Connie Johnson Hambley's Blog, page 27
June 14, 2014
New Cover Promotion: Kindle Countdown
There have been a LOT of changes going on in the world of The Charity. The new cover is getting a lot of great attention, my new website is up and rolling, and the launch of the next installment of The Jessica Trilogy will be unveiled soon.
Since The Charity is the first in a series about a young woman caught in the mechanisms of terrorism, I want to give readers the opportunity of learning why it's earning consistently stellar reviews at a "gotta get it now" price!
The promotion will be for a limited time only. Starting Monday, June 16 and ending at midnight, June 19, the discounted price will be as follows:
June 16 - $ .99June 17 - $1.99June 18 - $2.99June 19 - $3.99
If you haven't done so already, make sure to follow me on Twitter - @conniehambley - and like my Facebook page. As the summer reading approaches, there will be more updates and offerings for Jessica and her fans!
June 3, 2014
How is Writing a Thriller Like Practicing Law?
I know my cover has long been blown that I'm a lawyer by training if not by temperament. The connection between my current writing and my past career crystallized on a recent walk with a lawyer friend of mine.
She was in the mad crush of work before an appellate brief was due. The trial for the case had already occurred with a decision rendered by the court and one of the parties didn't like the decision. As happens very frequently, they appealed the ruling, hoping a higher court would see things differently. When a decision is appealed, the world for that appeal is set in the record of the trial. No new facts can come into play and any facts that may support a different argument have to be addressed. She was pulling her hair out over the Statement of Facts section of her brief, crafting a foundation upon which her whole case would rest. She couldn't move on to the Argument section until it was right. One faulty shaping of fact or omission, and her whole case could come crumbling down.
She said that it was like she was caught in quicksand. The more she tried to craft the facts to best bolster her case, the deeper into the muck she got. "Lean and mean," she told herself. But she kept getting stuck. She also knew that any overreaching or mischaracterization would be like giving clover to the opposition would have them picking apart her arguments one by one. She stopped midstride and commented that she sounds a lot like me when I talk about writing my books.
In a recent interview on ArtistFirst radio (a CBS affiliate) the host asked me where I learned to write. My answer was law school. Writing a well paced and cogent thriller is very much like writing a well articulated and succinct brief.
1. You have to know where you are going with each word.
From the very beginning of the brief or your book, you need to know where you want to take the reader. Each word is chosen for a purpose. Each sentence is crafted to persuade and manipulate the reader and coerce them into your world.
2. Opposing counsel is your discerning reader.
I value the intelligence of my readers and I construct my plots so everything hangs together in a logical progression. If there is something not quite right, I expect them to find the chink and pry the whole darned plot wide open. A good opposing counsel is just waiting for that one forgotten fact or that one logical extension of an argument that cuts everything off at the knees. Everything is written for a reason and there cannot be any holes or loose threads that, if pulled, unravel the whole work. I write for readers who plow through plots with a fine tooth comb.3. A well constructed thriller is like a well constructed brief.
A brief starts with a Statement of Facts. It sets the stage and defines the capsule in which the Argument resides. A good thriller starts with setting the stage and world of reader expectations. A writer has to know when to quit and not overload the front end.
A brief continues with the Argument. This section takes the facts and fleshes them out with other cases and perspectives, always with an end in mind. A thriller continues by expanding the initial statement of the plot and weaves in other information, pulling the reader along with a clear purpose in mind.
The final section of the brief is the Summation. All the facts and law are woven into a final and ironclad presentation of the case, leaving no room for doubt that the client's perspective will prevail. The thriller takes all of the facts and threads seeded throughout the book and weaves them together in a believable and airtight climax.4. Always keep your audience and direction in mind.
In both a brief and a thriller, always keep what you are writing and who you are writing for in the forefront of your mind. Make sure you keep where you are heading clearly in your vision. Use your reader's world view to shape how you craft a sentence. Are you writing to a criminal lawyer or to a family attorney in divorce court? Very different approaches are used here. Are you writing to a young adult audience or to lovers of erotica? That first kiss will look a lot different depending upon who you think will be reading it.Law school was my writing boot camp. There, I inhaled information and exhaled legal arguments. I learned to write in a very direct fashion and further honed my skills in writing articles. I learned to stay out of the quicksand.
