Annette Mackey's Blog, page 3

Miss Utah flubs answer

So it seems that Miss Utah totally flubbed her answer at the Miss USA pageant on Sunday night. While it’s a shame (and I do feel bad for her) the question still merits an answer.

The clip.…

The question she was asked: 

“A recent report shows that in 40 percent of American families with children, women are the primary earners, yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?”

This is a serious issue, one which deserves attention.

What she should have said:

Number 1. In order to answer that question, the type of jobs reported must be assessed. For example, a waitress will never earn as much money as a CEO–it doesn’t matter how many hours are clocked. The report must be analysed to see what jobs women are working in.

Number 2. Education is required for high paying jobs. Credentials are not optional. Women who expect to earn a high wage must put in the same amount of preparation as a male counterpart. Which brings us to the next point.

Number 3. Society does not respect motherhood. For that matter, it does not respect children. Women who choose to stay at home to raise a family are seen as skill-less. And yet, the skills necessary to raise a family are all consuming. No one ever put on their job resume, “Three children raised to perfection.” That may sound like a bit of a joke, but the truth is, raising children forces the development of vital skills, including an understanding of computers, child development, and the education system. Furthermore, it is impossible to run a household without an understanding of management. Even so, a resume outlining these skills–learned on the job as a mother–would be scoffed at by an employer. Instead society prefers to think of mothers as women who sit at home eating bon bons while their children run amuck.

So what does this say about society? It says that we have a long way to go. We need to educate, prepare, and respect women. We need to stop glorifying the way women “look” and appreciate them for who they are: our mothers who taught us to read and write, our sisters who helped us with our geometry homework, our daughters who look to us for education, our coworkers, and possibly even our boss.

Clean read for you #CR4U

I wanted to let everyone know about a great new blog that is really taking off right now. It’s the clean indie reads blog. Even though it’s only about a week, the hits are really coming in–and so are the authors. People who write clean books are coming together to help readers find them. There is a market out there for clean books, but with the explosion of profanity and sexual content in modern books, readers who want clean books tend to be a little shy about purchases because they don’t like buying something that ends up offending them. That’s why I decided to get the word out. If you enjoy HIGH quality books that don’t contain explicit content, then click on over and check it out. They have kids books, middle grade books, and general fiction.

KDP exclusive program continued

This is an update from a previous post:

I’m coming to the close of my first free promotion, which ends tonight at midnight. I can see why so many authors go for this program. “The Forgotten Queen” has been at #1 in Arthurian since yesterday, #2 in historical since last night, and #574 in ebooks. Even though my “sales” have been pretty high, I feel like I need to watch and see how the numbers land after the promotion ends. It will be interesting to see how “The Forgotten Queen” ranks tomorrow.

My biggest grievance with the KDP program is that I know so many people who love their nook and/or other ereader devices. I still haven’t made up my mind as to whether or not I’ll continue with the exclusive KDP program for another 90 days or not. I guess it all depends on how the numbers go in the next few weeks.

#free #ebook promotions — does it help?

Yes, it’s true, this is my second post in a single day. But, I promised I would keep track of my book sales on this, my very first #free ebook promotion day.

So this morning I posted that by 9:00 AM I had sold 71 copies of “The Forgotten Queen.” I use the word “sold” loosely, since there is no actual exchange of money. It’s free today and tomorrow. As of 2:00 PM, I have sold 135 copies today. My rating on Amazon have gone from ~68,000 in ebooks and  #20 in Arthurian (yesterday), to 1,733 in ebooks, #2 in Arthurian, and #10 in historical today. I would be very happy with that, except for the fact that when I actually click on the links to see the placement of the book in those categories, it does not show up. Amazon glitches have been typical with this novel for some reason. Whereas my “Class Collision” series always shows up immediately in the rankings, “The Forgotten Queen” is no where to be found, even though the link is active. I think it might be time to contact Amazon and ask them what the deal is. Is there someone on the staff trying to sabotage my fabulous book? Surely not.

