Kate Bloomfield's Blog, page 4

Why are eBooks so expensive?

Do I pay for the eBook and read it instantly?Or do I pay LESS for the paperback and wait a week or two?

Eg: "Casual Vacancy" by J.K. ROWLING. (Don't get me wrong, I love this woman.
Hardcover: $21.00
Ebook: $24.34

Seriously? I would much rather hold, feel, own, and smell a physical book over a digital copy any day. MANY publishers are doing this now and it will obviously hurt the eBook industry. So, are they doing it on purpose to drive sales back to their physical books? Are they worried that the popularity of eBooks will destroy bookstores worldwide?

As an independent author, I price my eBooks rather low (Between $1.99 and $3.99)
A) Because readers don't like paying $9.99 for an eBook by an unknown author.
B) To get people thinking "Oh, it's only a couple of dollars, I might as well try it."

Maybe if/when I'm ever famous I'll price them a little higher ($4.99 or $6.99) so the price reflects the work I've put into my books.

At the moment I feel as though my prices are really low. After all, I spend MONTHS upon MONTHS writing these books, and sometimes I really don't sell that many at all. So selling my work for $1.99 really doesn't reflect my hard work.

Though I guess the good thing about ebooks is they never expire. You don't run out of stock. It is infinite.

Which is why I don't understand why people need to charge $10+ for eBooks, as they are never ending.

Alpha Girl Reviews

Hello!
So, the last week I've been promoting my new Paranormal Romance 'Alpha Girl' like crazy! I've been doing giveaways of paperbacks and eBooks via Goodreads. Now, some of the reviews are starting to come back.
It's very exciting! These people were lucky enough to read Alpha Girl before the release date, and have done me the great favor by reviewing it.


Here's what they had to say:


"IT WAS PHENOMENAL! I never thought this was an adult book! Well, I loved it! This book exceeded my expectations. Anyway, since I have read other adult novels, this was fresh for me. All of the adult novels I've read so far, all men protagonists are filthy rich and this was an exception to it. And let's not forget some supernatural happenings here. I'm looking forward for a sequel. And I hope there's more!"
- Danyka Lintoco
5 STARS


"Alpha Girl was one of the most uncomfortable yet captivating reading experiences I have ever had. I need to put one thing out there first: Alpha Girl is NOT a YA book. It has frequent strong language and features graphic sexual encounters between a seventeen-year-old girl and her English teacher. Anyway, I was riveted. Alpha Girl is actually quite intimate and has a fairly small cast of characters. This is a romance (albeit a twisted one). Of course, it was still very thrilling, and the suspense cranks tighter and tighter as the books progresses. Don't pick up this book expecting a darkly sweet, cutesy love story. This book will blast you out of your comfort zone and make you hate yourself for turning the page. But you will turn the page"
- Mark Carver
4 STARS

BookWhirl Scam

Today I recieved a call on my home phone from a woman called Jen Daniels, claiming to be from the U.S. She told me she is a marketing consultant for a company called Bookwhirl.com that specialises in marketing self published authors. She was clearly reading from a script as she spouted the different ways she could help me improve my book's sales.

I asked Jen to send me all of the information through in an email, so I could secretly have the time to google this company before agreeing to anything. Lucky.

The first thing that pops up in google when you search Bookwhirl is 'Scam.'


This was my response to their email:

Jen,
The reason I asked you to email me is so I could have the time to research BookWhirl. Needless to say I am not impressed with the results.

I took one look at your company's website, checked the programs and the prices, and immediately concluded that your company knows very little about effective book marketing.
I found numerous websites discussing your company's practices, and the many comments on the website confirmed my first impressions, even downgrading what I initially thought about the integrity and usefulness of your company.

It is sad to see that the word 'scam' comes up as soon as I Google 'Book Whirl.'

Please do not call my home number again. (I'm not even sure how you found my home number in the first place) and refrain from contacting me in any way.

Regards,
Kate Bloomfield

'Alpha Girl'

 
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    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          Alpha Girl
     
     

          by Kate Bloomfield
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends March 15, 2013.
         

         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

     
   
   


      Enter to win

Seventeen year old Rose Goldman is highly unpopular in the little town of Halfway. Ever since the 'attack' when she was a little girl, people and animals have been afraid of her. She gets bullied in school, and called 'wet dog' because of the way she smells, despite being extremely hygienic. However, life takes a turn when a new teacher starts at Halfway High. Mr. Stone, the quirky and charismatic English teacher is twice Rose's age, but she feels an unexplainable pull towards him from day one. Despite her better judgement, Rose pursues a friendship with Mr. Stone, who seems unable to stay away from her. What is pulling this unlikely pair together?

