Tara Ellis's Blog: Making Progress, page 12

Mount Baker/ Baker Lake Hike - and Venus!

I want to go hiking again already, but the deep ache in my hip and swollen knees/feet tell me something else! ;)

I'm actually quite surprised at how well I fared. Considering the slug I have become in the past year or so, sixteen miles of moderate hiking with a 25lb bag on my back is a big deal. But I made it without my neck even freezing up on me (can't say the same for my husband :( ).

On Saturday afternoon, my husband and I started off at the Baker lake trail head, located in the Mount Baker National Forest in Washington State. It was a 8.1 mile hike into Silver Creek campground, and man...was it gorgeous! The weather was HOT (upper 70s, which for the PNW in April is HOT) and it couldn't have been more perfect.

I got to try out all of my new gear that I have been gathering for my hiking trip to Yosemite next week (yay!!!!) and I learned a few things:

* The tent is nice, but I wouldn't call it a two-person. Really, it's a one person with a little room left over. But nice.

*My sleeping bag is comfortable but NOT warm enough. It's rated for 40, but I would say it's closer to 60. Seriously. I didn't sleep at all until my husband got up and put his sleeping bag over me. HIS was warm enough.

*The air mattress I got is AWESOME! It worked great, as well as the pillow. However, said pillow was NOT dry. (I washed it as per instructions to make it fluff more. I thought it was dry. It wasn't)

*My backpack is alright, but the straps really aren't adequate. I might need to take my husbands pack to Yosemite.

*** When you hear a weird sound behind you, and turn to see a look of shock on your hiking partners face....then hear the sound again a few feet behind them, in the trees, and realize it's a bear, do NOT start to take your lens cap off to take a picture. While capturing a picture of said partner being mauled would make for a great conversation piece, the correct action would be to make noise and walk away....FAST.


I am REALLY glad to have done this test-run. I learned that I am physically capable of more than I thought, and that some of my gear isn't up to par. Good stuff.

I also had a whole bunch of time to reflect (5 hour hike on the way out) as to why I'm hiking. Yes, it's great physical exercise, but it's more than that. It's about getting out into nature and leaving all of the chaos behind, and for me it's primarily about capturing some of the beauty in images to take back and share with others who either aren't capable of doing it themselves, or just don't know it exists.

SO....here are some of my favorite pictures I captured this past weekend! Remember...it's not about the destination, but the journey!


Mount Baker Under Venus, reflected in Baker Laker
The stars were AMAZING!!!


What it looks like in the daylight. 

The trail...what's not to love?

Sauk Mountain Hike - My Journey Continues!

I can understand how hiking becomes addictive.

**Looking back over this, I think it's important to add to it. For those that have read the 'about me', you know that I have (mild) MS, as well as very bad knees and hip. (degenerative arthritis) My ability to get out and do these 5 to 8 mile hikes are as much as an emotional journey for me as well as a physical one. I had a major set-back last year after suffering from horrible whiplash after being rear-ended on I5. This is my first step to strengthening, losing weight, getting out in the world and pushing myself to do more than I ever thought I could do again. **

Two weeks ago I posted about my first 'real' hike in a year, at Baker Lake. I liked the trail so much, that when my husband and I decided to get out this past weekend, I took him back there. Wow...it's just so beautiful. I didn't take as many pictures this time around, since I had just been there, but I brought my new wide angle lens to try out. This is the best one I came up with:


Can you understand now why I keep feeling called back there? It's so quiet, and peaceful and reflective. Like another world where none of the daily stresses transpire.


That was this past Sunday. Monday, I got back out with my new hiking partner and like photographer, Dellene. We are headed to Yosemite on a 4-day hiking/photo trip at the end of this month. I am SO excited!!! I've got all my gear together, and I am psyched. :)

So anyway...Monday Dellene to took me on the Sauk Mountain trail. Now, I have heard of this place many times. In part, because of an unsolved murder that is believed to have happened there. (the missing woman's body has never been found) Now that I have been there, I can understand how this might have happened.

You start out at over 1,000 feet above the valley and then you climb another 1,200 up switchbacks to the top of a ragged peak:


This is the trail head. If you look just above the picnic table, THAT is the trail, which I have zoomed in on in the image below.


