So what do I think about my first year as a self-published author?

I’m thrilled at what I’ve been able to accomplish (with plenty of help, of course!): six novels, three audiobooks, nearly 1,600 sales, over 100 (mostly) fantastic reviews.  And a lot of new friends made, which is the best thing of all.

I’m frustrated at what I haven’t mastered yet, which is mainly the marketing and sales side of things.  I knew it would be difficult, but I had no idea just how difficult.  There are no rules, or, if they are, they’re changing constantly, and the technique or website or promotion idea that worked six months ago is dead now.  And the thing that’s working right now will be ineffective by next summer, if not sooner.  And there’s just SO many people out there doing the same thing I am, it’s incredibly difficult to get noticed, even for a very short time.

My hope for the new year is that I begin to get more comfortable with all that – with the idea that marketing my books is like surfing (at least, what I think surfing is like based on what I’ve seen in movies!) – constantly looking for that next wave, jumping on it, trying to ride it as long as I can, and then getting off before I get dragged under when that new wave collapses.  Anyone who knows me, will know that that is not at all in my comfort zone, though, so I have a lot to work on!

My other hope is to keep writing, and to keep doing a good job (which I’d like to think I’ve done so far).  I think I’ve written pretty good books, with engaging and likeable and realistic characters, and my hope is that I can continue to do that.  I’d ideally like to get three books done this year: the seventh’ Dream Series book, the next book after that (which I already think I know a few things about, including possibly the title), and also the Jane book that’s been stuck at 12,000 words for a few months now.  We’ll see how that all goes.

I really want to thank everyone who’s visited this blog, or bought or read or reviewed my books, or in any other way helped or supported me during this year.  You all know who you are.  And you can be sure that I do, too…

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I featured indie author Elle Jacklee here a few weeks ago, and promised an interview with her to come.  Well, I’ve got that interview with Elle this morning…

Who is your favorite author? I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one! So, I hope you don’t mind, but the rule bender in me has narrowed it down to one per genre:

Fantasy: Jeff Wheeler

Middle grade/YA: J.K. Rowling

Steampunk: Lindsay Buroker

Historical Fiction: Kate Mosse

 

How do you describe your writing style? Classic, in the vein of C.S. Lewis. At least that’s what some readers have said. My hope is that my writing style is timeless and will resonate for years to come.

 

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book? In The Tree of Mindala, good and evil are not at opposite ends of the spectrum but overlapping a line that can be blurry at times, which makes it somewhat unique. Also, though there is a prominent main character, she is truly part of an ensemble cast who intermittently share the spotlight with her, offering several perspectives to the reader. Oh, and because it’s really good 😉 Oops! That was three sentences! There’s that rule bender again…

 

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself? Not consciously. But as the characters all come from me, I think it would be naïve for me to think a bit of me isn’t interwoven into them, even if I might not recognize it right away. The main similarity, though, would have to be with Miranda Moon. Like her, I have been accused of having an overactive imagination…

 

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why? That would be Skye, the Morphiad. He has the ability to morph into any creature that he has ever encountered. It definitely gives him a unique perspective, the chance to see the world through others’ eyes. That’s something that I know would be intriguing, if not always pleasant, but beneficial nonetheless.

 

What books have most influenced your life? As someone who reads every chance she gets, I’m sure I’ve been influenced in ways I’m not even aware of by every book I’ve read, especially as a writer. But one that stands out from recent memory is Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. That’s where I first read about the Noetic Sciences. For those who are not familiar, the theory, in a nutshell, is that we all have the power to have an impact, a power that can actually be measured in an empirical way. It reinforced my belief in the power of positive thinking! Also, Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture made a huge impact on me. It is, in my opinion, a guidebook for life applicable to absolutely everyone.