Student/Teacher Paranormal Romance

Working Title: Alpha Girl
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Target Audience: Young Adult (15+)
Rating: MA15+ (Contains scenes of a sexual nature)    


Word count (so far): 44,600

Word Goal (approx): 50,000

Words left: 5,400

Daily goal: 1000 words

Days until completion: 6 days + unknown editing time

Kate's new Paranormal Romance novel

Working Title: Alpha Girl
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Target Audience: Young Adult (15+)
Rating: MA15+ (Contains scenes of a sexual nature)    


Word count (so far): 31,000

Word Goal (approx): 50,000

Words left: 19,000

Daily goal: 1000 words

Days until completion: 19 days + unknown editing time

Alpha Girl (Student/Teacher Paranormal Romance)

Here's a new story I've been working on called 'Alpha Girl.'
It's the first four chapters. Feel free to leave me some feedback.

Synopsis: 
Sixteen year old Rose Goldman is highly unpopular in the little town of Halfway. Ever since the 'attack' when she was a little girl, people and animals have been afraid of her. She gets bullied in school, and called 'wet dog' because of the way she smells, despite being extremely hygienic. However, life takes a turn when a new teacher starts at Halfway High. Mr. Stone, the quirky and charismatic English teacher is twice Rose's age, but she feels an unexplainable pull towards him from day one. Despite her better judgement, Rose pursues a friendship with Mr. Stone, who seems unable to stay away from her. What is pulling this unlikely pair together?

   Alpha Girl (Student/Teacher Paranormal Romance) by   Kate Bloomfield

1 week since Falling Ashes was released (Progress Update)

Okay, so it's been 1 week since I released the final installment of The Fire Mage Trilogy. 
In 7 days I've only sold 176 copies, and 20 box-sets. Needless to say, it's a little disappointing and disheartening. I haven't even made the money back it cost to get the book Proof-Read. The first week is always the biggest ... usually. Sales are already starting to drop fast.

When I published Book #2 there was a far bigger surge of sales in the first week, that's for sure. I guess I was expecting a little more, considering it was the finale.
Maybe I'm doing something differently this time. I'm not sure what. Hm. Maybe I should offer Book #1 for free for a couple of days.

Did I not promote the book enough? Or perhaps no one is interested in them anymore. I don't know. 
All I can say is; I doubt I'll be able to write full time any more if my sales don't pick up.
After all, it took six months to write Falling Ashes. My blood, sweat and tears went into it (figuratively)
How can I continue to do what I love when it so clearly isn't paying off?

'Falling Ashes' Deleted Sex Scene

Warning: Contains Scenes of a Sexual Nature. 
Note from the Author: 
This scene originally took place after Jack and Avalon were reunited, post-battle. It was later deleted because my editor felt that it did not fit with the rest of the trilogy, and we wanted to keep true to the nature of the books. Being a young-adult novel, there are many young people who read the books. So, here is that scene for the older audience. The Navy text indicates the text that appeared in the book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack nodded. ‘Of course,’ he said with a smile. ‘Don’t you know that I love you?’ And just like that, I was his again; all of my jealousy and anger forgotten. I melted into Jack’s arms and allowed him to kiss me. Our mouths found one another, and moulded perfectly together. He smiled into the kiss, and held me close. I exhaled deeply through my nose as though a great weight had been lifted off my chest.  Pulling away, Jack looked me in the eye and said, ‘Does that mean you love me, too?’ I answered his question with a kiss, and Jack enveloped me in his arms. It didn’t take long for him to back me against the bed, my knees giving way and allowing him to cover me with his body like a blanket. I’d missed him so much; I couldn’t get close enough. Weeks apart had felt like a lifetime, and I intended to make up for every lost moment. I could tell he felt the same from the way he held me in his arms as we lay on the bed. His kisses were hurried as though time was about to run out and we would be separated again.I kissed him deeply, my hands on the back of his head, feeling his spiky, cropped hair. It felt foreign against the palms of my hand. Jack broke the kiss and stared down at me, breathing heavily, his lips moist and swollen. He smiled a little when he saw the want in my eyes. ‘I missed you,’ he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear. ‘Me too,’ I replied, staring up at him.He kissed me again, softer this time, his tongue tracing my lips. I groaned against his mouth and arced my back so my body pressed against his.Jack’s lips moved from my mouth and traced the line of my jaw. My breath came out in short gasps as his mouth found my earlobe, taking the flesh between his teeth and pulling gently.  My body felt as though it was on fire, but for once it wasn’t. I wrapped myself around Jack, pulling him closer with my legs. His fist curled around the bed sheets until his knuckles turned white.‘Stop me,’ he breathed in my ear. I could see Jack’s pulse throbbing violently in the nape of his neck.I ignored him and arched my neck, allowing him further access to my flesh. He kissed my throat and dragged his teeth along my shoulder. I didn’t want him to stop. I’d waited too long.Next, his mouth came crashing down upon mine, feverish and urgent. He grabbed the hem of my dress and hitched it around my waist as I fumbled with his belt, struggling to unlatch it. It was as though all of our pent-up angst and hormones had been building up for this moment. Jack curled his fingers around the thin fabric of my underwear and dragged them past my knees, towards my feet, without hesitation. He threw them aside and parted my knees, his breath hitching as he gazed at me.He gulped loudly and licked his lips, his hands shaking as he pushed his trousers down. It was the first time I’d ever seen a man’s body in its entirety. I was impressed, and intimidated at the same time. Jack’s ears burned pink as I stared at him in wonder. He knelt above me, his chest rising and falling rapidly. ‘Stop me,’ he said again, his eyes beseeching me for mercy. ‘No,’ I breathed, laying back in the bed and beckoning him towards me.Jack obeyed and crawled over me, covering my body with his once more. The weight of him on top of me made me feel safe. I could feel him there, between my thighs, waiting.‘I need you,’ I told him. Jack obeyed and pressed himself against me gently, but my body resisted. He pushed a little harder, and I felt the pain as he broke through me. It seared, and hot tears stung my eyes as our bodies finally met. We were one. Jack buried his face in the crook of my neck, his breath escaping in short, harsh gasps. The pain slowly ebbed away as he began to grind his hips.The pain all but forgotten, I became absorbed in the motion of his torso as he pressed himself into me. I was on a dizzying high, watching his face swim in and out of focus, his expression contorted into a look of agonising pleasure.I wrapped my arms around Jack and clung to him, whispering his name over and over again. His voice was muffled against my hair, but I heard my name escape his lips. I was the flame, and he was the moth. I engulfed him; our limbs entwined as we moved as one. Sweat collected on his brow from the heat I produced, but he didn’t stop. Soon, I was gasping as the waves of pleasure crashed over me, and my nails dug into Jack’s back. He gasped, and clung to me as if we were about to fall away from the earth. Our breaths mingled, and the windows fogged as the heat filled the room. We lay there, panting in each other’s arms as our heart rate returned to normal. Jack placed kisses over my face, covering every inch of my skin. I smiled, basking in the afterglow of our act of intimacy. Finally, I felt at peace.

