Nenia Campbell's Blog - Posts Tagged "publishing"
Endgame Hard Copy Now Available for Purchase!
After some initial formatting issues with the cover design, I finally got the green light. Endgame is now ready to order!
Unfortunately, the other cover did not fit the specified dimensions, so I had to make it myself. Let's call it "a special edition."
Click the book to order a copy for $6.00.
OR
Purchase the kindle edition here and satisfy your desire for instant gratification!
As always, I thank you for your support!
Unfortunately, the other cover did not fit the specified dimensions, so I had to make it myself. Let's call it "a special edition."
Click the book to order a copy for $6.00.
OR
Purchase the kindle edition here and satisfy your desire for instant gratification!
As always, I thank you for your support!
Interview with Lisbeth Avery (Domus Libri)
I've just had my first author interview ever with our very own Demonic Lynx. Oh my gosh you guys. I literally started fangirling when she asked me. I feel like I'm Cinderella, and GoodReads is my fairy godmother letting me go to the author ball.
You can read my interview on her website.
Thanks, Lisbeth!
You can read my interview on her website.
Thanks, Lisbeth!
Are You A Sue?
We all know her. She's the girl we love to hate.
Wondering if the character in the book you're reading is an Uber-Sue? Or concerned about your own writing? Take this fun Mary Sue Litmus Test to find out.
I'm in the clear! My characters passed. :)
Wondering if the character in the book you're reading is an Uber-Sue? Or concerned about your own writing? Take this fun Mary Sue Litmus Test to find out.
I'm in the clear! My characters passed. :)
Fearscape Now Available for Kindle
I'm very proud for finishing this book--especially during National Writing Month. And on the last day, too. Talk about a close shave!
I hope the rest of you participants were similarly fortunate in meeting--or better yet, exceeding--your goals. And if you didn't, don't give up. There's always next year. Or, if you're feeling cheeky and daring, next month!
You can order a copy of Fearscape for yourself here, for $2.99 for the Kindle. If you have Amazon Prime, I believe you also have the option of borrowing it for free. FREE, PEOPLE!
The hard copy edition is still being proofed, so for those of you who don't have Kindles/would rather read the book in print, the paperback should be available soon for around $7.00. It's just shy of 300 pages.
Once again, I'd also like to thank everyone for the amazing feedback and support--even the mixed feedback. Especially the mixed feedback. Thanks to some of my reviews, I've now gotten the formatting down to a (mostly) fine art, and had some wonderful people step forward to offer their services with fact-checks. In fact, an extra-special thank-you goes to McQuinn, who helped me with all the info on legal proceedings and terminology. You're a star, Quinny!
If you're even the slightest bit interested, I would be honored for you to give my books a chance. When I posted my work online, the feedback I received from my readers helped hone me into the writer I am today. That feedback is especially critical now that money is involved and I'm writing (or trying to write) in a more professional context. Let me know what you like and what you dislike--and don't be afraid to be honest! :)
Happy reading,
xNenia
(Cover shout-out to Louisa again.)
I hope the rest of you participants were similarly fortunate in meeting--or better yet, exceeding--your goals. And if you didn't, don't give up. There's always next year. Or, if you're feeling cheeky and daring, next month!
You can order a copy of Fearscape for yourself here, for $2.99 for the Kindle. If you have Amazon Prime, I believe you also have the option of borrowing it for free. FREE, PEOPLE!
The hard copy edition is still being proofed, so for those of you who don't have Kindles/would rather read the book in print, the paperback should be available soon for around $7.00. It's just shy of 300 pages.
Once again, I'd also like to thank everyone for the amazing feedback and support--even the mixed feedback. Especially the mixed feedback. Thanks to some of my reviews, I've now gotten the formatting down to a (mostly) fine art, and had some wonderful people step forward to offer their services with fact-checks. In fact, an extra-special thank-you goes to McQuinn, who helped me with all the info on legal proceedings and terminology. You're a star, Quinny!
If you're even the slightest bit interested, I would be honored for you to give my books a chance. When I posted my work online, the feedback I received from my readers helped hone me into the writer I am today. That feedback is especially critical now that money is involved and I'm writing (or trying to write) in a more professional context. Let me know what you like and what you dislike--and don't be afraid to be honest! :)
Happy reading,
xNenia
(Cover shout-out to Louisa again.)
