Storm Chase's Blog, page 91

The Evil One Star Reviewer

When you write a book, being reviewed is a traditional part of the process but some writers wonder why anyone would put up a one star review.

I must say that I haven't read a proper review in years.  Proper, meaning someone with a degree in literature who writes a reflective critical evaluation.  The people I know who review books for newspapers and magazines are like us indie authors: they read books and they can produce an article of 500 to 1000 words. Having them read your book is great for advertising and they usually work to a template where they say one bad thing and two good things so that readers think they are unbiased and publishers are happy that it's mostly positive.  It's just business, not really a review at all.

On Goodreads, Smashwords etc the reviewer may be one who writes and reads but more likely it's just someone who bought the book and who enjoys the idea of being The Reviewer.

Unfortunately, I think "reviewer" is a word that drives normal people a little power crazy.  Let's face it: most of us have zero control over the people around us, so having the power to smash someone is just too, too tempting.  They have a bad day, and you get the one star review.

The other factor at work is that many readers can't tell the difference between, "I didn't like this but the writing is competent" and "I didn't like this because the writing is incompetent."  I got a poor review by a reader who said she hated the book because she didn't like the term of endearment the hero used.  I used "honey girl" which is common in Scotland as it's a new take on "hinny" and "hen" that are corruptions of "honey". Was she right to give a poor review?  Sure!  It's just her opinion.

The other thing that comes into play is that people feel that "proper authors" are much more likely to be good than indie authors.  So they expect to have to pick holes in things. I would suggest they read the last three Cat Who books to get rid of that prejudice.

There are also authors who make up fake persona and then trash other authors.  I've seen a bit of that on Goodreads and it fascinates me. Imagine being that petty minded!

I've been making my living from writing for almost two decades and I have to say that one star reviews don't bother me because there are plenty of people buying my books.  What I really want, are people who recommend my stuff to their friends.  The day the sales drop, I'll pay attention to one star reviews!

So if you're new, don't be upset by one star reviews. Focus on the group that does like your stuff and watch your sales figures.

Want to read one of my books?  For a sweet romantic mushy read, check out  Lost Weekend: An Erotic Romance in Wales

Are Fiverr Promos For Your Ebook Worth It?

I tried out a Fivvr promo last week: one of those, "We've got thousands of loyal Facebook fans" type things for US$5.

I was hesitant because I've found in the past that Facebook page networking is a good thing but paid for Boost promos don't work very well.  However,  for a few dollars I thought I'd have a go, just to see.

I put up a Wildcat in Moscow, a full length mainstream romance I haven't promoted for a while so that I could see exactly how well the promo worked in terms of hits and sales.

In 3 words: waste of time.

Really.  Complete, total, utter waste of time. Didn't even get a spike in hits, never mind a single sale.  

So I'm back to doing my own networking and promo.  It's hard work, but at least I know it generates sales.

Now, if you like the idea of a cool purple haired Goth heroine, check out The Gift: An Erotic Romance in Kiev  Just US$1.99

The Indie Author, Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar and punctuation are a pain to get right, especially if you're working without a raft of editors.  So to save my pal Julie who does my proofreading for me some extra work, I've been reading grammar books again.

It's always the quoted speech that gets me.  Maybe you're good at it, but can you tell straight off which is correct?

“Did you enjoy the party?” She asked.

 Or

“Did you enjoy the party?” she asked. 

And which one of these is correct?

"My brother," she said, "Is a student."

or

"My brother," she said, "is a student."

In both cases it's the second alternative.  Before reading my textbooks I would have put the first properly and the second incorrectly.  Now I have to reread all my books and see if I've made errors.

Gahhhhh!

I'm also noticing these same mistakes in ebooks that I love - including some published by big names like Random House!  I'm glad because it means nobody's perfect.


PS: if you want a good read for this weekend, do check out Blackmail Bride: An Erotic Romance In Scotland  a full length novel for US$2.99

Average ratings for all six Storm Chase books: 4.05 from 89 ratings combined Goodreads, Smashwords, Kobo etc

Guest Blogger: "Why I Read Historical Fiction" By Bookish Owl

Are you writing historical fiction?  Check out why Kayla, aka Bookish Owl, has a passion for the past...
Ever since I was introduced to literature, I’ve always had a soft spot for historical fiction. History has always been fascinating to me as there was always something so dreamy about dresses, corsets and old-fashioned speaking. There are a lot of reasons why I love historical fiction. Here are some of them:
1. Insight on dead people


I have a perverse interest in long dead people. I find their lives a good mystery, what did they eat? What did they use for toilets? I could read non-fiction books but all they ever state are names, dates and places. Believe me, I’ve read about 3 historical non-fiction books. Pooh, who cares about dates? I want to read their daily doings and innermost thoughts.
This is also the reason why historical fiction diaries are THE BOMB. 
2. Reading about women in corsets, petticoats, hoops, etc.
Can you imagine being laced into a tiny corset until you can barely breathe? Can you imagine maneuvering metal contraptions under your skirts to be able to sit? Well I can’t. But I can get a glimpse of how it was like because of historical fiction.
Corsets...can you imagine such a thing?! I’m complaining about bras restricting my breathing capabilities but one that covers your entire torso? *runs screaming for the hills*
3. I’d much rather live in the past
Jay Gatsby called. He wants his mindset back.
Thanks to historical fiction, I can humbly say that I have learned a lot, most of which aren’t even for my age group. It may be difficult to discern between fact and fiction, but if you’re like me and take to Google after reading a historical fiction book, then you’re pretty well off.
What about you? Why do you read historical fiction?

