Tricia Drammeh's Blog, page 35

Review of The Séance by Tricia Drammeh

Reblogged from Hines and Bigham's Literary Tryst:

Genre: YA Horror

Book Length (Est.): 243 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:

Ninth grade can be a nightmare when you don’t fit in at school, your crush chooses someone else, and your parents tell you they’re having a new baby. Abby was prepared for normal high school problems. She wasn’t prepared for the demon.

Abby has always been fascinated by the paranormal, but after an ill-fated séance, she discovers not all Spirits are benign.

Farewell my Dragon Friend, Lindsey J Parsons.

Reblogged from Sophie E Tallis:

*deep sigh*

This is the hardest blog post I have ever had to write, and it breaks my heart in the writing of it. Two days ago, I heard the shocking news that one of my dearest friends, Lindsey J Parsons, had suddenly and tragically passed away.

Shocking is the word...at a time when words seem to fail. I simply cannot believe it and I cannot understand it.

50 Awesome Moments Only Writers Would Understand

Reblogged from Christina L. Rozelle:

50. That awesome writer moment when you type “The End.”

49. That awesome writer moment when you reread something you just wrote and it's like reading something somebody else wrote, and you wonder where the hell it came from.

48. That thankful writer moment when you get the kids to bed and you FINALLY get to sit your ass down and write.

Those Awesome Writer Moments (50 Things Only Writers Would Understand)

Reblogged from Christina L. Rozelle:

50. That awesome writer moment when you type “The End.”

49. That awesome writer moment when you reread something you just wrote and it's like reading something somebody else wrote, and you wonder where the hell it came from.

48. That thankful writer moment when you get the kids to bed and you FINALLY get to sit your ass down and write.

Cows, Milk, and Free Books

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” Well, that expression doesn’t really apply to free books. It refers to freebies of a more questionable nature (wink, wink), but that expression kept running through my head earlier today when I was thinking about free book promotions.

Before I launch into a long blog post about why I think free book promotions are a bad deal for everyone, I’d like to say this:

Photo courtesy of Public Domain Photos

I’m not judging anyone. I’ve done a few free book promotions myself. Some authors swear it’s had a huge impact on their book sales, and if it works for them, more power to them. We all do what we have to do to promote our books, so you won’t find judgment here.

That being said… In general, I’m not a fan of free book promotions, specifically Amazon’s Kindle (KDP Select) program where authors are able to list their book for free for five days in a ninety day period in exchange for only making their electronic books available on Amazon.

Like I said, I’ve signed my books up for KDP Select in the past just to see how they would fare. Each book was downloaded hundreds of time. A couple reviews were posted as a result. I might have even sold a book as a direct result of the promotion. Maybe. The free promo did not yield the desired results. There was no frenzy of reviews, no buzz, no boost to sales. I don’t know if the people who downloaded the books have even read them.

As a writer, my primary goal is to get my books into the hands of readers. The free promo may or may not have done that. I’m not really sure. I would also like to make a bit of money on my books. I’m not expecting to be an overnight millionaire (though that would be nice), but I do need to recoup my costs for book covers, editing, promotion, etc. It’s been my experience that the free promos have not helped me to accomplish my goals, at least not in a meaningful way.

The Problem With Freebies #1… Lack of Commitment

As a reader, I have downloaded many, many, many free books on my Kindle. Probably more than I could ever read. At the time, I have every intention of reading the book, but it’s usually put on my “Later” list. The books I DO read right away are those I agree to read for review, or those I purchase. In the past, if an author approached me and asked me to review their book on Authors to Watch, I made it a priority to follow through on that commitment. When I purchase a book, it’s usually because I’m super excited to read it. I’ve invested money in it. I’ve made a financial commitment to read the book. Even if I don’t get to it right away, it’s in the back of my mind every time I pick up my Kindle. If the book is a random freebie I happened to stumble upon, it usually ends up lost in the constantly expanding group of “Books to Read Later.” Only, later never comes.

I’m sure the readers who downloaded my freebies had every intention of reading my books. At the time. But, life gets in the way, and so do other books. The truth is, there are hundreds of free books readers can choose from. Sure, they might choose yours, but if they’re constantly downloading freebies, it’s really easy for your book to get lost in the shuffle.

The Problem With Freebies #2… Too Accessible

If readers have access to hundreds of e-books, why would they ever buy a book? Unless a book is a much-talked-about, much-advertised blockbuster novel, I doubt readers will have a burning desire to spend money when they can get free books with just the press of a button.

The Problem With Freebies #3… Free Books Cheapen Us All

Readers have always had access to free books via the library. Are library books really free? Maybe for a limited time. If you don’t return the book on time, you have to pay a fine. If you don’t return it at all, you have to pay for the value of the book. Popular books end up on waiting lists. There’s a limited supply of each book. Sometimes you have to wait. Value. Library books are valued in time and money. E-books obtained on Amazon for free with just the click of the button? Where’s the value in that?