Fearscape Hard Copies Now Available!
Some of you wanted to know when Fearscape was going to be available in paperback. Well, I just got le news today! The proofing went through, and yes, your edition will come with Lou's GORGEOUS cover. ♥
You can order a copy from Createspace HERE for $7.50 (I almost wrote $750. LOL, no.)
And just to reiterate, you can get the Kindle version for $2.99 (NOT $299) at the Kindle store HERE.
As always, happy reading!
xNenia
You can order a copy from Createspace HERE for $7.50 (I almost wrote $750. LOL, no.)
And just to reiterate, you can get the Kindle version for $2.99 (NOT $299) at the Kindle store HERE.
As always, happy reading!
xNenia
Cloak and Dagger Temporarily Unavailable
One of my readers was kind enough to list some of the typos in Cloak and Dagger (thanks Kathryn!), so I submitted a new document with the corrections she suggested for both Kindle and hard copy editions. Both should be available for purchase in 12-42 hours.
Thank goodness! Some of them were pretty embarrassing.
On that note, please don't be afraid to tell me if you see any typos or mistakes. Apart from some assistance from some lovely friends of mine I don't have an editor, and I do want to improve as a writer. Plus, I want all of you to have the best reading experience possible!
As always, I appreciate your kindness and support.
Happy reading,
xNenia
Thank goodness! Some of them were pretty embarrassing.
On that note, please don't be afraid to tell me if you see any typos or mistakes. Apart from some assistance from some lovely friends of mine I don't have an editor, and I do want to improve as a writer. Plus, I want all of you to have the best reading experience possible!
As always, I appreciate your kindness and support.
Happy reading,
xNenia
Last Week of eBook Holiday Sales!
Hi guys! I just wanted to remind you that this is the last week of the holiday clearance sales for my books: Until December 24th Cloak and Dagger will be $1.99 and Endgame will be $0.99.
After that period, they will revert to their ordinary prices ($2.99 and $1.99, respectively)!
If you are interested, click the link of the title: they will take you to the book's page in the Amazon Kindle store!
All the holly jolliest,
xNenia
After that period, they will revert to their ordinary prices ($2.99 and $1.99, respectively)!
If you are interested, click the link of the title: they will take you to the book's page in the Amazon Kindle store!
All the holly jolliest,
xNenia
Promotions Dressed to the Nines--an Idea
I've been thinking about future promotions for my books while trucking away on Armed and Dangerous, and just thought of an idea.
My books have now been added by the better half of 1,000 people! (Which I am IMMENSELY grateful for!) And I was like, gosh, can you imagine if little old me got added a thousand times? Even nine-hundred and ninety-nine times?
And that cinched it. I had my idea!
If my books are added 999 times (this includes the to-read shelf in addition to currently-reading and read), I will set ALL MY CURRENTLY AVAILABLE WORKS to 99-cents for one whole day. And maybe post a teaser from one of my WIPs of your choice--for free--in this here blog of mine.
I wanted to have something that would benefit everyone in some way, and not preclude people who have already bought my book(s) (which, you know, makes you all the more awesome and lovely and OMG). I think this does the trick nicely, or at least I hope it does!
What do you guys think? Is that a good way to say 'thank you'? :)
My books have now been added by the better half of 1,000 people! (Which I am IMMENSELY grateful for!) And I was like, gosh, can you imagine if little old me got added a thousand times? Even nine-hundred and ninety-nine times?
And that cinched it. I had my idea!
If my books are added 999 times (this includes the to-read shelf in addition to currently-reading and read), I will set ALL MY CURRENTLY AVAILABLE WORKS to 99-cents for one whole day. And maybe post a teaser from one of my WIPs of your choice--for free--in this here blog of mine.
I wanted to have something that would benefit everyone in some way, and not preclude people who have already bought my book(s) (which, you know, makes you all the more awesome and lovely and OMG). I think this does the trick nicely, or at least I hope it does!
What do you guys think? Is that a good way to say 'thank you'? :)
Interview with Angela Horn
In case you somehow missed my flailing a few days earlier, here's a link to my being interviewed by the lovely Angela Horn on her blog.
