Helena Halme's Blog, page 8

5 Tips on How to prepare for the 20 Books to 50K Conference

If you are an author and particularly a self-published writer, you’ve most probably heard of the 20 Books to 50K movement. The idea of 20 Books to 50K came to Michael Anderle after he made $10k in 90 days writing a few books. He realized pretty early on that if he could publish twenty books, he was sure that he could get to a $50,000 annual income level. That’s a game-changing income for most people.

Last year I wrote about my first experience at a 20 Books Conference in London, which for me too was a game-changer. After that event, I decided to make a proper marketing plan and as a result, my book sales tripled last year. I’m not quite yet at 50K, but I’m getting there!

Which is why I’m thrilled that I’ve managed to get a ticket to the next 20 Books to 50K Conference in Edinburgh. This one is a slightly smaller affair than the main event which happens in Las Vegas 12-14 November 2019. However, having been to the London event, I know the two days will be filled with useful information, inspirational speakers and much intermingling with like-minded writers.

So how can you prepare for an event like 20 Books to 50K?

 

1. Bring an open mind

For the uninitiated, the 20 Books to 50K conference may seem overwhelming. At the start of the London event, I remember thinking that I had joined a religious cult by mistake. There were so many people whooping and clapping when Michael Anderlele and Craig Martell entered the stage. But when they started speaking, relaying their ideas and introducing the speakers, I pricked my ears. We were going to be hearing from several stars of the self-publishing industry, as well as competitions, personalized analysis of covers and book blurbs and even a refund for part of our ticket prize. And the original outlay wasn’t huge, by the way. This year, I paid £250 for the Edinburgh event, some of which I hope will be refunded as the event seems to be sold out already.

The ethos of the 20 Books to 50K is to make money from your books, clear and simple. If you are of the opinion that writers should be starving artists, you will not enjoy this type of conference. The idea is to publish good books for readers who want to buy them and make money from the enterprise.

The way each author earns money from their authorship is different. During the conference, we heard many variations on the theme. Hence, you need to keep an open mind during the event and see what works for you.

2. Have Your Elevator Pitch Ready

Writers are also readers, so make sure you can tell everyone you meet during the conference what your book(s) are about. But make it short and snappy. Each delegate will have heard many accounts of the books their fellow conference-goers are writing. And naturally the more interesting you can make your book sound, and the more enthusiastic you are about your writing, the more engaged your fellow authors will be. Amongst the crowd, you may well find your next champion. That one reader who will tell everybody in their on and off-line network about your books. Plus you may find people you can co-operate with.

Last year, I met Adrienne Lecter, an author who doesn’t even write in the same genre as me, but with whom I had a lot in common. We both write in our third language, English, and we are both writing a series of books. After the conference, I read one of Adrienne’s books, which she kindly let me have (so make sure you bring copies of your own books), and loved it so much that I have recommended her books far and wide. Adrienne is also included as one of the authors I have interviewed in my forthcoming non-fiction title, Write in Another Language in 10 Easy Steps.

3. Be Prepared to Participate

During the two days of the 20 Books to 50K event there will be competitions, and opportunities to get individual comments on your marketing strategies. In London, a few participants got their Amazon page analyzed for its marketing prowess.

There will be a lot of audience participation. You can ask questions, shout out comments or join in on a show of hands. So take part! The more you give the more you get out of the event.

And obviously, the more you are seen, the more people will want to know what kind of books you write, and you might find another champion reader.

4. Make Notes

Most of the speakers at the London event shared their slides with the conference afterwards, but be prepared for a lot of information that isn’t necessarily shown on them. I took a huge amount of notes, some of which I still refer to today. As a former journalist, I find it impossible not to take notes wherever I go, but just writing down a few soundbites, a few comments that ring true to you, or you want to investigate further, is a good idea. Because believe me, there will be a lot of new ideas, advice and tips on offer!

5. Be Social

You might have gathered from what I have written before that 20 Books to 50K isn’t a conference where you can just listen and hide in a corner. Well, of course, you can, but you won’t get the most out of the two days. Having thought about it, I don’t really know a conference where not being sociable is a good strategy. This one certainly isn’t one of them.

The more people you meet, the more authors you get to know, the better chances you have of not just finding a kindred spirit. Or a champion reader. But you will also learn more about what works and what doesn’t in book marketing.

Because that’s what 20 Books to 50K is all about. Not being a starving artist, but one that makes a living out of his or her writing.

