Melissa Bowersock's Blog, page 12
August 1, 2016
Price Pulsing: What It Is and How It Sells Books
So you’ve published your book, it’s on every internet book store known to man, you’ve set an affordable price and shouted the word out from the rooftops and now you’re waiting for the money to roll in. But … it doesn’t. What’s up with that?By now, most of you may have heard of price-pulsing, mentioned here by David Gaughran and on his own blog, as well as other blogs across the internet. It’s a pricing strategy whose time has come, and many of us are using it to advantage.What is it?Price-pulsing is the lowering of the price of a book or books for a short promotional period, just like a sale in a store. For a limited time, you price your e-book for $2.99 or 99 cents or even free. Through well-planned promotions, you should see a nice spike on your sales charts, and even after you return the book to full price, you may see more modest sales continue for a time. If you’ve got other titles, you will most likely see some new sales on those, as well. Wait a while, then repeat.Why does it work?People love sales. People love deals. They love to feel like they are getting something for less than the normal value. JC Penney stores found out this important fact via a very expensive experiment. You may remember a few years back when Penney’s went to an “everyday price” strategy, pricing their items at what they considered a low everyday price with no sales. Most people realize that regular prices have some inflated value that can, at times, be reduced without obliterating all profit. Penney’s strategy was that if everything in the store was priced at a “sales” price every day, people would flock to the store in droves. Right? Wrong.From this article entitled Lessons in Pricing Strategy from JC Penney, here’s the gist of how it all shook out:
As you have no doubt read elsewhere, the new pricing strategy never gained traction with consumers. Sales declined steadily over time. The chain lost $3.3 billion in sales in the first year of Johnson’s turnaround plan. Its net loss in the quarter ended Feb 2, 2013, widened to $552 million from $87 million a year earlier. Annual revenue slid 25% to $13 billion, the lowest since at least 1987.
Think about it. If you’re promoting your book, and your message is this:Hey, buy my book. It’s only $4.99, the same price it is every day, so there’s no advantage to buying it today, it’ll be the same price tomorrow and the next day. Take your time. But buy it. Sometime.How does that compare if your message is this:
Hey, buy my book. It’s on sale for only 99 cents for a limited time. It’s usually $4.99 so this is a great deal, but hurry; it won’t last long! Buy today!Which one do you think is going to grab peoples’ attention? No-brainer, right?At one point I made an effort to align my promotions, blog posts and appearances with my sales to see what worked best, but I quickly learned that splashing a promo out there doesn’t always result in immediate sales. Sometimes all it does is get my name out in front of people, and maybe next time it comes up, they’ll remember me and finally get around to ordering that book. Lynne Cantwell wrote about “
July 22, 2016
Author Interview: Mira Prabhu
Today I’m sitting down with Mira Prabhu to talk about her new book, Krishna’s Counsel. The book is a modern epic of a girl growing up in South India during the 1960s, and it brings together a very unlikely but fitting combination of ancient Indian wisdom, the 60’s drug culture and the recovery steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Additionally, it is currently enrolled in the Kindle Scout Program and could be chosen for an Amazon publishing contract. Part of the process involves nominations by readers (like you!), and if the book is chosen by Amazon, everyone who nominates it will receive a FREE e-Book copy. To read the first chapter and nominate the book, go here. This Kindle Scout program ends August 15, 2016.
Mira, when you started writing this book, what was your vision for the story?MP: I had no intention of writing a contemporary novel until my Manhattan-based literary agent suggested I do so, way back in 1999. Considering the unusual life I had led, she felt I could pull off a contemporary novel about an Indian woman who had moved from East to West and thereby grown in ways she could not even imagine. I mulled over her idea, but nothing happened until many years later when I found myself marooned in a guest house in Rishikesh in northern India: my friends had all left town since the ‘season’ was over and a wild festival raged all around me, keeping me captive in my suite. With time hanging heavy on my hands, I decided to sink my teeth into something that would engage my monkey mind—and in six months, I had written the first draft of Krishna’s Counsel .
Krishna’s Counsel is a patchwork of a thousand tales I heard growing up in India and in the West. The title and theme were inspired by the luminous advice delivered to Prince Arjuna of the Pandavas on the ancient battlefield of the Kurukshetra by his charioteer and kinsman, the Blue God Krishna. Arjuna does not want to fight—his enemies are his own kin who have turned viciously against his family and Arjuna would prefer to offer himself to the enemy as a sacrifice rather than stoop to destroying those who once cherished him. Then Krishna shows him a dazzling vision of the cosmos and convinces the doubt-stricken Prince to fight the good fight: in essence, Krishna’s teaching is that the spiritual warrior must never give up the battle against evil—instead he must first decide on the best course of action, and then pursue that action, disregarding the consequences.
The backdrop of Krishna’s Counsel is 60s India, which was a fascinating time of change on many fronts. A supernatural thread runs through this work, for as a child I was imprinted with mesmerizing tales of the supernatural. Sometime in my teens I learned about the brutal conversion of my own community by the Portuguese Dominican priests and it sickened me. Still later, I was struck by the tragic story of a beautiful heiress who had been victimized by a psychopath. All these elements came together to create Krishna’s Counsel . Pia, my protagonist—by her own admission a coward—is forced to fight her own battle against evil; it is the brilliant teachings of all her gurus who empower her to do what is right when she is confronted by a handsome and charming man who could also be a psychopathic killer.
Krishna’s Counsel is the second book in a trilogy. Did you already have all three books plotted out when you started, or did one grow organically out of the next? Do any of the characters or story lines overlap between books?MP: My first novel, Whip of the Wild God: A Novel of Tantra in Ancient India , was born out of my love for the ancient philosophy of Tantra, which I found to be badly corrupted in both East and West. Its protagonist Ishvari is an intelligent and beautiful young woman who is elected to be the Royal Tantrika of a mythical civilization that flourished sometime around 2000 BCE. When Ishvari discovers that the Maharaja she is being sent to instruct in the high arts of tantric love-making is a narcissistic, devious and amoral tyrant, she falls into the most abysmal of gutters. Against all odds, and over the turbulent decades that follow, she rises up again to attain enlightenment.
