HEA Forever?

Ah, the HEA - "happily ever after." According to the Romance Writers of America, this is a cornerstone of romance. They define a romance novel by its:

"...emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending."

When most people, including myself, refer to "romance novel," this is part of the idea. No matter what happens, you know there will be an HEA at the end. There's a certain R&R aspect to knowing how a book will end, and that it will end happily. This is part of why romances are such a good pastime for busy people. One can settle into it like a warm bath, and embrace the familiarity of it all.

But where, then, do we place non-HEA romance? Is there such a thing? I believe there is. I've read a number of books that I consider romances, yet which don't end happily. Romeo and Juliet, anyone? How many lovers has Nicholas Sparks killed off? Yes, I believe they exist. I know they do. Granted, people who want HEA might not like these romances as much, but I don't think that negates them as romances; they're just a different sort. In film studies, they are often called "melodramas," to distinguish them from "romantic comedies." "Romantic lit," maybe, instead of "genre romance", for our purposes?

Needless to say, I have nothing against HEA, and certainly nothing against traditional romance novels, as anyone who's familiar with this blog knows. Heck, all my books so far have been HEA or at least Happy For Now. (Oh no! Did I just **SPOILER** my entire opus there?)

However, I'm now working on a few projects where I don't know if they will end happily, especially in terms of any relationships therein. I can't guarantee the required HEA with those books, so I've already come to terms with the fact that I will be publishing them as non-romances, even though some of them have romantic aspects or even love stories. Romantic elements, yes. But the HEAs are iffy at best, if HEA allows only for coupling, and not for character development and triumph over adversity. (I.e., if "getting your man" is the only form of happy ending, it's not likely going to happen here.)

Will readers feel ripped off if they perceive me as a "romance writer," and I don't deliver? This is a worry I have, but I'm moving past it. I've decided not to split myself off into a new pen name for these books. I might shift/update some of my "image", but I will be keeping this name for these works. They will still be My Books, and they feel as much a part of me as my romances. I'm disinclined to exile them. Nor can I just shelve everything non-romance, because that wouldn't be satisfying for me.

It's time to test run the whole "brand the writer, not the books" theory of author marketing, I guess. I believe readers are savvy enough to handle this, and I'm okay if my "romance purity" cred slips because of these expansions.

This month, however, my distance from "romance" seems to have grown, somewhat against my will.

The HEA issue has been brought to the forefront in recent weeks due to some new rulings by RWA. As far as I know, RWA has long held that the HEA is definitive of romance as a genre. However, it did have an awards category for works containing a "strong romantic element," which basically means they aren't "traditional romances," but do have enough romance in them to be applicable to their awards and their common readership. Recently, RWA announced that this category would be gone as of 2014. Then, according to reports, they took the further move to clarify that those writers who do not write what they consider to be "real romance" (including HEA) are only eligible for associate membership, at most, leaving them either paying for membership without voting rights, or, well, leaving altogether.

In short, if you don't write romance-focused fiction, with a HEA romance between main characters as your "A Plot", you are not a romance writer, and are therefore ineligible. Oh well, it's their org, and their rules, so it's fair enough.

All it is means to me is that I guess I will never be a member of RWA now.

There have been several reasons why I've been reluctant to part with the money it takes to join RWA, so this is just the "case closed" seal. Other issues I've had included the absence of a convenient local chapter (one of the main things many RWA members love about membership), their stance on ebooks (though I gather that's changing) and non-advance paying publishers, and on erotica, and their often problematic views on LGTBQ fiction (I don't write LGTBQ fiction at present, but I stand with them on issues of equity). The likelihood I would ever attend their annual national shindig is basically nil, as well. It's always seemed to me that it's really an organization for traditional publishing, with agents and advances, and regular category romance through Big Publishers. There's nothing wrong with that, if that's what you want and where you are heading, but it's not me or my career, and I get plenty of contact with other writers through different means, particularly social media and forums. Why pay steadily increasing dues if I'm not sure it's right for me?

Honestly, I simply resist paying and joining groups unless I feel an affinity with them, and I've not felt affinity with RWA. Now the HEA thing just makes that possibility even more remote. I'm not heartbroken, though RWA was one of those benchmarks I held in mind when I first pictured myself as a romance writer. I've just come to face reality and change, that's all.

So, long story short - with my previous books, you will get an HEA (or HFN, "happily for now"), and I love that. With some of my future books, you might still get an HEA/HFN, when I return to romances. In the meantime, there will be some books that trip out of the genre, and might not be HEA or even HFN.

What was Marge Simpson's line? "It's an ending. That's enough."

And I'm okay with that. I hope you will be, too.

This is not "Goodbye to Romance." It's just a big Hello to other things, as well. But, I do believe it is goodbye to RWA, which I never really said hello to to begin with.

Bookmark-Squee!

My bookmarks for Textbook Romance came in the mail this week!*

Take a look at the proofs:

And, "in real life" - only, you know, less blurry.

Aren't they lurvly?

So, what does one do with promotional bookmarks? Stick them in brochure displays? Litter cafes with them? Smuggle them into bus terminals? Hide them under the ereader demos at the electronics stores? What?

One thing for sure, if/when I do my paperback giveaways this fall, you can assume there will be a few in there, and maybe some signed ones as door prizes for the releases! They are quite nice things, so I promise not to scribble over them too badly.