It's good to know that strong foundation never lets you down.
May 15, 2014
Chelmsford Library Author Event: May 31, 2:00-4:00 pm
I am very pleased to have been invited by the Chelmsford Public Library to participate in their annual author's event. Authors of different genre will be there discussing their writing process and recent works. Enjoy some light refreshments, buy a signed book and support your local library!
April 30, 2014
New Look. Same Heart.
Today marks the launch of the new cover to The Charity and a new look to my site! I'm excited about these changes and want you to know why I went through the trouble.
Making a decision to redesign a cover is not an easy one. A book cover is about capturing potential readers' attention, making them intrigued enough to pick up the book to learn more about it (thereby making back covers very important!) and giving the reader a mental image that will both make them remember your book and give them clues about your book's story. Since most viewing by potential readers is online, a front cover image is extremely important.
My first cover did some jobs incredibly well. It was a striking image and conjured a lot of emotion and comments. At readings and events, it received many compliments and it did what a cover should do - once seen, it was easily remembered and not confused with any other book. It told a lot about the story and about me as an author. Neither the main character nor I play it safe. As one reviewer commented, "It is a compliment to the writer's courage not to take the easy way out..." The Charity also hit number one on Amazon for both Legal Thrillers and Terrorism Thrillers. A significant portion of that success can be attributed to the powerful image of its first cover.
As I got to know my readers, I realized the cover often did not speak to the fervent fans of the story. A recent review on Youtube articulated the seeming disconnect between the two. Many times I had to explain the connection between the first cover and the story. I'll say it here for the last time: Things aren't always what they appear to be and often the worst evil can hide in broad daylight. Check out the hand in the image. It's a real hand!
It's impossible to have firm data on this, but that little 'Spidey-sense' telegraphed that the mark was not a hit. For as many readers who were drawn to the story because of the cover, there may have been those who were turned off. This much I do know and is the hardest to admit: Readers who loved the story said they would not have picked up this book because of the cover. They read it on the strong recommendations of other readers and ended up loving the story and loving Jessica, the main character, but the first cover would have been a deal breaker. Seriously, what author or publisher wants to hear that all of their toil and effort has the opposite effect? The cover actually inhibited potential fans from reading it! It was back to the drawing board, literally!
The new cover is getting great reviews. The link between the story and the image is very clear. There is a barn fire in the book and the figure standing calmly watching it all happen is unsettling. Barn fires are kinda important in my personal story, too. If you read the comments on the review linked to above, the reviewer loves the new look and it addresses all of her concerns. I know she's not alone.
One last point about the new cover. I want you, the reader, to question what you think you know about terrorism. I want you to question what it is and why it exists. I want you to question how big an act of terrorism has to be in order to be effective. The most unsettling answer is that sometimes it is the smaller acts that have the biggest influence. Hero or terrorist? Sometimes it all depends which side of the match you're on.
Redesigning the site will be an ongoing process as the sequel moves toward publication. Think of this first step as cleansing your palate. The Cliffs of Moher were beautiful and spoke to the Irish themes in the story, but it was time to move on.
So, Jessica Wyeth, Owen Shea, Michael Conant, Gapman and everyone else is moving on, too. They may have a new look, but their hearts and minds are still the same.
I am very interested to hear your thoughts about the risks and rewards of redesigning a cover. Please leave a comment below.
Making a decision to redesign a cover is not an easy one. A book cover is about capturing potential readers' attention, making them intrigued enough to pick up the book to learn more about it (thereby making back covers very important!) and giving the reader a mental image that will both make them remember your book and give them clues about your book's story. Since most viewing by potential readers is online, a front cover image is extremely important.