Writing Whip of the Wild God convinced me to concentrate on sagas of enlightenment. Krishna’s Counsel too is about a child of 60’s south India who seeks answers via Eastern mysticism, and my third and final work-in-progress novel is Copper Moon Over Pataliputra , whose protagonist is driven by intense suffering to seek a permanent way to peace. Recently I came up with the idea of what I call THE MOKSHA TRILOGY (moksha means enlightenment, liberation, ultimate freedom in Sanskrit).
Okay, I have to ask: how much of Krishna’s Counsel is autobiographical? Do you find that the ancient teachings help you in your own modern life?MP: Much of Krishna’s Counsel is based on something that happened to someone I knew or something that sort of happened to me: after all, we all write what we know. As for the ancient teachings, they are my raft on this often turbulent ride we call Life on Planet Earth! The gifts of the Eastern mystics have become real tools to me, and I use them to guide me through what was once a bewildering maze—and which has now turned into a simple but profound path to inner freedom.
How long did it take you to write this book?
MP: I wrote the first draft of Krishna’s Counsel in six months flat, then picked it up from time to time as I traveled the globe. I began serious work on it only after I settled in south India in 2009—so I’d say I gave birth to it in about three years of real time over a span of seventeen years.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
MP: I don’t think so since I never suffer blocks. What I do have to endure are long spans of time when I can’t write seriously. I call these my fallow times, when spirit and mind need to rest in order for the field to become fertile again.
Did you ever have a sense of the ancient ones looking over your shoulder as you wrote?
MP: I felt Whip of the Wild God was literally channeled through me. You see, my community (Saraswat Brahmins, some say we were India’s earliest priestly class) are said to be the original settlers of the Indus Valley Civilization in which Whip is set. Oddly enough, a Vedic astrologer predicted way back in 1993 that it was my dharma (destiny) to write this book. As for Krishna’s Counsel, it deals in part with the brutal conversion of my community to Roman Catholicism by the Portuguese Dominicans, who brought the dreaded weapons of the Inquisition to Goa centuries ago and proceeded to cruelly exterminate tens of thousands. As for Copper Moon Over Pataliputra , a shaman friend told me she had a dream in which she was instructed to order me to write it for the sake of my ancestors. Since Copper Moon is set in 300 BCE, I cannot name these specific ancestors; however, as one immersed in notions of karma and reincarnation, it’s not a stretch for me to envision my spirit having lived in that distant time too.
We all know writing can be therapeutic, especially stories of growth and transformation like this one. What did you learn about yourself during the writing process?
MP: Writing keeps me sane; it has taught me who I am, relatively speaking, and forced me to think deeply about the baffling nature of reality. If no one read my work, I would undoubtedly be sad, but I believe I would still continue to write because it is perfect soul medicine and keeps me happy.
The covers of your books are absolutely beautiful. Tell us about them and the artist who does them.
MP: Mishi Bellamy is one of the most brilliant artists I have personally come across. Her work defies easy description, but you can decide for yourself (links below). I met Mishi years ago when I was one of the emcees at the Jaipur Literary Festival in north India and we stayed friends. She offered to do my covers because she had enjoyed Whip —of course I jumped at her offer! She has just completed the cover of Copper Moon , the third book in The Moksha Trilogy and it is just as fabulous as her first two. Mishi's facebook page.
Can you give us a preview of the third book in the trilogy?
MP: Copper Moon Over Pataliputra is set against the backdrop of the magnificent Mauryan Empire in northern India in 300 BCE. It takes place during the reign of Ashoka, its third Emperor, who is considered by scholars to be one of the most powerful rulers of all time. A tortured man, Ashoka earned a reputation for appalling cruelty in his early days; later, influenced by the teachings of Gautama Buddha as well as by miracles that occurred in his own tumultuous life, he transformed himself into a benevolent dictator. Copper Moon weaves the fictional story of Ashoka’s daughter Odati who hates him so intensely for his violence against her beloved mother that she grows up vowing to take her revenge. Since she cannot strike directly at him, Odati concocts and executes a devilish plan to make him suffer. However, she has a spiritual awakening and realizes that she has sunk as low as her persecutor—whereupon her own journey of self-transformation begins.
Thank you, Mira, for the informative tour of your books, your homeland and your philosophy. How can people find out more?
Mira's blog
Mira's Facebook page Mira's e-mail
July 20, 2016
Ever been to a book-signing or book festival where you’ve...