Though, since I'm an educator, perhaps I should save them for Christmas gifts. If you're lucky, there might even be a book wrapped around them. Or at least an envelope. You know how it is.

Other than that, if anyone has any suggestions as to how best to use these babies, I'm open to comments!

* Many thanks to Mary and Pink Petal Books for the gift!

My Opinions on Lending, Borrowing and Piracy

I know you've all been dying to hear my feelings on the matter, so in light of all the discussion on several of my author boards in recent weeks, I've decided to post a little note on the topic of "piracy" and "sharing" and "lending" and "ebook libraries," etc. Okay, so maybe you haven't been dying to know, but you're going to hear, anyway, 'K?

I should preface this whole discussion by saying that my opinions in no way reflect those of my publishers. They protect copyright, and I appreciate them for it, and I try to follow their policies as closely as I can, since I signed a contract with them and I wish to honour that relationship. Thus, anything I write here does not trump my agreements or change the publishers' desire/actions to protect their investments.

Having said that, I personally go back and forth on the subject.

I admit, I'm torn. I get the sense from others that I should possibly be outraged, like so many of my colleagues, when my books get read for free. I understand this feeling, I really do. When I see one of my books circulating for free, I sigh a little with disappointment. On one hand, it's kind of nice (as a new, little author) that people want to read my book, but it's disappointing that they'd rather not pay for it.

I get paid very little for my work, as it is. This is not my "day job," and I don't live in luxury. In fact, I teach on contract, and I struggle a lot of the time to keep the roof over my kid's head and food on the table, just like everyone. I don't write books for the money, but it would be nice if I got some bread out of publishing them. So, while it's great that people are reading (which really is a dream come true in its own right), it's also discouraging to see free copies going around when I make so little money for creating them.

Don't get me wrong here. In light of being perpetually broke, I also understand that it's hard to afford books at times. I sympathize, believe me. This is likely what saves me from "outrage" and keeps me in the "exhausted sigh" range. It's just not an easy time for anyone right now.

Now, piracy is a different issue from lending. Lending sites don't carry the files; they just match-make lenders with borrowers. Piracy sites hold the file and feed it out endlessly, which is a harsher sort of bummer.

Lending books is a time-honoured tradition, so it's harder to be annoyed by that. I've borrowed paperbacks from people, and I've lent some, so the word "lending" is difficult for me to cry over.

In fact, as a newish author, lending has a nice ring to it. There's a major part of me that thinks how wonderful it would be for someone to turn to their friend with one of my books and say, "Hey, take this - you'll like it!" That's the kind of "marketing" money can't buy, and is worth much more than its weight in gold.

The ebook lending sites are not quite that, though. There, it's strangers lending and borrowing, without the personal recommendations and shared enthusiasm. I still hope it can lead to new "fans," but it's hard to say. Somehow, it just seems different than a couple of sisters swapping paperbacks, but I think I need some more time to figure out how I feel about it.

For now, I guess the word around the block is that ereaders and distributors allow for this, so it's not illegal. So, for the time being, we kind of have to grin and bear it no matter how we feel, and hope for the best. For me, the best outcome is that people borrow one or two, enjoy my work, recommend me or buy my other books. That wouldn't be so bad, come to think of it.

(I should note that I have very little actual knowledge of how lending works, but I'm pretty sure it's not the end of the world. From what I gather, only certain Kindle books are available (which might actually work in the "little" author's favour, if the Big Pubs opt out), and only for 14 days at a time. I've heard B&N only allows ONE lend-out per purchase, EVER, so if that's true I don't think that's much of a threat. (I don't know for sure how many times you can do it with Kindle books, since I've seen different answers.) But, as I say, I don't have hard knowledge, so who knows? My gut says, though, Amazon would be all over lending sites and forums if they were a major drain on profits.)

(ETA: I have since discovered that Kindle books can also only be shared once.)

However, as an aside, I must say I'm not keen on the word "library" for actual file share sites. Libraries pay premium prices for their books and materials, and often buy multiple copies and eventually replace worn ones. Ebook files don't wear out, so it's a different kettle of fish. Eventually, someone could wait around and read my entire opus without anyone paying a dime, theoretically, if ARCs if my books are the root source. (This would be my not-so-good outcome, obviously.)

That's a bit alarming, the speed and eternity of it all. This is where file sharing squicks in a way paperback lending doesn't, I guess.

But I have to admit, while the poverty-stricken me would like the royalties, I cannot come down on the anti-lending side. Would everyone who "borrows" (or straight-up pirates) my book buy it, otherwise? Likely not. But does that put a rosy ring around file sharing? I honesty don't know.

I see good; I see bad. It's how I generally roll.

There is one final thing in all this that weighs on me, though. I know I can't be the only writer who's considered quitting due to the sometimes-low compensation in this business. (Most small pub and self-pub authors don't get advances, so we depend on royalties, which is a crap shoot.) I will always write, since I love it, but I struggle often with whether publishing is worth it. There are better paying second jobs, that's for sure. Or, I could finally get some sleep with my "spare time." Does diminishing the already meager pay-outs for authors discourage productivity? I'm not sure, but it's something I worry about. Yes, I know libraries and friend-sharing has always been with us, and books kept being made, but I wonder if file sharing could be what will drive the genie back in the bottle on indies and small publishers. Sure, there are less gate keepers in publishing today, or at least more gates available, but maybe the pirates will be what knocks "little" authors out of the ring instead. Will the burnout rate keep climbing?

