Lynne Stringer's Blog, page 11

Glimpses of Light Anthology Blog Tour

This week I’m participating in a blog tour celebrating Glimpses of Light, the anthology released late in 2015 in which I have a short story. Last week, Charis Joy Jackson shared her thoughts on her experience as part of the anthology. You can read her post here. Now it’s my turn.

When I first heard about Glimpses of Light, I was uncertain I would participate. I’d never even attempted a short story before, let alone one with a specific theme. I know myself and how my brain works and I know it’s difficult to force ideas on it from any particular angle. Usually, my imagination directs me, so I didn’t think I would be able to come up with anything on demand, much less an idea that would contain the theme of light in a significant way.

However, almost as soon as I’d heard about it, an idea popped into my head. The story of a group of people who were living in darkness, with only vague legends hidden in books that told them of light. I was intrigued by the idea of what might make one of its inhabitants challenge the only thing she knew.  As a result, Bessin, my protagonist, quickly became a character I adored. She was courageous in a way I doubt I could be. I enjoyed experiencing her journey.

So in the end, I enjoyed my experience of writing a specifically-themed short story. It’s even greater that I share the printed page with numerous other extremely talented authors. If you have yet to buy a copy of Glimpses of Light, make sure you do.

In fact, I’ll make it easy for you. Leave a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this blog and you’ll go into the draw to win a copy. If you’ve already got a copy of Glimpses of Light, I’ll give you a copy of The Heir, my debut novel, instead. It doesn’t matter where you are, I’ll post it to you, so don’t hold back, comment now!

Next week, Mimi Emmanuel will be taking up the mantle on the next let of this blog tour. You can read her blog here.

Don’t forget to leave a comment below!

 

What every reader needs to know

On 2nd January I liked and shared a meme called ‘What every reader needs to know’ on my Facebook author page. Much of what it said resonated with me:

The book in your hand is full of heartache, rewrites, edits and more rewrites.
A book sold for .99 cents on Amazon nets the author only .17 cents. Please consider this when saying $1.99 is too much.
Amazon will only recommend a book if it has at least 25 reviews posted. The 3-5 minutes it takes to post a review is the life or death of that book and determines if it is a suggested read. No matter how great a book is (or isn’t) Amazon will let it die a slow death without reviews.
Not every self-pubbed author has an editor. Most of us aren’t rich and can’t afford $500 to edit a book, so be kind.

So much of it is true, not just for me, but for all unknown authors out there, whether self-published or not, so I thought I’d feature this in my blog for the next few weeks (although I will take a one-week break to participate in a blog tour for the new anthology I’m a part of, Glimpses of Light).

This week, I’ll start with number one – the book in your hand is full of heartache, rewrites, edits and more rewrites.

It’s common, when I’m attending any event trying to sell my books, to have someone try and ‘talk me down’ when it comes to the price. While I understand that we all struggle with money, I think my books, whether print or ebook, are reasonably priced, especially when you consider the work that went into them.

When I wrote the first draft of The Heir, my debut novel and the first book in the Verindon trilogy, it took about three months. Then I edited it. Then I edited it again. Then I edited it again. Times that by about sixty. Then I had the manuscript assessed. (Fortunately, by this time I had an interested publisher, so I didn’t pay for that. But many authors do pay for it out of their own pockets.) Then it had a professional edit. Then another. All in all, it took three years to get from the first draft stage to the publishing stage.

The paperback edition of The Heir was released at the cost (in Australian dollars) of $16.95. This is a remarkably reasonable price, especially when you consider all the work, three years of it, in fact, that both my publisher and myself put into it. Take out all the costs associated in labour, printing and marketing, and it honestly doesn’t leave a great deal left over for something that I spent major time on for three years of my life. Now, before you think I’m whinging too much, believe me, I know how fortunate I am to not only have a book published, but one that was traditionally published. That’s an achievement. But it hurts every time someone tries to talk me down in price because I know how much work I put into it.