For other authors out there, you might be interested to know that there is no other promotion going on for “The Forgotten Queen” right now, other than the fact that it is currently free. Soooooo, yeah, … doing the exclusive KDP free promotion does seem to “sell” the book, but as for this raising my actual ranking, … I’m not convinced yet. Maybe if “The Forgotten Queen” starts showing up when I click on the link, then I’ll finally admit it. Hmm.… I’ll keep you posted.

~Annette

Free book promotions. Do they work?

To KDP or, not to KDP. Now, that IS the question.

My first two novels were released to a wide range of distributers. As I picked up sales, I began to notice a trend. When I did no advertising, I sold more books on nook than kindle. (I know, I know, that is soooooo NOT the norm!) I guess that was why I was a little skeptical of the exclusive KDP program on Amazon. But still, those free promotion days were making me salivate. That’s why I opted to “test” the program. My third novel, “The Forgotten Queen,” has been enrolled in KDP for almost 90 days. Finally, I decided to run those free promotion days. Here’s my experiment as it unfolds.

Without any promotions, from May 1 — May 7, I sold 15 copies of “The Forgotten Queen.” This morning my free promotion began. So far, as of 9:10 AM, I have “sold” 74 books today. (The word “sold” just seems so wrong.) But there’s a painful kicker here. Amazon is currently NOT listing “The Forgotten Queen” in any ranking. (What the? Where did my numbers go? That is sooooo NOT nice! BTW, prior to this morning, I was ranked at ~68,000 in ebooks, and No. 20 in Arthurian.) Now, as everyone in the book business knows, promotions aren’t about how many books you can give away for free. They’re about building a platform, ranking higher in the Amazon algorithm, and reaching potential readers, and hopefully a few good reviews along the way too. Anyhow, I’ll try to update the “sales” progress as the day unfolds, so that other authors contemplating this decision will have a little more information to go on before making the 90 commitment.

BTW, I haven’t reenrolled “The Forgotten Queen” yet. My KDP exclusivity ends on May 24th. I guess I better decide soon!

~ Annette

My publishing adventure

So it’s been a few years now since I took the plunge into the publishing world. I must say that the quote I heard back in 2009 while attending my first writer’s conference in New York has proven to be absolutely true. “The book business doesn’t run the way readers think.” I have referred back to that quote so many times, and every time I do, it rings even more true.

Back when I was a reclusive writer, I thought that the best books were the ones that sold off the shelves. I had little understanding that marketing was the key to a book’s success. (Duh, you say? Yeah, … duh, indeed!) But it’s probably a good thing that I didn’t understand, because back then I had zero interest in marketing. All I wanted to do was write, write, write.

In the time since, I have come to a understand more about who I am, what I want to do, and how to go about it. Just in case a new author needs a little pick-me-up, I’ve decided to outline some points that have helped me in this piranha pool.

1. Good writing is not rewarded by sales. Good writing has nothing to do with sales. Sales are a result of good marketing.

2. To make a business out of writing, marketing is required. Period. A mediocre book will sell off the shelf if a genius is peddling it, while a masterpiece may sit and do nothing.

3. Identify your genre and reader audience. If possible, do this BEFORE YOU START WRITING YOUR BOOK. Though it’s important to be true to your inner story, there is no way to market a book unless you know who you’re talking to.

4. Never knock another author or blogger, especially publicly. I joined a few chat rooms on Amazon shortly after I started publishing, thinking that it was a good way to network with other authors. Little did I expect to be attacked. (Oh yes, the joys of negative people.) But it was actually a good experience, because I learned that no matter who you’re talking to, people will remember. I know their names. I remember their faces because I googled them. I learned that everyone is a potential aid in the marketing process. Back then I may have been a nobody, but that is no longer the case. Be polite. Be supportive.

