Wynne Channing's Blog, page 7
December 15, 2012
How my self-published book became a Canadian best seller in six months
Part Two of my publishing feature in the National Post is out today! In case you missed it, here’s Part One which details my preparation of the manuscript.
A reminder: I’m hosting a live-blog discussion about self-publishing on Monday, December 17 at 10:30 a.m. EST with:
Tina Folsom: Her 16 self-published romance novels have sold more than 500,000 copies and made $1.5 million since 2010.
Mark Lefebvre: Mark is an author and director of self-publishing and author relations at Kobo Inc.
Steve Vernon: His young adult novel, Sinking Deeper: My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster is #16 on Quill & Quire’s top 20 bestselling children’s books in Canada. His e-book serial, Flash Virus, is available on Kobo and Kindle.
Please tune in on Monday and engage in the conversation!
WIthout further ado, my publishing feature:
After I clicked “publish” on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing program, I sat back and waited for my life to change.
It was as if I thought self-publishing my teen vampire novel, What Kills Me, would be transformative: kind of like when Prince Adam raises his sword and becomes He-Man. Following six months of writing and spending about $2,000 preparing my ebook for publication, by the power of Amazon, I was now an author.
Except that putting your book for sale on Amazon feels like dropping a single grain into a bag of rice — you need to paint it green or point it out, or else how will anyone distinguish it from the rest? So nothing happened. And I felt no different.
Read the rest in the National Post.
On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 10 limb-less vamps!
In the run up to Christmas, I’m featuring 12 fantastic authors on my blog! On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 10 limb-less vamps! Today’s author is Beck Sherman!
FOR THREE DAYS, IT WAS DARK.
News reporters scrambled. This was the biggest story to come along in weeks. They called it a blackout.
The last one was in New York City in 2003, but this one was different, special, because the grids in six major cities across the country had been fried, kaput, see-you-next-Sunday. Everyone with some jurisdiction blamed each other, and when there was no one left to blame, terrorism rode in on its gallant steed.
It was the media’s fault. They were so busy stuffing fanatical Muslims with a penchant for Allah and decapitations down the American citizen’s throat, that they never saw it coming. I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on them.
They were partially right.
It was terror after all, but a whole new kind. And when the lights came back on, things had changed.
The dark had brought us visitors.
Connect with Beck!
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Goodreads Author Page | Amazon Authors Page
December 14, 2012
On the 11th day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: 11 kissing psychics!
I’m featuring 12 fantastic authors in the run up to Christmas: On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 11 kissing psychics ! Today’s author is Riley J. Ford!
Check out Riley’s bestselling novel: Into You
What if you could know exactly what your friends are thinking? High school student Winter Reynolds can, but there’s a catch . . . She can only read people’s thoughts when she’s kissing them. When a member of the track team is murdered, Winter has an opportunity to use her special ability to find the killer. Trouble is, kissing everyone on the track team isn’t such a good idea when you have a new boyfriend. Talk about complications! Should Winter persevere using her secret power to catch the murderer still in their midst, even if it means risking her relationship with her one true love?
INTO YOU is:
A teen paranormal romance with a twist
A young adult romantic comedy that will tickle your funny bone with its offbeat humor
A murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end
A YA fantasy book that explores ESP and mind-reading
An exploration of social issues that teens face
Emily Keane has her life all planned out. She’s played by the rules and never stepped outside her box, and now she will finally be rewarded with everything she always dreamed of: a job promotion, a fiance, and a future she can count on. But when her perfectly planned world falls apart, Emily is plunged into the wildest year of her life.
From the beaches of California to Jamaica, New York, and Europe, Emily finds herself on a madcap race against time, running from an unscrupulous organ broker who wants her dead, all the while checking items off her unusual bucket list. On top of it all, she’s falling in love with the most unlikely person, a man who can never return her feelings . . . but will his friendship be enough?
Confronting one hilarious misadventure after another, Emily finally learns who she really is and how to seize the day . . .
Carpe DiEmily is a raunchy, fearless comedy in the same vein as the movie Bridesmaids, to which it has been favorably compared. Both female and male readers will enjoy this zany comedic adventure.
December 13, 2012
On the 12th day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: 12 stressing mommies!
I’m featuring 12 fantastic authors in the run up to Christmas: On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 12 glowing auras/stressing mommies! Today’s author is Rachel McClellan!
I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Rachel on my blog about her latest project; here are her titles:
Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. But she never felt ready to face them—until now. Defying the Auran Council and everything she’s been taught, Llona must learn to use her power over light as a weapon if she wants to survive.
Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her newfound friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
Confessions of a Cereal Mother (Available for Pre-order)
In this narrative you’ll discover several mind-saving rules, which include:
Don’t throw your pregnancy test away before the full three minutes is up.
Unless there is a rush on the grocery store pending a zombie-virus outbreak, never take your kids shopping.
If your toddler is going to chew on a Band-Aid, hope it’s one found inside the community swimming pools chlorinated pool and not one found in their locker room.
Never throw up in a cookie sheet.
Things can always get worse. You could discover your child playing with a used tampon applicator. It’s not a whistle, sweetie.
And most importantly, the moment one of your children is seriously ill, forget about everything else. You have the greatest honor in the world – being a Mom.
About Rachel: Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she’s not in her writing lair, she’s partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel’s love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was…
Connect with Rachel
Blog | Website | Fan Facebook Page | Personal Facebook
December 7, 2012
“Death by 1,000 paper cuts;” my National Post article about how my vampire novel came to life as an indie book!
Illustration for the National Post by Steve Murray
My journey as an indie author began in the National Post newsroom. My friends urged me to self-publish What Kills Me and the task seemed too gargantuan to tackle. Finally, my books editor, Mark Medley, suggested that I do it and write about the experience. Well, I can do that. That’s what I do every day as a reporter. Become an expert in [insert random topic here: flying squirrels, mergers and acquisitions, etc.] on a daily basis. I can learn about this self-publishing thing by doing!
The first installment of the two-part feature is finally published! And on December 17 at 10:30 a.m. EST, I will be hosting a live-chat on the National Post‘s website including Mark Lefebvre, director of self-publishing at Kobo, and Tina Folsom, who has sold hundreds of thousands of her paranormal romance novels. Please tune in to be a part of the discussion and to ask the experts all of your questions!
How and why I self-published, National Post, December 8 2012
It used to bug me when people said, “Oh, when I retire, I’ll become a writer, maybe publish a book or two.”
Really? Because when I retire I’m going to become an engineer —was my imagined reply, and presumably that of many writers before me.
They made it sound as if publishing a book was something easy, something anyone could do with the click of a button.
Now, of course, it is.
To read the rest in the Post, click here!
Magic is its currency: author S.M. Boyce takes us inside her acclaimed Grimoire series
Treason is S.M.Boyce’s highly anticipated sequel to her bestselling novel Lichgates. She’s one of my favourite people and I’m super excited that I got to catch up with her about the latest instalment in the Grimoire Trilogy. She shared some highlights from her writing, lowlights from publishing and everything in between.
From the pages of Treason
A favorite quote: “Sometimes, ‘impossible’ just means you have to try harder.”
A passage that was challenging to pen: The first paragraph. It’s always hard to open a novel. Actually, I read aloud and recorded the first few pages of the novel for this blog tour, if you want to take a listen. It’s posted it on my website. But here are the first lines of Treason:
In the hidden world of Ourea, there are too many beautiful places to name: rose-covered cliffs tower miles over the valleys and forests below, cities thrive in submerged ecosystems beneath the sea, and the dragons that once ruled volcanoes are now but fossils in a cave. The creatures of human myth flourish in Ourea. Trees are this world’s skyscrapers. Magic is its currency. And while the rest of Earth forgot what it means to dream big, Ourea kept alive its wonder.
An excerpt that Boyce is proud of writing: Okay, well this is kind of a spoiler. So…I mean, keep that in mind. I wanted to include the end of Chapter 26 (Death) instead of this bit, but it doesn’t have the same effect if it’s read out of context. The end of Chapter 26 is, I think, my favorite part of the book. The effect the rest of the chapter has on its last line makes me smile every time I read it. But here is my second favorite part of the chapter:
“Do you remember asking the Grimoire once if you could bring back the dead?” Death asked.
Kara’s jaw tightened. This was a trap. She didn’t answer.
He continued. “You must know by now that you cannot do such a thing. I will come again for you someday, just as I have come for every living creature since the dawn of time. Today is not your day to die. You may return, but use your second chance at life well. Few ever have this opportunity.”
Death offered her a giant, red hand. Kara reached for it, but hesitated to examine the crevices in his palm. There were folds, wrinkles, even fingerprints. Death looked so…mortal.
The journey to publication
One of the best things a fan has said: “Boyce, you are the reason I read books by indie authors.”