This trail is crazy. It's only a couple of feet wide, and if you happen to fall off...well, you hope that your descent might be stopped by the next switchback down!

Some of the far corners in the switchback were still covered in snow, and we found ourselves climbing hand over hand to get past it without sliding off.



However, in spite of this rather exhilarating ascent, it was worth it! The views the whole way up, and especially at the top were simply breathtaking!

Skagit Valley, Washington
Glacier Peak (an active volcano)

Over the top, (and after trudging through several feet deep snow) we were rewarded with sweeping vistas of the North Cascade Mountain Range:

Some hikers that passed us on the way up, and continued around the crest




Wildflowers clinging to the hillside



All I can say is... EPIC. And I can't wait to get to Yosemite and share that experience with you, too!!

Mount Baker Hike

One of my goals this year was to get out more and do some hiking. The reason for this is two-fold: get some exercise, relaxation and take some new, original photos.

Next month I am going on an adventure! I'm flying to California for a four-day hiking excursion in Yosemite National Park! I'm very excited about it. :)

First though, I have to get conditioned for it! Yesterday marked my first real round of true hiking and it was great. My friend and I ended up hiking about 8 miles (in and out) at Mount Baker lake, here in Washington State. I'm very, very fortunate to live just over a mile from this beautiful spot.

I'll be sharing my outings here and some of the pictures!

Here is the first one:

TIME [a poem]

Today, I'm doing something a little different. I have a poem to share.

I haven't written one in quite sometime, but I was compelled this morning to put my thoughts into words and sometimes poetry is the best way to communicate that.

Yesterday, there was a horrific accident not far from here. There was work being done on an overpass, and a cement barrier fell and landed on the cab of a truck, instantly killing the people inside. It turned out to be a young couple and their 8 month old baby. They were both youth pastors and amazing people. They have ties locally and many knew them or of them.

I spent some time reading this young woman's amazing blog last night (and crying)...and it made me realize something: Our most precious gift to each other is our time. It's how we SHOW someone we love them...by being there for them, by giving of ourselves freely without expecting a return.

SO...


TIME

“To love one another,”...we are told,Is the key to happiness, for both young and old.
But how do we do that? What does it take?What special formula does happiness make?
Do we show love through stalking, or buying or sex?Maybe obsessively sending them texts.
This art of love is really quite simple,And has nothing to do with societies temples.
It’s free, it’s within us, and easy to give,But it’s masked by the layers of having to live.
Running to work, the TV, and computer,All of these things have become our ruler.
The little one tugging the hem of your sleeve,Is brushed aside constantly, until they just leave.
The machine on your lap has all your attention,There’s no room for children to force intervention.
But they are the ones, who are helping you find,How to laugh, how to play, how to give them your TIME.
How do you show someone that you care?By giving yourself, and just being there!
It’s a precious commodity, and without a price,
It's the gift we should treasure the most in this life.
-Tara Ellis (taken from my backyard two days ago)

What in the World Have I Been Blogging About?!! (and a cover reveal!)

I realized today that I passed the six-month anniversary of this blog a few days back! Time seriously really does fly by!

I also realized that during that time, I have had two new books come out, plus two audio books and then the box set. I'm set to release another one by the beginning of next month!

I'll jump right to it; I want to tell you about my books. WHY I started the blog in the first place. To be honest, I started it simply as another platform to get my stuff out there in this vast sea of ebooks...but it's turned into something more for me. Through my own surfing, in my plight to find my footing, I have discovered that I'm really not alone in this. I've learned that I need to network, read more (and review), collaborate with like-minded authors and just relax a little. I'm not there yet. But I'm working on it!

First, my young adult, sci-fi trilogy. Forgotten Origins. Bloodline is book # 1, and was first released on Booktango nearly two years ago. (HUGE mistake, btw. Don't use Booktango)

Amazon Link
Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Alex has always suspected her father’s death wasn’t random, but she never guessed how deep the mystery runs or what it involves. When a rare meteor shower is followed by a highly contagious infection, the people she once knew so well start acting like they have a similar purpose that doesn’t include her. Alex can now only rely on her friend Chris and loyal dog Baxter as she plunges into a strange, new world predestined since ancient times. Wandering the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, deciphering cryptic messages left by her father, desperately searching for a cure-will Alex have the courage and faith to even survive? 