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Helena’s Best Reads: The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

This month’s best read is The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand. Dubbed ‘The Queen of the Beach Read’, this author is hugely prolific, something I adore because it means I can binge read to my heart’s content.

A Story Set On An Island

I found this author quite recently because I noticed she was one of the writers that people who buy my books also read. Then, recently, when in Arizona and browsing in a Barnes & Noble in Phoenix, I saw Elin Hilderbrand’s books everywhere. She is obviously very popular in the US, so I picked up The Rumor. I soon found out why! Luckily, I had a transatlantic flight coming up where I could read uninterruptedly because I just couldn’t put this book down.

Like many of Elin Hilderbrand’s books, this one is set in Nantucket, an island off the East Coast. This island is a popular holiday resort, very much like Åland, the Nordic island that I write about between Finland and Sweden. Another similarity is that the population of Nantucket out of season is tiny and everyone knows everyone else. And the locals like nothing better than a good gossip. Reading The Rumor was like being transported to an American version of the Åland Islands!

A Story Of Friendship

The story of The Rumor centres around two friends, Grace and Madeline. They have perfect marriages, beautiful kids and Saturday double dates with their successful husbands. But the rumour has it that Madeline, a novelist, suffers from writer’s block and Grace who’s ambitions to transform her backyard to a summer paradise is working a little too closely with her ruggedly handsome landscape architect.

The truth of what’s really going on in these two women’s lives is far more serious than the gossiping Nantucket folk could imagine.

A New Favourite Author

I loved Hilderbrand’s writing, her easy style belies the seriousness of the subject matter. How idle talk can harm the subject of the gossiping, or how the push for success can make us blind to what we already have and how lucky and blessed we are.[image error]

Elin Hilderbrand lives in Nantucket and writes long-hand, which just sounds incredible to me. How can you plot a novel without the search function on Word, or autocorrect? I’d love to know …

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Best Reads for Mother’s Day

I love reading and would quite gladly spend the whole of Mother’s Day snuggled up with a book. Since you cannot go wrong with a good story as a gift (in my opinion), here are my best reads for Mother’s Day 2019.

The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May

[image error]I read this feel-good novel in two days while suffering from a winter cold. It was the perfect antidote to read about the wonderful seaside community of Cockleberry Bay with its sea breeze, screeching seagulls and gossiping locals. But there are also serious themes in this best-selling novel.

Rosa is a twenty-something orphan.  She’s living in London with her landlord and ‘friend with benefits’ Josh when a mysterious benefactor leaves Rosa a run-down corner shop in deepest darkest Devon.  Without a backward glance, Rosa leaves London to start a new life. She finds strengths within herself that she didn’t realize she possessed as she begins the back-breaking and complicated task of opening the shop up for business. However, the question of who her benefactor is, nags at her until she finds clues hidden inside the shop. The discoveries she makes change her life forever.

A feel-good plot with some grit makes The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay a highly enjoyable read.

(You can read my complete review here )

Smash All The Windows by Jane Davis

[image error]The winner of the inaugural Selfies Award for a self-published work of fiction, Smash All The Windows by Jane Davis explores the emotional lives of the families of victims in the wake of a disaster. The judging panel cited the quality of Davis’ writing the main reason why this novel won. It’s Davis’ eighth title and currently on top of my to-read books (After Celeste Ng – see below) because I know this author to be hugely talented.

If you want to buy your mother a prize-winning literary novel with a beautiful cover, Smash All The Windows is the perfect Mother’s Day gift for her. Doesn’t the book look stunning?

Snow Angel by JJ Marsh

[image error]I am a huge fan of the European crime novels written by JJ Marsh. In this, the seventh book in the Beatrice Stubbs series, the now-retired Scotland Yard Detective Inspector starts to investigate a murder in the deepest, darkest English countryside. While snowstorms hamper the official police work, using her local knowledge, Beatrice delves deeper into the death of a – somewhat disliked – local celebrity. But it surprises and horrifies her how many people truly hated the murdered man. There are just too many suspects for comfort.

If your mother loves Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Beatrice Stubbs is a great, intelligent, modern-day equivalent.

(My mini-review of Snow Angel is here)

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

[image error]I’ve only just started reading the second novel by this New York Times best-selling author. I enjoyed her previous title, Little Fires Everywhere, immensely. It was an excellent read, mainly because the writing is so precise and captivating. You feel as if the author carefully considered every word since no expression or adjective is superfluous.

