Shelli R. Johannes's Blog, page 27

Bookanistas Watch: Addison Moore

Addison Moore is an indie published author moving up in the ranks. She just came out with her 6th book and consistently hangs in the top 100 ebooks on Amazon. 





She once was an author I admired because she has had great success in doing her books on her own. Now, she is a friend and wonderful support person to me as well. :)





The Celestra series is about sixteen year-old Skyla Messenger who moves to Paragon Island with her family and soon learns she is a descendant of the Nephilim angels. Skyla falls in love with a boy named Logan, but due to the fact they both belong to the nearly extinct but powerful Celestra faction, they cannot be a couple as it endangers their lives. Needless to say, struggles ensue.  





10 Things I love...





1) I love angel books and this is a twist.

2) the covers are so inviting. Like a clear summer night. the blue and white show light and dark. I like that balance.

3)It has a spiritual undertone: dealing with God, Angels, divine intervention in daily lives. I like books that make you think.

4) LOGAN &GAGE are beautiful spirits (team Gage!)

5) Skyla makes decisions and sticks to them

6) Its a light read but pacy - oh yeah - along with cliffhangers and twists :)

7) Laugh out loud lines

8) The mythology behind the angels was interesting

9)She did this on her own - all 6!

10) Addison is as sweet as her book is good.





Check out the other Bookanista Posts: Elana Johnson gushes about THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS
 LiLa Roecker  sings for VIRTUOSITY
Rosemary Clement-Moore gets all wrapped up in WRAPPED
Jessi Kirby yearns to start another REVOLUTION
Nikki Katz screams for LEGEND
Katy Upperman sets us all up for BEFORE I FALL










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The Official Untraceable Blog Tour

Okay peeps - so here is my schedule for the blog tour that starts on Monday, November 14th. (wow is anyone else freaking out but me?)





Don't worry - every interview is not the same. I made sure each person had something different - about writing, marketing, indie pubbing, and my book/characters.



Nov 14th - Lori Lee on (What makes a good book signing)
Nov 15th - Kelly Polark (The Beats of Writing - using music)
Nov 16th - Karly Kirkpatrick (Guest post on Author Journey)
Nov 17th - *Once Upon a Twilight (Book Review)
Nov 18th - DL Hammons (Talking about marketing over Cyber-Coffee), Unicorn Bell (Book Review)
Nov 21st - Ashley Christiano (An Interview with Characters) 
Nov 22nd - Shannon O'Donnell (An Author's Journey from A to Z and back again)
Nov 23rd - Refracted Light Reviews/Dani (Changing the stigma of self publishing)
Nov 27th - Readinista (Dissecting Untraceable)
Nov 28th - SupaGurl/Heather (book review) and Dorothy Dreyer (Getting to know You & Your book)
Nov 29th - LAUNCH DAY! Total Bookaholic/Jessica (Character Interview with Grace)
Nov 30th - Super Natural Shark/Jenny (Everything But the Kitchen Sink) and Susan Dennard (How did you get here?), Kai Strand (Three Times a Charm interview)
Dec 1st - Authors Now/Jamie Mason and PaperCuts/Samantha (eBooks vs Books)
Dec 2nd - Meredeth (Building Your Platform) and Christine (Redefining yourself and taking charge of your career) 
Dec 5th - Nazarea (The Author Process) and PJ Hoover (Top 10 ebook Release Tips)
Dec 6th - Margay (How to Self Pub the Write Way) and Ali Cross (How to be a Wilderness Survival Ninja) and Cindy/Books Complete Me (Interview/Book Review)
Dec 7th - Literary Rambles (Mystery Post) and Laura (What makes a good thriller?)
Dec 8th - Elana (All about epublishing) and Elle (book review)
Dec 9th - Tynga's Reviews/Jennifer (A Christmas with Grace)
Dec 12th - Jemi (The Writing Process and Just For Fun) and Katherine Hawkins (Girl Crush/Inspirational Women)
Dec 13th - Elizabeth (Tips to writing thrillers)
Dec 14th - SupaGurl Books (The Playlist for Untraceable) and Unicorn Bell (Marketing in publishing)
Dec 15th - Kathy Inspired (Get to know the author on a more personal level)
Dec 16th - Good Choice Reading/Maria (Interview/book review)
Dec 19th - The Reading Angel Angela (Interview)
Dec 20th - Brent/Naughty Book Kitties (Publicity tips for Untraceable)
Dec 21st - Michelle/Hooked To Books (Writing to Music/Playlist)
Dec 22nd - Mary/The Book Swarm (Book Journey)
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More behind the scenes

The Official Blog Tour 





I will announce the Peeps and schedule tomorrow! yay! I will also have a banner if anyone wants to grab it for their blog.