The ebook editions of each of my books, when first released, were $8.99 AUD each. Again, considering the work that went into them, I think this is a fair price. However, most people think that ebooks should be dirt cheap. I understand why; there’s an expectation that they should be cheaper because of costs saved with printing. But they are cheaper. Remember, we’re trying to make a living out of this. There’s a reason a lot of us don’t make it to that many events. We have day jobs too, so we can pay bills. We don’t have much money. We’re trying to be authors, but it’s definitely something we do because we love it, more than because it makes us money.

So next time you see a book that you think costs a little too much keep in mind the struggling author who’s trying to live their dream. I know you work hard for your money, but so do we. Please help us out wherever you can and try and pay full price for a book written by an unknown.

 

 

New Year’s Resolutions

Are you a new year’s resolution type of person? Do you use the start of a new year to take stock of your life and resolve to improve on one area or another, or make some lifestyle changes that might benefit you? I know a lot of people do.

I’ve never been one to make new year’s resolutions myself. It doesn’t help that a lot of people I know don’t manage to keep theirs very long. I think that’s a problem for many of us. However, at least those people had the gumption to look at their lives and see ways it could be improved and to strive for that improvement. It takes motivation just to name something like that and make the resolution to fix it.

If I were to make one resolution for 2016, mine might be along the lines of getting back to what I really love about writing, which is the act of writing itself. The making up of the story that becomes a novel. That’s definitely the most exciting part, but it can be buried under other responsibilities, especially if you have other books of yours to sell and money to make elsewhere so you can sell more books. So maybe I need to make time to write that novel. It might help me get my author mojo back.

How about you? Do you have a new year’s resolution? Do you think you’ll keep it?

Another year over

The end of 2015 is approaching rapidly, which gives us an opportunity to reflect on the year that it was.

For me, it was the first year in a few when I wasn’t anticipating or experiencing the release of a full-length novel. In fact, nothing new of mine would have been released at all if not for the recent release of the Glimpses of Light anthology, which features a short story of mine. If you haven’t already, you can buy Glimpses of Light here. It’s been great to have at least one new piece of writing released in 2015.

I’m still not sure whether there will be anything new from me in 2016, but I’m confident either next year or 2017 will see a new novel from me. Watch this space for more details. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

This year has been a tricky one in a number of ways. I’ve encountered a few struggles in trying to make ends meet, something many authors experience regularly. However, I’ve also added a few new bookshops to my list of places for signings, which has been encouraging. I’ve found a number of new events, some which I will attend again, others which I now know are not worth my time and effort.

Also, today I saw just how easy it can be to be targeted when you’re out there on the internet. My Facebook author page was hacked overnight and an ad was posted on it, one which I was then charged for. Hopefully though, those costs will be recovered, and the ad has now been removed.

So there were many highs and lows in the year that was 2015. What will 2016 bring? Hopefully a new release, hopefully some new events where I can share my work, and hopefully some new people who I can interact with, and who like my work.

What are your hopes for 2016? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Merry Christmas!

Yes, I’m writing yet another Christmas post. It’s amazing how quickly it comes around again (although not as quickly as each blog post does!)

‘Tis the season to be racing around like a chook with your head cut off. Fortunately, my family took a break this week just passed, and went to stay in the mountains for a few days, so we had a brief respite from the chaos at this time of year. Where we were, we could only hear birds and the wind in the trees. *sigh*

It was a stark contrast to my first visit to a shopping centre when we got back. There were people EVERYWHERE. Fortunately, as I insist on going as early as possible, we found a parking space without any trouble. I had a list and raced around getting everything we required so I could get out of the before it got REALLY busy. I have to go back again before Christmas day, and I’m already dreading it. Happily, after that visit all the shopping will be done.

Unfortunately, it seems that inspiration is also hitting. I have an idea for a new story. When will I find time to write it???? No idea. I’m hoping I might get a few hours, although I still need to brush up my other manuscript before sending it back to my publisher. Oh, the busy life of a published author!