My first cover did some jobs incredibly well. It was a striking image and conjured a lot of emotion and comments. At readings and events, it received many compliments and it did what a cover should do - once seen, it was easily remembered and not confused with any other book. It told a lot about the story and about me as an author. Neither the main character nor I play it safe. As one reviewer commented, "It is a compliment to the writer's courage not to take the easy way out..." The Charity also hit number one on Amazon for both Legal Thrillers and Terrorism Thrillers. A significant portion of that success can be attributed to the powerful image of its first cover.
As I got to know my readers, I realized the cover often did not speak to the fervent fans of the story. A recent review on Youtube articulated the seeming disconnect between the two. Many times I had to explain the connection between the first cover and the story. I'll say it here for the last time: Things aren't always what they appear to be and often the worst evil can hide in broad daylight. Check out the hand in the image. It's a real hand!It's impossible to have firm data on this, but that little 'Spidey-sense' telegraphed that the mark was not a hit. For as many readers who were drawn to the story because of the cover, there may have been those who were turned off. This much I do know and is the hardest to admit: Readers who loved the story said they would not have picked up this book because of the cover. They read it on the strong recommendations of other readers and ended up loving the story and loving Jessica, the main character, but the first cover would have been a deal breaker. Seriously, what author or publisher wants to hear that all of their toil and effort has the opposite effect? The cover actually inhibited potential fans from reading it! It was back to the drawing board, literally!
The new cover is getting great reviews. The link between the story and the image is very clear. There is a barn fire in the book and the figure standing calmly watching it all happen is unsettling. Barn fires are kinda important in my personal story, too. If you read the comments on the review linked to above, the reviewer loves the new look and it addresses all of her concerns. I know she's not alone.
One last point about the new cover. I want you, the reader, to question what you think you know about terrorism. I want you to question what it is and why it exists. I want you to question how big an act of terrorism has to be in order to be effective. The most unsettling answer is that sometimes it is the smaller acts that have the biggest influence. Hero or terrorist? Sometimes it all depends which side of the match you're on.
Redesigning the site will be an ongoing process as the sequel moves toward publication. Think of this first step as cleansing your palate. The Cliffs of Moher were beautiful and spoke to the Irish themes in the story, but it was time to move on.
So, Jessica Wyeth, Owen Shea, Michael Conant, Gapman and everyone else is moving on, too. They may have a new look, but their hearts and minds are still the same.
I am very interested to hear your thoughts about the risks and rewards of redesigning a cover. Please leave a comment below.
April 28, 2014
Youtube Review of "The Charity"
I wanted to share a link for a recent review of The Charity posted on youtube.
I'm very excited to have been reviewed by Getbookish and certainly am pleased that the story was very well received. I think cosmic forces are at work because one point made was that the cover didn't seem to connect with the content! I couldn't agree more, Getbookish! In a recent blogpost I talked about some points to consider when designing or redesigning your cover and am in the process of creating one.
Stay tuned! Updates and cover reveal soon!
I'm very excited to have been reviewed by Getbookish and certainly am pleased that the story was very well received. I think cosmic forces are at work because one point made was that the cover didn't seem to connect with the content! I couldn't agree more, Getbookish! In a recent blogpost I talked about some points to consider when designing or redesigning your cover and am in the process of creating one.
Stay tuned! Updates and cover reveal soon!
April 26, 2014
Designing (and Redesigning!) Your Book's Cover: Five Points to Consider
What does a book cover say?
Capturing the essence of a book in a single image is a daunting task. A quick search on many classic titles shows that one book may have presented different marketing faces to different audiences. This post by Hongkiat.com provides an excellent primer on the basics of good and bad cover design.
Each type of book, whether ebook, paperback or hardcover, will have specifics for its cover needs. An ebook is the simplest and least time consuming cover because the author only has to decide on the front cover's image. There are no spines, back covers or dust flaps to contend with. Most authors use the same image for their ebooks as they do for the paperbacks and hardcovers. When initially launching a book, keeping the same cover is a good idea, especially for a new or indie author.
