C. Gockel's Blog, page 126

I Know What a Military Helicopter Sounds Like : The Difference in Life Experiences Between North and South, Urban and Rural

I live in Chicago, and even before this was the POTUS hometown, GW would come this way every now and then. There were always military helicopters. I know what they sound like.

I wonder if my readers will believe that one of my militarily unsophisticated characters knows the sound? (It’s distinct: very loud, less a buzz and more a roar). If you live in a big city, you’ve probably heard it when the POTUS or other important folks come to visit.

I’m realizing that some of my readers are urban, and northern, and some of my readers are southern and rural. There is a big difference in life experience. In a description I wrote for Fates I had Amy and Beatrice walking along a city street and had a park appear on their right. 

My southern, ruralish editor didn’t understand that. But when you’re downtown in Chicago, it’s like you’re walking through a canyon. You can be walking along, and you won’t be able to see a park or open space if it’s on the same side of the street as you are until you’re right next to it. You’ll pass a particularly high building, or come out from under some scaffolding, and it’s just “there”. It “appears” out of nowhere.

And then, some of my southern readers think that 50 degrees is cold. In Chicago, in the winter, kids are at the park if there’s snow and it’s above 15 degrees. If it gets up to 32 degrees it’s a party! I wondered if people wouldn’t believe the last scene in Chaos when the park was filled with children.

Thank You Reviewers! I Bring the Fire just hit 176 Reviews--101 5-star, 49 4-star!

For everyone who’s left a positive review of I Bring the Fire in the past few days, thank you so much. They not only help authors attract new readers, they also help us weather the times when we get, oh, say, a bevy of negative reviews all in row. As an author, I know I can’t be all things to everyone, but it’s still no fun. Anyway, I just want to give a big thank you and shout out to Kathy Q, Dnvanselow, Gail K, paul h. bozewski, Digger, Jamie Hobbs, Genevieve Cherry-Sours, Tina Strohmier, Maria, Gary Saunders, and michelle. 

Thank you Gary Saunders for your review of Monsters and Chaos. Thank you S. Coury for your review of Fates.

Thanks reviewers on Goodreads too: Verity Brown, Ukgardenfiend, Tina, Maria Victoria Peeler, and Ashley Bordin.

Your kind words and encouragement help me keep writing!

Where to advertise your novel

Where to advertise your novel:

I think I’ve covered these before, but another opinion is always good. I have found that both times I’ve advertised with FKtips I wind up with bad reviews. I’m wondering if I should use it again (it does give a lift to downloads and it isn’t expensive) or skip it.

An update on my Google Play experience…I was feeling like...

An update on my Google Play experience…

I was feeling like my Google Play initiative was a bust. After my BookBub promo these were my sales #s after the first four days:

Smashwords   $3.91
Google       $47.91
B&N             $216.00
Amazon     $1188.00

But then…over the last few days, something began happening: My daily downloads of my permafree book are going UP not down on Google Play. It’s appearing near the top of the listings in its categories. The download rate isn’t HUGE;  I had 30 downloads last night (whoopee!) But that is MORE than the night before—at Amazon my downloads have been on a slow downward slide since my promo. 

Google Play uses Google Search algorithms to help people find books. And there is a reason that Google is number one in search. I have a feeling that crafting a search friendly blurb will become more crucial to Google Play success as the space gets more crowded.

Anyway, I think there is something to this Google Play thing. Looking forward to seeing where it is going.

Awwwww….it looks like Bohdi sneezed on Ratatoskr and made...

Awwwww….it looks like Bohdi sneezed on Ratatoskr and made him drop his nibbles! (Or Ratatoskr is levitating the acorn.)

Source

Tiny Excerpt from Warriors...

“Jesus Christ, Odin sent an army,” says Nari.

Sigyn and Valli’s head whip in Nari’s direction.

Nari shrugs and grimaces. “I’ve picked up local slang.”

A voice rises from the sea of glittering armor. “The incarnation of divine love and sacrifice will not help you now.

thetygre:Skadi by jaggudadaThis is a beuaitufl painting....

thetygre:

Skadi by jaggudada

This is a beuaitufl painting. Skadi was the daughter of the builder who built Asgard. For not finishing the wall on time (due to Loki’s creative scheming) he was put to death. 

She was upset.

In the myths she wasn’t quite so giant. She actually married Njord, the Vanir god of the sea for a while, and then she took up with Ullr.

Thank you so much - 160 Reviews!

I Bring the Fire just received it’s 160th review. Self-published authors really depend on reviews; we depend on our readers to let other people know our stories are worth taking a chance on.

So I just want to say thank you to michelle, M. A. Whitcomb, Grace, daniel ochoa, Frances E Patterson, Weeweeme, Lynda Jean Filipek “LJF”, and Frieda Black. 

In the Balance got a few reviews too. Thank you S. Gates “dora” and Nocturnus.

Also, I’ve gotten more lovely reviews for Fates: Part IV of I Bring the Fire. Thank you so much Elizabeth J. Allen, Christine Smith, Alicia R. Hendrix, Annie Jean Brewer “Annienygma”, J. Johnson, tilla, Cassandra Smart, Melissa Alicea, Freida Black, Nocturnus, Linda Bourland, Joni, ross, Sarah, and Megan Earley. I know for a lot of people reading Fates must have felt like a leap of faith. I’m so glad you didn’t feel let down.

Thanks again everyone. You make me feel lucky, and humbled. I hope that I can continue to entertain you.

fuck-yeah-online-shopping:Hand-Painted Wing Scarf...

fuck-yeah-online-shopping:

Hand-Painted Wing Scarf ($60.00)

Not really a falcon cloak. Still beautiful.

Two of the best posts on success in writing I've read...

Two authors who have taken completely different routes to self-publishing success.

Daniel Arenson writes epic fantasy. Even with the popularity of Martin, epic fantasy is still a limited market. He’s made up with it by being extremely prolific—and very good, I’m sure (I haven’t read his work). http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,172709.0.html

Viola Revard writes erotica. She specifically chose a genre she knew was popular, and chose erotica because she knows it sells well. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,182600.0.html

Both of these authors are successful. Both write for different reasons. Both are happy people pleased with their success.