It’s the 1970s in small-town Ohio and Lydia is the favourite child of Chinese-American couple Marilyn and James Lee. Both are determined that their daughter will fulfil the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them all into chaos.

I will post a review of Everything I Never Told You on Goodreads and here on my blog in the coming weeks.

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

[image error]I found this author quite recently because I noticed she was one of the writers that people who buy my books also read. Like many of Elin Hilderbrand’s books, this one is set in Nantucket, an island off the East Coast. This island is a popular holiday resort, very much like Åland, the Nordic island that I write about between Finland and Sweden. Another similarity is that the population of Nantucket out of season is tiny and everyone knows everyone else. And the locals like nothing better than a good gossip. Reading The Rumor was like being transported to an American version of the Åland Islands!

Dubbed ‘The Queen of the Beach Read’, you cannot go wrong with a copy of The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand as a Mother’s Day gift.

My review of The Rumour will be published next week here on my blog.

Happy Mother’s Day!
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Why Is Publishing A Book Scary?

It’s only two days until my latest book, The Island Affair, is published. Although I’ve had some very good reviews from early readers, why is publishing a book still so scary?

Not A Novice

I am an author of eight novels, so I’m not a novice. But my next book is one that I’ve been wanting to write for a long time. It tells the story of Finnish journalist Alicia and British surgeon Liam who have lost their 17-year-old son in a motorcycle accident. They struggle to share their grief and try to mend their marriage by taking a holiday to the Åland Islands in Scandinavia, where Alicia grew up. But once there, their relationship breaks down and Alicia finds herself seduced by a Swedish reporter with the bluest eyes she’s ever seen in a man.

A Scary Subject

The central theme of the novel is grief and how to overcome the loss of a child. This has always been my biggest fear as a mother, which is why (macabrely, you may say) I’ve wanted to explore this subject. However, I’ve felt afraid to do so. What if the Universe punishes me for exploiting a misfortune and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I’m not superstitious, but as a writer, you live with (and through) your characters to such an extent, that sometimes I feel as if what I have imagined and transferred onto the page has actually happened – or will happen.

Other Considerations

Now a grandmother, I feel a little ‘safer’ to write about grief over a child, but should I do this when I haven’t personally experienced such a terrible loss? What if I offend those in such an unimaginable situation? On the other hand, isn’t it the role of the author to explore difficult issues and to describe the human condition in its many forms? Those who write thrillers have rarely committed murder, yet they can imagine themselves in the mind of a killer.

I know I may be overreacting, but writing and publishing your work is scary on so many levels.

The Island Affair Blog Tour

At least the early readers have liked the book. Here’s a comment from the 1st day of The Island Affair Blog Tour.

I loved many things about this story, but what I liked the most was the setting. I think the author captured the Nordic islands perfectly. Even if I’ve never been there myself, the whole time I was reading The Island Affair I had a feeling I was somewhere else.

Wish me luck with the Universe. And let’s hope my readers will like (or even love?) The Island Affair.

The Island Affair is published by Newhurst Press and will be available in various online stores and in paperback 21 March 2019. The ebook version can now be pre-ordered for just 99¢ (99p). This offer ends on the day of publication.

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My New Novel Is Out Soon!

My new novel, The Island Affair, is out in just a week’s time. Set in the Åland Islands, a popular summer holiday resort for tourists from both Finland and Sweden, it’s a story about love, loss and hope.

After the tragic loss of their son, Finnish journalist Alicia and British doctor Liam try to mend their broken hearts with a holiday to the islands where Alicia grew up. But secrets held by people close to her, as well as a handsome local reporter Patrick, give Alicia’s life another twist and a reason to live–and love–again.  

The first reviews are promising

I’m delighted with the comments I’ve had from the early readers of this novel.

A perfect amount of love, sadness, romance and suspense. Halme’s best work to date!

The Island Affair is a lovely story and an evocative portrait of the Åland Islands– I was completely transpotered to the  Nordic archipelago.

I just couldn’t stop reading this, Helena’s new novel. What a beautiful story!

Blog Tour

I’m delighted to announce that The Island Affair will be on a book blog tour from Monday 18th March to Wednesday 27th March. There will be book reviews, excerpts from the novel and a giveaway hosted by Mac Reviews on Friday. If you’d like to take part, pop along to the blogs listed below:

 

Here are the websites and dates for the tour:

March 18 Book Dust Magic

March 19  Ellesea Loves Reading

March 20 Segnalibro

March 21 Chellis and Books

March 22 Mac Review Books

March 23 Krafti Reader

March 24 Hinton Hits the Books

March 25 The Northern Witch’s Book Blog

March 26 One More Word

March 27 Cheryl M-M’s Book Blog

I hope you get to visit some of these blogs and enjoy The Island Affair Blog Tour!