Finding that one image is a daunting task. There are any number of services to help with cover designs. Check out Elance.com and 99designs.com to post your project and find a designer. Sites like istock.com and Flickr have a trove of reasonably priced images to choose from if you're bold enough to try one of the do-it-yourself cover creators.
Additional points to consider:
1. What will your image look like in thumbnail?
Even sales through a brick and mortar store are often made after a reader has researched a book online. The best covers are recognizable, crisp, and evocative even when less that one inch high. If you have an image you like, test a smaller version of it:
Bring a view of the image onto your computer screen;Minimize the screen by hitting the "_" in the upper right corner (for most computers);Cursor over the toolbar. A small image of the screen will appear that closely approximates what a thumbnail of a potential cover will look like.2. Don't ignore the additional horsepower of the back cover and dust flaps.
Most online sales are ebook sales. No mystery there. Many authors forget or are not aware of the additional marketing power of back covers. Take a look at any paperback book on Amazon and you'll have an option to "flip" the book over to read the back. Even if the sale is going to be a Kindle, many readers take the time to read the back cover of the paperback. Amazon also allows authors and publishers to add content "From the Inside Flap" whether the potential sale is for a Kindle or hardcover. Also, the back cover provides additional emotional cues which hint at the story within. Author pictures are not required.
3. Listen to feedback.
A book may have a great cover, but an author may get feedback that the cover does not fit the book. If you hear there is a disconnect between what the cover says and what the content is, consider redesigning it.
4. Use the redesign as a mini re-launch.
Any reason to talk about your book is a good thing. Use the redesign to generate conversation and buzz. Engage your readers and potential readers in a dialogue. Time the release of the new cover with some event like a reader, interview or blog tour. This way, you can transition the reader's awareness of your book away from the old image to the new image and keep your existing fans with you.
5. New ISBN is not needed.
According to Bowker, a new ISBN is not needed for a new cover and/or minor interior editorial changes. If there is a substantial change to the content that would spark a consumer complaint, then a new ISBN would be needed.
What's your redesign story?
Good luck!
Capturing the essence of a book in a single image is a daunting task. A quick search on many classic titles shows that one book may have presented different marketing faces to different audiences. This post by Hongkiat.com provides an excellent primer on the basics of good and bad cover design.
Each type of book, whether ebook, paperback or hardcover, will have specifics for its cover needs. An ebook is the simplest and least time consuming cover because the author only has to decide on the front cover's image. There are no spines, back covers or dust flaps to contend with. Most authors use the same image for their ebooks as they do for the paperbacks and hardcovers. When initially launching a book, keeping the same cover is a good idea, especially for a new or indie author.
Finding that one image is a daunting task. There are any number of services to help with cover designs. Check out Elance.com and 99designs.com to post your project and find a designer. Sites like istock.com and Flickr have a trove of reasonably priced images to choose from if you're bold enough to try one of the do-it-yourself cover creators.
Additional points to consider:
1. What will your image look like in thumbnail?
Even sales through a brick and mortar store are often made after a reader has researched a book online. The best covers are recognizable, crisp, and evocative even when less that one inch high. If you have an image you like, test a smaller version of it:
Bring a view of the image onto your computer screen;Minimize the screen by hitting the "_" in the upper right corner (for most computers);Cursor over the toolbar. A small image of the screen will appear that closely approximates what a thumbnail of a potential cover will look like.2. Don't ignore the additional horsepower of the back cover and dust flaps.
Most online sales are ebook sales. No mystery there. Many authors forget or are not aware of the additional marketing power of back covers. Take a look at any paperback book on Amazon and you'll have an option to "flip" the book over to read the back. Even if the sale is going to be a Kindle, many readers take the time to read the back cover of the paperback. Amazon also allows authors and publishers to add content "From the Inside Flap" whether the potential sale is for a Kindle or hardcover. Also, the back cover provides additional emotional cues which hint at the story within. Author pictures are not required.
3. Listen to feedback.
A book may have a great cover, but an author may get feedback that the cover does not fit the book. If you hear there is a disconnect between what the cover says and what the content is, consider redesigning it.
