was $3.99.

Now, from my previous experiences and based on what I've seen of other authors' free promotions, the spike in sales is temporary. I haven't seen any author whose sales have risen and then gained momentum. All of them have dwindled. Why? Is this built into Amazon's mysterious algorithm? Is there anything that can be done to help the book's momentum continue to grow? Authors, if you've had any experience with this, please share!

So my newest experiment was to lower the price of the book when I saw my sales begin to slow at the initial post-promo price. In theory, that will maximize the income from the first few days after the promo, and it is my hope that a lower price will keep its visibility high and attract even more readers instead of dwindling. We shall see how that works.

Anna Elliott Skids in Sideways

Please help me welcome author Anna Elliott to Skidding in Sideways. After having followed the progress of her Pride and Prejudice sequels–Georgiana Darcy's Diary: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice continued (Pride and Prejudice Chronicles) and Pemberley to Waterloo: Georgiana Darcy's Diary, Volume 2 (Pride and Prejudice Chronicles)–for some time, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Anna at Writer Unboxed. She's here today to talk about her newest fantasy novel Demon Hunter and Baby.

Welcome, Anna!

About You and Your Books

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Oooh, I always feel I'm awful at answering these questions, but here goes:  I was born to parents who both held PhD's in English and grew up in a house full of books.  Loving books and reading was almost just a given in our household–I don't think I ever seriously considered a career in anything else.  I started writing novels while I was in college and then started trying to get published as soon as I graduated.  And now I've got 8 titles published (3 traditional, 5 indie).  My husband and I have 2 daughters (ages 5 and 2) and we live in the DC metro area.

 

If you could live in a country other than the US, where would you live?

I spent a summer living in London while in college and I absolutely loved it, I would adore to go back there to live.  Or New Zealand, my husband and I have actually talked about moving there one day.

If you could live in a time other than now, when would you live?

I'd love to be a time-traveling tourist and try out all different periods of history for a few weeks.  Since I write Jane Austen inspired fiction, I would of course love to visit the Regency period (who wouldn't want to try wearing all those beautiful dresses!).  But to live permanently?  I also studied history in college and I'm afraid the sad truth is that it would have been more or less the pits to live as a women in any historical time but the modern one.  Yes, of course there were exceptions, happy marriages, women who broke society's constraints.  But for the most part, women led very restricted, confined lives for much of history.  I suppose if I had to pick a time to live in forever, I'd choose World War II era.  Women got to fly airplanes and weld ships then!

 

Tell us about your newest book.

Demon Hunter and Baby is an urban fantasy novel set in London about a young single mum whose day job is working as a demon hunter.  I suppose the back cover copy describes it best:

Her boss is a fairy, her ex-lover is a Knight Templar, and she spends her days fighting the demons that plague London's streets. But what's really complicating Aisling McKay's life is being a single mother to a nine-month-old baby girl.

Ever since the End Times, magic has been leaking into our world. Magic and demons, shadowy beings that possess humans' bodies and destroy their souls. The Monastic Order of the Knights Templar have revealed themselves to the world as guardians and defenders of the veil between the demon world and ours. But the Templar Order is growing weaker, and the veil is starting to shred and tear. Often all that stands between humans and complete demonic possession are professional demon fighters, Hunters like Aisling McKay.

Aisling already has enough to handle between her day job, her (very unplanned) baby daughter, Willow–and avoiding Kieran, Willow's father and a Templar Knight. But now a new danger is abroad in London–and facing it will set Aisling on a collision course with the past she thought she'd escaped for good.

If your book were becoming a movie or TV show, whom would you cast as the main characters?

I'm so out of the loop on all tv/movies I don't know any names!  We don't own a tv and the last movie my husband and I went to see was . . . I think it was Wallace and Grommit, 6 years ago?  Yes, we go for the quality.

 

Writing Process

Outline: yes or no? Planner or pantser?

A bit of both, I think.  I naturally gravitate towards outlines and being very organized, but I've learned to let go a bit and pants some sections if I can't see my way ahead very clearly.

Where and when do you do the majority of your writing?

In my office, whenever I can snatch the time!  Which with two little children home with me full-time (we also homeschool) is sometimes a challenge.  But I'm so lucky to work a job that lets me be with my girls as much as I am.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you? The easiest?

Writing the beginnings of my novels is the hardest part for me for sure.  I'm not sure what it is, but every time I write a book I must re-write the beginning 10 times before I get it right.  Then after that it gets much easier.  I love writing those last few chapters when the momentum of the book just rolls you right along to the big finish and the words pour out.

What was your favorite scene to write in your current novel?