Behind The Scenes Sneak Peeks



Don't forget - the BIG cover reveal is on Friday! 



Stay tuned to Novel Novice's blog andVania's blog this week - they are doing a big expose, showing different cover shots for Untraceable with the REAL ONE popping up on Friday. 









Here are a few more shots from behind the scenes:







Vania build a net of sticks.

It was a cool shot and I loved it but

looked too much like Forest of Hands and Teeth.






Model lying in vines. Grace would lie down and rest

so this ended up not working for the cover.










Jae charging across the bridge






Me, Jae, and Vania or Author, Model, Photographer


























Do you guys have any questions for me or Vania on the shoot or cover? What is your favorite cover of all times?http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...

Behind the Scene - cover shoot sneak peeks!

In the Home Stretch





Okay so I am almost there - only 3 weeks until the launch! Can you believe it?



I got over the hump this weekend. My copy edits are done and my cover is done (yay!) Now, my hubby and I are just working on formatting which is a pain in the arse. Ugh! I'm moving through all the interviews as they are scheduled.  Reviews are starting to come in and they are very positive. I'm so thankful for all the support I'm getting.



Nerves are starting to build and doubts are starting to set in - especially when I'm tired. What if they don't like it? What if I'm not good enough? What if I fail? Will people get the book? Will people support me? Will my book stand out in the thousands of books out there?



I push those down and keep pushing forward but it's hard. Because when you are traditionally published - you have agents, and marketing teams, and editors that love your work. At the end of the day, right now, it's just me.



Now I need to start planning my online launch party - which will have tons of prizes, gifts, and surprises. I'm going to do a chat too. Maybe on my process, book and marketing. I'm scheduling a few different times so everyone can come and I'll let you know more then.



Tomorrow, I will publish the "OFFICIAL Untraceable Blog Tour" which kicks off next week! My tour guides rock!



Behind The Scenes Sneak Peeks



Big cover reveal on Friday! Yikes! I love it Vania did an awesome job and found the PERFECT model. She. Is. Grace.



Starting this afternoon, stay tuned to Novel Novice's blog and Vania's blog this week - they are doing a big expose, showing different cover shots for Untraceable with the REAL ONE popping up on Friday. You can also follow them on Twitter: Vania and Novel Novice.



I'm about to pee in my pants with excitement. I. Can't. Wait. for you all to see it. EEEEPS!



I'll be sharing a few EXCLUSIVE 'behind the scene' photos from the shoot all week long.....





This is exactly who Grace is to me.


Vania at work




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Indie Guest Post with Danyelle Leafty (Catspell)

Danyelle has dropped in to give us some insight into her publishing experience. 

Her book Catspell is available on Amazon.





Sixteen-year-old Breena never thought anything could be worse than being forced to leave the faerie realm. Then she got stuck with a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, she'd leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail.



Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though. The potion wasn't meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, she'll have to accept that sometimes a fairy godmother really does come in handy, after all.





=================



Thanks for having me, Shelli. I've enjoyed your blog for the last couple of years, and it's an honor to be here. J

Why Self-Publish?

In January of this year, if you had asked me if I would ever consider self-publishing, I would have said no.

Like most writers out there, I just want to write. I didn't want to have to worry about cover design, formatting, and marketing. I wanted my career to consist of the story, my computer, and me. I'd get the story down, edit and polish it, and then hand it off for someone else to take care of while I tackled the next story.