She's a reallllly nice person, and an author and reviewer as well, and I was super surprised and flattered when she asked me if I wanted to be interviewed.
Plus, she had some really cool questions, too. Check it out! :)
She's a reallllly nice person, and an author and reviewer as well, and I was super surprised and flattered when she asked me if I wanted to be interviewed.
Plus, she had some really cool questions, too. Check it out! :)
25 Things Every Indie Author Should Know
1. If you are vending inferior goods, don't be surprised if you don't have any takers. You wouldn't buy moldy food or a shirt that's falling apart, right?
2. Do set your book at a reasonable price. Cheaper is probably better. People are more willing to branch out and experiment if the cost to them is low.
3. Your readers are not walking bags of money. Don't treat them as if they are. They are people with thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and their respect and interest must be won, not wrested.
4. Big egos are lethal. If you are your own worst critic, nothing anyone says will bother you and advice will be easier to stomach if you admit to yourself that you are not perfect.
5. What happens on the internet does not stay on the internet. Anything you say can and will be held against you. Don't be a jerk. Not just because you'll inevitably get caught, but also because it's just not professional.
6. Don't take your readers for granted. Having a steady following doesn't mean people won't notice when you let your writing go.
7. Don't write things you're not comfortable with, even if it's a popular trend. Nothing is more painful to read than an awkwardly written sex scene.
8. Do read over your stories. Spell-check doesn't catch all typos--in fact, sometimes it causes them--and it doesn't do anything for grammar.
9. Do feel free to engage with your readers. If you're enthusiastic and positive, other people will be, too. Readers don't have to stay readers--they can also be friends!
10. Don't attack people for negative reviews. If they were unhappy, it was probably for a reason. Pay attention to their criticism and be honest with yourself: is it warranted? If yes, read over your draft again and see if anything needs fixing. Feel free to ask for elaboration (politely), but don't be pushy. If no, ignore them. Seriously. Some books just aren't for some people.
11. Don't be derivative. No matter how clever you are, people will know when you are copying other works and writers. Dare to be different!
12. Do write flawed and realistic characters. There is a Mary Sue Litmus Test that can tell you how cliche your character is. Take advantage of it.
13. Do be an active user. Presence is great publicity. It lets people get to know you and, subsequently, your books. Plus, you'll meet a lot of interesting people, and it'll make your readers feel like their opinions are actually heard.
14. Don't get involved in internet drama. It's like trying to rollerblade on a mountain of gravel. Not just a bad idea and potentially dangerous, but also a total downhill slope.
15. Do be passionate about your writing.
16. Do participate in ARC giveaways, sales, special events, interviews, conventions, tours, and other promos. It's a great way to build hype around a book and meet new people.
17. Do trim your books. If you find yourself repeating words or overusing adverbs, remove them. Unnecessary passages and excessive descriptions can also go. Remember: if a passage is boring to you, your reader will find it doubly so.
18. Write what you love. Your work will be so much better because of it.
19. Don't preach at your readers. Unless you're writing to a very specific audience, excessive religious, political, ethnic, and/or gender-based undertones should be treated with caution. Be expecting more negative reviews just because of that.
20. Don't rely on tropes, cliches, and stereotypes, unless there's a point (i.e. hipster irony). If you find yourself resorting to stereotypes try to think about the situation in a new way.
21. Do think of your characters as actual people. Understand that their motives and thoughts might differ from yours, and that sometimes they will frustrate you, creep you out, and/or piss you off.
22. Do have a plot. Few people can do a successful character-driven story. Plus, your plot is a handy guideline to keep you and your story on track.
23. Preview your formatting, especially when converting files to different formats. Sometimes automatic settings don't transfer, and everything gets screwed up.
24. Make reading as easy and effortless as possible. Don't use tiny, hard-to-read font. Do be concise. Don't use words just because they look fancy, especially if you're not 100% sure what they mean. Don't rely on thesauruses; sometimes the words they supply are only related to, or approximations of, the words listed. Do use spacing correctly. Do vary the length of your sentences to keep the flow of the narrative. Don't have large, blocky paragraphs of text.
25. Don't be afraid to research! With the internet, fact-checking is easier than ever before. You might be surprised by what you learn.