Ever been to a book-signing or book festival where you’ve had to sign and personalize books over and over? Ever run out of ways to do that? Yeah, it’s tough, huh? (Don’t we all wish?)Truly, though, how much thought do you give your dedications? Some readers may request specific things, but most are just happy to have their name and yours, maybe a sentence or two. Or some might say, “Be creative.” You know, that thing we can turn on at the drop of a hat?I do try to be creative, but it’s not something I leave to the last minute as I’m sitting with the pen poised. I really have put some advance thought into it. What I try to do is make the sentiment of the signing match the story of the book. I’ll give you some examples.My action/adventure Queen’s Gold is quite a wild ride, dashing from the US to Mexico in search of ancient Aztec gold. For this one I usually say, “Hope you enjoy the ride!”My fantasy The Blue Crystal is akin to The Lord of the Rings, a sword and sorcery fantasy of magic and wizards both good and evil. My spiritual novel Goddess Rising is an epic saga of a future time when civilization has been destroyed and the few remaining people have reverted to a magical Goddess worship as they await a female savior who is prophesied to lead them back to greatness. For both of these books, I sign, “May all your journeys be magical.”My only non-fiction (to date), the biography of my aunt who was an Army nurse and prisoner-of-war, is a true-life story of great hardship and struggle. Writing something light and fluffy just doesn’t feel right, so I might say, “Here’s to strong women everywhere,” or “Keep those family stories alive.”On the rare occasion when I am signing multiple books and have all my genres on display, I usually fall back to the generic, “Best wishes,” for expediency. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve noticed that my brain doesn’t always operate at full capacity at a book signing. I may be so distracted by the goings on that I get careless, and when I’m writing in indelible ink, I really want to be sure I’m saying the right thing. In this case, I’d rather stick to the non-specific and be safe rather than write “Enjoy the ride!” at the front of my aunt’s story.Some other generic but still heartfelt personalizations that I’ve used are:“Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.”“Hope you enjoy it.”“Thanks for your support.” Okay, not the most creative, but still sincere.An interesting twist to this that has come to my attention is that some authors are selling personalized books online and giving buyers the option of dictating their own message. For a time, I listed a few of my signed books on Amazon in the “collectible” category, but never got much response to that. I don’t sell books direct on my website—never seemed to have the time to set up a shopping cart there. Another author I know who doesn’t have shopping on his website is selling his autographed books on ebay. It’s just a matter of sending folks that way from his website or Facebook, etc. Once people buy the book, they then fill out the “message to seller” dialog box to say what they want the dedication to be.I’d love to hear how others approach this issue, so please, chime in!
This post originally published by Indies Unlimited on August 5, 2014.
July 5, 2016
Consider the Criticism
Nobody likes getting criticism, at least nobody I know. It’s painful. It’s debilitating. It’s confidence-destroying.I think it’s pretty normal to want to dismiss criticism out of hand. Bah, what do they know? They haven’t published 15 books. They haven’t been in this business for over 30 years.The other alternative is to take it all together as a soul-crushing package and think your work is terrible. Who were you kidding? You can’t write. Look at that critique. It’s over. Done with.Not so fast. There’s a middle road. There’s a demilitarized zone somewhere in the middle where you can walk safely between hubris and defeat.Consider the criticism.
I know it’s not easy, but take every single comment, every single critique, and hold it up to your story, like holding up two typewritten pages, one on top of the other, to the light of a window. See how the criticism lines up with what you’ve written. Does it make sense? Is it valid? Does it make a point? If it doesn’t, then you haven’t lost anything by considering it. If it does, then you stand to gain. If the truth is that the criticism has hit its mark, that’s to your benefit.I am reminded of an excellent book called The Wanderground: Stories of the Hill Women (1979 Sally Miller Gearhart).It’s a wonderful bit of feminist utopian literature about a time when women have broken away from civilization, gone out into the wilderness to live without men and without men’s aggressions and intrusions. There’s one point in the book where two characters are at loggerheads. A mediating cooler head asks them, “Would you be willing to yield?” Not, “Would you yield?” but only, “Would you be willing to yield?” Would you consider it? Would you be open to the possibility? Just being willing to yield opens the door to all manner of options, all manner of conversations, all manner of communications and resolutions. It’s a first step. From there, you may step forward, or you may step back. But you’re not locking yourself out of any options.One point to remember: bad spelling and bad punctuation are never okay. If you’ve got mispelt werds and incorret puntuation, in your book, you’re making the reader work twice as hard to figure out what you’re trying to say when they should be gliding along on your words. This is one area that I would say is non-negotiable. If the mistakes are in there, and someone has been good enough to bring them to your attention, fix ‘em.The rest of criticism is grayer, less black and white. However, if you get the same reaction from more than one reader, you might want to take a good long look at that aspect. If more than one beta-reader or reviewer says they had trouble following your dialog, understanding your characters’ motivation or feeling empathy for them, you might want to revisit that. One of the largest disadvantages to being a writer is having the entire story (including backstory) in your brain, while you’re only parceling out bits and pieces to the reader. Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re giving the reader enough or too much. If you’re getting frequent complaints about similar issues, look closely at that. Please.Consider it.Then, after all that, you’re the final authority. Only you know what the story is, where it goes, what it wants to say. Only you know what your characters want, need.I once had a publisher try to change the way my main character spoke. The character repeated herself. It could be annoying. She had very low self-esteem, very low self-confidence, and she felt she needed to justify every decision she made. The way she spoke embodied the way she felt, deep down in her soul.But I considered what my publisher said. I imagined changing the dialog. I imagined my character not being quite such a pleading doormat.It didn’t work.The style of her speech told us who she was. It revealed, in its tentative way, how she felt inside, what drove her. It showed us who she was.I didn’t change it. But I did consider it. And that same publisher made some other suggestions for changes with which I did agree. I’ve gotten to the point that I find myself comfortably taking roughly half of the suggestions given to me.Getting criticism is never fun, but it really could be doing you a favor. Criticism just could be the grit that polishes your work to a brilliant shine.Have the guts to be willing to yield.
Originally published by Indies Unlimited on July 29, 2014.
June 23, 2016
New Release: Being Travis, No Time for Travis Series Book 2
The saga continues...
If you read Finding Travis, you know about a modern man who is whisked backward in time to frontier Arizona in the year 1877. Find out what happens next in Being Travis, Book 2 of the No Time for Travis Series.
Travis' adventures in the Arizona Territory continue.
Two years ago, a weird trick of time sent Travis Merrill spiraling from 2016 to the year 1877. Committed now to his life in frontier Arizona, Travis is married with a child on the way and is homesteading a ranch. His knowledge of the future, however, keeps him at odds with his neighbors, his friends… and his wife. He finds it more and more difficult to protect his home without alienating his family, yet he can’t ignore what he knows is – and will be – true.
And the best news? Both books are on sale now through July 4, 2016. During the sale period, Finding Travis is only $2.99, saving you $2.00 over the regular price. Being Travis is at the introductory price of just 99 cents, a $4.00 savings over the regular price. Grab them both now and take a trip through time. You won't regret it!