5. Never complain about a negative review. Reviewers, especially bloggers, network. They talk. They “spread” the word. You don’t want a backlash. Remain positive. Remain polite. And if possible, find a way to thank people for their review. The same holds true in requesting reviews. Don’t nag. Never harass. If someone doesn’t want to review your book, don’t bug them!

6. It’s easier to market multiple books, than one book at a time. Sometimes it really is best to do what you love, and write, write, write. Then, after you have a number of books available, push a marketing campaign. It’s cheaper, more efficient, and far more effective. That’s the way the publishing houses do it. They have a gazillion books and market them in bunches because it works.

7. Remember why you’re in this industry. There are so many people who are ready to stomp on you. BUT YOU CAN’T BE STOMPED ON UNLESS YOU PUT YOURSELF UNDER SOMEONE’S FOOT. Ignore the mean people. Ignore the petty. In reality, they are irrelevant. They are the ones who will offend and thus, be pushed out of the game.

8. If you want success as badly as you want air to breathe, you will be successful. (I’m still working on this one. Mostly I still just want to write. That’s my air. Stories and plots.) If you have entered this industry for the fun of it, you’ll probably be disappointed. Not everyone is friendly. Not everyone is supportive. As I stated before, some people are downright cruel. Ignore them, or let them hurt you. It’s your choice.

9. Support other authors. Make friends. Network. (Seriously, this is crucial. NETWORK!!!)

10. Never give up. Dare to dream. Dare to face failure. No one ever succeeded by throwing in the towel. You can do it!

TrueTwit is Spam

Tweeters beware. For those who use TrueTwit, I’d like you to know that it drives me crazy. Supposedly TrueTwit is a service that prevents SPAM. Ugh. If only. Instead, those who use TrueTwit BECOME the spammers, sending out unwanted direct messages to people’s email. Hello! Rude! And all because I wanted to follow you? Believe me, seeing that TrueTwit message in my inbox decreases my desire dramatically. My email gets enough spam already. I’ve read a lot of blog posts suggesting a boycot of TrueTwit users. I don’t want to do that, but seriously, I’m getting tired of PROVING that I am a person to a SPAM program. And it IS SPAM.

1. TrueTwit sends out automatic direct messages. These DM are not sent by a person. They are sent by a computer. It’s totally impersonal and it infiltrates my inbox. So stop already!

2. It’s totally antisocial. Twitter is meant to be a forum of communication. Oh, maybe you don’t want anyone to follow you? Is that why people sign up for this service? Don’t worry. You’ll probably get your wish.

3. In order to be “validated” and prove that I’m not a robot, TrueTwit has me go to their sight where I am bombarded with advertisements, many of which are part of a captcha puzzle that I must solve in order to be “validated.”

4. Sometimes it takes several minutes for TrueTwit to load. I’m waiting, and waiting.… because I DO care about who I follow. Finally the page loads. It’s not a simple click and you’re validated. You have to solve a puzzle. Seriously? All so that I can prove to a COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT I AM HUMAN.

This program is stupid. I don’t want anything to do with it.

How old does a child need to be to start music lessons?

Sometimes parents ask me, “How old does a child need to be to begin music lessons?” In order to answer that question, it is best to understand the developing mind.

“Windows” for learning coincide with childhood brain development. For example, the language window begins to close between the ages of 4 and 6. Prior to the closure of the language window it is easy for a child to learn a new language. After the language window begins to close, it becomes increasingly difficult to learn a new language. Learning windows do not close all at once, neither do they close completely. If they did, adults wouldn’t be able to learn anything new. But the development of the brain that accompanies learning only happens during childhood. (In general, learning windows may be kept open longer by focusing on a specific skill set prior to the window’s closure.)