4. Use the redesign as a mini re-launch.
Any reason to talk about your book is a good thing. Use the redesign to generate conversation and buzz. Engage your readers and potential readers in a dialogue. Time the release of the new cover with some event like a reader, interview or blog tour. This way, you can transition the reader's awareness of your book away from the old image to the new image and keep your existing fans with you.
5. New ISBN is not needed.
According to Bowker, a new ISBN is not needed for a new cover and/or minor interior editorial changes. If there is a substantial change to the content that would spark a consumer complaint, then a new ISBN would be needed.
What's your redesign story?
Good luck!
April 10, 2014
"The Charity" Hits Number One on Amazon
I have to say, this picture looks pretty good to me.
Just seeing my book listed as an Amazon Best Seller and as the number one Kindle download in the Legal Thriller category is wonderful. The Charity also hit number one in the Terrorism Thriller category for the same three day period and number seven for overall Suspense. It hit the top quickly and stayed there for the duration of my promotion.
For those of you who are new to this world and are thinking that I've arrived to some lofty, gilded space and can now sit back and do nothing, I'll let you think that. So, stop reading.
For the rest of you who are cluing in on this game of perception vs. reality called "Marketing," I have a bit of advice: Be Relentless.
There are wonderful blogs out there providing insight and strategic step-by-step plans on how to market your book. For my own marketing, I decided to broaden The Charity's reader base in preparation for its upcoming sequel, The Troubles. The fact that I now have rights to a couple of bragging points is icing, but I never would have ventured out in the world of Amazon promotion unless I had the virtual support of countless blogs on the subject. I urge you to read each and every one and do everything they suggest.
Then, after your head stops spinning, settle in to one core truth: You make your own luck and will spend years becoming an overnight success.
March 30, 2014
Sex and the Council on Aging
Before you say "Ew!" and squint your eyes away from the vision, I have a story for you.
I do a lot of public events to promote my book. Most of the time these are readings where I know the audience has not yet read it, so I keep the spoilers to a minimum. My favorite events are book clubs - either via Skype or in person - where readers can dig into the details of the book. I know the readers love hearing why I chose a particular narrative thread or background details on a scene. I'm always impressed with the level of insight my readers have on the subtle shadings that made their reading experience more enjoyable.
I was a little nervous when I entered the room and saw a dozen white heads look up. The Charity has some very potent scenes, both violent and sexual. They pretty much looked like a cozy mystery and women's fiction kind of crowd. I prepared to defend myself and to apologize for offending them, but my book is a thriller after all. Yada, yada.
Boy, was I wrong.
I always ask if Jessica ended up with the right guy at the end. Were they "Team Shea" or "Team Michael"? I winced a little and waited for the onslaught.
I knew it was going to be a good meeting when the opening statement was made by one participant, two palms pressed against the table. "That scene in the cabin was terrific. Wow!"
They loved it. They loved the fact I did not shy away from difficult scenes or veer into cheap. I gave just enough detail to let the reader know what happened and to conjure the reading experience I want them to have. The murder scenes were graphic without blood spurting everywhere. And, in the infamous wisdom that less is more, the sex scenes invited them to feel for themselves the passion the characters shared. I struck the balance between providing the details needed for clarity and to evoke the reader's emotions and the cheap tricks of detail that only serve to cover up that the writer doesn't know how to keep a reader's interest.
One woman, with slight Kentucky drawl and a smokey voice, sighed, "And that <spoiler!> is HOT. You can tell he's gooooood!" What they loved is that the story captured the emotions of the characters. The conversation continued the way you want the best of book clubs to be - filled with laughter and insights.
They were not thriller readers before, but are now. I never would have assumed my book would have resonated with their demographic as a profile of my enthusiastic reader. I'm so happy it did.
I do a lot of public events to promote my book. Most of the time these are readings where I know the audience has not yet read it, so I keep the spoilers to a minimum. My favorite events are book clubs - either via Skype or in person - where readers can dig into the details of the book. I know the readers love hearing why I chose a particular narrative thread or background details on a scene. I'm always impressed with the level of insight my readers have on the subtle shadings that made their reading experience more enjoyable.
