M.B. Mulhall's Blog, page 6
February 18, 2014
How Do You Measure Success?
Ask this question to ten different people and you might very well get ten different answers. Many may say success lies in the amount of money you make, while others will say it’s reaching your goals. Sometimes, it’s just not so easy a question to answer.
Is success selling a certain amount of books? I recently came across a quote that said: “The average U.S. book is now selling less than 250 copies per year and less than 3,000 copies over its lifetime”. I’m not sure how true it is or where it came from, but if I used that to measure success, I have no doubt I’d be considered successful by year’s end.
Is it in the money you make? Considering most authors I know work another job in conjunction with writing, I don’t think most of us are in it for the money. Not to say that wouldn’t be nice, but I think most of us aren’t expecting to be able to live off our book royalties.
If your book gets picked up for movie, does that mean you’re a success? Probably! Hah except that they typical have to change the story to fit the different medium, so it doesn’t always end up as powerful as your writing, but I would definitely rank it up there high on the success ladder.
I think, for me, success lies in the reviews, both good and bad. I think writing something that moves the reader enough to want to review it means your writing has touched them in some way. Of course the good reviews make you feel better about your writing and it’s lovely to see people enjoying your story, feeling for your characters, etc. but I’ll take the bad as well and use it to better myself and my writing.
How do you measure your own success?
February 13, 2014
Help is available…
In Heavyweight, Ian and his friends deal with a lot of issues: eating disorders, bullying,prejudice and the stress that comes along with school life. Sadly, these are issues that many teens are dealing with these days. They aren’t to be taken lightly as these kinds of issues can lead to hospitalization, depression and even possibly suicide.
Having the internet at one’s fingertips can assist someone in finding the help or support to get through these situations. The Web allows for an anonymity that can help a teen or young adult feel more comfortable opening up and seeking assistant for their problems.
Here are some some websites and phone numbers that offer support:
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention 1-800-931-2237
Eating Disorders Center 1-888-236-1188
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders 1-847-831-3438
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorders 630-577-1330, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday http://www.anad.org
Thursday’s Child National Youth Advocacy Hotline 800-USA-KIDS (800-872-5437) Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week http://www.thursdayschild.org
Bullying
http://www.cyberbullyhotline.com/
National Bullying Prevention Center
Kids Helpline: Bullying
Depression
National Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK)
National Hopeline Network 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) http://www.hopeline.com/
The Trevor Project , 866-488-7386 (24/7) Live Chat with the Trevor Project (Fridays 4pm- 5pm EST)
Crisis Call Center 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week http://crisiscallcenter.org/crisisservices.html
Stress and Anxiety
National Institute of Mental Health Information Center 866-615-6464
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
National Mental Health Association Hotline 800-273-TALK (8255)
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week http://www.nmha.org
LGBT Support
http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
http://www.liveoutloud.info/
GLBT National Help Center
These are just a few of the many options out there. Individual states also seem to have their own sites dedicated to school violence and bullying.
If you’re a parent, consider printing the list and hanging it somewhere your teen will see. It could help them knowing the information is readily available and to know that you understand they may be going through difficult times.
If you’re a teen who is in over their heads, needs help but feel they have no where to turn, who is worried for a friend or wants to do something to help those suffering from any of these issues, do your research, join a forum, make a call or send an email. You are not alone and there are others who understand what you’re going through and there is help out there. Love yourself and know that you’re important and worthwhile.
February 11, 2014
Cover Reveal: After the Storm
Yay! I’ve got this super pretty cover for a new book from a writing buddy of mine, Marie Landry, to share with you. Wait until you see, I bet you’ll want to run right out and pre-order it.
Ready?
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Should I leave you in suspense?
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Nahhh, I’m not that mean.
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Or am I?
Hahah!
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Ta-da! Isn’t it really pretty? I love the softness of it but the pop of color from the umbrella makes me think there’s hope. I guess we’ll just have to read to find out for sure! (Go on, add it to your Goodread‘s list. You know you want to)
Synopsis:
For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.
When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.
Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought…
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Since Valentine’s Day is later this week, I’ll share an excerpt from the book dubbed “First Kiss”
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~First Kiss~
River moves closer and wraps his arms around me. It’s exactly what I need, and I melt against him, putting my arms around him and holding on tight. His warm skin, soft shirt, and now-familiar scent combine to make me feel safe and…what? Happy? After what I went through with Sadie tonight, it feels selfish to be happy, but Mrs. Maracle’s words pop into my head. I deserve to be happy. My mom would want me to be happy, and she’d be glad that a boy like River could help me get there.