The pitch window

The pitch window coincides with the language window, which begins to close between the ages of 4 and 6. During this stage of brain development, the understanding of pitch may be maximized. This is easily accomplished by singing and playing a musical instrument. It is important to note that a Harvard University study found that extensive early childhood music education resulted in an increase in size of the corpus callosum, the bundle of nerves that connects the hemispheres of the brain. This increase has the potential to affect all other areas of learning, particularly math and science. This is where the baby Mozart idea came from. While the theory behind listening is a nice idea for parents, the study found that nothing can replace actual instrument practice. Playing an instrument forces both hemispheres of the brain to work together, combining pitch and coordination with abstract thought.

So why doesn’t everyone have their three-year-old in music lessons? This is a complex issue that many people do not understand. Young children have a short attention span and require constant supervision. As a result most teachers will not accept students at this age, thus creating a shortage of music teachers for the very young. This lack of acceptance by teachers also creates the false assumption that music education for the young does not matter. Compounding the issue are misinformed parents. Another issue is practice. There are very few young children who will practice without an adult at their side. So even those young children who are taking music lessons may not benefit completely since their parents MUST supervice at home practice. As a result of these difficulties, music lessons are frequently postponed until after the pitch window has closed.

Benefits of catching the pitch window

Perfect pitch seems to corrolate to homes where music is taught at an early age. It is unclear whether this is because of genetics or early exposure, or a combination of both.

Prior to the closure of the pitch window, tone deafness can be easily corrected. This is generally done by asking the child to sing a pitch, any pitch. The teacher matches their pitch. Then the child is asked to follow the teacher as they go up or down, one step at a time. As the child improves, more difficult exercises can be implemented. Singing is an excellent way to improve the understanding of pitch.

After the pitch window closes, tone deafness can frequently be corrected throughout childhood, though it may not be as complete. Tone deafness can sometimes be corrected in adults, though it is important to remember that the process becomes increasingly difficult with age.

The coordination window

The window for coordination typically begins to close between the ages of 10 and 12. It is extremely important for music students to begin taking lessons prior to the closure of this window. The question of public music education comes to mind here. In most school districts, band and orchestra instruction begins in 5th grade. This is not because it is the optimum time for students to begin their music studies. It is because music educators have to fight to get their programs in the school. On the district level they have to make it known that if children don’t get an instrument in their hands by this age, IT WILL BE TOO LATE. And as usual, public music education is treated by the school district with a minimal approach. Since that is the age that the window begins to close, that is the age the public schools begin band and orchestra. 

A student who begins lessons after the coordination window closes will face increasingly difficult issues with dexterity. This is not to say that teenagers and adults cannot learn to play an instrument. In general, teens and adults progress rapidly, particularly in the first year of instruction. The issues that hamper their progress come with more advanced music and almost always relate to dexterity.

For more information on music and the developing mind visit these websites:

The Power of Sound

The Nuroreport

 

 

The Forgotten Queen

I’m so excited about the upcoming publication of my new novel, “The Forgotten Queen.” Hopefully it will be available in late January or early February.

As an infant Avalon is stripped of beauty so that all that remains are her dramatic green eyes. She is taught from birth that Arthur is her destiny. Out of curiosity she watches him in the lake and finds it impossible not to fall in love—and yet he is the king. It’s not until a love triangle between Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arthur forces Camelot to the brink of destruction that Arthur realizes what a fool he has been.

Raised in the shadows, subservient to the Lady of the Lake, Avalon rises above it all to become the true queen of Camelot. She is the forgotten queen … and the sole bearer of Arthur’s heart.

Genre: historical fantasy, folklore, fantasy

The White Stocking

 

Several years ago I was frustrated by the commercialism of Christmas. At that time my children were young. I wanted a family activity that would bring us together, and so I wrote this poem and made a stocking out of white satin and gold trim. The idea was that we would each give a “gift” to the Savior for Christmas. Each gift was to be some kind of service that we did for someone else. We wrote our ideas on small decorative pieces of paper and tied them with silver and gold ties then put them in the stocking. This stocking is now full of the various things our family has done for others during the holiday season.

(Star background by John Morrell)