If we strip away the value from our books, readers will begin to expect free. Any price you charge becomes a premium. Readers know they can get books for free, so they’re willing to either wait until your book is listed for free, or they’re willing to download a different book. What’s so special about your book that they’re willing to pay for it? What’s so special about any book if so many are being given away for free?

The Problem With Freebies #4… Authors Gotta Eat

Most authors write for the love of writing, but we all have to eat. We all have to work to pay our bills, feed our kids, etc. If we spend all our time writing (and giving away free books), we don’t have time to make money to take care of our needs. If we spend our time working at a paying job, we have little time to write. It takes a lot of hours to write a novel. Some of us might be willing to forgo payment for our time, but for how long? How many promising authors will give up? How many stories will go untold? How long before books are so undervalued that readers expect us to pay THEM to read our novels?

Okay, so maybe that last question is ridiculous. Or maybe not. Right now, I’m paying to be an author. I pay for my website, book covers, and other expenses. I don’t sell enough books to cover my costs. Right now, the net loss is very small and my love of writing more than makes up for the loss of income. Essentially, I am paying to write. I might not be paying the reader, but I’m paying somebody.

I don’t think it would be fair to blame my lack of income on free book promotions. After all, even if Amazon obliterated their KDP Select program thus ending all free book promotions as we know it, there is no guarantee readers would choose to pay for my book. They might choose to buy another book. But at least that would mean another author was getting paid. It would increase the value of books in general. It would change how society views authors and all the hard work that goes into crafting a novel.

It all comes back to value. How do you value the written word?

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Published on January 03, 2014 21:09

Super Sweet

A Super Sweet Thank You to Bette A. Stevens for nominating me for the Super Sweet Blogger Award! Bette is the author of Pure Trash, an incredibly well-written and emotionally stirring story about growing up poor in the 1950s. You can check out her blog HERE to learn more about her books.

Here are the rules for accepting this award:

Thank the Super Sweet Blogger that nominated you.
Answer 5 Super Sweet questions.
Include the Super Sweet Blogging Award in your blog post.
Nominate a bakers’s dozen (13) other deserving bloggers.
Notify your Super Sweet nominees on their blog.

The 5 Super Sweet Questions:

Cookies or Cake? Cookies…cake…that’s a toughie. I’m going to have to choose cake. There’s something very festive about cake, after all.
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate!
Favorite Sweet Treat? I absolutely love Peppermint Mocha Frappuccinos from Starbucks.
When Do You Crave Sweet Things The Most? All the time, but especially during the holidays.
Sweet Nick Name? Sugar Pie.

Now for the Super Sweet Nominees…

Joleene Naylor
Donna Yates
Kay Kauffman from Suddenly They All Died
Kate Jack
Jane Dougherty
Christy Birmingham from Poetic Parfait
Witchmag’s Boekenplank
Jumbled Writer
M T McGuire
Sophie Tallis
Susan Finlay
Melissa Janda
Guinevere and Libertad Tomas

I could double or triple this list, but rules are rules. Thank you to all the super sweet readers who visit my blog. Grab your favorite sugary treat and visit the amazing bloggers I listed above.

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Published on January 03, 2014 00:51

A Year in Review

In celebration of the New Year (and in preparation for tax season), I allowed my inner-accountant to temporarily take over my writing career. For those of you who might not know, I play with numbers for fun and profit (mostly profit) and have worked in the accounting field for a number of years. After a few hours of merging my KDP and Create Space statements into a master spreadsheet, inputting expenses, and otherwise having a blast with Excel, it was determined that 2013 was not a profitable year. At least not financially. My expenses (websites, promotional materials, book covers, etc) exceeded my profits. By some standards, my financial loss was negligible. By my own standards, it really wasn’t much of a loss. In fact, I feel like my personal gains far exceeded any financial loss. Money isn’t everything. Don’t get me wrong–I’d like to make enough money to show a profit a year from now when I compile my 2014 spreadsheet. Hell, I’d like to make enough money so that I don’t have to go back to work in the accounting field. But, you know what? Regardless of what my 2013 spreadsheet says, I’m declaring the year a huge success.

Here’s what I’ve lost and gained during the year 2013. For me (like most writers), my writing life is intertwined with my personal life. It’s impossible to separate the two, so the following list will be a mish-mash of everything–personal, financial, spiritual… you name it.

