Third Time’s the Charm Factor

This week I’ve released my third book, Pariah, for pre-order. Something amazing happened. My other books started getting some love again on the distributor sites and Goodreads. Could this be the “Third Time’s the Charm” factor? Or happy coincidence?

Let’s take a look at the evidence:

My small press publisher was bought out by a New York firm in July. The new publisher could have started a promotional campaign that I am not aware of. I seriously doubt it though. My book, Phantom Harvest, isn’t up on their site yet.
I’m advertising Phantom Harvest and Lost Man’s Parish on Goodreads. It seems as though the ads are suddenly getting more hits this week on both books. Not sure Goodreads is the reason though, because I’ve been advertising with them since March without much success.
I listed Lost Man’s Parish as FREE to celebrate my upcoming release of Pariah. The downloads really ramped up.

My conclusion? I have no idea whether one or all of these contributed to the renewed interest in my earlier books. Perhaps the third time really is the charm when building reader confidence? The more quality books an author releases may equate – in a reader’s mind – to the level of commitment the author has to their craft and their readers. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful.  Here’s hoping this positive trend continues.

Final Thoughts: As I sat on my back porch obsessing about this post, I realized I should draw on my own experiences as a reader. Thinking back on my favorite authors, I remember some of them were on Book Four by the time I discovered their series. Take heart! Before a reader can find you and become a dedicated fan of your work, you have to believe in you first. Don’t give up after one book. Keep going. You were given that story and only you can tell it.