Sara B. Gauldin's Blog, page 7

A simple obstacle to book sales…

I have spent quite a few hours recently writing a book. Is clear in my mind and it needs to be recorded. Writing is an outlet for the emotions, and imagination that would be there anywhere. Writing is a joy. I wish I could say the same about marketing.

Marketing a book ( or three at this point) is a journey that I never thought about when I chose to put my energy in to the act of creating a book. I cannot fully describe the elation I felt on the first day I clicked “publish” and became an author rather than a writer. After the elation wore away a bit I sat back and watched my sales. This was not a very entertaining pursuit because the reality was that nothing happened. I had agonized for weeks about releasing my innermost thoughts to the world. Suddenly it seemed that the world did not really want them. I was stumped. I sell many items on Teacher’s pay Teachers and other sites. My initial price for my first book was lower that a study packet I had created. I waited. I watched. I saw nothing.

My first revelation was that nobody knew about my book. Obviously I needed to make announcements to the readers at large or they would not find my work. So I researched blogs and twitter. I opened an author Facebook page. I interacted on Goodreads. Sales were dismal.

A fellow author suggested that I needed reviews to sell books. This sounded like a reasonable strategy. I redoubled my effort. I contacted bloggers and others I had networked with. I asked friends, coworkers and acquaintances to read my book and write reviews.

Upon asking people to read my books a new realization began to form. People resisted reading my books. Certainly most were polite. A few caved in and were pleasantly surprised. A few bought the book to show support but were very plain about not having time to actually read it. I heard a multitude of reasons. People were busy; family, work, home or church took up all of their time. People were not readers. People were already reading some best seller. Keep in mind that these were my family members and friends, the very people who I had counted on to celebrate my marginal victory of publication. Many of my teacher colleagues ( who I am reasonably sure are literate) were glad to use my instructional materials but balked at a free eBook.

The big question is why? The answer is that these people are being brutally honest. They don’t want to read my book or anything else. Reading is an act that requires sustained mental effort and a substantial amount of time. My book and my writing is an unknown variable and is perceived as a risky investment of peoples’ valuable time and energy. Conversely, my teaching materials save time and energy. They are much easier to sell because they make life easier. This in the same reason why takeout food is infinitely more popular that cooking organic meal at home. In our culture there is a never ending stream of demands on the average person. These demands make it difficult for many people to invest their time and energy in anything that is not a sure bet. After the chaos of the day, a stream of entertainment is available to most people. Television, music, and internet interlaced with social media takes over a large percentage of the time people would once have devoted to reading, writing letters, and gasp, having conversations with people who are in the same room.

Essentially, what I am saying is as a new(er) author whose books have not universally proven to be worthy of people’s time, the main obstacle to gaining readers is convincing people to invest time, not money in the product. Like any successful product, the sure way to make a sale is to convince readers that the product will make their lives more pleasant, rather than a project they are committing themselves to among too many others.

My Review of The Smoke by Lars D. H Hedbor

This book was an informative and riveting look at the uneasy interactions between the American Colonials, The British Red Coats and the Iroquois and other tribes during the American Revolution.  The story alternates from the vantage points.  One perspective is of Iroquois warriors who are faced with the choices of choosing allegiances in a battle that will not consider their needs as fellow human beings.  A secondary perspective allows for insight into the situation of a scout and foot soldier who is part of George Washington’s troops.

As both groups wrestle with the justifications for their reactions to one another the element of shared humanity is juxtaposed into a struggle for survival and the creation or preservation of a way of life.

The Colonials seek to separate from British rule to form a new country.  They follow George Washington’s commands from afar and seek to eradicate the population of native people to render the land safe for their new way of life.  The envision themselves protecting against a war like people and making the land safe from their influence.

Conversely, The Native People find themselves attempting to live in union with the land in small tribal units as they had for the total store of their cultural memory.  They are scattered among battles between the British and American forces who fight a war around them that is not truly theirs.  The native people also seek to defend their homes, families and ways of life from the threat to the warring pale invaders.  They are left with many choices; to join one group or another, to stand their ground and fight whichever foe come their way, to hide, to abandon their homes or to chose an allegiance that may put them at odds with other tribes.

The book offers a unique perspective on the historical account of the Revolutionary War.  It depicts the uncertain times the native people faced as changes that ultimately damaged and destroyed their way of life.

My Review of The Alphas by Diane Rapp

 

The Alphas is very appealing to all canine fanatics, but it also embodies a uniquely human element that draws the reader into the story line as they invest in the character’s journey.  While beautiful descriptions of animals abound,  this book is at its heart a tale of adventure.

The main character,  Carra is drawn into a situation that is more corrupt and dangerous than she ever imagined. The theft of her beloved pet and show dog years earlier was dismissed as a minor crime.  It never seemed minor to her!  The story reveals the true reasons her dog was taken.  When the eccentric dog breeder who bred  her long-lost  dog is killed, she discovers that the estate and its remaining dogs are left to her care and discretion.  This is only the beginning of the strange pattern of events that unfold from two seemingly unrelated crimes!