I was a little nervous when I entered the room and saw a dozen white heads look up. The Charity has some very potent scenes, both violent and sexual. They pretty much looked like a cozy mystery and women's fiction kind of crowd. I prepared to defend myself and to apologize for offending them, but my book is a thriller after all. Yada, yada.
Boy, was I wrong.
I always ask if Jessica ended up with the right guy at the end. Were they "Team Shea" or "Team Michael"? I winced a little and waited for the onslaught.
I knew it was going to be a good meeting when the opening statement was made by one participant, two palms pressed against the table. "That scene in the cabin was terrific. Wow!"
They loved it. They loved the fact I did not shy away from difficult scenes or veer into cheap. I gave just enough detail to let the reader know what happened and to conjure the reading experience I want them to have. The murder scenes were graphic without blood spurting everywhere. And, in the infamous wisdom that less is more, the sex scenes invited them to feel for themselves the passion the characters shared. I struck the balance between providing the details needed for clarity and to evoke the reader's emotions and the cheap tricks of detail that only serve to cover up that the writer doesn't know how to keep a reader's interest.
One woman, with slight Kentucky drawl and a smokey voice, sighed, "And that <spoiler!> is HOT. You can tell he's gooooood!" What they loved is that the story captured the emotions of the characters. The conversation continued the way you want the best of book clubs to be - filled with laughter and insights.
They were not thriller readers before, but are now. I never would have assumed my book would have resonated with their demographic as a profile of my enthusiastic reader. I'm so happy it did.
Free Kindle eBook Download: April 1 - 3, 2014
Tell your friends about this limited time offer. On April 1, 2, and 3, 2014, five star thriller, The Charity, will be available for free download via Amazon Kindle.
The Charity tells the story of a young woman who stumbles across the money behind a Boston based terrorist cell. Readers and reviewers agree that this fast paced thriller will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned. Join the fun, download during the limited promotion and discover a world where things may not be what they appear to be.
March 9, 2014
Sometimes St. Patrick's Day Sucks
Go ahead. Think of whatever St. Patrick's Day images you can come up with. Leprechauns? Shamrocks? A pot of gold? Maybe even few drunken sots?So, how about arson?
I grew up on a dairy farm in a little town just north of New York City. That picture you see above is what my back yard looked like on St. Patrick's Day when I was a wee little girl. I know what you're thinking - What drunken idiot accidentally set that poor girl's barn on fire?
It wasn't a drunken idiot. And it wasn't an accident.
My family is very Irish, so getting ready for the Big Day meant the kitchen refrigerator was decorated with school-project shamrocks and loaves of soda bread sat round and crisscrossed on the windowsill. We enjoyed a simple and secure life. We had enough and we shared what we could. My parents and grandparents worked hard and did well enough to employ a few folks, too. Life was pretty good.
Until it wasn't.
For reasons known only to him, one of the men hired by my father took exception to our family. Whatever we had, he didn't, and that festered in him somehow to the point where he wanted to destroy it. I don't know what his thoughts were, but he waited until milking time when the cows were locked in their stanchions, lit a match and threw it into the hayloft. The gasoline was waiting.
The Irish are known for counting their blessings. Here are mine. No cows died. My father, who repeatedly entered the barn to release the cows, did not get one scratch on him. No one else did that day either. See those flames? They are blowing to the east. If they blew to the west or north, my home and my neighbor's home would have burned, too. The casseroles, cakes and cookies that filled our home over the next few weeks were enough to feed a small army, which we did. The small battalion of people who came to help us transport cows, clear debris, hold my mom's hand and help carry my dad's load were royally fed. I don't remember any tears after that first horrible day. I only remember the love and laughter as we all worked together.
It took a while, but we got to our feet again.
So, go ahead and smile and laugh at the St. Patrick's Day revelers. It might be for different reasons, but I'll be smiling right along with you.