The "everything online should be free" trend is something to consider over the coming years, in my opinion. It's not the whole issue-enchilada, but it's something to think about.

So, after all that rambling and prevarication, what am I left with? I'd love it if people bought my books, but I'm not foaming at the mouth over the whole thing, especially the lending. It might well have some benefits, even if it's frustrating when sales aren't great as it is.

I'm actually kind of okay with people wanting to "borrow" one of my books to see if they might like the others, to be honest. A little flattered, even. But, I would like it if that borrow led to a purchase at some point, I admit, or some other form of reciprocity. Thus, maybe this is my best wish: If you read one of my books for free, and I won't ask how, and liked it, maybe you could leave a review some place. That way, I still get something good out of it. That would lessen my indecision, I think.

In the meantime, I guess my only conclusion is that things happen as they happen. I'll just keep on writing, and not worrying about sales, or sharing. Out of my years of experience on this earth, the only piece of advice I've ever come across that really sticks is this: "Keep on trucking."

In other words: Keep calm and continue writing (and reading), folks.

And, regardless of how you come across my books, I do hope you enjoy them. In the end, that might be the only profit I can really hope for, and the only one that lasts.

Paperback Update, and a Feedback Request! (Pretty Please?)

I'm pleased to announce that my new paperback anthology has been made official, and we're aiming, last I heard, for a September release (I had earlier misread the 9/12 as meaning October, but I was clearly loopy that day). The stories, my five 2011 stories from Rebel Ink plus a new sixth story, will also be released in ebook bundle!

I can now officially announce the title of the anthology.... Drum roll, please!

All I Want: The Anne Holly-Day Collection.

Ta da!

(Okay, that title makes me snicker, I admit it. I'm a goof; whadaya gonna do?)

The "working blurb":

What happens when a young violin prodigy sets his sights on the jock next door, a flighty witch thaws out a corporate stiff, or an uptown girl falls for a bartender? How about when a city slicker roughs it with a cowboy, a free spirited Spaniard seduces his calm and collected professor, or a fantasy writer teaches a no-nonsense doctor to see the magic around him?

Attraction, friction, and enough sparks to heat up the coldest winter!

Opposites attract under the spell of six different holidays in this collection of contemporary erotic romance stories from author Anne Holly, covering Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day.

Each story reflects the glow and lore of the holiday that inspired it, but the collection is bound together by a single thread – the joy of taking the plunge into sizzling romance.

Yeah, I know, it's got rhetorical questions in it, and many people have already told me I shouldn't have rhetorical questions in my blurb. Yes, that's one of several things I shall be banging my head against as I re-write it.

I'll be refining the blurb over the coming week or two to make it stronger. I'm flipping through Amazon pages like mad, trying to troll for ideas, and haunting my usual tips-for-writers websites. I will continue to hone this blurb into a razor-sharp marketing powerhouse. *ahem*

However, if you follow this blog, you might know this is not my favourite part of writing.

So, if you have any feedback/suggestions/comments whatsoever, I'd be obliged.

Thursday Thurteen: Book Promo Outside the Box

(And, yes, I know I misspelled Thirteen. I'm living on the edge here. Deal with it.)

My fiction has been published and for sale since 2010, and since shortly before that I have made it a point to discuss "the Biz" with other authors - learning the ropes, discussing Craft, spreading the good word, making connections, soaking up the gossip, and chewing on the Big Subject: sales and promotion.

I've joined forums, discussion groups, etc, etc, and this keeps coming up - How on earth do you sell your ebook?

Don't get excited that this post will help you, at all, since I clearly don't know, either. I was a fiend for doing marketing, taking guest spots and interviews everywhere for a while last winter, and you know what I made? Bubkes, that's what I made. Well, okay, maybe not quite. $17, I think, is more precise.

So, obviously, I don't know anything about selling an ebook.

Well, that's not entirely true. I know the rehashed ideas everyone recommends - blogging, guest blogging, social media (all sorts), interviews, posting your sales links ad nauseam, etc. I've even paid out for promo, and nadda. Aside from an interview on a Big Site and reviews, I haven't seen any of the normal things work.

Thus, I hereby announce Enough Is Enough.

I'm done with the "normal things." It's time to go to the mattresses on this whole promo game.

Therefore, this week's Thursday Thurteen (TM):

13 Promo Plans with Flare

1. Shave the title of my book into the President's dog's pelt. (Not saying which President, or President of What; just a President.)

2. Convince George Lucas to release yet another butchered version of Star Wars with Greedo not shooting first, but wearing a t-shirt with my website url on it. Come to think of it, that would still be better than the "revised" versions.

3. Hire sky writers in every city to find the last remaining adult readers of m/f contemporary romance.

4. Once I find said last remaining readers of m/f contemporary romance: Give them puppy eyes until they cave.

5. I think prisons may be an untapped market for romance novels. (Makes "To Do" note for later.)

6. Change the title of my novel to How to Make Millions Publishing to Kindle!

7. Step One: Find a Leprechaun. Step Two: Wring his bloody neck til he makes with the luck.

8. Step One: Steal Underpants! Step Two: ... Step Three: Profit!

9. Start a cult.

10. Revise manuscript and add a vampire businessman who likes BDSM. We'll call him... Edw...mund.

11. Travel the rails, living colourfully, until I die of a gamey foot - only to have my work discovered, posthumously, by an enterprising young writer for the NY Times in hipster glasses and a $200 plaid shirt who has a thing for novelists-turned-hobos.