“Thank you,” I mumble against his neck.
“What for?” One hand moves is slow circles over my back before winding in my hair.
“For being here. I was going to apologize for making you come all this way when I can’t really hang out, but now I’m glad you’re here. I needed this.”
He eases away so he can look into my eyes, but his arms remain around me. He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it and shakes his head. His face is close to mine, and all I can think about is kissing him. I lick my lips involuntarily and his gaze moves to my mouth, lingering there. Blood rushes to my head, making me dizzy, and I rock forward on the step, gripping his arms tighter.
His eyes darken, and I know this is it. It feels like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for River to kiss me, even though it’s only been a few weeks. When his lips meet mine, I let out a soft moan that would normally embarrass me but I can’t bring myself to care. All I can think about is his lips on mine, his hands in my hair, the taste of his cinnamon gum on his tongue when it touches mine.
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Marie has a lot of great stuff going on to accompany this cover reveal. She’s got a Rafflecopter giveaway going on, so be sure to click the link below to enter!
She’s also running a sale on Waiting for the Storm, a companion novel to After the Storm.
Amazon
*This is the US link, but it’s also on sale at Amazon Canada and UK
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Bio:
Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood she’s had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. She’s a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic eavesdropper (occupational hazard), an equally unapologetic squeeing fangirl, and a lover of swoonworthy book and TV characters. For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie any time!
Links:
Blog: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieLandryAuthor?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SweetMarie83
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188180.Marie_Landry
February 6, 2014
Lost in the shuffle
With everything going on with the release of Heavyweight, another big change happened and I didn’t get to discuss it and share it with you all!
If you’ve been nosing around, you may have noticed one of my books has had a bit of a makeover. Thanks to winning second place in a “worst cover” contest (awww), Tears of a Clown was treated to a new cover by artist Mallory Rock.
We went back and forth with ideas and possibilities. It was hard, for me, to come up with a concept that represented the book but wouldn’t scare away readers (which I thought may have been possible with the old cover, even though I personally loved it).
Finally, after a lot of tweaking (I was picky and she was patient!), we settled on this colorful, graphic design:
We’ve got the tear, the heart for the romance and the pie for…well you’ll have to read the book to see where that fits in!
Right now only the digital version of the book has been changed, but eventually I will have her create the spine and back cover for the print version, so if you prefer the original cover, get it while you still can!
What’s your opinion on changing covers to books that have already released?
January 28, 2014
And so it begins…
Firstly, thanks to everyone who helped make Heavyweight‘s release so successful! Whether you shared a link, liked a post, re-tweeted a tweet or purchased the book, every little bit helps and I’m extremely grateful to you all! If you did purchase a book (thank you!) please consider leaving a review when you’ve finished it. I’d love to know what you thought of it, but also, it’s helpful for prospective buyers to see if other readers enjoyed it.
Secondly, I just want to put out there, that if you’re interested in reading my book but don’t have the money to spend on it (trust me, I know how that goes) go to your local library and speak with the librarian to see if they can get it. My publisher, Harmony Ink Press, is very interested in getting their books into libraries so please, don’t hesitate to ask!
The reason I bring it up is because while Googling myself and the book title (like you guys don’t do it! Hah), I found a request for the book on a pirate site. The book hasn’t even been out for a week yet and already someone is trying to get (and got!) a free copy. The person asking was from Venezuela,so perhaps they couldn’t purchase it there, but it’s still hard to see, especially when the e-book version is so affordable. I hope, at least, that person will review it somewhere.
On one hand, it’s a compliment that they were interested enough in reading it to try and hunt down a copy, but on the other hand unless an author is named Stephen King or JK Rowling, they are not typically making very much money. Every sale counts and a lot of people put time and effort into the production of the book, not just the author, so please keep that in mind if you’re considering hunting for a freebie.
What are your thoughts on pirate sites and would you be forgiving if everyone who got a freebie gave you a review?
January 23, 2014
Happy Birthday, Heavyweight!
It’s finally here, release day! Huzzah! The actual publication process has been quick but this has been a long time coming since my fingers first touched the keys to pen the tale of Ian and Julian.