Pre-order offer

If you’d like to have The Island Affair dropped straight onto your Kindle, Kobo, iPad, Nook or any other E-reader, you can now pre-order this new novel for just 99¢ (99p) today. But, hurry this offer ends next Thursday when the price goes up to $4.99.

You can pre-order The Island Affair for this special price on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, GooglePlay and Nook, plus many other online E-book stores. But don’t forget the offer ends automatically on 21 March when the price goes to its normal price of $4.99.

Go here to choose your E-book store:

 

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Helena’s Best Reads: The Corner Shop at Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May

This month’s Best Reads is The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay . I read this feel-good novel in two days while suffering from a winter cold. It was hugely restorative to be transported into the wonderful seaside community of Cockleberry Bay with its sea breeze, screeching seagulls and gossiping locals.



Feel-good read with some grit
My in-laws hail from Devon, so I fully recognise the small community mentality. The author, Nicola May describes the mostly friendly, but sometimes openly hostile, locals brilliantly in The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay. There are a lot of quirky, curtain-twitching characters in this book, but what really stands out for me is the hugely believable, fiercely independent, yet vulnerable heroine of the book.

Rosa is a twenty-something orphan brought up in various children’s homes.  She’s living in London with her landlord and ‘friend with benefits’ Josh when a mysterious benefactor leaves Rosa a run-down corner shop in deepest darkest Devon.  Without a backward glance, Rosa leaves London to start a new life. She finds strengths within herself that she didn’t realize she possessed as she begins the back-breaking and complicated task of opening the shop up for business. However, the question of who her benefactor is, nags at her until she finds clues hidden inside the shop. The discoveries she makes change her life forever.

A feel-good plot with some grit makes The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay a highly enjoyable read.

From the Author
I am delighted to be able to share with you a mini-interview with the author, Nicola May, of The Corner Shop at Cockleberry Bay. I put a few pertinent questions to Nicola, with the final one being the most interesting one. Read on …

Nicola May, Author of The Corner Shop at Cockleberry Bay


Why did you decide to set the book in Devon?
I set the book in Devon as I spent many memorable family holidays in the south-west of England. I also have since visited many times as an adult and I find the villages and beaches magical.

You describe village life very well. Do you have personal experience from an English community like the one in Cockleberry Bay?
Dittisham and Dartmouth are a couple of my favourites and I have both places in my head when I write about Cockleberry Bay.  The tiny streets of Clovelly have also helped me describe the village so concisely.

I love your heroine, Rosa. How did you invent such a realistic character?
I came up with the character of Rosa as I do like to write what I call ‘chick lit with a kick’. Rosa was brought up in foster homes so immediately has a gritty survivor edge about her. I wanted the reader not only to cheer on the turn around of the corner shop but also to be involved in the journey of her development as a person.

And finally (please say ‘Yes’), is there going to be a sequel to The Corner  Shop at Cocklerberry Bay?

Yes! A trilogy actually. I hope to get the second one out May/June this year.

Would you like to read more posts like this?

Isn’t that wonderful news about more books on Rosa from Nicola? I for one will be looking out for the second and third novel about Rosa and Cockleberry Bay.

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The Day We Met – A New Nordic Love Story

I’ve got great news! I’ve just finished writing a new Nordic love story. What’s more, The Day We Met, is absolutely free for you to download.

A Nordic Love Story Free For You to Read Today!

The Day We Met is set in 2000, during a snowy day at Uppsala University in Sweden where Alicia is studying English. Stressed over her exams, with a migraine hovering at her temples, the last thing she expects is to meet the man of her dreams.

Liam, a recently qualified British doctor is attending a medical conference when a beautiful leggy blonde chooses to sit at the same table as him in the busy student canteen. She’s not the first woman Liam has been attracted to, but there’s something beguiling about this young student and he cannot take his eyes off her.

An Exclusive Read

When I began writing this short story about how Alicia and Liam met and fell in love,  I made the decision almost immediately, that this story will never be published. I wanted to treat it as a little gift for my Readers’ Group for their support of my writing. The good news is that you, too, can now join this group and get this free gift delivered straight into your Kindle, iPad, Kobo, phone or computer. Just tap here to join now.