12. Go back in time and somehow ensure I am born the lovechild of Amazon's CEO. Or at least that of the dude who's in charge of their sales rankings and "Special" lists. Or that of the guy who has college photos of either of those two that they'd prefer not be seen. (It's a fluid plan.)

13. Get caught sexting steamy excerpts with a member of the Royal Family.

Well, there you have it. How can I possibly fail this time, right?

Oh, and hey, while you're here, why not check out my Amazon profile? Free shoeshine with every hundredth purchase.* Honest, you'll see your face, guv'nah.

*Offer void everywhere. Some restrictions apply.

Let the Games Begin: V-Day Tour Kicks Off!

Today marks the official beginning of my month-long blog tour and general flog-til-you-drop fun times to promote my erotic romantic comedy for Valentine's Day - V-Day.

Some of my dates, events and hosts:

Rebel Reasoning - Jan 17
D.B. Moon - Jan 25
I'm a Book Shark - Jan 26
Lila Munro - Jan 27
Sample Sunday - Jan 29
Rebel Reasoning - Feb 1
Simplistik - Feb 2
You Gotta Read - Feb 9
Cerise deLand - Feb 10
Chastity Bush - Feb 10
Lia Davis - Feb 10
Valentine's Blog Hop - Feb 11-14
My Reading Room - Feb 12
Everyday is an Adventure - Feb 13
Ella Jade - Feb 13
W. Lynn Chantale - Feb 13
Ann Montclair - Feb 13
Sizzling Hot Books - Feb 14
Sarah Ballance - Feb 14
Books-n-Kisses - Feb 14
Mike Woody - Feb 14
Reader Girls - Feb 14
- And more!

So, to get things started:

It all started with a serenade…

A family like Daniel’s and the solitary pursuit of musical excellence is enough to make a young man crazy. No wonder all Daniel Vouks dreams of is getting away. He knows his violin will take him places in life, but the only place he really wants to be is next door. He’s been in love with his neighbor since he was fourteen, but can he ever make her see him as more than just a lovesick kid?

V-Day is the story of a Valentine's Day weekend Daniel fears he may regret, but will never, ever forget.

Available Now!

This Valentine's Day, Daniel is tired of playing solo.

If you'd be willing to have me over for an interview or a guest post, of if you'd like to review V-Day, please contact me at anneholly2010@gmail.com!

Doing the Promo Rounds

Good heavens, folks - never write more holiday books than you handle marketing. Trust me on this! I'm just about dead trying to sell these things. Unwrapping Scrooge hit a good level of sales after the ARe mention, but the others still never took off. I guess my plans of focusing on the cheapest in the hopes of rising the other boats was ineffective. Oh well, live and learn - there's always next year.

If you want to check out all the millions of guest spots I've been doing, look here. A couple of those giveaways are still ongoing, so enter for a chance to win at WC and 30 Days of Decadence. I'll be at LASR and RomFan Reviews for giveaways next week.

So, the Christmas books are rolling to an end, and soon we'll be hailing the New Year, so now I better move on to the New Years book, Bubbly - why I did this to myself, I do not know!

However, it has been wonderful meeting all the new people I've been getting to know through all this promo, so - sales or no sales - no regrets. It's true - there is always next year, which is right around the corner!

Happy holidays!

PS - Like Magic and Charity are up for Best Cover and Best First Chapter for Nov on D. Bagby Presents, so if you care to, please check out the entries and vote! (The Halloween book also recently got a very nice review I'm very proud of, which you can find here, if you wish.)

General News

How can it already be mid-December? The days are simply flying past these days, even though my lack of sleep these days also make parts of the week crawl by. In Real Life, I am up to my neck marking, trying to get the term papers marked by this weekend so I can be shod of this class before the holidays. It's going slowly, but surely. At least the exams are all marked and done, so I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I also  finished my holiday shopping, aside from groceries, and am looking forward to getting in some R&R very soon.

In the meantime, I have some news that I felt I should quickly run down...

First, I have a new contract all signed and off in the post. It might have even arrived, depending on whether the snail mail cart was pulled by one mule or two. I have signed my newest full length novel off to Pink Petal Books, a new company to me - but not a new company, itself. In fact, it's fairly established for an ebook company, and I am very pleased. They seem to like the book, my editor seems friendly and enthusiastic, and the company seems to have a good reputation for contemporary romance, which seems to be fading with other companies. Yes, I am very pleased.

The book, currently entitled Textbook Romance, is the story of Liberty, an anti-romance university prof, and a wonderful single father who seeks to change her mind. I confess a lot of it takes place over Christmas, but I have opted to release it for Father's Day, since Seth's dadhood is such a huge, adorable part of his character. It will be out in ebook in June, with luck, and in paperback in September 2012. I am thrilled to have another contract to look forward to - I was getting antsy, since my Rebel Ink series finished off.