A publishing pet-peeve: When authors don’t get their books professionally edited before publication. It makes me want to scream. It’s so unprofessional, and I know better from experience.
Mistake you won’t repeat: Not hiring an editor before publication. I wholeheartedly admit that I did this with the first edition of Lichgates, but I quickly realized my mistake and sent it through a rigorous editing process. EVERYONE needs an editor before they hit “Publish”.
Next project: I have a lot in the works. I’ve been building and developing my free online blog for writers: Boyce’s Guide to Writing, which encourages professionalism among authors and teaches others from my mistakes. I frequently host guest posts, list awards for indie authors, and write how-to’s for everything from formatting to writing technique. Please stop by.
I’m also working on Heritage, of course, and the first book in a new series that I will probably release at the same time. The second series is still in the developmental stage, but it’ll be big. It’s a fairytale for a new generation, and my hope is to make it even more epic that the Grimoire Trilogy. Feel free to follow my blog for bookworms to get more updates on that book as well as my other projects.
Plans for tomorrow: Get to work on Heritage. As reviews for Treason come in, I keep getting people telling me it’s “not fair” to make them wait until fall 2013. That is SO awesome to hear. I love it when people get as excited about this series as I am, so I want to see if I can release the finale sooner. HA. Wish me luck.
About Treason: Blood runs thicker…Ourea has always been a deadly place. The lichgates tying the hidden world to Earth keep its creatures at bay—for now. Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into Ourea and found the Grimoire: a powerful artifact filled with secrets. To protect the one person she has left, she strikes a deal that goes against everything she believes in. But things don’t go as planned.
Braeden Drakonin can no longer run from who—and what—he is. He has to face the facts. He’s a prince. He’s a murderer. He’s a wanted man. And after a betrayal that leaves him heartbroken, he’s out for blood. To survive, both Kara and Braeden must become the evil each has grown to hate.
About S. M. Boyce Boyce writes fantasy and paranormal fiction. She’s a sarcastic twit, but she still has friends because some people seem to like that. Her Creative Writing degree qualifies her to serve you french fries, but it helps her write books, too. She’s currently working on the YA epic fantasy series the Grimoire Trilogy.
Connect with Boyce
Blog | Website | Store | Boyce’s Guide to Writing | Events
Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Youtube
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads Page
Buy Your Copy of Boyce’s Books
Win a guest appearance in Heritage (The Grimoire Trilogy #3)
Lichgates
Grab Your Copy:
Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy
Buy the Paperback | Goodreads | Book Trailer | VIP List
Treason
Grab Your Copy:
Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy
Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Buy the Paperback
November 26, 2012
Authors, meet your champions: Franny and Silvia, Dark World Books is born!
Franny
Silvia
One bestselling author described their book blog tours as “epic.”
Meet Francesca Poggi and Silvia Paoletta of Dark World Books. Their newly launched company offers customized boutique services such as: book tours, book trailers, design services, and more. The UK-based team helps independent and published authors of Urban/Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Steampunk, YA Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance and Dark Erotica.
Last year, the duo worked with about 30 authors including yours truly. (They organized a blog tour for What Kills Me and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience.) I’m thrilled that they made some time to answer some questions about their work:
Q How did you two meet?
We met eight years ago thanks to the mutual passion for the TV shows Buffy and Angel and we’ve been inseparable since. We’ve been very excited to finally start this journey.
Q What are the benefits of a blog tour?
The best thing about blog tours is that they can literally make a book (and the author) travel worldwide. It’s not just a matter of spreading the word about a novel, bloggers are also curious to know who’s behind it. They like to know what kind of person the author is, and that’s the reason why we always encourage authors to do interviews and guest posts. A blog tour doesn’t necessarily guarantee a boost in sales, but what it does, is generate interest, and that’s what authors need to focus on during the tour.
Q What kind of advice do you have for authors trying to spread the word about their books (besides get help from Dark World Books)?
Oh, well, that’s very flattering, thank you! Beside us, what they can do is be active on their social media pages as much as they can, be involved in spotlights and interact with bloggers as much as possible.
Q How can authors distinguish their books from the millions out there?
Every book is different and has something special to tell. Authors shouldn’t struggle with making any comparison to others out there and surely trying not to imitate any of them, readers don’t appreciate that at all. Because a book that makes you dream is priceless and, as far as we are concerned, it’s not the one you see with your eyes, but always the one you see with your mind. So authors, keep writing about every beautiful vision you have and keep letting us dream, it’s the best gift you can give us.