If you read Finding Travis, you know about a modern man who is whisked backward in time to frontier Arizona in the year 1877. Find out what happens next in Being Travis, Book 2 of the No Time for Travis Series.
Travis' adventures in the Arizona Territory continue.
Two years ago, a weird trick of time sent Travis Merrill spiraling from 2016 to the year 1877. Committed now to his life in frontier Arizona, Travis is married with a child on the way and is homesteading a ranch. His knowledge of the future, however, keeps him at odds with his neighbors, his friends… and his wife. He finds it more and more difficult to protect his home without alienating his family, yet he can’t ignore what he knows is – and will be – true.
And the best news? Both books are on sale now through July 4, 2016. During the sale period, Finding Travis is only $2.99, saving you $2.00 over the regular price. Being Travis is at the introductory price of just 99 cents, a $4.00 savings over the regular price. Grab them both now and take a trip through time. You won't regret it!
June 8, 2016
Coming Soon! The Return of Travis!
Do you love time travel? Did you read
Finding Travis
, about a modern man who is whisked backward in time to frontier Arizona in the year 1877? Well, hold onto your hat, because the adventure continues. Coming soon: Being Travis.
Travis' adventures in the Arizona Territory continue in the next book in the series.
Two years ago, a weird trick of time sent Travis Merrill spiraling from 2016 to the year 1877. Committed now to his life in frontier Arizona, Travis is married with a child on the way and is homesteading a ranch. His knowledge of the future, however, keeps him at odds with his neighbors, his friends… and his wife. He finds it more and more difficult to protect his home without alienating his family, yet he can’t ignore what he knows is – and will be – true.
Coming soon. Watch this space for the release date.
Travis' adventures in the Arizona Territory continue in the next book in the series.
Two years ago, a weird trick of time sent Travis Merrill spiraling from 2016 to the year 1877. Committed now to his life in frontier Arizona, Travis is married with a child on the way and is homesteading a ranch. His knowledge of the future, however, keeps him at odds with his neighbors, his friends… and his wife. He finds it more and more difficult to protect his home without alienating his family, yet he can’t ignore what he knows is – and will be – true.
Coming soon. Watch this space for the release date.
June 4, 2016
Book Signing Checklist
It's summer, the season for book festivals and book signings. It's a great time to get out and meet your readers. If you’ve been reading about such things online, you’ve probably noticed that book signings can be wildly different depending on the venue, the time of day and the planning. You may have also figured that book signings can require a lot of effort and may show little in the way of monetary payoff, but the fact is they can be invaluable for getting your name out there and may result in sales spikes after the fact.I did a book signing a while back and felt it was very successful, so thought I’d share my experience here.
I live in a small town with no book store. (I know; hard to imagine, but it’s true.) I wanted to have a signing for my latest release but couldn’t think of a good venue. Finally I remembered a small gift shop that had recently opened. The owner had a corner coffee bar and a few tables and chairs and encouraged a very social atmosphere in the shop. She obviously wanted people to think of her store as a gathering place to stop and chat as well as take in her latest items. I approached her with my idea and she jumped at it. She’d been thinking about doing some sort of “special events” at the store, but hadn’t quite worked out what that would look like. It sounded like my plan would be the perfect way to launch her plans. We quickly hashed out a date and a time, just about a month out, then I started to work.PlanningAfter appearing at several book festivals, I had discovered an important truth. Most people are afraid to approach someone who is selling something, because they fear they will be button-holed and harangued mercilessly until they buy whatever is being sold. Because of this, I’ve made it my standard operating procedure to offer them something free. Not only am I not immediately trying to get money out of them, I am giving them something. I always print up plenty of bookmarks in color on heavy card stock. I make some of them describing a single book and others with several books on them. I’ve had many people request extras, since there are a few different ones.I also create magnets. These are great crowd-pleasers. I print out business card-sized pictures of my book covers, again on card stock, and attach them to sticky-back magnets. I don’t know what it is, but people love magnets. Again, I will often get a request for extras because I have so many different ones.Finally I decided to have a raffle and give away prizes. I created two different book bundles, one “ghost pack” of my two novels that are ghost stories, and a “romance pack” with two novels that are historic romances. I signed all books beforehand and then tied each of the packs up with glittery ribbon so they looked beautiful. My book signing was going to occur from 10am to 12:30pm, so I decided to have one raffle drawing at 11am and one at noon. I made up a sign with all the details, including exactly what time I would draw and what prize would be awarded when.PromotionGetting the word out is all-important, of course. If nobody knows about it, nobody will come. Here’s what I did to get as much exposure as possible.-Flyers: I worked up a full sheet color flyer that included a picture of the book cover, a picture of me, the particulars of date, time and place, a short description of the book and a mention of raffles, prizes and giveaways. I posted these on every bulletin board I could find, asked business owners to display them, took them to book stores and libraries within a 30-mile radius. Because my new novel was about reincarnation, I also took flyers to every holistic, metaphysical or crystal shop/store/market I could.-Press Releases: I worked up a press release with all the above info and sent it off to all the newspapers in my area. When I got personal responses from a couple of reporters, I sent them the color flyer as an attachment. I was lucky in that one reporter not only ran notices in the paper in the weeks running up to the event, but also came down to the event and took pictures and interviewed folks who were there for a follow-up story in the paper.