Second, I guess it was that ARe newsletter interview, and possibly all the appearances I've been doing, but Unwrapping Scrooge has taken off in a big way! I'm very happy, but a little confused, since the book came out last year. But, hey, I'm certainly not complaining - it's been great, and I'm seeing the sales in general go up. Perhaps someone liked Unwrapping Scrooge so much they decided to try the others? Who knows! Whatever is going on, I'm grateful.

Third, I have hired a PR company, Sizzling PR, to book a month long blog tour for me and my Valentine's Day book V-Day, so that's exciting. It sounds so grown up and professional, doesn't it? It was certainly affordable, so we'll see if it results in a few sales. V-Day is a good little book (in my humble, totally-unbiased opinion), so I hope it gives it the leg up it deserves. I am also running a month-long promo on TRR for Strings Attached all of January, so hopefully we can create a bit of synergy between all the books. I'm learning as I go.

(I am open to guest shots and interviews of all sorts for Jan-Feb, and then again all summer, so contact me if you have spots open!)

I will be around a lot over the next few weeks, still promoting the Christmas books, along with the New Years book. Please come on back this weekend for the blog hop, and keep an eye out for the other blog hops and blogfests and interviews and guest posts and reviews, etc, etc, etc, that I have going on. (See the "Events" tab above.) To be honest, I can't remember everything off the top of my head any more.

Well, back to marking. Thanks for checking in. I'm glad I managed a little news update today. Some fairly invigorating new developments, no?

Take care, and happy holidays to all!

So Long, Klout, Triberr and Google+

Well, not entirely, I guess. I have decided I won't delete the accounts altogether. Why bother? Besides, who knows when they will seem useful again or come back on my radar? In any case, I've reduced my involvement, stopped visiting them, let them go, whatever you want to call it.

It seems until recently Klout was broken, or that their algorithms over the summer were too generous. Now they've changed them and, while they say most people have gone up, most of the people I know went down - way down. I suspect the people who went up were largely Facebookers who never signed themselves up for Klout, anyway. (It seems you have a Klout profile whether you want it or not - nothing is private online, anyway, so I'm not shocked by this.)

I'm not complaining. I'd rather have a "real" crummy score than a fake high one, I guess, though I don't believe either of them are real (in fact, by pointing this out, Klout kind of proved it was all bull-hooey, anyway, didn't it?). In a way, I'm relieved, as it was too much pressure having a Klout score in the 60s. Now that I have a crappy 50-something score, I can feel free to ignore it. When I was at 63, I actually felt guilty on the days I couldn't Tweet, since I knew I'd lose a point. Yes, I agree - that's just sad.

In any case, now that Klout is fixed, and I'm a nobody again, I can relax and stop caring about it. It was always a fake gizmo, but now that the game is less serious, I can stop playing. Whew!

As to Triberr, I joined because it seemed like a great way to increase blog hits - and I think it was. I don't watch my hit counter very closely, but it seemed to be working. I was in a nice tribe filled with writers I knew from around the community, so I was happy. Then, Triberr changed, so it doesn't RT the Tweets of your tribemates automatically. You have to go to Triberr and do it manually. In short, I don't have time for this, and it wasn't fair to stay in the tribe, having my stuff Tweeted, and not returning the favour. So, that's gone.

I was surprised, actually, that leaving the tribe made me a little sad. The consequence, I guess, of naming it a tribe.

Now, Google+ I never really decided to go - I just stopped visiting it a couple weeks after joining. Why? Not really sure. I guess I just didn't need yet another social media thingy. Also, gmail tells you your notifications so why ever visit it? Eventually, I even forgot how to visit it. Then one day Twitter failed and I wandered over. It seemed like a ghost town - no one I knew was there. I said as much in my status, hoping to find a little chit chat. What I found was a very grumpy jerk, who I didn't know, who yelled at me for saying no one was using Google+ any more (which I didn't say), and some chick (who I also didn't know) who scolded me for wondering why no one was up for a chat in light of Steve Jobs' death. Well, that was the end of Google+ for me.

If I wanted to be yelled at by self-righteous, rude strangers, I would just spend more time on public transit.

So, there's that. I guess I'm back to Twitter and Facebook, and this old blog - which perhaps no one even visits any more now that I'm not full of Klout and all Tribed-up.

To be honest, now that I'm back to teaching, I really don't have time for social media like I did over the summer. Over the summer, I had time to do promo, social media, mommy stuff and write. Now, teaching has taken over the social media time, and I am taking time out of my writing to increase my promo. Such is the way of balancing jobs, I guess.

These were the three bigger failed experiments. There have been a number of other, smaller social media things I never got into - seriously, what is the point of About.me, except as a place holder for your link? - so they fell by the wayside. I've walked away from forums, for the most part, since I don't have the time to spend being annoyed. Blog hops have been fun, so I will do a few more. GoodReads is fine, since I like books. Six Sentence Sunday got fairly old, and Sample Sunday is worth doing once in a while, but isn't something for every single week if you are unwilling to rehash the same sample over and over. Other little gimmicks, such as lil.paper, I find useless, but they aren't irritating enough for me to quit so I let them run. A few major efforts, such as the monthly newsletter, I am still trying out - I'm giving it a few more months to build an audience, and will re-evaluate it as I go as to whether it's worth continuing. Over the holidays, I am concentrating on direct promo (ads) and guest blogging, so that's where all my networking time will go for the next while.