Q What can authors do to help you guys and bloggers promote their books?
The key word in this is: interact. Retweet our tweets, share our links on their social media pages, and be actively involved by commenting on each stop. And if you can think of something else… well, don’t think twice and do it!
Q Have you ever had conflict break out between a blogger and an author? A bad review? How did you handle it as intermediaries?
This kind of situation is uncomfortable to handle, but we always do our best to avoid unhappiness from both sides. A bad review is very tricky, because it also depends on the author’s feelings about it. There are authors who don’t like bad reviews at all, and others who don’t mind as long as it’s honest. Personally, since we’re reviewers too, we side with the second kind. The purpose of a review is to let people know what one really thinks about a book after all, isn’t it? So yes, we guarantee honest reviews during a tour and negative reviews can happen sometimes, but never mean ones.
Thanks again ladies for championing authors and best of luck!
Have you worked with Franny and Silvia? What was your experience? To find out more about Franny and Silvia and Dark World Books, please connect with them:
Website – Twitter – Facebook - Pinterest – Youtube – Google Plus
November 15, 2012
Let there be light! Rachel McClelland’s highly-anticipated sequel Fractured Soul
Rachel McClelland’s upcoming memoir, Confessions of a Cereal Mother: True Stories to Let Every Mother Know She’s Not Alone in the Craziness, will be released next year. And because raising four children doesn’t keep her busy enough, she is also releasing Fractured Soul, the highly-anticipated sequel to her supernatural novel, Fractured Light, in 2013. Talk about underachieving.
Joking aside, I’m so proud to reveal the beautiful cover for Fractured Soul. Look out for the book in early 2013. Please connect with Rachel with congratulate her!
Connect with Rachel:
Website | Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook
About the book: Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
November 4, 2012
A life among Robert Zimmerman’s pages: a poetic exploration of life, loss and relationships
Many indie authors know Robert Zimmerman. He’s a champion of their work, friend and supporter. So I’m happy to announce that Robert’s debut poetry collection, From Where I Stand, will be released later this month. Here’s the unveiling of his cover! Go to his blog to tell him congrats, hurray, etc.
BLURB:
From Robert Zimmermann comes From Where I Stand, an emotional debut poetry collection. Zimmermann explores strained parental relationships, loss of life, and the despair associated with grief. Alongside these darker themes, he delves into the small areas of life that often go unnoticed but become the hope we are searching for.
Expected release November 2012
Example’s of Robert’s poetry can be found in the poetry section on his blog. He
also has poems published by Albany Poets.
_____
QUOTES:
“Rob writes with an incredible sense of observation and feeling made all the more
poignant by his struggles. Every verse is genuine and ever” – Ben Ditmars, author of
Night Poems
“Zimmermann has achieved something rarely seen in modern poetry. Each poem
is a personal and detailed story that will strike the heart of the reader with a torrent of
emotion. Zimmermann balances the dark and light beautifully and without a hint of
hesitation.” – Jessica Fortunato, author of The Sin Collector Trilogy
“Rob’s poetry has a very real tone to it and in some ways creates a tragic yet
poetic story.” – Paulina Ulrich, author of the Flightless Bird Series
“Honest, heartfelt and moving” – Amber Jerome~Norrgard, author of In The
Gloaming
_____
About Robert: Robert has been writing poetry since the eleventh grade. His writing started as
impulsive rambling, but soon became a passion. A few years later he attended SUNY Potsdam where he received a B.A. in Creative Writing.
His main focus is poetry, but at times you can find him dabbling in short fiction. Robert has also created the blog A Life Among The Pages, where he posts his writing as well as book reviews.
When he’s not reading or writing, Robert enjoys spending time with his dog, Deuc. Deuc ran out of the woods in August 2011 and they have been inseparable ever since.
Connect with Robert:
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
October 31, 2012
What Kills Me…kills some trees. Buy the hard copy now!
Since its debut as an ebook this summer, thousands of readers have gone on the adventure, propelling What Kills Me to #1 in occult books last month.
I’m so grateful for everyone’s interest and enthusiasm for the story. Many have asked for it and I am happy to say that What Kills Me is being released today in hard copy so more can enjoy Axelia’s story.
(And maybe finally, my father will read the book now that it’s in a form that he recognizes.)
Check out the new trailer!
Buy What Kills Me
In E-Form!
Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads
Book blurb: An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race. So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive. How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
Connect with me!
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Google+ | Pinterest | YouTube | Amazon Author Page