-TV Appearance: I was lucky enough to schedule a 10-minute TV appearance on a local TV station about 10 days before the signing. I did an in-depth interview about the book and mentioned the signing on air.-Stuffers: I shrunk the flyer down to two on a page and printed lots of them in black and white. After cutting them in half, I took them to the store owner and she used them as stuffers, putting one in the bag of every customer who bought anything in her store. She also kept some of the color flyers on her counter and in her window.-Radio: I found a website that allowed me to enter my event into the local regional calendar and it was thereafter broadcast on several radio stations. I heard from friends that they had, in fact, heard about the event that way.-Invite friends: Having a few friends show up does two very important things. It creates the social atmosphere as you chat with them, and it breaks the ice for strangers when they see you are approachable and fun-loving. It immediately sets the tone of the event as a friendly, social get-together as opposed to a selling opportunity.-Recruit the Venue Owner: The woman who owned the gift shop was very enthusiastic and excited about the book signing, which was a huge benefit to me. Early on I gave her a copy of the book to read if she wished or just to display. This way she could answer questions about the book and show it to people who were planning to come to the signing. (Some of her patrons wanted to buy the book before the signing, then bring it in for me to sign, but I decided against that. I didn’t want to have to keep track of who had paid for the book before and who had not.)SuppliesI kept a running list of things to do, buy and create for the day. I was glad I started the list early on, because it got longer and longer as the date approached! Here are all the things I brought with me to the signing. (Felt like I was moving in!)-Table: I had to bring my own table, and had a simple fold-up one 2’ x 4’. It wasn’t quite big enough, but we made it work.-Chairs: I brought two chairs, one for me and one for my lovely assistant who was going to keep track of the money and the books sold. (He’s also my pack mule.)–Raffle sign: Just a single sheet of paper with color graphics, the time of each drawing and the prize for each.-Payment sign: The price of my books (I usually keep it simple and just make them all $10 each, no tax) and the forms of payment I can accept. I’m not set up for credit cards, so take cash or check only.-Bookmarks: I put one in every book sold, but offer free ones to any lookers.-Magnets: I put one in every book sold, plus offer free ones to lookers.-Business cards: I keep these out on the table for anyone who wants to look me up later online.-Pens: For people to write their name and phone number on the raffle tickets, and for check-writers who aren’t well prepared.-Receipts: Just in case anyone needs a receipt, I keep a few simple forms handy.-Raffle tickets: I bought a roll of 1,000 tickets at Office Max. They’re the two-part style so the customer keeps half and puts half in the container I draw from.-Container for raffle tickets: I used a clear plastic canister.-Raffle prizes: I keep these out on the table so people can see what they might win.-Candy: I put a bowl of candy front and center on the table. I thought about baking cookies, but decided it was safer to stick with store-bought, wrapped candies that can’t be tampered with.-Bowl for candy: see above.-Bags: I brought a bunch of extra grocery store bags just in case anyone wanted a bag for their purchases. (No one did.)-Poster: I had a 12”x16” poster made of my book cover and placed it on an easel behind my table. It looked very cool.-Change for cash: I brought about $100 in change, mostly $5s and $10s. Again, I wanted to keep the accounting aspect simple, so all books were $10, no tax.-Table cloth: A nice tablecloth looks good plus can hide all the under-the-table boxes and supplies.-List of books sold: I wanted to keep track of which books sold, so had a list made up that my husband could tally as we went.-List of names if run out of books: I was worried about running out of books, so brought some pre-printed sheets where people could sign up if I needed to order more books and get them to them later. (Luckily or unluckily, I did not run out of books.)-Cooler: I brought a small cooler with bottles of water and a few energy bars, just in case. You may not need this in most places, but in Arizona in summer, packing in water is de rigor.On the Day
I had my table set up just inside the door but off to the side. I noticed right away that folks would come in, see the table and my books, and steer clear. Yes, they were worried that I’d attack them, grab their wallets and purses and steal every dollar they had. To alleviate that fear, the first thing I did was greet them and offer them free raffle tickets. I let them know when the drawings would be and what the prizes would be, and also told them I had more free treats at the table. Once they were willing to enter the raffle, it was a simple matter to direct them back to the table so they could fill out the tickets. And once they knew I was not going to try to hard-sell them right away, they were more comfortable browsing the table and asking about my books.I of course had my latest book front and center, and had the large poster of the book cover behind me. But I also had a few copies of my other books, as well. I write multi-genre (paranormal, romance, fantasy, adventure, etc.), so I always tell people I have something for everyone! Most of the people who came bought one book, several bought two books, and a few even bought four books!Lessons Learned-Offer freebies up front: As above, this takes the pressure off immediately.-Stand up and walk away from the table at times: Sitting behind a table keeps you separate from your readers. Meet them on their territory and mingle, letting them know you’re human.-Encourage a social atmosphere: Posting the times of the raffle drawings encouraged people to hang around, and the chairs and tables in the store made it comfortable. It was a much more fun event than a stand-in-line, get-your-book and leave sort of thing. There was a lot of conversation going on, both about my books and about other things as well. Again, it felt much less like a selling event, more like a party. I think everyone had a good time. (Oh, and I did sell quite a few books.)Originally published by Indies Unlimited on July 22, 2014.