I think my favorite scene is one between Aisling, my heroine, and Kieran, the father of her baby, when she has to tell him why she has kept their daughter's existence a secret from him until that moment.  I really love writing the big emotional (and romantic!) scenes.

What is your favorite writing beverage?

Gosh, I think I usually just drink water.  I'm so boring.

Publishing

How many titles have you self-published (and if you're willing, will you share your sales numbers)?

I've self-published 5, and I suppose it's a little early to make too many predictions based on my numbers since 4 of those 5 have only been up for sale since after Christmas.  But so far I am absolutely thrilled!  Most days I've been averaging sales of about 60-70 copies per day.

What other professionals do you use to bring your books to market (editors, proofers, artists, etc.)?

I'm incredibly lucky that I happen to be married to an amazing cover designer (he's actually an aerospace engineering grad student by profession, but he's super with graphic design, too) so my husband has been able to do all my covers for me.  And my mom was once a professional editor, so she's able to edit all my self-pubbed books for me.

How much does it cost to bring your books to market?

Well, because of the above, it really doesn't cost us anything to bring my books to market.  Nothing but time, of course–it's definitely a time-consuming effort.  But I'm so grateful to have my whole family supporting the endeavor!

What has been your most effective marketing technique?

By far my most effective strategy has been to do giveaways of my books on Amazon.  I make each of my books free for a few days each month and it has absolutely skyrocketed my sales.

What was your biggest misconception or surprise about self-publishing?

Self-publishing is certainly hard work, but I've been (very very happily) surprised to find that it's extremely possible to succeed at it with a good product, good editing, a professional-looking cover, etc.

Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Keep writing!  Keep striving to make your stories the absolute best they can be, and you WILL find readers who connect to them.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Anna. And best of luck with your books!

Tune in tomorrow for a report on my newest KDP Select experiment. Spoiler alert: it was good!

Winner of Awake by Jessica Grey

Thank you all for entering the giveaway of Awake by Jessica Grey, which has shot to the top of Amazon's children's book charts!

The winner of the paperback copy of Awake, chosen by none other than Mr. Random himself is….

Congratulations, Patricia. I'll be contacting you!

And stay tuned to the blog, where I'll either be blogging about the value of entertainment novels or good writing from other media. Not sure which yet. But those topics have been on my mind lately.

Amy Saunders Skids in Sideways

Please welcome Amy Saunders, author of the mysteries The Jester's Apprentice and Dead Locked , to Skidding in Sideways. I had the honor to appear on her blog, and she has graciously come here to offer tips on how to find an audience.

Welcome, Amy!

Becoming a Girl With an Audience

When I started writing my first mystery novel, I wasn't a girl with a plan. I was just a girl who wanted to write. I dove into indie publishing, my only goal to gain a readership, and I've learned my lessons along the way. But this seemingly simple goal of finding an audience has proven one of the most challenging parts of this journey.

Challenge #1: Finding My Niche. The mystery genre includes everything from knitting cozies to hard-broiled crime fiction. When I first started promoting, I was totally confused as to where I fit in so I just snatched every marketing opportunity I came across and tried to represent my book the best way I could. I wasn't sure who would want to read my novels, and what little information I did gain on that front only confused me more. But I plunged ahead, determined to figure things out.

Solution #1: Paying Attention to What My Readers Read. Despite my confusion, my book did start to sell. So under my book, I flipped through the list of what customers had also bought. Not everyone reads the same exact thing all the time, but there was a pattern. I was definitely attracting more cozy readers, but a group who wanted more youthful, sexy cozy novels – somewhere in the category of cozy mystery meets chick lit.

Challenge #2: Appealing to My Readers. Knowledge is one thing, application is another. I obviously wanted to gain more readers in my niche, so the question became how to attract them?

Solution #2: Analyzing Books Like Mine. I returned to the 'customers also bought' list and realized two things immediately: my covers and book blurbs were off. So I studied what various successful authors were doing and went to work revising my own covers and blurbs. It took scanning stock illustrations until I wanted to throw up and honest feedback from friends, but I got the job done. And I will tell you that the effort has paid off, quite literally!

Challenge #3: Targeting Readers. Next, I wanted to know how to keep readers happy with my future books and continue to build my platform with them in mind. So the biggest difficulty was figuring out what about my books works and what I should do more or less of in the future.

Solution #3: Reading and Listening. First, I started reading what I knew my target audience likes, which is what I like to read anyway! But I read with a writer's eye, paying special attention to what the author zooms in on, what she glosses over, what the main characters are like, and the language itself. Each author and book is different, of course, but these details have helped me to understand what my audience is interested in. For instance, when it comes to details, I've noticed that heavy technical/procedural language is usually omitted and that fashion is indeed important.