Well, I'm learning and trying. Promo has never been my strong suit, but I like social media. I don't really consider social media as promo, to be honest. It's more about networking, learning, chatting, and gathering information/connections. This is why I'm not giving up on it all. Social media has not netted me any sales, but I see its value in other ways.

That's the state of things for now. Happy writing, folks, if you ever have the time.

Summaries, Taglines and Blurbs, Oh My!

I hate writing "blurbs" (I even hate that word), and taglines are deceptively easy looking, but end up being a pain in the arse. How do you write a few lines (or as few as 12 words) to encompass the whole of the work - and be attractive enough to make people examine your book closer?

Now, I have started the habit of making the blurb and the tagline right after I've written the book/story (sometimes during or even before), and fine-tuning it during editing. Because if you wait to do it months later - it's a pain in the butt to recapture that spirit.

Sometimes, doing blurbs and taglines feels embarrassing. You hear the movie-trailer-voice-guy in your head, and it seems so cheesy. If that happens, you might be taking the thing a little too far.

For taglines (important for ads and quick-mentions), you need something catchy, but clear and concise, and something that will key into the main conflicts/themes.

For Strings Attached, I decided on this tagline:

Josie has always brought home strays. Only, this time the stray is an unwilling Australian.

The line is short, and, for romance readers, it has several big hints to the plot: Do-gooder woman and grouchy Australian (and Australian men are always sexy, even if grouchy) who resists her. It has a light-hearted, fuzzy feel to it. It also refers to home, a key theme in the book, and to stray dogs, which is a major symbol. It also eludes to the lonely rootlessness of Theo (the Australian), establishes Josie as the main character (being the one named), and informs the reader the book takes place on her turf. And, I hope, it gives the potential reader an interest in knowing more.

It also ties in to the "back cover" blurb for the book:

“You want to heal me, like one of your stray dogs...” 

When Canadian rancher Josie Sergeant gets a call from her brother announcing his impetuous decision to marry, she has her reservations. But, when her brother’s would-be brother-in-law swoops in from Australia to stop the wedding, Josie has no choice but to defend the family. 

Theo Sabich is bull-headed and dangerously sexy, but also damaged beyond repair… or so he thinks. He enjoys getting on Josie’s nerves, but when he finds her getting under his skin he must decide - face his demons and grab this last chance for happiness or bury himself in his lonely Outback ranch once and for all. 

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control, and Josie finds that a one-time “no strings attached” release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread. 

But how will they bridge the difference between two worlds, let alone conquer the wounds of the past and find the courage to live again?

So, I guess I'm learning how to do them, but that doesn't make me like them any more than I did. However, doing blurbs and taglines, and summaries/synopsis, is just something you will always have to do as long as you publish - especially if you're self-publishing or with a small press. There are many forums out there where you can get advice from other writers on your blurbs, which can save you the costs of seeking professional help, but whichever way you go, it pays to have solid ways to explain your book to potential readers, publishers and reviewers.

Good luck!

Dirty Word of the Day

Did that make you look?

I don't mean the really nasty seven bad words.

The Dirty Word of the Day today is Advertising.

Yes, I know - an erotica writer should have better bad words that. Sorry to disappoint. Actually, I do have many more enjoyable bad words at my fingertips, but this one is a special curse. It deserved its own post, I think.

Advertising is the part of this whole writing business I hadn't really considered before I decided to leap into publishing. I guess I sort of had a vision in mind of Other People taking care of that. Who, I'm not exactly sure - the Publishers, I guess. I mean, didn't Bridget Jones work for the marketing department of a publishing company? So, some pubs out there must do some marketing, I assume. Helen Fielding wouldn't lie to me, would she?

But, I think to get in bed with the kind of companies that do the advertising for you, you need an agent and the decades of prayers, dark rituals, gift baskets, etc, that it likely takes to make it with an established company with funds for such things. Oh, and proof that your books can earn back the money they shell out - i.e. a damn good backlist to your name.

Sadly, I have none of those, so I'm pretty much on my own flogging my books, published through smaller companies who ask us to handle the lion's share (if not all) of our own marketing.

I've been learning a lot about this side of the business, I admit. Been working the social media, Tweeting and re-Tweeting until my hands fall off, trying to get my name out there with a happy connotation. Sure, none of it's worked yet, but it may eventually. Hey, I've only been in the business officially since October 2010 - Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

I've also only had a handful of titles released, and as I rectify that (hopefully with some bigger companies in the near future), I suspect name recognition might start to climb a bit.

But, today I am thinking of honest-to-goodness advertising. Which makes me a little ill, to be frank.

As a consumer, I am very used to ignoring ads and cursing spam - even going so far as boycotting the really aggressive ones. Therefore, the thought of becoming one of those guys makes me feel a bit filthy.

Okay, I know: "No one can read your book if they don't know it exists."

Yes, I have heard this, and am really trying to dig its practical applications. But, when it comes right down to it, Tweeting sales links icks me out. Nor do I really believe it works, since I would never buy anything from a sales link sent to me via social media. My mind marks it immediately as spam, and that's it for me. I might post such a thing on the release day, more as a "Ommigosh, I can't believe I'm on Amazon" sort of thing than anything else - but I can't bring myself to keep going with them. As a result, I now only use Twitter to chit-chat and share bits of my writing, and for networking among other book folks, which is really much more fun, anyway.