Carra learns more about the show dogs she has adored, and she encounters a plethora of interesting and sometimes dangerous characters as she attempts to solve a series of crimes involving the dogs that will lead her to a motive that nobody, especially her saw coming.  I loved the character’s willingness to follow the clues left behind by the dead dog breeder out of respect and reverence for the dog that had been taken from her.

I particularly liked the elements of telepathy affecting pack mentality and the splash of science fiction that lends credence to the trilogy series that follows this book.

This book is sure to please animal lovers and mystery lovers alike!

 

My Ongoing Concerns About Our Education System

This article caught my attention. I have witnessed veteran teachers leaving the classroom for this very reason.

http://iamjwal.com/the-tough-decision-to-leave-the-classroom/

Review: The Corporeal Pull by Sara Gauldin

Sara B. Gauldin:

I’m pleased to share these reflections on my book, The Corporeal Pull!

Originally posted on Mz Monka:

“The Corporeal Pull is a story of love that transcends both time and the mortal plane. Terra, a guiding spirit of the Tweens, was content to manage her corporeal charges on Earth and help them towards their divine purpose until she was faced with Liam. The strange attraction she feels towards this lone entity forces her to reexamine the narrow perspective she has held for centuries. Suddenly, the relevance of soul mates is thrust into the forefront of her thoughts, and she cannot deny their relevance.

When Terra realizes that Liam’s intended path is one of incomprehensible suffering in the mortal world, it is already too late. She has let herself become entangled in his fate. Terra is faced with an impossible quandary; how can she knowingly send her love to a human lifetime where he is meant to be sacrificed to slow the flow of evil in the world?

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My Review of Gone by Julie Elizabeth Powell

 

This fantasy book was powerfully inspired by a real life emotional event.  That  sense of emotion and grief interspersed with joy and acceptance is a continual undertone in the book.  The characters are realistic and their journey through the other worlds beyond are poignant and touching.    The author devotes a huge amount of thought, and description to careful world. building.  The after life “in between” worlds that encompass the mortal world, along with thought, imagination emotion and impressions of the sometimes mortal passer-bys are vivid and insightful.

The premise of this book is intriguing to me.  A mother, Charley has watched her daughter who was once a healthy child wither in a hospital bed; a shell of the person she had once been.  As time goes by she wrestles with the guilt of her avoidance and emotional turmoil surrounding the daughter that she lost, but whose body remains as a painful anchor to that loss.

Charley finds herself at what seems to be the unexpected end of her own mortal life when she suffers a heart attack.  She is able to chronicle her journey as she leaves the living world and encounters an entire plane of existence beyond what she expected.  Charlie is reunited with her lost daughter and is faced with a new reckoning with the emotions she was not comfortable addressing.  Her reunion sparks a series of adventures that are extremely imaginative and intriguing.

I particularity enjoyed the other worldly concepts and the ideas about the spirits role in and out of mortality.

My Review of The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy by Barbara Brink

 

I have once again succumbed to my weakness for books in a series.  I have always been a voracious reader, so sometimes a single book seems like just an opening for a larger story.  I this case I gave in, and read all three books in the series in rapid succession.

At first glimpse the premise of a gathering of undead vampires living off of a quiet and unsuspecting community away from the constructs of modern life intrigued me.  The books are all well written with an active plot line that never left me waiting for what happens next.  The story unfolded very naturally and the characters were human and familiar.  I was a little nervous about how the character element would be presented before I began reading the books.  I was curious how the author would make two very foreign groups, the Amish and the Vampires relate-able and approachable to readers like myself who have always been surrounded by a technological and fully alive selection of people to interact with.  Brink pulled off the character element with style and grace.  The protagonist, Jael was as vulnerable as any teenager would be, yet she found her inner strength and was able to preserver against forces and situations that placed her in a difficult situation at a very young age.  Her peers were diverse and endearing.  Her interactions with Amish world(out of her comfort zone) were refreshing.  The Amish themselves, who are stigmatized in today’s world were painted with a brush of humanity that made them recognizable and believable despite their cultural differences from the world the main character was accustomed to.

All of that aside, these books were action packed reads that filled the promise for edge of your seat slaying action while remaining true to a moral and a clean portrayal of the life of a young woman.  I also enjoyed the biblical elements that were skillfully woven in as an integral parts of the story line.  They are a great choice for a fun summer (or any season) read!

My Writing Process – a Blog Tour

I was invited to participate in this blog series by my fellow author, Erica Alex. She is an upcoming independent author who is polishing up the final product of her first book. The Final Chapter of Rain. You can learn more about her work here .

My Writing Process

1) What am I working on?