I'm still learning about my audience and have no doubt that I will keep learning as time goes on. But now I'm able to focus on the people that matter – my readers. Knowing about what they like has helped me shape up my future books and keeps me focused when I feel stuck. Plus, it's actually freed me to write what I really want to write. All in all, finding my audience has been worth the challenges!

Check out Amy's ebooks on Amazon!

Jessica Grey Skids in Sideways

Welcome to my first author interview! I decided I would compose a set of questions and ask them of each author who dares to be interviewed here. Some of them are silly, and some are more businesslike, but I hope all of them will provide you with a look at the authors and the way they bring their books to their readers.

I met Jessica Grey on Twitter, and that was a lucky day for me. To my great delight, I was asked to participate on the site Indie Jane, which she co-runs with Nancy Kelley, and now she has released her first novel Awake: A Fairytale (Fairytale Trilogy):

So without further ado: Jessica Grey!

About You and Your Books

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, I'm Jessica.  I'm in my early thirties, I'm a mom and wife, and I write stuff. This feels awkwardly like speed dating or something.   I lead a rather uninteresting life:  I have an English degree.  I watch a lot of baseball (go Angels!)  I would set up a tent on Main Street USA and live at Disneyland if they let me.  I am convinced that Narnia exists.  My kids are smarter than me and they're only two and three, as you can guess this is a bit concerning and frightening.  I am a Mac.

If you could live in a country other than the US, where would you live?

Ireland. Or England. Or the north of France (Normandy or Brittany) but my French is truly horrible and hasn't been used in fifteen years.  Or maybe I should wise up and pick somewhere tropical.

If you could live in a time other than now, when would you live?

While living in a time other than now sounds nice on the surface I would really miss a) fast food, b) washing machines, c) modern medicine and dentistry, d) over the counter pain meds, e) ready access to tasty caffeinated beverages.

But if I could live in "idealized" version of these time periods…hmmm.  My figure looks best in dresses cut for women with actual hips so I'm going to go with 1950s.  I'd also like to have been at Disneyland on opening day, so the 50s work for me.

Tell us about your newest book.

Awake: A Fairytale (Fairytale Trilogy) is a Young Adult fantasy/fairy tale retelling.  Magic spells and enchanted beds are the last things on Alexandra Martin's mind when she sees Luke Reed on the first day of her summer internship. But when Alex finds a real Sleeping Beauty she discovers the truth hidden in fairytales and that a fae's ancient evil still holds power. Can Alex and her friends defeat the curse and finally realize it takes more than true love's kiss to bring you fully Awake?

To sum up: Magic. Gems. 850-Year-Old Princess. Hot guy. 

(JWB Note: Isn't the cover fantastic?)

If your book were becoming a movie or TV show, whom would you cast as the main characters?

Ack!  This is the hardest question for me.  I was talking about this very topic with some author friends a couple months ago.  I don't pick out actors/known people in my head before I start writing all that much.  Or if I do they are like weird mixes of people.  In the book I am currently writing my hero is along the lines of if Bradley Cooper and Russell Crowe had a baby it would equal this hot guy.  In Awake the hero is a mix of two actual baseball players (he's a ball player).  I refuse to say which two because it makes me feel creepy and stalkery.  The main girl characters in Awake I see really strongly in my head.  I can describe them for you, and I've found some stock photos that make sense to me, but I'd have a really hard time casting anyone!  And the fact remains there isn't a current actor that is hot enough to play Luke Reed.  This is just a fact.

Writing Process

Outline: yes or no? Planner or pantser?

Outline? Oh. My. Gosh. No.  In school when I was required to turn in an outline I always wrote it after the actual paper was done.  I was very upfront with my teachers about this too and told them it was basically busy work.  I am a pantser all the way.  However, that is kind of misnomer.  I think through what I am going to write a lot before I ever put pen to page.  But because I'm not a huge outliner there is room for the occasional brilliant stroke of genius that occurs mid-story because of outside influence.  For example, I was writing at Starbucks one day when I developed the worst light sensitive migraine.  I was too stubborn to stop writing and it made it into my story and really filled out a particular story line.

Where and when do you do the majority of your writing?

Not. At. Home.  I have two toddlers.  I love them.  They are the light of my life.  But I cannot write at home to save my life.  I usually write at Starbucks (yes, I am one of those people) or my husband's office, which is, conveniently, two doors down from my house.  I usually write nights or on my husband's day off – see earlier comment about having two toddlers.  We are 1,900 plus miles from our nearest family and don't have a lot of childcare options.