Since discovering Amazon's KDP (ebooks) and Createspace (paperback) platforms, It's been better. I also found Goodreads, where I have campaigned for reviews, and also met some great people. (both readers and authors!) Bloodline has won a couple of awards: Indie Book of the Day Oct/14 and the top 50 best Indie books of the year for 2014. I have it entered in a couple of established contests right now, so wish me luck!  It has 4.5 stars on Amazon with 35 reviews.

I narrated and produced the audio book for Bloodline, at the urging of some other authors. Please, don't knock it until you at least listen to the sample! :)  It has 4.6 stars with 7 reviews:
Link to audible and sample
Then there is Heritage, book #2 in The Forgotten Origins Trilogy. I think this a better book than Bloodline, but not everyone appreciates the intricate story line. If you are a scifi or dystopian fan...you'll enjoy it! 4.8 stars on Amazon with 10 reviews  (I'm working on the audio book!)


Amazon link
The third and final book, Descent,  is my absolute favorite. It's truly epic and this is where I really fell in love with the characters. I honestly think that if I can get enough people to read this, my series will take off. 5/5 stars on Amazon with 7 reviews.  (I'll be making the audio book for this one too, sometime this summer)


Amazon link
I have a GREAT way for you to review this without paying a cent. If you go to the BOX SET on Amazon, you get a 10% free preview. Since Bloodline is a bit shorter than both of the other books, you end up being able to read almost HALF of Bloodline in the sample. So check it out!

My other series is close to my heart. The Samantha Wolf Mysteries. It's a middle grade mystery series, with the same feel as Trixie Beldon or Nancy Drew. I liken it more to Trixie Beldon, just because of the 'atmosphere' of the stories. I have big plans for this series. They're so easy for me to write and the characters are really developing into believable, likable girls that I can think so many people (young and old) can relate to!

The first in the series is The Mystery of Hollow Inn. If you can believe it, I first wrote this story when I was sixteen! (most of it while in detention for being late too many times)  I shelved it after I finished it at twenty, but couldn't find a publisher. I've always cherished it, and pulled it back out in between Bloodline and Heritage for a 'break' from the heavy trilogy. I ended up totally re-writing it, changing the POV and adding a couple of chapters. The result is something I am very proud of.
4.4 stars with 8 reviews on Amazon
Link to Amazon
I also made this into an audio book! It's gotten some GREAT reviews. Link to audible with sample
Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Samantha Wolf, and her best friend Ally, are excited to spend part of their summer break in the mountains of Montana. But unbeknownst to them, Hollow Inn is bathed in mystery and legend. After arriving, they soon discover that things are not going well for Sam's Aunt and Uncle, who own the Inn. There's vandalism, ghostly sightings, and rumors of lost treasures. Determined to help, Sam and Ally embark on a challenging journey to discover the truth. 

The second book in the series, The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines, came out a couple of months ago. This story is a bit longer, and takes the reader back to the days of summer camp and special friendships. I really like this one! I am in the middle of recording the audio book right now!
4.7 on Amazon with 3 reviews


Link to Amazon


Now, for the COVER REVEAL!!!!!  This is the third book in the series, and is titled; The Beach House Mystery. I plan on finishing it around the end of this month (April). It's got just about everything in it that a good mystery needs...but I will wait to tell you more about it when it's done! For now, I will just share the amazing cover , from Melchelle Designs, with you!

(Can't you just feel the wind and hear the waves crashing on the shore?? :)

That's it (so far) for my fiction titles. I plan on releasing two to three more in the mystery series this year, as well as possibly an adult thriller. If I have time, there's a very good chance I might revisit Forgotten Origins and write some novelettes!

What Does It Take To Succeed On Amazon?

No....I'm asking. Seriously. I don't have the answer.

Is it random? Is it an act of the planets aligning, the wind blowing in the right direction while hitting the key strokes in the right order?

Every Indie Author out there (whether it be self-published or small press) knows what I'm talking about. It's the elusive Amazon recipe for success that seems to elude 99.5% of us. What about the other .05%?