Then I attended a weeklong writing seminar that focused solely on rewriting and editing. Strangely enough, it was at this seminar that I started to see writing as an act of business. Writing can be an art, but the most beautifully crafted and brilliantly written book in the world misses its potential if no one reads it.

For a book to truly live, it must be read.

With this in mind, I went from wanting to be published to wanting to be read. I don't think those two desires are necessarily exclusive of one another—especially as being read depends on being published in one form or another. But it did change my perception as well as my strategy.

Because of this, I came up with my five-year plan. (When I had focused solely on publishing commercially, I focused most of my attention on my current WIP, rather than my career over a longer period of time.)

I created a spreadsheet in Word and had a heading for each series I was writing or planned on writing. Then I listed each book in the series and projected a date for when it would be written, revised, and the year I hoped to have it published. Then I went through and color-coded the cells according to the series they were in and what level of completion they were at. The darker the color, the more work I needed to do on it. I also specified how I planned on having the book published.

It really helped me to have my goals written down, because it changed them from a nebulous idea into a concrete plan.

Looking at writing as a business also gave me the idea of diversifying. I don't really have strong feelings about which way is the right way to publish, because I don't think publishing has to be all or nothing. All that matters to me is getting the story to my readers.

So I decided to self-publish my Fairy Godmother Dilemma Series while querying the first book of a different series to agents. I have another series I'm aiming at the enhanced e-book market. Publishing is going through some major transitions at the moment, and this could end up being very good for both authors and readers in the future. But with everything being shaky and publishers cutting back, I didn't want to put all my eggs in one publishing basket.

Changing the way I looked at the writing business and publishing also helped me crystallize how I wanted my career to look over the long-term. Helped me define what things I'd be willing to compromise on, and what things are important enough to me to warrant walking away from a contract. Shifting my perception has been one of the most freeing things I've ever done, because I'm taking deliberate charge of my career rather than waiting for it to happen.

All in all, now is one of the most exciting times to be an author. There are so many choices and options available. Is it hard to become an established author? Yes. But it's always been hard. Are there challenges? Definitely. But now, more than ever, so much more is possible. And that's what I'm aiming for.

Other ways to find Danyelle:





danyelleleafty.com

mglitchat.blogspot.com

myth-takes.blogspot.com

querytracker.blogspot.com

twitter.com/#!/danyelleleafty

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Bookanista Buzz: become by Ali Cross

Today I wanted to tell you about Become by Ali Cross. 





Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it's cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she's sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.



When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn't count on, is finding a reason to change—from something she's never 

had before—a friend. 





I know what you are thinking: not another paranormal book but this book is different. Trust me!





10 Things I loved about this book:





I know I always say this - but hey I don't read books much if the cover doesn't grab me. It's what I look at first. This cover is awesome. That is a big compliment coming from me b/c my friends will tell you I am picky. I love that it is a badass angel figure. I love the purple and grey. And I love sacrificial undertones. I am actually jealous this is not my cover.
Desi is a badass. She is so true to a teen and jumps off the page. She is flawed and I love that she's not perfect and doesn't pretend to be. She's actually okay with not being perfect. Who doesn't need a little of that?
Michael is yummy. Yummier than what your yummiest yummy is. That's all I'll say about that! Oh yeah and there was tons of kissing. :)
The book pulls you through - if it's not through external plot racing moments, then its from the internal conflict that is - at times- heart breaking.
The relation to real life. The relationship between Desi and her father can be translated in any teen's world. Overbearing father, wants her to be something she isn't. Has expectations of her that she doesn't have of herself. And while yes - he is the devil - he still seems real to me in a way. Even shows a slight vulnerable side in that he loves his daughter.
It is a nice twist on the angel/demon battling books. Not only is the key relationship between father and daughter (I seem to see mom issues more but maybe that's just me) and she just happens to be the devil's daughter. Uh... awkward and can you imagine the pressure she's under? Slightly intimidating.
There seems to be a underlying mix of Norse mythology and modern Christian theology. So it makes you think about how you really see the world around you. I like books that make you think. 
Even her secondary characters stand out and jump off the page. I already mentioned Michael, but Lucy intrigued me as well.
Ali's writing is  layered and descriptive. Sometimes extremely intense and a bit shocking.
Lastly, I love that this book is self published. I think Ali did a great job and has put out a high quality book. And she did it all herself, which is hard and amazing.
So - go get this book! It debuts on 11/11/11 and I'm glad I got a sneak peak!