Currently I am in the process of writing the sequel to my novel, The Corporeal Pull. At this point it is tentatively entitled “Aware” but that is subject to change. My goal is to have the book to be ready to be released this summer. Most of my readers are ready to hear the next installment in what is an unconventional yet still compellingly human tale. I admit to composing a few paragraphs here and there for other potential projects as I go.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Most of my readers have pointed out that my book is very unique in it’s genre. Technically, The Corporeal Pull is somewhere in the paranormal or metaphysical genre. But there are no vampires, werewolves, zombies or anything of that nature in my book. Instead there are otherworldly beings that are more of spirit entities who are sometimes human beings, and sometimes a more pure form of self with out a mortal shell. There are also elements of evil that embody and are responsible for the evils of the world that we as mankind struggle to explain to ourselves on a daily basis. In these ways my book stands somewhat alone.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I know that authors are supposed to “”brand” themselves and become synonymous with a specific type of writing and subject matter, but I honestly take my inspiration from things that happen around me. The Corporeal Pull is based on a rather compelling repeating dream that I felt I needed to chronicle. I began writing it as my father was dying of cancer. He read the first chapters before he passed away and left me grieving and writing as I healed. My novella, To Conspire was actually supposed to be a short story about a topic that a reader had requested, but it grew into something more so I published the result. In reality most of my writing including my poetry has an undercurrent of my awareness and concern with mortality itself. I had a brush with death as a young person. I have witnessed death and birth and it has profoundly affected my perspective of my journey here on this speck of a planet in the vast unknown that is space.

4) How does your writing process work?

I write as the story flows. Most of the time I reach a point in the plot where I can see exactly how I will tie things together. I have attempted to scaffold part of a book based on this end bit of knowledge, but my writing tends to feel forced when I add too many details to the plan instead of the novel. At most I limit myself to a paragraph or two to remind myself where I want to be when all is said and done.

Many blogs and authors have recommended against editing as you write. I actually find it helpful to go back over my writing and iron out a few wrinkles as I go. That way I know what I wanted to convey and the mood and tone of my writing is still fresh and authentic. I also have an extensive editing process after the manuscript is complete. I use the programs White Smoke and Text Aloud to find the first rounds of mistakes. After that I enlist willing or unwilling readers to tell me what works and if there is anything that needs clarification. Finally I send my book to my editor, Alison Jack and she goes through it with an entirely different perspective which is critical. When my work returns from editing I review every proposed change one by one and make any needed adjustments. A few more beta readers and perusals and I may be ready to click publish!

Next Week on Monday’s Blog: Learn More About the Writing Process with Three Awesome Authors!

Annie Douglass Lima is a YA fantasy writer and world traveler. She and her husband currently live in Taichung, Taiwan, where she teaches 5th grade in an international school. Find out more on her website: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Hillary K. Grigonis is the author of Kaleidoscope Me, a non-linear novel for preteens and young adults. When she’s not writing fiction or working as a web content editor, she can usually be found with a camera in her hand. Follow her at www.hillarykgrigonis.com.

Marianne Sciucco is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up, but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. Her debut novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story, is often compared to Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook. With 63 reviews averaging 4.7 stars, it’s hit number one in Amazon’s Medical Fiction four times, is Indie Reader Approved by IndieReader.com, and won IndieReCon’s Best Indie Novel Award. Blue Hydrangeas is available in print, digital and audio through Amazon, Audible, iBooks, Nook, and Kobo. Follow Marianne’s Adventures in Publishing or keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

My Review of Cassidy Jones and The Secret Formula by Elise Stokes

 

This book is somewhat different than many of the others I typically review. I often find books at the start of their notoriety, but in this case this book and its cast of characters has already found a niche among the up and coming series for young adults; and it is deserving of its status.

I entered into this series starter with few preconceptions about the book. I suspected it would be about some teen social interactions, but that barely scraped the surface of the plethora of literary devices that are wrapped up in this charming literary package. Closest to my heart; the author’s skillful weaving of science and technology kept the plot forthright and lent it the “what if” effect that lovers of science fiction hold dear. Beyond the science fiction the plot is generously sprinkled with action, conspiracy, mystery and yes, teen angst.

Overall the book was an active read that I looked forward to continuing when I was forced by reality to take a break. I’ll be honest, I have this problem with series that grip my attention; I tend to read them continuously as though they are one book. So for now I will be logging back into Amazon to start the next book in the series! I recommend this book to anyone young or young at heart who enjoys a fast passed action packed adventure.

Interview with an Author: Sara B Gauldin

Sara B. Gauldin:

A huge thanks to Melissa Holden for the opportunity to participate in her Interview with and Author blog series. If you haven’t visited yet, stop by and read about the fascinating people who make word-craft their passion!

Originally posted on Melissa Holden:

 Meet Sarah B Gauldin: self-published author, mother, wife and teacher. 

What got you into writing?

I began writing when I was just a little girl.  I was always a daydreamer.  I was busy making up my own worlds and adding details to them by the time I was six or seven.  I took a few creative writing classes in high school and minored in English in college.  The written word has always seemed very natural to me.

What’s your favourite book and why?

That is the toughest question!  As a teacher I read tons of children books and I feel very sentimental about them.  I have worn the covers thin on a few books over the years, including Traveler, Clan of the Cave Bear, The Hobbit, all of the Twilight Books, and all of the Harry Potter books just to name a few.  If I really like a book…

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