I know a couple of writers that are in the small percent group. They're deserving authors that worked their butts off, and have high quality material. They've done what many of us have done:

Professional cover
Professional editing
Social media marketing
Good writing


I also know some Indie Authors who haven't quite made it to the 'top', but make more monthly off their book sales than the average full-time job.

Some of them don't know why. No...really. They don't know what happened. What catapulted their work, (quite suddenly) into the upper ranks of the Amazon paid list.

Because that's what it takes; getting onto the all-coveted top 100 paid MAIN genres.  I say main, because my kids books have broken into the top 100 (top 30) paid a couple of times, simply because it only takes 2 or 3 sales in a 24 hr period to make it in the sub genre of Children's books > mystery and detective > detective

But good luck staying there. Now, if one were to break into the top ten of those sub genres, or maybe the top 50 of the main children's book genre, I might be golden. Because it seems like once your book makes it up there, if it's appealing enough (meaning, the cover is good and you have enough positive reviews), the Amazon machine takes over.

Here is what I think, after obsessing (really. I obsess.) over this stuff:

MUST haves:

*Professional, compelling cover
*Decent writing. (I don't say exceptional, because I have read some questionable stuff that are best sellers....mainstream stuff, too)
*Good editing


THESE factors are what I think give indie authors a better chance of breaking out:

*Small genres (meaning, there isn't as much competition. Have a fiction, scifi or fantasy? Good luck. (210,710 currently listed in ebooks) Have one in Comedy though, and it drops to about 53,000. Then, the sub-genres kick in, where again, the differences are HUGE.
*Marketing aimed at a specific audience
*Getting good reviews/interviews on popular blogs where word-of-mouth is HUGE
*Making personal appearances at conferences/workshops
*Make sure that your books are listed in the correct genre and sub-genre on Amazon!!!
*Make a video trailer
*Publish often and don't give up
*Write some short stories, or fan fic, or articles that are on free platforms, as samples of your work.
*The planets aligning, so that Amazon features you on a list or mailing. I have no idea how this happens.

(these last few tips I just started doing myself)


Share YOUR experiences with me/us! What do YOU think makes a difference?



(Image Credit to  letterstokiki.com )

50% off Sale! Get My Whole Trilogy for just $3.99

Now that I've had the box set of my YA, scifi trilogy (Forgotten Origins) out for a couple of weeks, I decided to run a promo to try and kick things off!

For a limited time, I'm cutting the price in half and offering all three, full length novels for just 3.99.

Amazon Link to Box Set


Blurb:
The Forgotten Origins Trilogy is a fast-paced, young adult sci-fi story, centered around sixteen-year-old Alex. What starts as a rare meteor shower, ends up unleashing a viral plague that changes everything. Led into the mountains of the Pacific Northwest by cryptic clues left from her deceased father, Alex discovers that the past is not what she learned in school. When the human race balances on the brink of extinction, the fate of the world rests on the truth being exposed. To unravel the ancient secrets, Alex must rely on her friends, family and few allies. The Forgotten Origins is an epic saga, drawing the reader into a fascinating, frightening world where the unfolding drama will keep you riveted until the last page is turned.


The Forgotten Origins Trilogy has a combined rating of 4.8 with over 50 reviews, and Bloodline has won a couple of awards, so I feel confident that it's an entertaining story!

Give it a shot! NOW is the best time. :)

Will Alex be able to rise above the darkness? Or will she fall into its cold embrace?

What You SHOULD Do as a New Indie Author...

Earlier this month, I wrote a What NOT to Do list for new indie authors. In it, I said that I would follow it up with this list..what you SHOULD do.

I'll be honest with you: I don't know if I'm really qualified to be dishing out this advice. I mean, the what NOT to do, sure. I have discovered plenty for that list, and it seems that I uncover more things to avoid each day. But the SHOULD do list? Well...to me, that means that I developed this list by successes and I don't think that (against the current measure) that you could say I am a success as a self-published author. Not by volume of sales, anyway.

I feel that I have succeeded in achieving my dream, and I think I'm putting out good work that still continues to get better...but it may not be to the point where I can give this sort of advice to others. I don't want to sound arrogant. I haven't earned that right in the writing realm. ;)

Having said that, I still want to share with other indie authors (especially those just starting out, and trying to figure out where to begin). I think the best way to preface this list is to simply say that these are my non-failures. These are the things that have made a positive difference in my experience. This doesn't always equate to more sales, but more positive feedback and inclusion. I hope that makes sense.