But amidst the busyness, I need to remind myself what this season is all about. It’s not about presents or food, but about something more than that. So I will put a link to a Christmas poem by John Betjeman here. I’ve always found it a wonderful reflection on this season.

Merry Christmas and God’s richest blessings to you and your families in the new year.

 

The Glimpses of Light anthology is here!

I’m happy to announce that the new anthology I’m a part of will be launched on 17th December! It’s called Glimpses of Light and it’s especially exciting for me as it contains the first short story I’ve ever had published. I encourage you to buy a copy so you’ve got it ready to read if you have some time off over the Christmas period … or even if you don’t!

The anthology was the idea of some fellow authors, and they decided on the theme of light because 2015 was the international year of light. So all the contributing authors had to use light in a major way in what they wrote.

The anthology includes both short stories and poetry. A number of different genres are featured, from Christian fiction to contemporary fiction, with a number of sci-fi/fantasy stories as well. So there’s something for everyone!

Glimpses of Light includes contributions from award-winning authors and poets such as Jo-Anne Berthelsen, Paula Vince, Adele Jones, Jo Wanmer, Jeanette Grant-Thomson and Ellen Carr, as well as exciting new talent.  All proceeds from the book will be given to CBM Australia, a wonderful organisation that helps restore sight to blind people in third world countries. You can find out more about them here.

The anthology will have an online launch on Facebook, and you’re all invited! The link to the event is here. It starts at 10.00 am on 17th December (the time zone is for Sydney, Australia, so you may need to google what time that will be for you). You can also see more about the book itself via its Goodreads entry, which is here.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the online launch. There was a slight delay in the book’s publication, and I already had a much-needed holiday scheduled for next week, and I’ll be out of wi-fi reception. However, there will be plenty of other authors and readers in attendance, so don’t let my absence hold you back. Plan to be there, have a great time and make sure you purchase a copy!

Christmas is coming!

I love Christmas. It’s a time of year I always enjoy. I know that, for some people, Christmas can be a lonely time and a time filled with sad memories. My heart breaks for those who feel that way. For me, even now, it’s a time of joy and fun. I love not only what Christmas represents, but the gifts and the trees and the time spent stuffing my face with food, while laughing at a table with family and friends.

For most people, Christmas is a busy time of year. For an author, it is even more so, as Christmas is a great time to sell our books. While I realise Christmas is about more than presents, there’s no doubt I still want people to give their loved ones the Verindon trilogy!

Of course, this means it can be hard for an author to find time to do all those other things that need to be done. Not only must we buy gifts for everyone in our circle of family and friends, send all our cards and catch up with all those people we need to see, we must take the time to promote our books in the hope of making sales.

However, each year there comes a point when I have to stop. This is mainly because my family’s best time to go away for a holiday is around Christmas. So I always have a deadline, after which I will not allow myself to do any more signings for the year. This year, that deadline is this weekend. I’m going to be at Little Gnome bookstore at Wynnum on Thursday night for their last evening book event for the year, and after that, no more until 2016. If you’re in the area, please come and do your Christmas shopping at Little Gnome!

I’m glad I set myself a deadline, and I must confess, the sight of it is a welcome one, especially this year. I have been insanely busy, and I think I need to force myself to have a break. Hopefully, I will do just that.

Do you enjoy Christmas? What are you plans for this year? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Don’t Give Up

On Saturday I had my latest book signing at Angus & Robertson at Capalaba. Happily, I sold six copies of The Heir and two each of The Crown and The Reign, which was a nice number, especially considering how the morning started.

That’s because, for the first hour, I sold nothing.

Selling nothing in the first hour is unusual for me, and usually a sign I’m not going to do too well. In fact, not only was I not selling, it was difficult to even catch anyone’s eye to engage them. Usually if I don’t make a sale, I’ve at least given out a few bookmarks here or there. Not this time. Well, I had given away one bookmark, but even that took a lot of work.