What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you? The easiest?

Probably the hardest part is starting.  Or I would have said that before the novel I am working on right now.  I came at it differently than I usually do because I am expanding a short story and I finally realized that I needed to completely reverse my way of thinking about it.  However, for Awake I would say the hardest part definitely was starting.  I have had this basic story idea for years.  I usually start with an image or series of images and base my story off of that.  The originating image for Awake – a Rip Van Winkle like Prince Charming type in Sleeping Beauty's awe-inspiring metal and jewel encrusted bed – dropped into my head at least eight years before I started writing the book.  The easiest part of writing?  Hmmm.  I guess I would say the easiest part for me is writing action sequences that are full of description.  I originally wanted to be a film major, and there is still a bit of that "visual writing" concept still in my brain.

What was your favorite scene to write in your current novel?

There area few magic/magic battle scenes in Awake and they were all so much fun to write.  I would probably say the first magic battle scene was my favorite.  It was really fun to create a system of magic (I am kind of nerdy about magic worlds and systems being coherent and true to themselves) and I could SEE it in my head.  Getting it out on paper so it made sense and let the reader see what I am seeing was exhilarating.

What is your favorite writing beverage?

Venti Triple Shot White Mocha.  I really am that person! And the funny thing is I didn't even drink coffee until about two years ago!  Followed closely by ice cold Coca-Cola (the drink of the gods).

Publishing

How many titles have you self-published (and if you're willing, will you share your sales numbers)?

Awake is my first self-published (or any kind of published) book.  My sales are currently on the lowish side.  I have exactly $0 in my advertising budget, so at the moment it's a bit like pushing a boulder up a mountain.  At some point I'm hoping that I will reach the peak and let it roll down the other side, but for right now it's a lot of sweat and grunt work.

What other professionals do you use to bring your books to market (editors, proofers, artists, etc.)?

I am really very blessed to have professional book and artist people related to me, or as very good friends.  I used several beta readers when getting the story put together, and these were mostly other authors.  I also had someone in my target age market as a reader, which I think was very important.  I used a professional copy editor, who also just happens to be related to me so I was able to get the "you're my daughter so I won't charge you for this" family discount.  My cover was designed by Victoria Austen-Young, an amazing artist and graphic designer and also one of my best friends for the last decade or so. She also did the animation for my trailer, and my husband composed and recorded the music.  Yes, I'm married to an actual composer (he's also a designer).  I am very blessed to be surrounded by amazing artists and editors.

How much does it cost to bring your books to market?

As you can tell from my last answer, it doesn't cost me a lot.  I am beyond lucky because I'd have to be paying for all of those services (editing, design, etc) and my book would have been way more expensive to produce.  As it is I have basically invested the cost of my isbn numbers, my websites/hosting and other various costs, and whatever I've spent on coffee.  I realize I am in a better position that most indie authors because of this.  I have the resources at my fingertips.  There is something to be said for being friends with other artists of varied backgrounds.  Firstly, it enriches your life.  Secondly, it is much nicer to be able to go to someone you know and trust and who will listen to you when you need something done.

What has been your most effective marketing technique?

Right now I am techinique-less.  I am working on it though!  I am focusing at the moment on getting reviewed by YA bloggers who accept self-published works.  It's a process to find them, but I have had some initial success with people being excited by Awake.

What was your biggest misconception or surprise about self-publishing?

I guess my biggest surprise was how adamantly against self-publishing some people are.  I realize that some people turn out shoddy work or don't put in the time and effort necessary to create a quality product.  This would never occur to me.  I want my product to be as good as or better than what the traditional publishers are turning out.  This means I have to think not just as a writer, but as a producer too. While not all indie or self-published authors have this mindset it would never occur to me not to go see an indie film cause "big Hollywood" didn't produce it, or to refuse to listen to an album by an indie band because they produced their cd themselves.  Just the opposite, in fact!  I think there are some amazing pieces of art that don't go through the "gate-keepers" of these various art forms.

Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Write what you love.  Don't wait to find the time to write – take it forcibly.  Read and watch great stories.

Thank you for being the first author to be interviewed here! I absolutely loved Awake, and I am sure you will too, which is why I begged Jess to let me give away a paperback copy.

How to Win a FREE Paperback Copy of Awake:

Leave a comment on this post letting us know what interests you about this book.
Follow Jessica's blog
Follow Jessica on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway (can be done once daily) using the following tweet:

Love fairy tales with smart, modern heroines? Enter to win Awake by @_JessicaGrey at http://bectonliterary.com/?p=2189 #awakeafairytale

Follow Jessica on Facebook

Mention this post on Facebook (you can click the button below this post to easily share it.)