1. Get on social media. This was (and still is) a tough one for me. I didn't even figure this out for almost a YEAR after my first book, Bloodline, came out. It was after I wrote the second in the series, Heritage, that I finally came up for air. Literally. I was SO entrenched in the incredibly involved story that I wasn't even paying attention. I chuckle now, because like almost every other indie author out there...I thought the books would sell themselves. You know, stick it on the internet and people would flock to it based on the worth of the story and writing alone. Humph! Not even close to reality. All you have to do is read some of the 'best sellers' out there, and you will find that quality has little to do with it. It's all about the marketing. Here is my list (PLEASE add to it in the comments. I am still learning!!!!).
*BLOG - even if it's about nothing. Get yourself out there in the search engines and slowly build.
 *Facebook - *sigh* Don't make my mistake. I started out making everything about the first book. BIG mistake. It needs to be about YOU. Yes...YOU, the author. Make an author page on Facebook, make a blog about you and include pages for your books.
*Twitter - As much as I hate to admit it, this may be the single best outlet, if used properly. Read up on it and how it works, then experiment.
*Amazon - get on it. I won't get into the whole debate on whether to be exclusive or not, but you should at least be there (you can't deny that it IS the giant) and make a good author page. (if you aren't exclusive to Amazon, be sure to hit the other sites like Smashwords and Kobo)
*Pinterest - *another sigh* Yes. Pin. Pin away.
*Goodreads - This is greatly debated among authors. This is a MASSIVE message board set-up that is now owned by Amazon. Problem is, that it has the power to make or break you. Their star system is tough, because you can rate without reviewing, so you get 'drive-by raters', which I have been the victim of . However, the benefits I have gotten from this site FAR outweigh any negatives. I think that they're an incredible resource, if used properly. My best advice to you about Goodreads, is to make sure you participate as a READER, too. The networking opportunities are amazing, but you can't come at it with a take, take, take, mentality.  You have to GIVE, too.
*Other message boards and book sites - There are too many to name. Do a search and find the biggest ones and then JOIN. Put your author and book info on as many as possible. It's all about the networking.

2. Hire a professional book cover designer. I don't want this list to simply be an opposite of the what NOT to do's, but this is something I want to address by giving out some resources for it. there are a TON of options out there, some cheap and some expensive. Did you know you can buy pre-made covers for as little as 40-60 dollars, and they'll add your title and name for you? Yes? Well, then you're where I was over a year into my adventure. Seriously. It took me that long just to figure that out.

This is something you need to take time researching. It's also something you need to invest in. I know that most indie authors can't afford to dump a bunch of money into their books. I couldn't. Want to know how I funded this? When I finally had my epiphany and realized I needed to invest, I tried to figure out how. Well, I have taught CPR for going on 15 yrs now. Several years back, (when I was working a good, full-time job) I invested over $1,000 into some CPR equipment so I could teach it as my own business. In three years, I had taught about four classes that I was paid for. I did twice as many for free...and my equipment was sitting under the house, unused for months at a time. I looked on-line and discovered I could sell them for almost as much as I paid. So that's what I did. I funded both my photography venture (selling canvas prints at a street fair) AND my book covers with this money and it was more than worth it. Sometimes you need to get creative. :)

Back to the covers. I went on Amazon and started looking at other books in my genre and found some covers I really liked. I then looked at the credits and followed those back to the sources. Unfortunately, most of the ones I liked charged from 600-800 for original work. BUT...this also led me to a really cool site called  DeviantArt . This is an amazing resource of artists. It's also where I found my amazing designer, Mel at Melchelle Designs .
Example of her work: (I took the picture of the girls and then she created the scene. I LOVE it!)


Take the time to do this part right. Don't make the same mistake as I did, and waste so much time either doing it yourself, or as cheap as possible. Mel is incredibly affordable and GOOD. There are a lot of artists out there willing to work with you.  THIS is perhaps the greatest impact on sales.