And most importantly--be professional. If you want to write for a career, think of your readers as your bosses. Even if you don't agree with your boss, you wouldn't insult him or stalk him and his friends, right? Nope! Not if you want him to keep giving you your paycheck.
Happy writing!
xNenia
2. Do set your book at a reasonable price. Cheaper is probably better. People are more willing to branch out and experiment if the cost to them is low.
3. Your readers are not walking bags of money. Don't treat them as if they are. They are people with thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and their respect and interest must be won, not wrested.
4. Big egos are lethal. If you are your own worst critic, nothing anyone says will bother you and advice will be easier to stomach if you admit to yourself that you are not perfect.
5. What happens on the internet does not stay on the internet. Anything you say can and will be held against you. Don't be a jerk. Not just because you'll inevitably get caught, but also because it's just not professional.
6. Don't take your readers for granted. Having a steady following doesn't mean people won't notice when you let your writing go.
7. Don't write things you're not comfortable with, even if it's a popular trend. Nothing is more painful to read than an awkwardly written sex scene.
8. Do read over your stories. Spell-check doesn't catch all typos--in fact, sometimes it causes them--and it doesn't do anything for grammar.
9. Do feel free to engage with your readers. If you're enthusiastic and positive, other people will be, too. Readers don't have to stay readers--they can also be friends!
10. Don't attack people for negative reviews. If they were unhappy, it was probably for a reason. Pay attention to their criticism and be honest with yourself: is it warranted? If yes, read over your draft again and see if anything needs fixing. Feel free to ask for elaboration (politely), but don't be pushy. If no, ignore them. Seriously. Some books just aren't for some people.
11. Don't be derivative. No matter how clever you are, people will know when you are copying other works and writers. Dare to be different!
12. Do write flawed and realistic characters. There is a Mary Sue Litmus Test that can tell you how cliche your character is. Take advantage of it.
13. Do be an active user. Presence is great publicity. It lets people get to know you and, subsequently, your books. Plus, you'll meet a lot of interesting people, and it'll make your readers feel like their opinions are actually heard.
14. Don't get involved in internet drama. It's like trying to rollerblade on a mountain of gravel. Not just a bad idea and potentially dangerous, but also a total downhill slope.
15. Do be passionate about your writing.
16. Do participate in ARC giveaways, sales, special events, interviews, conventions, tours, and other promos. It's a great way to build hype around a book and meet new people.
17. Do trim your books. If you find yourself repeating words or overusing adverbs, remove them. Unnecessary passages and excessive descriptions can also go. Remember: if a passage is boring to you, your reader will find it doubly so.
18. Write what you love. Your work will be so much better because of it.
19. Don't preach at your readers. Unless you're writing to a very specific audience, excessive religious, political, ethnic, and/or gender-based undertones should be treated with caution. Be expecting more negative reviews just because of that.
20. Don't rely on tropes, cliches, and stereotypes, unless there's a point (i.e. hipster irony). If you find yourself resorting to stereotypes try to think about the situation in a new way.
21. Do think of your characters as actual people. Understand that their motives and thoughts might differ from yours, and that sometimes they will frustrate you, creep you out, and/or piss you off.
22. Do have a plot. Few people can do a successful character-driven story. Plus, your plot is a handy guideline to keep you and your story on track.
23. Preview your formatting, especially when converting files to different formats. Sometimes automatic settings don't transfer, and everything gets screwed up.
24. Make reading as easy and effortless as possible. Don't use tiny, hard-to-read font. Do be concise. Don't use words just because they look fancy, especially if you're not 100% sure what they mean. Don't rely on thesauruses; sometimes the words they supply are only related to, or approximations of, the words listed. Do use spacing correctly. Do vary the length of your sentences to keep the flow of the narrative. Don't have large, blocky paragraphs of text.
25. Don't be afraid to research! With the internet, fact-checking is easier than ever before. You might be surprised by what you learn.
And most importantly--be professional. If you want to write for a career, think of your readers as your bosses. Even if you don't agree with your boss, you wouldn't insult him or stalk him and his friends, right? Nope! Not if you want him to keep giving you your paycheck.
Happy writing!
xNenia