 

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why? First off, let me qualify my answer by saying I wouldn’t ever presume to know better than an author regarding his/her story. But for the sake of the exercise, I would say, for me, it was really hard to swallow (spoiler alert!) the death of Prim, Katniss’ little sister, in Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I understand why Suzanne Collins did it, but it was hard to take all the same. I kept hoping that in the end we’d find out that it was a mistake and she really hadn’t died, but no such luck. That said, I really admire Suzanne Collins’ work, and the Hunger Games trilogy had me stealing every moment I could and staying up way too late to read on. I can only hope to be able to capture readers’ attention as she has been able to do.

 

Beatles or Monkees? Why? Beatles because I don’t really know anything by the Monkees but some of my favorite songs are ones by the Beatles.

 

Who should play you in a film of your life? Anne Hathaway

You can follow Elle on Facebook, and on Twitter, and you can buy her book, “The Tree of Mindala”, on Amazon!

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Penelope Anne Bartotto gas put together a retrospective on all the authors we’ve lost this year.

Go on over and take a look…here’s part one, and part two.

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There’s an event you should definitely check out – and not just because I’m participating in it, either!

If you’re looking for critically acclaimed, award-winning fiction, on sale for only $0.99 per book, you need to check out the Awesome Indies Holiday Sale!

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Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

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So the winner of the Box of Dreams Kindle set is Cindi Clubbs!

But as a second prize, I’ll be sending an ebook copy of Dream Student to everyone who commented on the “Mistletoe Hop” post.  Thanks for stopping by, and please keep visiting!

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The “Buy the Books” page is, finally, current.  If you check it out, you’ll see that the books are available in many, many places.

Obviously, you can buy them all at Amazon.  All six novels, as well as “Betty & Howard’s Excellent Adventure” are available both on Kindle and in paperback.  The first three books are available there on audiobook as well.  And “A Box of Dreams” with all five books in one “Kindle Box Set” is available on Kindle only.

You could also go to Barnes & Noble.  The audiobooks are not on sale there, but otherwise it’s the same as Amazon – Nook or Paperback for everything, except “A Box of Dreams” is Nook-only.

If you’re an Apple shopper, the books are all there for the iBookstore, and the audibooks are there as well.

The books are all available electronically at Smashwords, and if you buy them there, you can download them in the ebook format of your choice (Kindle format, PDF, epub, you name it!)

They’re also available at the Kobo, Diesel and Sony eReader bookstores.  And, they’re all at AllRomanceEbooks.com, too.

The audiobooks are directly available at Audible, as well.

Whew!  I think that pretty much covers everything…

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Christmas Trees. Holiday Music. Sugar Cookies. Glitter and Bows. And Best Of All… the Mistletoe. Romance books enhance our holiday traditions. Who doesn’t love to cuddle under a warm blanket near a fire place on a cold day and read? Hop around with us to celebrate the best romance books of the season.

Read excerpts from some good books. Enter each of the author contests. Tell us what you like to read during the holidays. Find some new-to-you authors to ring in the New Year with.

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I’m happy to be hosting a stop in A.R. Silverberry’s book tour for the re-release of nis novel, “Wyndano’s Cloak”.

A. R. Silverberry has won a dozen awards, including Gold Medal Winner in the 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction; Gold Medal Winner in the 2010 Readers Favorite Awards for Preteen Fiction; and Silver Medal Winner 2011 in the Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book, Children’s/Young Adult. He lives in California, where the majestic coastline, trees, and mountains inspire his writing. Wyndano’s Cloak is his first novel. Follow him at the links below!

A. R. Silverberry’s Website

Facebook

Twitter

And here’s the book!

Jen has settled into a peaceful life when a terrifying event awakens old fears—of being homeless and alone, of a danger horrible enough to destroy her family and shatter her world forever.

She is certain that Naryfel, a shadowy figure from her past, has returned and is concentrating the full force of her hate on Jen’s family. But how will she strike? A knife in the dark? An attack from her legions? Or with the dark arts and twisted creatures she commands with sinister cunning.