3. Network with other authors. This is a recent discovery for me. Other writers aren't your competition; they are your peers. We can all learn from each other, and also help support each other. Check out my book review section...a lot of them are indie authors. There are quite a few sites dedicated to indie authors and you should spend some time exploring them. Find other writers in your genre and read their books. If they're good, review them and help support them. I say "if they're good", because I don't believe in writing a bad review. I will let the author know, in a positive way, about what can be improved, but giving them a bad rating will NOT be encouraging nor help them. (for me, a bad review is anything below a three-star rating).

4. Solicit for reviews. This was a hard one for me to figure out. I am NOT good at pushing or promoting myself. It's been a slow process. When I say solicit, I don't mean badger. There is etiquette involved. (I just found out a couple of days ago that Amazon doesn't allow authors to 'swap' reviews, so be careful with this. It needs to be honest, genuine reviews.) There's plenty of places dedicated to this, so you don't need to go after anyone that doesn't advertise for it. I'll use Goodreads as an example. There are a TON of threads solely for the purpose of finding reviewers. Use them. However, don't jump on every other thread, NOT dedicated to this, and harass people. This is frowned upon. BLOGS. There are MANY, many blogs out there that welcome authors to submit for a review/interview. There are even sites committed to listing these blogs for you. Take some time and find the ones that are appropriate for your book. READ their submission guidelines. It's rude to waste their time by submitting a book that doesn't meet their requirements, so take a few minutes and make sure before hitting the send button.

5. Be prepared to give copies away. I'm not saying you need to make your book free. THAT is a whole discussion of its own. I'm talking about offering a free copy for review. This is not the same as paying someone...I would NEVER do that. It's standard practice to give a free copy though, to someone that you are asking to read it. You can achieve this by either gifting it through amazon (which helps bump up your ranking), or by emailing a PDF or MOBI file. Giving away your book is just a necessary part in the process of getting it 'out there'. Budget for it. (I actually BUY other indie author books that I review. I think it's just good etiquette and I also believe in karma. ;) )

6. Make a printed version available. For mine, I have used CreateSpace . This a free platform and a print-on-demand. Yes, they are also owned by Amazon. You get a decent percentage though, so long as you set the price high enough.  (A trick I learned: If you have amazonprime, it is cheaper and faster to just go online and order your 'proof' through them. you get it in two days, vs. a week-and-a-half, don't pay shipping and it bumps your sales rank.)

7. Don't price your ebook too high. There's a ton of debate over this, and you can find numerous articles dedicated to it. My humble opinion, is that if you want to sell an indie book, you have to set the price accordingly. I think 4.99 is the MAX, and that would be for a full-length novel from an indie author that has already found some success. I am not there. My books are all priced from 2.99-3.99. The 3.99 books are set as such because they are the 2nd and 3rd books in a trilogy and are fairly large books. Descent is over 90,000 words and I have quite a bit of both time and money invested in this series, so I don't think 3.99 is too high. I am tempted to make a 'don't price it too low' section, too. BUT...I'm not sure enough about that to say it. I tried pricing mine lower, and it had the opposite affect. Here's the deal: Readers out there looking for free books will only download free books. They will probably never read it, and if they do, won't review it. (unless they like to be mean and give 1 star reviews) The people who only look for .99 cent books will only buy those... but their expectations will be as high as someone buying a 4.99 book, so they'll review accordingly. You get your more serious readers in the higher price range. They've actually taken the time to look in their preferred genre, to look at the cover, read the blurb and probably even the sample excerpt. So before they purchased the book, they already know it's the genre they like, they like your writing style and the story sounds good. They are much more likely to read the book, and less likely to give a bad review. It's just kinda common sense.


Okay...that's it for now, but I think I will revisit this list and add to it as time goes by. PLEASE add to it in the comment section. I have SO much more to learn!!!!!  :)

New Release! Trilogy Box Set!

It dawned on me recently, that since my trilogy is complete, I should offer it for sale as a set! This weekend, I made it my mission to make that happen. :)


Link to Amazon
You save over 30% with this ebook bundle!

A New Book Trailer and A FREE Book!

Since book trailers seem to be gaining in popularity with readers, I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at it. Hopefully, the following result is interesting enough! :)

Please, let me know what you think!
My second announcement today, is that my newest children's book, The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines, is FREE for a few days! Pick up your free ebook copy now!


Amazon Link to FREE book