Update in My Author Life…

 

Ah, a new year, and new plans. So much hope, and so much faith innew beginnings. A clean slate, a fresh start. As I went through my business planand goals for 2023, I was pleased to find that I managed to complete them all,save for nabbing a foreign rights agent. But, I realized that goal was totallyout of my control, with the exception of sending out queries. Among my otherlofty goals were creating a writing resource PDF I called, Tips,Tools & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer and putting it up on mywebsite as a free download, connecting with the local libraries to see if they’dpurchase and carry my books, and finish writing the third installment ofMysterious Tales from Fairy Falls called Sticksand Stones. Done. Done. Done. Well, the libraries never got back to me, soI assume it’s a flat no. Sigh.

I guess authors nowadays have to try many possible avenues to gettheir books out there. Shows. Events. Ads. Giveaways. Bribes. Begging. Sorry,got carried away. LOL! Actually, I was lucky enough to attend a couple ofevents in the fall of 2023. One at our town’s bookstore, River Bookshop, who hosted a Local AuthorBook Fair, and another with my publisher, Mirror World Publishing at aLocal Author Christmas Book Show. I love events that only allow authors andpublishers, as opposed to anything-goes craft shows, because you get actual readerswandering the aisles instead of people looking aimlessly around at thedifferent tables. Plus, we get to network with other authors, and learn whatbook promotion strategies work for them, and what doesn’t. A win-win in myeyes.

I also bought a program that helps authors create ads instantly.If you’ve never heard of BookGraphix,I
urge you to check it out if you like doing your own ads to share on yoursocial media accounts. The program allows authors to place their book or books(up to three) in images that are appropriate for your audience, create content,and download them to your computer. They also have holiday inspired ads aswell, and you can do trailers, cover reveals, and other creative stuff. For thelast three and a half years, I’ve been steadily running Facebook ads for tendays, and rolling over a new ad when one finishes. This strategy has garneredme a reach of over a million people for many campaigns that I’ve run, and abouttwo to five thousand clicks on the links I provide. I use my Amazon Author linkwith all my books, and my website books page for those links. It’s certainlybeen an investment for sure. The trick is to get those link clickers to buy oneof my books instead of click and go. It’s a patience game for sure!

As for my plans for 2024, I’ll be revising and editing Sticks and Stones so it’s ready forpublication either late this fall or in 2025. Yup. That’s how the publishinggame works! Slow, but sure. I’m going to continue to query foreign rightsagents seasonally until I attract the best one for me (fingers crossed), aswell as run my ten day Facebook ads to extend my reach and hopefully connectwith readers throughout the world. It’s also my intention to start gatheringresearch and plotting the story for the next installment of TheLast Timekeepers time travel adventure series, which will be in Treena Mui’spoint-of-view. Should be a blast!

On a personal note, my hubby and I got e-bikes from Santa for Christmasin 2022, and have been riding our butts off all spring, summer and fall, in aneffort to put a lot of mileage on them. Best. Presents. Ever. Plus, it’s greatexercise and gets us outside in nature. For more current news, please check my blog, as I periodically giveupdates to what’s going on in my author life. So how about you? Do you have anybig or small plans, goals, desires you want to make manifest in 2024? Dreambig, life is short. Would love to read your comments. Cheers and Happy New Year! Thanks fortaking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you!