I live in a small town with no book store. (I know; hard to imagine, but it’s true.) I wanted to have a signing for my latest release but couldn’t think of a good venue. Finally I remembered a small gift shop that had recently opened. The owner had a corner coffee bar and a few tables and chairs and encouraged a very social atmosphere in the shop. She obviously wanted people to think of her store as a gathering place to stop and chat as well as take in her latest items. I approached her with my idea and she jumped at it. She’d been thinking about doing some sort of “special events” at the store, but hadn’t quite worked out what that would look like. It sounded like my plan would be the perfect way to launch her plans. We quickly hashed out a date and a time, just about a month out, then I started to work.PlanningAfter appearing at several book festivals, I had discovered an important truth. Most people are afraid to approach someone who is selling something, because they fear they will be button-holed and harangued mercilessly until they buy whatever is being sold. Because of this, I’ve made it my standard operating procedure to offer them something free. Not only am I not immediately trying to get money out of them, I am giving them something. I always print up plenty of bookmarks in color on heavy card stock. I make some of them describing a single book and others with several books on them. I’ve had many people request extras, since there are a few different ones.I also create magnets. These are great crowd-pleasers. I print out business card-sized pictures of my book covers, again on card stock, and attach them to sticky-back magnets. I don’t know what it is, but people love magnets. Again, I will often get a request for extras because I have so many different ones.Finally I decided to have a raffle and give away prizes. I created two different book bundles, one “ghost pack” of my two novels that are ghost stories, and a “romance pack” with two novels that are historic romances. I signed all books beforehand and then tied each of the packs up with glittery ribbon so they looked beautiful. My book signing was going to occur from 10am to 12:30pm, so I decided to have one raffle drawing at 11am and one at noon. I made up a sign with all the details, including exactly what time I would draw and what prize would be awarded when.PromotionGetting the word out is all-important, of course. If nobody knows about it, nobody will come. Here’s what I did to get as much exposure as possible.-Flyers: I worked up a full sheet color flyer that included a picture of the book cover, a picture of me, the particulars of date, time and place, a short description of the book and a mention of raffles, prizes and giveaways. I posted these on every bulletin board I could find, asked business owners to display them, took them to book stores and libraries within a 30-mile radius. Because my new novel was about reincarnation, I also took flyers to every holistic, metaphysical or crystal shop/store/market I could.-Press Releases: I worked up a press release with all the above info and sent it off to all the newspapers in my area. When I got personal responses from a couple of reporters, I sent them the color flyer as an attachment. I was lucky in that one reporter not only ran notices in the paper in the weeks running up to the event, but also came down to the event and took pictures and interviewed folks who were there for a follow-up story in the paper.-TV Appearance: I was lucky enough to schedule a 10-minute TV appearance on a local TV station about 10 days before the signing. I did an in-depth interview about the book and mentioned the signing on air.-Stuffers: I shrunk the flyer down to two on a page and printed lots of them in black and white. After cutting them in half, I took them to the store owner and she used them as stuffers, putting one in the bag of every customer who bought anything in her store. She also kept some of the color flyers on her counter and in her window.-Radio: I found a website that allowed me to enter my event into the local regional calendar and it was thereafter broadcast on several radio stations. I heard from friends that they had, in fact, heard about the event that way.-Invite friends: Having a few friends show up does two very important things. It creates the social atmosphere as you chat with them, and it breaks the ice for strangers when they see you are approachable and fun-loving. It immediately sets the tone of the event as a friendly, social get-together as opposed to a selling opportunity.-Recruit the Venue Owner: The woman who owned the gift shop was very enthusiastic and excited about the book signing, which was a huge benefit to me. Early on I gave her a copy of the book to read if she wished or just to display. This way she could answer questions about the book and show it to people who were planning to come to the signing. (Some of her patrons wanted to buy the book before the signing, then bring it in for me to sign, but I decided against that. I didn’t want to have to keep track of who had paid for the book before and who had not.)SuppliesI kept a running list of things to do, buy and create for the day. I was glad I started the list early on, because it got longer and longer as the date approached! Here are all the things I brought with me to the signing. (Felt like I was moving in!)-Table: I had to bring my own table, and had a simple fold-up one 2’ x 4’. It wasn’t quite big enough, but we made it work.-Chairs: I brought two chairs, one for me and one for my lovely assistant who was going to keep track of the money and the books sold. (He’s also my pack mule.)–Raffle sign: Just a single sheet of paper with color graphics, the time of each drawing and the prize for each.-Payment sign: The price of my books (I usually keep it simple and just make them all $10 each, no tax) and the forms of payment I can accept. I’m not set up for credit cards, so take cash or check only.-Bookmarks: I put one in every book sold, but offer free ones to any lookers.-Magnets: I put one in every book sold, plus offer free ones to lookers.-Business cards: I keep these out on the table for anyone who wants to look me up later online.-Pens: For people to write their name and phone number on the raffle tickets, and for check-writers who aren’t well prepared.-Receipts: Just in case anyone needs a receipt, I keep a few simple forms handy.-Raffle tickets: I bought a roll of 1,000 tickets at Office Max. They’re the two-part style so the customer keeps half and puts half in the container I draw from.-Container for raffle tickets: I used a clear plastic canister.-Raffle prizes: I keep these out on the table so people can see what they might win.-Candy: I put a bowl of candy front and center on the table. I thought about baking cookies, but decided it was safer to stick with store-bought, wrapped candies that can’t be tampered with.-Bowl for candy: see above.-Bags: I brought a bunch of extra grocery store bags just in case anyone wanted a bag for their purchases. (No one did.)-Poster: I had a 12”x16” poster made of my book cover and placed it on an easel behind my table. It looked very cool.-Change for cash: I brought about $100 in change, mostly $5s and $10s. Again, I wanted to keep the accounting aspect simple, so all books were $10, no tax.-Table cloth: A nice tablecloth looks good plus can hide all the under-the-table boxes and supplies.-List of books sold: I wanted to keep track of which books sold, so had a list made up that my husband could tally as we went.-List of names if run out of books: I was worried about running out of books, so brought some pre-printed sheets where people could sign up if I needed to order more books and get them to them later. (Luckily or unluckily, I did not run out of books.)-Cooler: I brought a small cooler with bottles of water and a few energy bars, just in case. You may not need this in most places, but in Arizona in summer, packing in water is de rigor.On the DayI had my table set up just inside the door but off to the side. I noticed right away that folks would come in, see the table and my books, and steer clear. Yes, they were worried that I’d attack them, grab their wallets and purses and steal every dollar they had. To alleviate that fear, the first thing I did was greet them and offer them free raffle tickets. I let them know when the drawings would be and what the prizes would be, and also told them I had more free treats at the table. Once they were willing to enter the raffle, it was a simple matter to direct them back to the table so they could fill out the tickets. And once they knew I was not going to try to hard-sell them right away, they were more comfortable browsing the table and asking about my books.I of course had my latest book front and center, and had the large poster of the book cover behind me. But I also had a few copies of my other books, as well. I write multi-genre (paranormal, romance, fantasy, adventure, etc.), so I always tell people I have something for everyone! Most of the people who came bought one book, several bought two books, and a few even bought four books!Lessons Learned-Offer freebies up front: As above, this takes the pressure off immediately.-Stand up and walk away from the table at times: Sitting behind a table keeps you separate from your readers. Meet them on their territory and mingle, letting them know you’re human.-Encourage a social atmosphere: Posting the times of the raffle drawings encouraged people to hang around, and the chairs and tables in the store made it comfortable. It was a much more fun event than a stand-in-line, get-your-book and leave sort of thing. There was a lot of conversation going on, both about my books and about other things as well. Again, it felt much less like a selling event, more like a party. I think everyone had a good time. (Oh, and I did sell quite a few books.)Originally published by Indies Unlimited on July 22, 2014.