I lost my blinders. Yep. The blinders fell off. I learned a lot about the publishing industry. When they say writing is a business, it’s true. Some of my business decisions haven’t been good. If you’d asked me at the beginning of 2013 if I would have made different decisions, I would have fallen down and wept over all the mistakes I’ve made. Would I change things if I could? Maybe. Maybe not. At least I’m smarter now. Without the blinders, I’m seeing things a bit more clearly, and that’s not a bad thing. Not at all.
I gained experience. The problem with looking at a spreadsheet is that it’s all about numbers. Writing is about letters. Words. Sentences. How can I define my writing career using nothing but numbers? I can’t. I might have lost a few bucks this year, but I gained experience. I learned about formatting, editing, website design, and HTML code. I read articles about social media and marketing. I learned about the art of writing. I practiced my craft. I learned how to maximize my efforts going forward. I learned what to do–and what NOT to do. The experience I gained is invaluable.
I lost hope, but got it back. I’ve always suffered from clinical depression. My last bout of depression began in 2011. Yes, that’s right. I was depressed from mid-2011 and that debilitating depression continued until almost the end of 2013. Some of it lingers. Social anxiety, panic attacks, self-pity, mind-numbing apathy–it was really, really bad. I continuously reached new lows until August. Through daily affirmations and constant prayer, I clawed my way back to hope. It’s nice to be back.
I lost my job. Well, I didn’t lose it. I quit. Because we moved. (See number five). It was a really great job, though, working in the accounting department for a non-profit organization.
I moved to a different state. At the end of October, my family moved from Missouri to New Hampshire. Moving is always stressful. For me, it was an opportunity to focus on something other than the same crap I’d been worrying about for months. The move to New Hampshire set my life on a new trajectory. Thank God.
I gained and lost twenty-five pounds. At the beginning of the year, I rang in the New Year by eating until I was sick. The treats didn’t fill the empty hole inside me, so I kept eating. All year long. I knew I needed to lose weight. I even started and stopped a couple of diets. The weight kept piling on until the end of October. Then, we moved. The twenty-five pounds I gained during the first ten months of the year fell off over the holidays. Go figure. This New Year sure is different than the last. I’m not bloated and miserable from overindulging. In fact, I made a huge pot of vegetable soup and rang in the New Year with cabbage, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, celery, carrots, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. I have more weight to lose (hell, I still haven’t lost my baby weight from my oldest son who is now twenty-three), but I know I’ll get there. See, I told you loss isn’t always a bad thing.
I gained momentum. I published two books early in 2013, but didn’t do a whole lot of writing. The books I published were written in 2011 and 2012. Oh, I had lots of excuses for not writing–I was tired, I was disillusioned, I had writers block. When we moved to New Hampshire, I forget to pack my excuses. We were barely settled before I started writing again. I finished one of my (many) works-in-progress. I think I’ve got my groove back. Now that I’ve gained some momentum with my writing, 2014 is going to be a great, productive year.
I lost the big sign on my forehead that said “sucker.” It’s good to help people. I hate saying no. In fact, I spent most of 2013 saying “yes” even when I didn’t want to. I pushed my own needs to the side and then felt overwhelmed and resentful when I didn’t have time for myself. Sure, some people are rude. Some people take advantage. But most people don’t realize you’re stressed or overwhelmed unless you tell them. I learned to set limits, but it took all year to do so. In 2014, my online life will be a little more streamlined, my schedule will be a little less cluttered, my time will be more balanced. When I make commitments, it will be because I want to, not because I can’t say no.
I gained friendships. I’ve met the coolest people since I began writing back in 2011. In 2013, I made new friends and strengthened existing friendships. I wouldn’t trade my online writer friends for all the money in the world.

Some things can be compiled on a spreadsheet, but the important things in life cannot. What did you gain or lose in 2013?

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Published on January 02, 2014 01:35

What it Takes to be a Novelist

Reblogged from Susan Finlay Writes:

I've often heard that everyone has a book inside them. It may be true. But I think many people don't realize how difficult it is to write a novel, let alone a good novel. First of all, you need self-motivation. You have to really want it, not so you can become famous, but because you have a burning need to write it.

Wrapping Things Up for the Holidays

Happy Holidays everyone! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Yule, Kwanzaa, or another holiday that I forgot to list here, I wish and yours a safe, wonderful, joyful end to the year 2013.

For me, this is my first Christmas in New Hampshire. We’ve settled in to our new home and the kids are adjusting to their new schools. Even the cats are getting used to their new territory. Now that things have settled down, I’ve found some time to do a bit of writing. In fact, I just finished writing Better Than Perfect (formerly titled The Inheritance), a contemporary story with a little romance, a little humor, and a lot of fun. 2014 will likely bring rewrites and edits, but I’m ready!

Before I wrap things up for the holiday season, I want to thank each and every person who has visited this blog. I’ve enjoyed your comments, suggestions, feedback, and stories. I’ve made so many new friends through this blog and I’m grateful for all of you.

I’ll be back, ready to blog in 2014. Until then, have a Happy New Year!