Remember to leave a comment below for EACH of your entries. Thank you!

The Fine Print: This giveaway will remain open until Monday, March 5 at 11:59 EST, at which time one (1) winner will be randomly selected. The paperback copy of Awake: A Fairytale is open to US/CAN entries. Prizes graciously provided by Jessica Grey.

Death Benefits: 20 Days, 1K Sales

Thank you all for making the first month of Death Benefits such a great success. More than 1,000 copies have been sold, and I haven't even had the chance to have a real promo for the book yet! I'm thrilled that so many people care about Vincent and Julia, and I'm already hard at work on the next account of their exploits: At Fault!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And now the results of that trial….

Drum roll, please. The results of my Kindle Select experiment:

As far as I can tell, the Select program has two main advantages: the ability to lend your books free to Kindle owners and the opportunity to make participating titles free for 5 days every 3 months. On the surface, this may not sound like much, especially when you consider that you must agree to sell your ebooks exclusively on Amazon for the duration of your enrollment. That means no BN, Smashwords, iBookstore, or other venues.

Before entering Select, Amazon already represented 90 percent of my earnings. Why? It's not for lack of trying on my part. The sad fact is that there are far fewer marketing opportunities available for other venues. I've tried what I could find, but those promotions just did not get results for me. In addition, Smashwords expanded distribution reports sales only once a quarter, and it has a 3 month delay, meaning I have no idea how well my marketing worked for 3 to 6 months after the promotion has occurred. For that reason, I've always viewed Smashwords as icing on the cake. BN is hit or miss for me. Other writers seem to make money there, but I've only had 1 month of significant sales at BN in the last year and a half. Most of my search keywords don't work on their website, so it's almost impossible for readers to stumble on my book. I've run out of ideas. If anyone has some, I'm open!

Back to Amazon: For the past two months, my royalty from the lending program alone made up for the money I expected to earn from all other venues combined. Then, when I throw in the marketing boost provided by the giveaway days, Amazon absolutely blew away the competition. The visibility provided by those free days gave all my books a huge boost in sales that peaked about 2 days after the giveaway and endured about 2 weeks before dropping to my prior sales numbers. By far the best marketing available.

So what does that mean? It means that at the present time, KDP Select has won me over. While I hate the idea of making my ebooks exclusive to one seller, I have to look at this from a business perspective. I have a mortgage and bills, and I have no other income. Books are my livelihood. (Wow!) And this is overwhelmingly the best financial decision in the current book climate.

In an ideal world, the other retailers would be providing the same feedback and ease of marketing that Amazon does, and it would be wise for me to sell everywhere. But that's just not the case. At the moment, my plan is to release my books for (at least) 1 month at all venues before enrolling them in the KDP Select program. I care a great deal about customer service and pleasing my readers, and I want everyone who has started the Personages of Pride and Prejudice Collection or the Southern Fraud series to have the opportunity to buy the latest release. And paperbacks will always be available.

So that's the current plan based on my past 2 months of sales figures. I'll be reassessing monthly, and the moment something changes, I change. No matter what, it will be interesting to see how things change in the coming year.

Incidentally, I'll be blogging over at Indie Jane on Friday about some other aspects of the Select program. And for further reading, please check out J. A. Konrath's blog post about Amazon and its business practices.

Free eBooks for Everybody, or Serious Testing in Progress

Warning: Math Ahead

So I joined the Kindle Select Publishing program, which allows authors to include their books for lending in the Kindle Prime Lending Library. It also allows them to offer their enrolled books free for up to 5 days every 3 months. In exchange for these benefits, authors are required to make their ebook exclusive to Amazon for the duration of their enrollment.

So what do you get in exchange for exclusivity? What are the cold, hard facts? Is it worth removing your books from all other venues? Well, I'm asking the same questions, and I'm testing the program to the fullest this month.

Last week, I made Absolute Liability free on Kindle for one day. This resulted in increased visibility on the Amazon Kindle Top 100 Free list and a shake-up of my "customers who bought" feature. These two factors, I assume, pushed the book as high as rank 374 when it returned to sale at $2.99. It also provided some visibility for Death Benefits. This resulted in my highest earnings day ever.

Is that a consistent result? Will a book in a smaller market do as well? I don't know, but I'm finding out. Today both my historical romance novels–Charlotte Collins and Caroline Bingley–will be free. So if you aren't sure you want to spend money on a romance about minor characters in Pride and Prejudice, now is the time to download them and give them a go for free. And you'll be helping with my experiment.

Indies, check back later for more results of this trial.