I actually want her to be my new beffie :)

You can follow Ali and her publishing journey on her blog, facebook, or twitter.









Check out these other Bookanista favs









Elana Johnson is crazy about Crossed and Shatter MeLiLa Roecker swoons for SirenzChristine Fonseca  interviews Kids Inventing! author Susan CaseyShelli Johannes-Wells dishes on Become (Desolation Book #1)Beth Revis celebrates books for which she's grateful – with gigantic signed book giveawayMegan Miranda marvels at How to Save a LifeRosemary Clement Moore is wild for The Iron WitchVeronica Rossi  is amazed by Shatter Me

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Quick Update on Book News

Hey guys - 





I am overwhelmed with book stuff. But wanted to give you a quick update on where I am for my book launch. 





Good news - I am starting to get some reviews back. Check out this one from Heather :)





Expense Total for Book: $1900



$10 for stock photo
$50 donation to Teen Book Scene
$500 for editing with professional editor
$300 book design
$650 for advertising 
$40 CreateSpace Pro Plan
$250 ISBN block of 10
$100 giveaways for launch




Expected expenses coming:





Lightning Source - $150
Facebook AD - $250
So far here is what I have set up for the launch:

50 blog tour for NOv 15 - Dec 24. 
Feature on yalit chat for December
Set up teen blog tour for Jan 15-30th
3 day ad on Kindle Nation - Dec 13, 14, 15
Online launch party with giveaways, a chat, and more.
feature on Sorority Gamma Phi Beta winter newsletter
Giveaway on Goodreads
Contacted Kirkus on a possible review
Made banner for Blog Tour
Created thumbnail people can display
Creating postcard with code for free exerpt
Other things I have done: Contacted mom blogs
Contacted NPR on feature






I'd love to know if you have any ideas or questions for me!









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Creating an Online Media Kit

If you missed this opportunity for free books and to plug your blog - go here.



Today, I'm going to talk about creating a solid Media Kit, also called a Press kit.

I am working on mine right now so it is great timing.

I think you should have these online so they are easily downloadable as well as in paper to hand out if you go to a school, library or bookstore.

You don't have to be published to do this. Self pubbed authors should absolutely do this (especially online) and pre-published authors can get ahead of the game! You never know. A media kit on your web site may even help you sell your book if an agent or editor comes across it.

In Guerrilla Marketing, it says the key to approaching the media, is to have the right materials in place to make it easy for placement. Books, web site, and media kit.

Tips on Creating Your Media Kit Your media kit should be accessible online. That way you can mail it out or email a link. You need to have everything easily available for editors or reviewers in case they don't want or need to contact you personally. All this information will convince them to interview you.
This is the first impression they have of you so make it good, professional, and of high quality. It is better to do a few things great than a lot of things mediocre. It can make the difference!
Make sure you keep your information current. A lot of authors forget to update their information.
Color is always better than B/W - except in your photo (that is just preference)
You should have a menu items to it is easy to find. A lot of media outlets wont search if it is not right there. They don't have time.
Must Haves of Online Media Kit An author photo - high res is important.
A short bio
Any links to articles or reviews or other interviews (pdfs would be better b/c links to other sites can change)
A one page press release on your book - update this quarterly with recent news - maybe including new reviews, sales, printing releases, milestones (Go to prnews.com for some samples). If you are prepubbed - you probably can skip this piece for now.
List of basic interview questions and questions (FAQs) (next week I will focus on how to write a good press release!)
Link to Tour dates/signings/speaking engagements
Updated contact information including social networks
One page book synopsis 
Pdf of book cover (if you have one)
Page of reviews on your book (if you have one)
Nice To Haves (Especially in this age of technology) Video, audio, even a VLOG of you talking at signing or in interview - optional but I think in this day and age any technology is ideal
Book Trailer
Podcasts
Recommended List of speaking topics
Recommended List of pre-answered interview questions
Mail-out Media Try to use special folders. Glossy is preferred. Double pocket with biz card window. yellow, white or grey manila folders are not ok
Cover letter - be professional - include project pitch, bio, and how you can benefit them (like a longer query letter)
Business cards - do NOT print off your own. Make them nice.
Order stickers for front - maybe book cover or other art. You can get folders and labels customized at VistaPrint.
Be sure everything is branded to be in alignment with your book/genre/author persona For example: use the same colors as your book, use images from your book) If you book is about a princes, use a tiara as a symbol. If your book is about going green, use a leaf or a green color scheme.)
You can add in cdsdvd's of book trailers or videos. Also include any pdfs of covers and head shots
Any copies of newspapers, articles, interviews etc
Always do your research, make a few calls to be sure you get your kit to the right person if you are mailing it out.
Some great articles on creating media kits