May 25, 2016
Memorial Day Sale
Again on Memorial Day, we remember all the veterans who have served our country both at home and overseas. In honor of all those brave souls, my non-fiction book,
Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan
is on sale for just 99 cents. This is the award-winning true story of a courageous Army nurse and prisoner-of-war who just happens to be my aunt.
This book was truly a labor of love. I had always heard growing up that my aunt was a prisoner of the Japanese during WWII, but not much more beyond that. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Wisconsin Historical Society had in their archives two scrapbooks that were created by my grandmother during my aunt's time in service, filled with letters, photos, news clippings, telegrams and every other bit of information from that agonizing time. I knew the story needed to be told, and I knew if I didn't do it, no one would.
I've been hugely gratified by the way this book has touched others. It has garnered several awards and was featured in a TV documentary Our Wisconsin: The Military History of America's Dairyland. Here's a sample of some of the very nice reviews the book has received:
Nurse Gates' amazing valor and her mother's drive reminds us to never forget the human dimension of combat. A reminder indeed that loved ones suffer as much at home as those on the battlefields. Inspirational.
Her spirit came alive on the pages of this factual account of her Japanese captivity.
Enjoyed this book from cover to cover.
If you like history, true stories, stories of dedication and commitment and humble bravery, you might enjoy this book. During this time of remembering and honoring our veterans, I believe it's important to keep their stories alive. I hope you will join me in honoring all the men and women who have served our country.
Kindle version (99 cents)Paperback versionAudio versionWatch the book trailer here
The Kindle version is on sale through June 1, 2016.
This book was truly a labor of love. I had always heard growing up that my aunt was a prisoner of the Japanese during WWII, but not much more beyond that. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Wisconsin Historical Society had in their archives two scrapbooks that were created by my grandmother during my aunt's time in service, filled with letters, photos, news clippings, telegrams and every other bit of information from that agonizing time. I knew the story needed to be told, and I knew if I didn't do it, no one would.
I've been hugely gratified by the way this book has touched others. It has garnered several awards and was featured in a TV documentary Our Wisconsin: The Military History of America's Dairyland. Here's a sample of some of the very nice reviews the book has received:
Nurse Gates' amazing valor and her mother's drive reminds us to never forget the human dimension of combat. A reminder indeed that loved ones suffer as much at home as those on the battlefields. Inspirational.
Her spirit came alive on the pages of this factual account of her Japanese captivity.
Enjoyed this book from cover to cover.
If you like history, true stories, stories of dedication and commitment and humble bravery, you might enjoy this book. During this time of remembering and honoring our veterans, I believe it's important to keep their stories alive. I hope you will join me in honoring all the men and women who have served our country.
Kindle version (99 cents)Paperback versionAudio versionWatch the book trailer here
The Kindle version is on sale through June 1, 2016.
May 23, 2016
Family Stories: Leaving a Legacy of Words
Every family has them: stories of Great-Uncle Harold’s time in the trenches of WWI, Grampa’s side trip into bootlegging during Prohibition, Aunt Helen’s wanderlust that took her around the globe twice, Grandma’s ground-breaking work as the first female at Lockheed Aeronautics during WWII. These are the stories that may only get trotted out once a year or so, maybe at Christmas or the infrequent family reunion, but otherwise stay hidden away in shoeboxes at the back of closets or in the dimly-lit corners of an oldster’s mind.
My grandmother, Marcia Gates, reading to her four daughters.And very often, the story and its teller are, eventually, lost for all time. Why? Because the stories don’t get written down.There’s a Mandinka proverb that says every time an old person dies, it’s as if a library has burnt down.I was lucky. My dad wrote his autobiography over the last 20 years of his life. After he died, I converted the typed pages to digital, added family photos, and published his story. I didn’t care if I sold a single copy; I just wanted the book out there. Surprisingly, I have sold quite a few, but that’s not even the point. The point is, his story will never die. It lives on. And I can’t tell you what a treasure trove it is for my family.So a few years back on Veteran’s Day, I was thinking about my aunt who was an Army nurse during WWII and was taken prisoner by the Japanese in the Philippines. I had heard this much of the story all my life, but very few details. I began to do some research to see if I could find out more about it; hard to do, as she and all her generation are gone. I was shocked to find out that the Wisconsin Historical Society (she was from WI) had in their possession two scrapbooks that were created by my grandmother, filled to overflowing with letters, telegrams, news clippings, and photos of my aunt’s time in the service. It not only chronicled the events of her capture and imprisonment, it also told the story of my grandmother’s tireless efforts to find out information about her daughter and bring comfort in any way she could. It was a story of two women on opposite sides of the earth, each in their own way striving to push through extremely difficult times.And it was stuck in a drawer in a back room.I knew the story deserved to be told. And I knew I was the only one to do it. There are other writers in my family, but none that devote as much time to it as I do. So even though I’m a novelist by choice, it was time for me to write non-fiction.I’m glad I did. Again, I didn’t care if the book sold at all; I just wanted the story out there. Surprisingly, it has touched a lot of people, won awards, was even featured in a TV documentary on Wisconsin’s military history. And it got me to thinking: how many stories are there like this, that never get told, that never see the light of day? A ton, I’m sure. And I think that most people believe publishing is way beyond their reach, but here’s the irony. It’s not. It’s fully accessible in our time. Okay, the writing part is never easy and that still has to be done, but the publishing? That’s a breeze. Using CreateSpace, you can do it for about $10, the cost of a proof book and shipping. Really, I mean it. Ten bucks. Indies Unlimited has more than enough information and tutorials in their archives to get you started.I would encourage anyone — EVERYone — who has family stories to write them down. Get them out there! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, as I was, how they can touch people well beyond the confines of your family. Because these are not just family stories.They are human stories. And they deserve to be told.