When I finish the first draft all I could think was that I really wanted this story to reach as many people as possible and I knew, from self pubbing two other books, that I wanted to shop this one out to agents and small presses. I had entered a couple contests and several agents showed interest, asking for fulls, but it always came back “Sorry, just not for us.” I got good advice along the way, but I’ll admit it was a bit discouraging. When my writing buddy, Patty, told me Dreamspinner Press had a young adult division, I decided I’d give it one more shot before seriously considering self publishing the book.
I’m so glad I did! The fine folks at Harmony Ink have done a great job polishing my story and giving it a beautiful cover. I know it’s better than I could have done on my own and I’m super excited that they will work to get Heavyweight into libraries as well as online bookstores, so that the story I love so much can reach a much larger audience.
Thanks to everyone who had a hand in making this possible! Without all of you, Heavyweight would not be ready to release into the wild!
I hope you guys will enjoy reading Ian’s journey as much as I enjoyed writing it and bringing it to life. If you do me the honor of reading the story, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads or where ever you purchased the book from. I would be eternally grateful!
Where to purchase Heavyweight:
Barnes & Noble, iTunes and others to follow!
Blurb:
Secrets. Their weight can be crushing, but their release can change everything—and not necessarily for the better. Ian is no stranger to secrets. Being a gay teen in a backwater southern town, Ian must keep his orientation under wraps, especially since he spends a lot of time with his hands all over members of the same sex, pinning their sweaty, hard bodies to the wrestling mat.
When he’s trying not to stare at teammates in the locker room, he’s busy hiding another secret—that he starves himself so he doesn’t get bumped to the next weight class.
Enter Julian Yang, an Adonis with mesmerizing looks and punk rocker style. Befriending the flirtatious artist not only raises suspicion among his classmates, but leaves Ian terrified he’ll give in to the desires he’s fought to ignore.
As secrets come to light, Ian’s world crumbles. Disowned, defriended, and deserted by nearly everyone, Ian’s one-way ticket out of town is revoked, leaving him trapped in a world he hates—and one that hates him back.
January 21, 2014
Cover Reveal: Button Down
One of my New Year goals was to get more involved in promo and make better connections via networking. Having a book coming out with Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink means I’ve got a whole new network of awesome authors to help promote! Today’s cover reveal is for one such author, Dawn Kimberly Johnson. In fact, not only do you get a great cover, you get an excerpt to whet your appetite as well!
First, let’s peek at the cover itself.
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Ready?
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How about now?
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Maybe now?
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Ooooh alright. I’ll get on with it already!
Don’t you just want him to take that tie off and get going with those buttons? I do love a man in a suit!
If that wasn’t enough to spark your interest, how about a blurb and an excerpt?
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Blurb: When he finds himself captivated by a movie-star handsome stranger he meets in a bar, lawyer Ford Reilly watches a simple one-night stand develop into a taste of what living honestly might bring him.
Out and proud Gus Hansen has built a small architectural firm from nothing, but could lose it all as he tries to break a contract he signed before knowing about the project’s antigay ties.
After Ford discovers he spent a passionate night with the man on the other side of the dispute he’s handling, he finds himself in more than one quandary. He can either maintain the status quo, enforcing the contract to the letter, or he can defy his overbearing father and break free of the closeted life he’s built for himself in order to be with Gus.
Gus has his own choices to make. He knows the sting of loving a man who hides himself, but the longer he lingers in Ford’s presence, the more difficult it becomes to deny their attraction.
Excerpt:
After ditching their mother, or her ditching them, Royce and Ford went to grab a burger together at Teenie’s Diner. They ate in silence, savoring the delicious grilled flavor of Teenie’s Gutbuster special, which Royce finished easily, but Ford struggled to get a third of the way through.
“How’d your trip to Atlanta go?” Royce asked, sitting back with a sated sigh and a pat to his still trim belly. Ford couldn’t control the frown that crossed his face in time, and Royce caught it. “What? No luck?”
“Luck? With what?”
“With the architect.” The two brothers stared at each other for a couple of seconds. “Did you get him to turn over the designs?”
“Oh!” Ford laughed nervously and ran his hand over his face. “Uh, well… not right then, no. But I made it clear to… his lawyer that he didn’t have a choice. I expect the designs to be delivered before the end of the week.”
“Good enough. I’m sure Daddy will be satisfied.”
“When is our father ever satisfied?” Ford asked, picking up his unsweetened tea for a sip, but he realized he didn’t have room in his stomach and placed the glass back on the table.
Royce frowned. “Now, Ford—”
Cicely slid into the booth next to her fiancé. “Should you be eating so close to dinner?”