So going into my second hour I was feeling despondent. It didn’t help that I’ve just started a new job (one that actually brings in money!). That, combined with the fact that it’s the end of the year, meant that I already felt exhausted. I contemplated throwing in the towel. Also, as Christmas is approaching rapidly, all I could think of as I sat there was the huge list of things I had to do at home.

But as that nagging voice of doubt told me it wasn’t worth hanging around, I knew I couldn’t give up. I would never forgive myself.

Fortunately, in the next hour, I sold four copies. That buoyed me up. It was worth persisting. I persisted for another couple of hours, until I was sure I had done all I could. I went home satisfied.

So next time I’m sitting there selling nothing, I’ll think about this event, and think of the people who might be just around the corner …

How about you? Is there a time when you wanted to give up but were glad you didn’t?

Memories

A friend of mine posted something on Facebook today. It was a post she’d sent me five years ago.

It said:

‘Anyone know the time difference between here and Brisbane? Come on, Lynne, I want the rest of your book, I’m dying here!!!’

This post brought back some great memories from 2010, when I wrote The Heir, book one in the Verindon trilogy.

The Heir wasn’t the first novel I’d ever written, but it was the first one I’d shown to a number of people outside the family. It’s a nerve wracking thing, showing something that is effectively your baby to other people. At the time, I was regularly visiting an online community and I’d made friends with five ladies who liked reading similar books to me. So they seemed a logical choice to try out The Heir.

I’d given it to one of them first, and she seemed to like it. Then I sent the first two chapters to four others and waited to hear what they’d thought. There was nothing. No reply. I assumed that meant they hadn’t liked it and were too polite to say anything, so I kept quiet for as long as I could. However, in the end I had to ask the question, ‘What did you think?’

The replies came back quickly. ‘We loved it! When are you writing more?’

That was why they hadn’t said anything. They thought I’d give them more when I’d written it, not realising that the novel was already finished. So after that, I sent them two chapters every few days, which led to the post I quoted earlier.

It’s good to look back at memories like this, especially in the hard slog that can be an author’s life. I’ve been tempted to give up lately because it can be a struggle to keep going when things seem stacked against you. Seeing posts like that encourage me to keep on going.

By the way, those five ladies were rewarded. Their names feature in the dedication page at the beginning of The Heir.

Are you an author? What makes you keep going when you feel like giving up. Are you a reader? Have you had any memorable interactions with your favourite authors? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Does your favourite novel have ‘extras’?

Does your favourite novel (or the novel you have written) have extras?

This what I mean by extras. I was involved in a conversation on Goodreads the other day, when someone was asking if any of the authors present had created a Twitter account for our characters. He was wondering if it helped generate sales. Most of us thought it wouldn’t be much help, except perhaps for a novel that was already doing well.

There are a lot of things authors do, which I call ‘extras’, to try and reach a wider audience. For example, all three of my books have book trailers. You can find them on this website. However, it seems that book trailers don’t do a lot to generate sales. Most readers aren’t interested in them. And what use are they if no one knows they’re there because the author’s marketing reach isn’t extensive?

Another thing I’ve tried to do is use merchandise. The bookmarks my publisher produced for me have been extremely helpful. If someone only buys the first book in the Verindon trilogy, I always slip a bookmark in, as it contains websites where they can find the other two books. I also give them to anyone who buys the full set, so that they can always give it to someone else if they want to ‘share the love’.

My t-shirts were a great extra, until I lost the website printed on them. However, I’m hoping it may be free again next year, so I’m keep all the t-shirts, just in case. I’ve also put together a charm bracelet for those who buy the full set of my trilogy. However, this is more useful in providing an extra incentive for them to buy the full set, as the bracelet doesn’t have any branding on it, so it can’t point onlookers in my direction like a t-shirt or bookmark.

I think all of these things have their uses, and some are definitely more effective than others.

Are you a writer? What ‘extras’ do you use? Do they work? Are you a reader? Do you look at book trailers, character Twitter/Facebook accounts, and things like that? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.