Are Free Books Killing Authors?

There are so many free ebooks out there that you could read a book a week and never put your hand in your pocket (or your Paypal).  Authors are told it's accepted marketing to offer one book free "so that people get to read you and buy your other books".

I'm not so sure.  I don't see J. K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer and other big names giving their work away for free. Part of me suspects that companies like Amazon say this so that they get to sell their ereaders on the basis that you pay for a piece of hardware and get thousands of new books free. I really wonder how many people stop buying books once they have Nooks and Kindles because there are so many free books out there.

But I'm not totally certain so I do offer one free book.  I wrote Sold! A Romance In The Sudan in order to practice writing a long sex scene. I got most of the arguments from friends (Malaysian Indian, South African and Nigerian) on their troubles trying to date across cultural gaps.

The thing is, Sold! is fine but it's not brilliant.  It's just as good as a Mills and Boon, but I don't think they are particularity good. I could totally rework it but I decided to move on and do some "real" writing. (which you can see here!)

I suspect lots of authors do this, which means the free books are only a taste of what their true storytelling is like.  Me, I don't rely on free books.  I always read the first few pages (20% free) and then decide if I want to buy.  That's how I choose print books too.

I'd be interested to do a study to see if readers go on from free books to buy books. If you ever hear of one, please leave a note!

Book Ratings - A Micro Study

After 6 months of writing Storm Chase erotica romance, the books are beginning to move so I'm super excited.  Looking at what works and what doesn't I've conducted 10 email discussions with readers and have found some interesting feedback about ratings.

When readers see less than 10 ratings it's as good as no ratings because readers assume they are put up by friends and family.  They all like to see a book with several dozen ratings which they perceive as "honest ratings". Interestingly, 3 stars and up is all they look for.

I also asked how often they go back and rate a book, and got the answers "never" and "almost never". However, they all admitted that on the rare occasion they do rate a book, they are more likely to rate one that is famous, and they are more likely to trash a book than praise it.

So there you go! I'm thinking that if I want my books to sell, I'm going to have to beg for ratings.  And cross fingers they mark them as 3 stars and up!

Ellen Whyte: Top Tips For Book Proposals And Manuscripts

Ellen Whyte, who also blogs about her cats at Katz Tales, has published a dozen books with various print publishers including Pearson and Marshall Cavendish.  She writes full time for newspapers and magazines.  In this blog post, used with permission, she talks about manuscripts. 

A manuscript is your book.  In the old days manuscripts were hand written.  Now you can't get anyone to read anything that's not in a Word or Text document.

A typical manuscript (MS) is written in a clear font like Courier or Times New Roman, is double spaced and has inch wide margins.  You need to offer blank space so that readers can scribble on the page.

You must also put a header or footer with the book title, your name, and a page number on every page.  This is in case your publisher drops a pile of MSs in her office.

Don't staple it all together and don't bind it - unless your publisher asks you to do so.  Loose pages is best.

MSs must be "clean" meaning you should have no spelling mistakes, no grammar errors, no last little bits of messy plot to fix up etc etc.  Publishers do work on MSs after they've accepted them, but too many problems on the initial approach will make them think you are sloppy - and they won't want to work with you.

An MS submission should be accompanied by a letter and your writing credits.

The letter should say (very briefly) why you and your book are the best thing since instant pot noodles.

There are books written on the subject of approach letters.  I write really simple ones: because I'm in the trade I drop the names of some of my clients, tell them I'm a published author already (and I mention the publishers I work with), and then I sum up the project I want to talk to them about in a few simple sentences.

As writers and publishers want the book to sell, I like to sum up the book in terms of marketing.

For example, I might describe Wildcat in Moscow, one of my ebook romances as,

Wildcat in Moscow is a 77,000 word contemporary reality romance set in London and Moscow.  Along with strong characters and a powerful storyline, this novel is rich in cultural detail, transporting readers into modern Russia.

In view of Russia’s burgeoning economy that has renewed the nation’s political power, and launched a new set of colourful billionaires and leaders onto the world stage, I think there is a growing market for stories set against this exciting backdrop.

I also include the back cover blurb, a one page synopsis of the book and first three chapters - or first 10,000 words if the publisher prefers that.

My best advice is to think of your MS as a pitch for a new client.  Show them you are keen, competent, and a winner and then they'll take you on if they can.

Don't let rejection depress you.  Publishers get tens of thousands of approaches so the competition is very keen.  Frank Herbert's Dune was rejected by 20 or more publishers and went on to become the best selling sci-fi book in history.

The Mule: An Erotic Romance in Colombia is out!