“You know me, hon. I can always eat,” Royce said right before kissing her.
“Ooh, onions,” she said, scrunching her nose and waving her hand in front of her beautiful face.
“Sorry, babe.”
She winked. “You can make it up to me later.” Royce laughed, glancing at his little brother in embarrassment.
“Day off?” Ford asked.
“Court ended early today. Judge Rice is on his way to Tupelo.” She signaled the waitress for some coffee. “His youngest is giving him his third grandbaby, and I doubt he’ll be back before next Monday.”
Debbie, a willowy, overworked waitress with mousy-brown hair and twinkling, green eyes, rushed over with a cup, saucer, spoon, and pot of steaming coffee. “How are you today, Ms. Pepper?” she asked as she filled Cicely’s cup.
“I’m good, Debbie, thank you. How are your boys?”
“Toby’s allergies are acting up, and Doug is close to graduating from technical college. Don’t think he’ll be working construction much longer.”
“Good for him.”
Another customer caught Debbie’s attention, and she rushed off. Cicely added two creams and a teaspoon of sugar to her coffee before taking a sip and sighing. “Where was I?”
“Who’s covering for Judge Rice while he’s off becoming a grandfather again?” Ford asked.
“Oh, right. I expect Judge Walker will come up from Valdosta for the rest of the week. Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“I know you will, babe.” Royce leaned in for another kiss, forgetting her previous objection to the onions. He backed off just in time, but Cicely reached out, caressing his face before leaning in and planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. Ford grinned as he witnessed the tender moment, then turned his eyes to the picture window on his right to gaze out on the quiet Main Street of their town, just as a blue convertible zipped by. He grinned. Perfect weather for it.
“Success in Atlanta?” Cicely asked.
“We just went over that,” Royce said. “Ford let that pansy arch—”
“No,” Cicely admonished with a concerned glance at Ford, who narrowed his eyes at her.
“What?” Royce asked, confused.
“Don’t say ‘pansy.’ It’s insulting, derogatory, inappropriate.”
Royce looked around and whispered, “Babe, it’s not like he’s in here.”
Cicely glanced at the other patrons and asked, “Royce, can you honestly say you know the sexual orientation of everyone in this diner?” He chewed that over, and while he did, Cicely continued. “You wouldn’t want to say something ugly that might hurt someone or have them think less of you, would you, sweetie?”
“Uh… sorry.” They all fell silent for a moment as Royce gazed into Cicely’s eyes. Her hand lightly brushed his thigh, and his expression softened, a grin playing at his lips. In the dictionary, under dope, is that face, Ford thought, chuckling to himself as he watched his brother succumb to his best friend’s spell.
*****
Be sure to check out more about those Reilly boys in Button Down!
Buy links:
Dreamspinner Press - http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=button+down&osCsid=hutje2tmpkrvpsgipbteus3gc2&x=-1047&y=-329
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/button-down-dawn-kimberly-johnson/1117792680?ean=2940148925958
Bio:
A native of West Virginia, Dawn earned a BA from the Marshall University W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications and worked as a copy editor at The Charleston Daily Mail for eight years.
Social Media Links:
Blog: http://kimswritingagain.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @Dawn_KJ | https://twitter.com/Dawn_KJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnKimberlyJohnson
Google+ : https://plus.google.com/u/0/113841211608777893259/posts
E-mail: KimsWritingAgain@yahoo.com
January 16, 2014
Are Trigger Warnings Necessary?
As I’ve been perusing Goodreads lately, I’ve noticed a recent trend in the reviews left. Readers are warning others that the story they are about to read has”triggers” that may cause the reader to be uncomfortable or unable to finish reading the book. Triggers include topics such as rape, bullying, eating disorders and negative body image.
It got me thinking, should real warnings be put on these books? If you look at manga in book stores, they all tend to have a rating on the back and explain why it got that rating: nudity, violence, etc. The rating doesn’t stop someone from being able to buy the manga (not like they won’t let a 14 yr old into a rated R movie) but it gives the reader and the parent an idea of what they’re in for.
Doesn’t sound like a horrible idea, but then I got to thinking about what could be considered a trigger and it’s hard to say all the possible things that might set someone off. It could be a story with divorced parents, it could be a main character with a drug problem, or bullying, etc. It would be too hard to cover every possible issue.