So, I think: Perhaps purchasing ad space is a bit more savory, since it is obvious and somewhat honorable. Everyone knows the deal - an ad is placed in a space that looks like an ad, and paying attention to it is fairly voluntary.

But, even with paid ads, there's a bit of a sticky wicket. Most of the sites I could afford to advertise on are basically only visited by the authors with ads there and maybe the blogger's mom. The sites with actual traffic are way out of my price league. It's not even a matter of, "Will this make my money back through the ad?" it's a matter of, "Which bill will I skip paying this month so I can make this initial layout?" Yes - it's not good.

However, a little boon came my way recently. The site The Romance Reviews gave me a handful of site credits for signing up, and they happened to be running a sale on their monthly ads at the same time! Now, starting today, I have my first real ad up someplace that seems to get relatively good traffic - for a whole month!

The ad-less (and sale-less) wonder is ad-less no longer!

I'll let you know how it turns out. If this experiment works, I might consider trying more low-key paid marketing over the next few months. But, realistically, I'm not likely to pay out tons and tons to promote books that aren't ever going to earn that money back. I like writing; I enjoy seeing my books available; I love to see reviews and notes from people who've read them. I'm proud of my books so far, and I look forward to seeing what I can do in the future. In the end, rankings on Amazon are nice, but they wouldn't make this worthwhile if I didn't have fun doing it. And worrying about marketing really doesn't add to my authorial enjoyment, that's for sure. So, I will take it as it goes - I'm learning a lot, and, with luck, it'll all pan out in the end.

Welcome to a new month! Happy sales to all, and to all a high ranking!

Question for You: What makes a Great Kindle Sample?

If you have a Kindle, you know that most ebooks on Amazon come with a sampling feature, which allows you to read the first bit of the book - usually about 10%, I think.

Recently, I downloaded the Kindle for PC program so I can look at how samples impact the reader for myself, comparing book samples that make me feel like buying to samples that don't make me pause to pass it by. Is the sample more or less influential than the synopsis? Can a good sample counteract a so-so synopsis, and vice versa?

It is reasonable to assume that more and more writers are keeping the sample in mind when they edit. Even though we have always been told to give the opening of the book all we have, the sample adds a renewed urgency to those first 10-20 pages of the book.

So, my question(s) for you: Do you sample religiously or only occasionally? What makes a Kindle sample pop for you? What rings the no-sale bell for you? How do you edit for a killer Kindle sample?

Please, leave a comment!

Where Am I? Where Am I Going?

Run Down:

It's been a month of ups and downs in the Kindle business in the eight months since my first release last October, and recently my books have had some movement both up and down. I admit, I don't really understand the sales stats and such on Amazon, but these are the things that seem clear when I look at all of the sales and buzz info I have at hand:

• Unwrapping Scrooge had a strange off-season resurgence this month, including a boost in sales and some increased interest from reviewers. I plan on trying to make the most of that, to get a momentum going, and see if it can translate into a new marketing campaign for the book starting in October/November leading into the Christmas season.
• Waking Kara remains a consistent seller, especially through Amazon.com, even without any marketing or promotions behind it. This solid little number sells about 10 copies a month, on average, and has reached the 100 copies sold mark, according to my calculations. Now, I know that doesn't sound like much, but given the lack of promotion, that is not bad. Plan: Let's see if that can do a bit better.
• V-Day has recently made its first showing on the Kindle ranks stats, which is nice to see - I like this book, so I need to work on promoting it better. Due to other obligations at the time, I ignored it way too much when it was released - now the plan is to bring some attention to it, and get a review or two.
• Good for the Goose has seen some very moderate ups and downs, but remains fairly low. I have improved the sales profile of it by highlighting the reviews it got last December, in the hopes of reviving it for the Christmas season. Perhaps the idea for a "Christmas in July" blogging blitz might help a bit.
• Sadly, Strings Attached has failed to sell or to attract reviews. I continue to plod ahead, focusing on posting about it at ebook blogs and submitting it to reviewers. It has been out less than a month, so I have not yet given up on it.

Up till now, I have not spent a single dime on marketing or promo. Unfortunately, I am not really in a position to do so now. However, if some of my plans come through, it might be time to resort to paid promotional activities in the fall. I refuse to become a gambling junkie about it, dumping good money after bad into useless ads in the hopes of striking the jackpot. Nevertheless, a few well-placed ads and spotlights might be helpful, if placed strategically and designed well. We shall see.

~*~

Looking Ahead:

What is bugging me the most at the moment, however, is not my low sales, but the fact that I have no new releases planned in the foreseeable future. This is not good.

My next task is to complete the renovations of my 2010 NaNo project and find it a solid home, so it can see daylight. Then, of course, the marketing and promo will start all over again, and I hope it will have a solid landing strip already laid by my first five available works.

Along side that, I must keep chugging along on my new fiction project, which is proving to be a challenge but an exciting one - I will share details soonish, I promise. Today, I spent four hours writing on it, and I feel like a million bucks!

Constantly pushing finished product is not healthy. If I am not producing, I am merely a former writer, and not a writer in the present. Stats and sales are great - but nothing beats looking forward to a new release!

So, that is the state of the union at the moment.

More details as they come...