Wyndano’s Cloak may be Jen’s only hope. If she can only trust that she has what it takes to use it . . .

Awards:

Gold Medal Winner 2011 Benjamin Franklin Awards, in Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction

Gold Medal Winner 2010 Readers Favorite Awards, in Preteen Fiction

Winner, 2010 Books and Authors Books of the Year Award, in Fantasy/Fairy Tale Fiction

Silver Medal Winner 2011 Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book, Children’s/Young Adult

Finalist, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards, Juvenile Fiction

2011 Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award, in Young Adult/Children

Purchase on Amazon

Purchase on Barnes and Noble

Purchase on iTunes

Purchase limited edition hardback from A. R. Silverberry

AND, I’ve got a great interview with A.R. – here it is…

Who is your favorite author?

 

Don’t make me choose, I love too many! I read a lot of Dean Koontz. Jane Austen is amazing. Ditto Charles Dickens. Ditto Charlotte Bronte. I read Jane Eyre recently and was impressed at how modern her prose was. And what a master of characterization! Jorge Borges’ amazes me. I wish I could peek over his shoulder and watch him craft those stories. The Lucuna, by Barbara Kingsolver, was one of my all time favorite books. And of course, all things Tolkien.

 

How do you describe your writing style?

 

I like to read books where the story keeps moving, so I try to write like that. My goal is that no element—character, setting, description, action, or detail exists if it doesn’t fit with the theme and the plot. I cut anything inert.

 

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?

 

If you like stories with mystery, treachery, and intrigue; if you like stories with adventure, romance, and unforgettable characters; if you like to get lost in a magical world, where betrayal vies with loyalty, friendship, and courage, and hope lies with the unlikeliest heroes and heroines, then you’ll enjoy Wyndano’s Cloak.

 

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?

 

Maybe parts. The heroine, Jenren, is stubbornly persistent. I wrote a scene for her (unpublished) where she runs around a track, racing other students at her school. One by one they drop out of the race, but she keeps going. That actually happened to me, though it was only a challenge I had with a friend. We wanted to see how many times we could go around our schoolyard. I remember going twenty nine times. While he was faster than me in sprints, he dropped out at the eighteenth or nineteenth lap. The lesson stuck. Helped me finish my PhD, a super marathon.

 

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why?

 

I’d have to go with Blue. Though he’s homeless, he’s resourceful, knows how to have fun, and travels widely, so I could see some extraordinary sights. Plus, as a fighter in the resistance trying to topple the villain, Naryfel, I would meet some colorful characters.

 

What books have most influenced your life?

 

My parents met in Australia while serving in World War II. While there, they bought a book for my brother and me, though we were still but a dream in their hearts. The book was called The Way of the Whirlwind. It was probably the first book I saw. I remember being captivated by the illustrations, which looked like sparkling jewels, as well as the characters and their adventure. After that, I had a babysitter who read to us from the Oz books. I couldn’t get my hands on enough fairy tales and myths. And then a fifth grade teacher assigned The Hobbit, which sealed the deal for me. What else could I do but write fantasy novels.

 

Beatles or Monkees? Why?

 

Hands down, the Beatles. Not to take anything away from the Monkees. I love their songs. But people will be listening to the Beatles 200 years from now. It’s like comparing Rossini to Meyerbeer. “Meyer-who?” you ask. Exactly. Though he was wildly popular in the nineteenth century, his music is seldom performed now.

 

Who should play you in a film of your life?

 

For some reason, Joseph Fiennes comes to mind. I don’t look anything like him, but I think he could capture my sensitivity and sense of humor. As long as we’re playing here, how about Demi Moore as the leading lady? Scratch Fiennes. If you can get Demi, I’ll play myself. No body doubles!

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Well, today is the official launch day for “Dream Reunion” – the latest book in the Dream Series…

It’s available right now, at Amazon, and Smashwords and also at AllRomanceEbooks.

So check it out!

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