This short story is not going to be published and only available to my Readers’ Group.

Sign up and get your free story today!

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Top 8 New Books About Love For Valentine’s

Fancy a romantic or passionate read for Valentines? Here’s a list of the latest books about love, be it all rose petals or thorns and dark passion. You are guaranteed to find your favourite amongst these brilliant authors!

[image error]

1. Jojo Moyes: Still Me

The third book in this tragic love trilogy sees Lou Clark move to New York to start a new life. But soon she shares a secret about her employer that she knows will destroy all of their futures. And then she meets someone who reminds her so much of the man she lost that it hurts, while her new boyfriend Sam is patiently waiting for her return in London. How can she possibly make a choice that will keep everyone – including herself – happy?

 

2.Cocky [image error]Best Friens by Faleena Hopkins

They’ve danced together since they were six. Always ‘background.’ Always in the shadows. Until now. If you like your romance steamy, Faleena Hopkins’ Cocky series is for you. And who doesn’t sometimes need a bit of a raunchy read – especially for Valentine’s?

 

3. Amanda Prowse: Girl in the Corner

Amanda Prowse writes second chance romances about marriage[image error]s that break up, relationships that go wrong and women who, in spite of having everything stacked against them, come through and thrive. Her latest book tells the story of Rae-Valentine (so very apt for this Valentine’s reading list

The Island Affair Pre-order

I cannot tell you how excited I am about The Island Affair, my 8th book! Writing a novel takes a lot of time, so it’s incredibly thrilling (and a bit scary, to be honest) when it’s time to let it out into the world and hear what readers think of the story.

The Island Affair is also the first book in a new series, so there are completely new characters and a new setting. I know the Åland Islands, situated in the Baltic between Finland and Sweden, very well, having spent many summers there. This is partly why I wanted to write about the place.

As far as the characters are concerned, I’ve long had an idea of a woman who left the islands to go to university and ended up living in London. She holds a special place in her heart for her home, and when tragedy hits, the Åland Islands is where she feels happy and safe again. But alas, her British husband doesn’t understand the pull of her home country …

I really hope The Island Affair will take you to a new place. And I hope the reader will get to know and love the beauty of the islands as well as the quirky, loveable islanders – or Ålänningar as the locals are called.

The Island Affair

Can one summer mend a broken heart?

After the tragic loss of their 17-year-old son, journalist Alicia and surgeon Liam struggle to keep their marriage afloat. During their usual holiday to Åland, the Nordic islands where Alicia grew up, the rift between the couple deepens.

Enter tall, blonde Patrick, with the most piercing blue eyes Alicia has ever seen. When Patrick confides in Alicia about the near loss of his daughter and the breakdown of his marriage, Alicia is surprised to feel an affinity with the Swedish reporter. He’s the only person who understands her.

But secrets held by people close to Alicia give her life another surprising turn and she finds there is a new reason to live – and love – again.

Launch Offer

The Island Affair will be out 21 March 2019, but you can pre-order this family drama set in one of the most captivating holiday islands in Scandinavia, now for just $0.99 (£0.99/€0.99).

The Island Affair is now on pre-order on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, GooglePlay and many more online stores. Tap this link to choose your favourite store. 

 

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New Book Cover Reveal

At last, it’s here, the fresh-off-the-press cover for The Island Affair. Drumroll, please, for a new cover reveal!

I’m delighted with the new cover. I canvassed opinion from members of my Readers Group on which image to choose and this was the most popular one. My hugely talented cover designer, Jessica Bell, put her magic on it, and below is the result.

 

Can one summer mend a broken heart?

After the tragic loss of their 17-year-old son, journalist Alicia and surgeon Liam struggle to keep their marriage afloat. During their usual holiday to Åland, the Nordic islands where Alicia grew up, the rift between the couple deepens and Liam leaves Alicia behind and heads back to London.

Enter tall, blonde Patrick, with the most piercing blue eyes Alicia has ever seen. When Patrick confides in Alicia about the near loss of his daughter and the breakdown of his marriage, Alicia is surprised to feel an affinity with the Swedish reporter. He’s the only person who understands Alicia.

The discovery a Romanian boy’s body in the reefs not far from Alicia’s parent’s place brings secrets held by people close to Alicia to the surface and, surprisingly, give her a reason to live – and love again.

The Island Affair will be out 21st March. You can pre-order this first novel in a new Love on the Island series from 1 February 2019.

If you’d like to be amongst the first know about my new books, sign up to my Readers Group here.

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