There’s also the problem of giving away too much of the story. Maybe you don’t know the circumstances surrounding the character who has an eating disorder, but you’d know from the warning that something is going to happen and, personally, I hate when things are given away before I read!
Also, if we start doing trigger warnings on books, would we have to do TV shows, movies and music too? I feel that would keep a lot of great work from being read/seen/heard.
I don’t mind if readers add the warnings to their reviews, but I think it would be a bad idea to add it to the book itself. When picking up a book, a reader has to know that there’s the possibility that they won’t like it, that it could make them laugh or cry, that it could make them uncomfortable or bring up bad memories. It’s the chance one takes in order to escape into a book and they have the option of putting it down if it bothers them too much.
What is your opinion on adding warnings of any sort on literature?
January 14, 2014
Book Review: Big Fat Disaster
Title: Big Fat Disaster
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Source: Net Galley
Goodreads Rating: 4.25
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Summary (from Goodreads):
Insecure, shy, and way overweight, Colby hates the limelight as much as her pageant-pretty mom and sisters love it. It’s her life: Dad’s a superstar, running for office on a family values platform. Then suddenly, he ditches his marriage for a younger woman and gets caught stealing money from the campaign. Everyone hates Colby for finding out and blowing the whistle on him. From a mansion, they end up in a poor relative’s trailer, where her mom’s contempt swells right along with Colby’s supersized jeans. Then, a cruel video of Colby half-dressed, made by her cousin Ryan, finds its way onto the internet. Colby plans her own death. A tragic family accident intervenes, and Colby’s role in it seems to paint her as a hero, but she’s only a fraud. Finally, threatened with exposure, Colby must face facts about her selfish mother and her own shame. Harrowing and hopeful, proof that the truth that saves us can come with a fierce and terrible price, Big Fat Disaster is that rare thing, a story that is authentically new.
Reaction:
I admit, I saw the cover and skimmed the summary before requesting this book from NetGalley. From the cover alone, the white color, the image, the cutesy font that says Heartbreak Comes in All Sizes, I was expecting a dark humor kind of romance. That was definitely not what I got. The book was much deeper and hit quite a few very serious topics. There was a bit of that dark humor but it was nothing like I expected. It got increasingly sad as the story continued, leading you to really feel for Colby and what she’s going through. All in all, it is well written, a good read and something a little different than what you might be expecting.
Also, know that there could be some triggers, including rape, suicide and eat disorders and while other reviews say they’re not handled well, I feel as if they are handled honestly. We don’t live in a happy go lucky world where kids are always nice and compassionate towards each other. Sad, but true. It’s definitely the kind of book you’ll want to talk with your teen about after the finish reading it because of all the heavy hitting topics it covers and the fact that they may be able to relate to some of the thoughts reflected in the story.
January 9, 2014
Like What You Read? Review it!
In the world of Indie and small press publishing, one of the biggest obstacles to deal with is trying to get reviews. I’ve discussed the unseemly ways some people have gone about it in the past: Paying for 5 star reviews, reviewing competitors with low star ratings so your own looks better, etc.
There are always friends and family, but often, those reviews are chock full of all the good and none of the “not so good” (we won’t say bad because I know you folks aren’t putting bad stuff out there, right? ^_^). While that is lovely and of course we love them for it, I know I get a little suspicious where there are only glowing 5 star reviews and nothing else. You need a well rounded grouping of reviews. It’s guaranteed that not everyone is going to love your work. That’s just the way it goes. Art is subjective, right? So no doubt there are some out there who have read and didn’t really enjoy it. Don’t think you need to keep that info to yourself. While you don’t have to be mean or rude about it, your honest opinion is more helpful than you think. It’s not just good star ratings that draws attention to your books. Your book can be considered popular, even if it has a ton of bad reviews, because obviously people are buying it and reading it.
I understand, in this day and age, people find themselves lucky just to have the time to read, but you really don’t need to do an in depth review. Amazon only needs twenty short words to qualify as a review. How long would it take you to type up twenty words? Less than a minute? Obviously, a little more would help other prospective readers, but something is better than nothing.
If you really enjoy your authors and want to see them keep putting out books you love, support them by reviewing. Even if you get books from the library, you can review them on sites like Goodreads, which many readers use as well before deciding to buy/read something new.
It’s a small thing you can do that can help make a huge difference in an author’s success. Consider taking the time to share your thoughts, regardless of whether you loved it, hated it or were indifferent about it. The authors will thank you.
How often do you leave reviews for the books you read?