Originally published by Indies Unlimited on April 22, 2014.
My grandmother, Marcia Gates, reading to her four daughters.And very often, the story and its teller are, eventually, lost for all time. Why? Because the stories don’t get written down.There’s a Mandinka proverb that says every time an old person dies, it’s as if a library has burnt down.I was lucky. My dad wrote his autobiography over the last 20 years of his life. After he died, I converted the typed pages to digital, added family photos, and published his story. I didn’t care if I sold a single copy; I just wanted the book out there. Surprisingly, I have sold quite a few, but that’s not even the point. The point is, his story will never die. It lives on. And I can’t tell you what a treasure trove it is for my family.So a few years back on Veteran’s Day, I was thinking about my aunt who was an Army nurse during WWII and was taken prisoner by the Japanese in the Philippines. I had heard this much of the story all my life, but very few details. I began to do some research to see if I could find out more about it; hard to do, as she and all her generation are gone. I was shocked to find out that the Wisconsin Historical Society (she was from WI) had in their possession two scrapbooks that were created by my grandmother, filled to overflowing with letters, telegrams, news clippings, and photos of my aunt’s time in the service. It not only chronicled the events of her capture and imprisonment, it also told the story of my grandmother’s tireless efforts to find out information about her daughter and bring comfort in any way she could. It was a story of two women on opposite sides of the earth, each in their own way striving to push through extremely difficult times.And it was stuck in a drawer in a back room.I knew the story deserved to be told. And I knew I was the only one to do it. There are other writers in my family, but none that devote as much time to it as I do. So even though I’m a novelist by choice, it was time for me to write non-fiction.I’m glad I did. Again, I didn’t care if the book sold at all; I just wanted the story out there. Surprisingly, it has touched a lot of people, won awards, was even featured in a TV documentary on Wisconsin’s military history. And it got me to thinking: how many stories are there like this, that never get told, that never see the light of day? A ton, I’m sure. And I think that most people believe publishing is way beyond their reach, but here’s the irony. It’s not. It’s fully accessible in our time. Okay, the writing part is never easy and that still has to be done, but the publishing? That’s a breeze. Using CreateSpace, you can do it for about $10, the cost of a proof book and shipping. Really, I mean it. Ten bucks. Indies Unlimited has more than enough information and tutorials in their archives to get you started.I would encourage anyone — EVERYone — who has family stories to write them down. Get them out there! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, as I was, how they can touch people well beyond the confines of your family. Because these are not just family stories.They are human stories. And they deserve to be told.
Originally published by Indies Unlimited on April 22, 2014.
May 11, 2016
Good News/Bad News
First the bad news. My latest book, Finding Travis, did not get picked up by Amazon via its Kindle Scout program. Major bummer. And of course Amazon does not divulge how it makes its decisions lest someone learn how to game the system, so I'll never know why.
The good news is, that's not going to stand in the way of a good book. I've already published the book myself, both as a paperback and an ebook. And, just to kick off the new release with a bang, I've priced the ebook at only 99 cents. I have to say: I love this book. It's my new favorite. Yeah, I know, I'm a tad prejudiced, but I just really, really like it. I think you might, too.
Here's the blurb:
Travis Merrill’s life isn’t going according to plan. He’s quit several career paths, his wife has left him, and his only solace is volunteering to portray a cavalry surgeon at historic Fort Verde in Arizona, a place where time seems to stand still. When a weird trick of time actually sends him back to the year 1877, he’s boxed into impersonating the post surgeon for real. Unfortunately, he finds his medical knowledge is no match for the primitive practices of the day, and he’s forced to make life or death decisions, not always successfully. He wonders if he will ever be able to return to his own time, or if he might find a life—and a love—140 years in the past.
So are you ready for a really fun time travel story? Humor, drama, tragedy, romance--it's all there. I would love to show Amazon that they missed the boat when they passed on this one. Wouldn't that be something, to have the book be a best seller and they let it go by? They might just rethink that Kindle Scout program.
For all of you who voted for Travis, I send my heartfelt thanks. You guys rock. I hope you'll take advantage of this 99 cent sale and meet the real Travis. I know you'll like him.
The good news is, that's not going to stand in the way of a good book. I've already published the book myself, both as a paperback and an ebook. And, just to kick off the new release with a bang, I've priced the ebook at only 99 cents. I have to say: I love this book. It's my new favorite. Yeah, I know, I'm a tad prejudiced, but I just really, really like it. I think you might, too.Here's the blurb:
Travis Merrill’s life isn’t going according to plan. He’s quit several career paths, his wife has left him, and his only solace is volunteering to portray a cavalry surgeon at historic Fort Verde in Arizona, a place where time seems to stand still. When a weird trick of time actually sends him back to the year 1877, he’s boxed into impersonating the post surgeon for real. Unfortunately, he finds his medical knowledge is no match for the primitive practices of the day, and he’s forced to make life or death decisions, not always successfully. He wonders if he will ever be able to return to his own time, or if he might find a life—and a love—140 years in the past.
So are you ready for a really fun time travel story? Humor, drama, tragedy, romance--it's all there. I would love to show Amazon that they missed the boat when they passed on this one. Wouldn't that be something, to have the book be a best seller and they let it go by? They might just rethink that Kindle Scout program.
For all of you who voted for Travis, I send my heartfelt thanks. You guys rock. I hope you'll take advantage of this 99 cent sale and meet the real Travis. I know you'll like him.