Daily Dose of Frustration: Non-"Zany" Need Not Apply

Right now, I looking for a publisher for my new novel - my NaNo story, which is currently in editing and re-writing. I am hoping to submit by the fall, so I'm casting around for the best shot for publishing. I am looking for something mid-class this time - not too small, but not too lofty, either. Some company that sees half decent sales, makes some token effort at marketing and can help me produce a quality book. Not too huge a list of wants.

This week, I came across this lovely little snippet on a submission instructions page of a mid-range ebook pub:

Contemporary Romance: Fun and whimsical, these books should showcase your sense of humor and focus on a modern couple in a zany situation.

"Zany"?

Really?

Zany only, huh?

Damn you Bridget Jones. Damn you.

So, fine. I understand that people like zany. I can appreciate that. I love Bridget Jones, actually. But, honestly, is this the only market out there? Readers only want to read zany romance (if it doesn't involve sulky vampires, that is)?

My NaNo novel is not a zany romance, nor is Strings Attached. Now, this does not mean I am devoid of humour (in fact, my new WIP is a comedy), but these first couple of full lengths are serious contemporary romances. Not quite melodrama, but focusing on honest emotions and mature, realistic people. Not zany people.

(Zany people are, like, girls who wear red dresses a lot, which randomly get blown up by the wind, right, and inexplicably carry bunches of daisies way too often? Zany guys, I can only assume, wear a messenger bag all the time.)

(Yeah, I don't have any of those.)

So, it seems I am simply not zany enough for the category of contemporary romance in today's market.

Perhaps I should see if I can re-write into it a pouty nosferatu as Plan B...

Brand your name, don’t promote your book

A Guest Post by Author Joanne Troppello

That’s a strong statement, I know, but I wanted to capture your attention.

Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts, Michael Crichton, James Patterson, Anne Rice, Mary Higgins Clark…we all know those names or at least a good portion of them. So what’s my point? Just that…we know their names; we don’t all remember the names of their books.

Your fans are not going to always be able to spout off the titles of all your books, but if they like your work and if you’ve become popular, they will remember your name. If they know your name, they can easily find you online or in the bookstores. When they find your website, then they can look up your books. When they go to the bookstores, they can find your specific titles.

As an author, hopefully you will continually be writing more books. Your readers may not always know your current works, but they’ll keep track of what you’re working on and when your new releases come out. So, how do you (and I), as up and coming authors waiting for the day you’ll be on the best seller lists, brand your name and market yourselves as authors?

That question being put out there, you still, of course, need to work hard on marketing each of your books, but the way to really become popular is to market your name.

One of the best ways to brand yourself is to have a website. You always need to have an online presence; that includes branding yourself in the social media networks. Another good idea is that you should always try to write articles in your trade, and post them in free online writing networks. Usually, you just need to register and then you can begin posting articles; sometimes certain sites will need to review your articles first. These sites will allow readers to link to your profile, where they can follow a link to your website. Other online article posting sites allow you to list a byline with a direct link to your website.

You must remember that you are your greatest fan and you need to take advantage of that fact and promote yourself wherever you go. Of course, some people may feel this is taking you down to ego-land, but there are ways to promote yourself and your work without seeming to be overbearing. I don’t usually like to be in the center of attention, but as my husband mentioned the other day, I’m an author now and I’d better get used to it.

Join writers groups and other writing associations and always attach your byline in everything that you write and have your “elevator speech” prepared and ready to use at all times. So what’s an elevator speech? It’s a short pitch on something you’re trying to market and since you’re trying to market yourself, be prepared to tell people that you are an author and when your next book is going to be released. Be ready to hand out a business card or at least be able to give out your website.

Blogging is another way to brand your name. You always want your readers, potential readers and the press to go to your website. You can do this by offering them something. How do you do that? You need to provide good content that is always updated. That’s why it’s good to have a blog directly on your website or if you have it through another online service, to at least have the blog link prominently displayed on your site. You can even create a newsletter. This will be a bit more time consuming than writing a daily or weekly blog, but it is something that you can think about as you get farther along in your writing career.

Don’t forget to keep on promoting your name. You are your biggest fan! Make your marketing count!

***

Joanne Troppello is an author of mystery and inspirational romance novels. Her second novel, Mr. Shipley’s Governess, was recently released by Wild Horse Press. She is at work on her next novel, a romantic suspense. She is married and loves spending time with her husband and family.

Joanne had me over to her blog this week, as well, so go pay her a visit.

"Romantic Literature"???

I was checking the sales links for my new release, which I do daily like a little dirt farmer looking for sprouts - I love seeing the "customers who bought this also bought..." features, and hoping for comments, etc.

Anyway, one little thing is bugging me. On one of my seller sites, my publisher uploaded it with the category "romantic literature" - this, it seems, is a different category than just full-on romance. It's listed as "drama" "contemporary" "romantic literature."

Now, I looked at the other books in the category. While they look good, they all seem quite serious. I wonder if this category might scare people away - do people really want to read 55k of something that sounds so serious? I have never pretended to produce "literature" - just romantic escapism, really.

A part of me wishes to take this as a compliment, as it kind of denotes quality... But if people wanted to read "romantic literature," wouldn't they just hit Jane Austen again?

My book is having an identity crisis - or, maybe, I am.

Comments?