Unanswered Questions - Falling Ashes (Book #3)

SPOILERS AHEAD. 
DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK #3
~
Unfortunately I could not answer all questions in the epilogue of 'Falling Ashes'. Here, I will tie up many loose ends. I hope you find it satisfying! ~

Fun fact: The original version of 'Falling Ashes' contained a sex scene! It was later decided that it wasn't a nessesary part of the story, and was cut out.

Want to read the Sex Scene? Click Here.
~

Avalon Redding and Jack Greenwood: Post-Battle, Avalon does not return to Mortlock with her family. Instead, she and Jack join Cecilia on their journey to cure all humans. This takes over a year to accomplish. 
Avalon also makes a trip to Germany with Fae to meet Raeven's parents and offer her condolences.  

After this, Avalon started an aid group for 'previously registered humans', which quickly grows into a large facility for post-stress and traumatized families thanks to generous donations from the public. They use the Realm's old headquarters as their base. 

With many Healers on the team, including Jack, they are able to counsel, heal, help, and home humans to get them back on their feet. She calls it the Black Bird Foundation.  

At age twenty-one, Jack and Avalon buy a farm together, where Hawthorne, Emilija, and the pups live. Shortly after moving in Jack proposes to Avalon.
At twenty-four, Avalon and Jack have their  first child, a human girl which they call Raeven.
Six years later, and their Fire-Mage son, Lance is born.


Fae and Dagon: 
Despite the traumatic events that have taken place in her life, Fae is able to overcome them. Not only that, but against all odds, she forms a solid (platonic) friendship with Dagon, and they end up becoming house-mates for several years, eventually going their separate ways when Dagon finds a wife. (Who, funnily enough, looks very much like Fae).
Fae spends the rest of her days flying around the world with Shadow, as a free spirit. She never marries, and never has any children, though she visits Avalon frequently.


Camryn Dreghorn: 
After losing her best, and only friend, Jack, Camryn was able to move on with her life. She became pregnant to one of the Creeley twins (From Book #1). They married before the baby was born. Camryn became a widow at thirty-one, and mothered 5 daughters.


Helena Redding and Jaime Greenwood:
After being cured, Helena regained all of her memories and confessed that she had been a prisoner inside her own head. She is able to lead a normal, happy life, and eventually ends up marrying Jaime Greenwood when she is in her early twenties. Despite both being human, together they have a Healer son.

Willow and Rue (The Vulmessians):
You may have figured from the epilogue, but Willow and Rue remained pups until each of Avalon's children were born. After that they began to grow at the same rate as the children. The Vulmessian Pups "imprinted" on the kids.

Hawthorne and Emilija: 
While Emilija's true master, Martinez regained his memories, she did not return to him. He had never shown his animal companion true love, and she was able to leave him by choice. Instead, Emilija chose Hawthorne as her partner (Which is why she was able to fly without a rider).
Together they lived out their days on Avalon and Jack's farm.
Not only that, but the Vulmessian couple had many pups together, not just Willow, Rue and Shade.
In total, they had a litter of pups every two years. Luckily, the land on the farm was more than enough to house several mischievous pups.
The pups were never sold. Instead, they were given, for free , to whoever they imprinted on.