Online Media Kit The ultimate PR toolAn author's press kit



Great Media Examples: Tricia Goyer
Yasmine Galenorn
Alyson Noel
Sarah Dessen
Sarah Beth Durst
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Hello Lurkervilles - Come out, come out where ever you are...

Okay so my computer is back up and to celebrate, I'd like to give away some books. Plus I don't think I've done a contest in a while. And to be honest, Ive not been a very good blogger friend and visiting as many people as possible.



Why books? Because I get a lot from publishers to review and now they are invading my office and I need space - some are old and some are new.



But - I'd also like to find some new blogs and let you guys put your blog out there for others to find.



After all that is why you did it right.



So to enter - all you have to do is give a little pitch on your blog - be sure the blog address is in there so we can all check you out. I know how hard it is to start a blog and get no comments. Or to run and blog and want more followers. So lets get you guys meeting each other :)



I'll do a drawing of those who come out of the blogger closet and say hi in the comments. Lets say I'll give away 10-20 books. You have to be from US to get a book (unless you want to pay shipping b/c I have no money) but you can be form anywhere to put your blog out there for us to see.



All you have to do is say hi and include your blog (and email so I can get in touch with you if you win :)



Anyone of you followers can enter - old or new.



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Indie-view: Michelle Davidson Argyle's Monarch

Michelle Davidson Argyle stops by to discuss her indie publishing journey.

She is the author of several books including Monarch  (love the cover) that was just released. She started out as a self-published author and her new book was picked up my Rhemalda Publishing. You can read the first 2 chapters here.

Nick's life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness—a wife who committed suicide, and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he'll have the chance to start his life over again.

Just when Nick is on the brink of catching Ferreira, he's framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He's safe, but not for long…

How did you started in self publishing?

I started in self-publishing not because I wanted to necessarily start in that spot, but because the project I was working on at the time was one which I knew was not a good fit for breaking into traditional publishing. When I started Cinders, it wasn't long before I realized it would only be a novella and that it was something I'd like to publish all on my own. Essentially, I wrote the book to self-publish it, and I wasn't intending on it to be anything but a fun little project. I had bigger plans to break into traditional publishing down the road, but things turned out a little differently than I expected! I'm now with a small press that I love, and they've signedCinders as part of a three-novella collection titled Bonded, to be published fall of 2013.



What were your biggest lessons learned throughout your publishing career?

My biggest lesson learned is that my publishing journey does not have to be like anyone else's, nor does it have to move quickly. I really like where I'm at right now, starting small and enjoying myself. I have my whole life to grow my career, so it makes no sense to get impatient for huge things to happen. I think it's the small things we enjoy the most that are where real happiness lies.

Can you tell us more about your new publisher?

Rhemalda Publishing is an independent small press based in Washington state. Rhett Hoffmeister is the president and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I love Rhemalda Publishing because one of their main goals is to make sure that a book doesn't ever end up unsatisfactory to the author even though it goes through every process that a book with a huge publishing house goes through. I have say over my cover, editing, even the interior layout as all of that happens. They care deeply about each and every book, and it shows. 

What are your five favorite things?

My family, food (cheese, sushi, Greek, and curry), reading, the smell of autumn (fall leaves, chilly air), and creating things like art and books.

You can follow Michelle on Twitter or Facebook or Goodreads.

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