My latest book, The Mule, is out.  It chronicles how Cleo, an exotic dancer from London, who is duped into becoming a drug mule in Colombia, finds her true love.

Although the story is fiction, the characters have a basis in real life.  Connor was inspired by an ex SAS officer I used to know.  Some of the things Connor says come straight from him.  Unlike Connor, my friend wasn't lucky enough to find his Cleo. He was a mess, poor thing, and I really hope that these days we look after our retired military people better.

Cleo is an amalgamation of various club workers I know, although admittedly the character is considerably softened. In real life girls who earn their living by nude dancing and stripping tend to be rather burned out, not sweet and always optimistic like Cleo.  If you prefer a more accurate portrait, see how Star, the rather more tough and cynical heroine in Chocolate, found her true love.

The Mule is available from Smashwords right now and from Kobo and other quality online bookshops from next week.
             

The Perils of E-publishing

So a few years ago Ink-Slinger.com a start-up ebook publisher in the UK wrote to me to ask if I'd like to work with them. I was curious about epublishing so I said yes, and gave them a romance novel (not a Storm Chase, another pen name).

It was a disaster.  They sold about 6 books.

So last year in August 2012, I wrote to remind them that our contract called for a month's notice either way to quit, and said we'd better call it quits.  No response.  I wrote again, and again, and finally wrote to Amazon.co.uk in December 2012 to say that Ink-slinger appeared to have gone bust, and please remove my copyright material from their site.

Suddenly I got responses.  "Oh very sorry, blah, blah, blah.  We'll remove your book this week." That was Ink-Slinger.  Amazon said, "Right, we'll remove your book too."

Today my book is STILL up on Ink-Slinger and Amazon.co.uk!

I have written to them both AGAIN today telling them to remove my books NOW.  Does anyone know what I can do to stop these buggers selling my work without permission?

If you want a Storm Chase novel, please go to Smashwords, Kobo, BarnesandNoble or other store.

Lost Weekend: An Erotic Romance in Wales
By Storm Chase

When Micah accidentally kills a drug dealer, and Bryony is the only witness, Micah decides to keep an eye on her while he makes plans to leave the country. However, when Micah and Bryony start talking, things don't work out quite as either of them expect. Lost Weekend is a love story with a hint of murder and a heroine who decides she likes it best when she's on top.

Guest Post: Jenn Roseton "Can You Get A Decent E-Book Cover for $5?"

Is it possible to get a decent e-book cover for five dollars? If you’ve heard of Fiverr.com, then yes, it is possible.

Fiverr.com is a site similar to Elance.com. Sellers (providers) advertise their services on Fiverr. But the seller only charges five dollars. What is available on Fiverr? Just about anything you could think of: e-book covers, Photoshop retouching, article writing, press releases, social media campaigns - the list is endless.

One of the easiest ways to find a top rated e-book cover designer is to select Graphics & Design from the menu on the right hand side, then click on E-book Covers & Packages. Just above the list of providers you’ll see “Filter gigs by”. 

If you click on Rating you’ll be presented with a list of top rated sellers in that category. You can see how many positive and negative reviews they’ve received, and samples of their work.

However, if you decide to use a seller on Fiverr to design your e-book cover you need to be aware of a couple of things:

1. Read their description very carefully of exactly what they will do. E.g., minor Photoshop editing may not mean changing the color of someone’s hair or clothes. If you want to clarify exactly what the seller can do for five dollars, message them first before you click Order Now. Once you order a gig, you’re expected to pay for it right away.

2. If you’re not providing the seller with your own image for your e-book cover, then make sure you know where they’re getting the image from and that it has a license that includes using it as part of your e-book cover. You don’t want to run into copyright problems down the track.

If the seller is providing the image (and you may have to pay extra) ask them to show you where they obtained it so you can see for yourself that it was obtained legally (e.g. from a stock photo site that the seller has a subscription to). If you want to be sure the image is safe to use, it may be better if you buy it yourself from a stock photo site such as dreamstime.com, 123rf.com or romancenovelcovers.com and read the license carefully, so you know it’s okay to use it on your e-book cover.

3. Be prepared to be disappointed with the first mock-up you receive. Usually, the seller will say they provide one or two mock-ups. If you dislike the first mock-up they give you, be polite but point out why you don’t like it. Maybe they didn't do everything you asked for or the shade of green you thought would look great doesn't. If the second mock-up still doesn't deliver what you wanted, try to pinpoint exactly what is wrong with it and how it needs to be fixed. A great tip I picked up from kboards.com is to hire three e-book cover designers at the same time. You’ll be paying a total of $15 instead of $5, but you may have a greater chance of receiving a wonderful cover for your e-book. You can read this very informative article here.

I’ve used Fiverr four times, but ended up making the cover for my latest Kindle book, Hot and Sexy 2: Bridal Jitters myself (although I did use a seller on Fiverr to change the model‘s hair color).

Jenn Roseton is the author of seven short erotic romances available on Kindle, including her new two part series, Hot and Sexy. Hot and Sexy 1: Seductive Persuasion is available as a free download. You can find out more about her books at www.JennRoseton.com or reach her on Twitter at @JennRoseton