The Little Things

Writing is a tough business not just for the authors but also increasingly for publishers and all those who work for them. There are some small ways to help.

Despite Amazon's confusing policies on reviewing the books of people you know, leaving reviews for books you read really help authors. Don't just leave them on Amazon. Drop some lines on Goodreads, Smashwords, B&N or wherever you buy your books. It helps.

Retweet and share FB posts of writer friends who are making promotional announcements. Help them get the word out to a greater audience. It's a little thing that takes two seconds.

Another thing that is a bit bigger is to buy books directly from a publisher's website. Even some of the BIG boys are selling from their own site. When a publisher sells from their own site, they're not

sharing profits with a middle man like Amazon. The publisher can offer a book at a discount and still make more money on it than when it's with a retailer. AND the author makes more money also. My publisher, New Concepts Publishing, generally offers new releases exclusively on its site for a discount for thirty days before offering it to retailers. My reissue, Keepers of Sulbreth, is available there right now.

If you're going to an event, offer to hand out bling for other writers. I have a table at the massive York Book Expo in October. Like their new Facebook page here.  If you have bookmarkers, pens, stickers, or any other promotional material you'd like me to hand out to attendees, you can send them to me. I can't sell your books, but I'll had out your stuff that has links to you and your books. Drop me a line and we'll figure it out.

Support your local indie bookstores when you can. The only one near us sells only used books except during signing events. But I still visit when I can and have found some really great 'old' books that dress up my shelves. Even if you just go in and buy an expensive and high calorie drink at their cafe, that helps them stay open.

Do you have any ideas on little things to do to help fellow writers? I know the blogging community I belong to is great about sharing blog space but are there other things we can do? Any ideas? Does your publisher sell directly from their site? Have any bling you'd like to share?

Mish Mash, I Have to Dash

I'm busy working on the final edits for the reissue  of Keepers of Sulbreth. I was worried they'd arrive in my inbox next week when I'm on vacation. So I'll be working on them diligently between now and Monday. I considered not blogging today, feeling I didn't have anything to share today. And

I don't have much but some of my friends do.

Ramona DeLong will be our guest next Monday on the IWSG blog but this well known writing professional is also teaching a class in August titled Necessary Parts. It's a two week online course directed at creating log lines, query paragraphs, short and long synopsis. I can personally vouch for Ramona's expertise.

Yesterday, the always clever Patricia Stoltey shared her take on the frenzied advances of technology and how she's putting her foot down. Visit her and share where you'll feel like you just can't keep up anymore. I have to agree with her about the people walking around with staring at their phones.

I stumbled on another entertaining post about technology by Alan Tucker on Emblazon. And in case you don't know what little boys are made of (snips and snails), Alan will answer that question.

Also, I took a picture to share with you what my daughter brought me back from Oman. I told her over and over again not to purchase gifts. College students need to watch their money. As you can see, she made wise choices. A Borders bag for nostalgia and a little camel magnet to keep me

company in my office. It's perfect.

And now some wisdom from the Old Farmer's Almanac.

To keep  jewelry from tarnishing, place a piece of chalk in the jewelry box.

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh--at yourself." Ethel Barrymore

Did you find some agreement with Patricia? Did you know what a 'snip' is? Have you taken any online classes? Are you pretty confident about writing the 'Necessary Part' before you submit something?

IWSG: June Already

It's the first Wednesday of the month and time for Insecure Writer's Support Group when writers from all over the world join in the blog hop started by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. Please share your insecurity of the moment or if you have none, share what is going so well that you're riding the high wave. And please tell us how you got there. This is a hop so find the list of participants on the IWSG site. If you haven't already, sign up and join us.

During the next few months, I have a previously published book being released by a new publisher. The new publisher is actually my long time romance publisher where my romances have enjoyed modest success. However, this previously published book isn't a romance. It's an epic fantasy, the first book in that genre that my publisher has taken on.

Like many authors who work with small presses, I've gotten to know the people running the business. When my publisher heard about the two presses going out of business who had contracted my epic fantasies, she offered to take on my books and make them the first in a new line. She's taking a chance on my books, on me. I'm feeling the pressure. Will this pay off for her? Do I deserve her Susan Kelley writing fantasy as Susan Gourley,as a way to draw my romance following to the new books but still distinguish them as a different genre. I'm very nervous about the entire endeavor.

trust? She's created an awesome cover and came up with the idea to use my romance name on the cover,

In other news, I recently read an article in Writers Digest where the author of the piece on promotion talked about hiring a marketing firm, especially if you're a new author. This is where it gets amusing. She suggests planning a 2-3 month campaign at minimum and expecting a reputable marketing firm to ask for a monthly retainer fee of $3,000-7,000. LOL. Even an author signing with a traditional publisher would need a big signing advance to come up with that. Am I wrong to wonder to whom this article was directed?

Some wisdom to get me through the final edits of my next romance novel.

"Be curious, not judgmental." Walt Whitman

"Three, helping one another, bear the burden of six." German proverb

I'm hoping for a few family members to help me finish up some major landscaping projects so I'm going to throw the German proverb at them.

Don't forget to visit others on the list at IWSG.  What writing venture made you nervous lately? Do you spend thousands of dollars per month on marketing? Can I borrow some of that?

Today, I'm turning my blog over to C. Lee Mckenzie. Read about her release and join her contest. You can find me at Michelle Howard's blog as she helps me celebrate the reissue of Keepers of Sulbreth from Musa Publishing. Also, if you didn't check in on my post yesterday at Dianna Gunn's blog, The Dabbler, I would love to hear your thoughts as I share who and what helped my career in the early days.

AMAZON

There's nothing’s more dangerous than a wizard-in-training. And Pete Riley, has just proven it. He's worked a bad time spell--a very bad time spell.

No YouTube, no smoothies, no Manga. Not ever again. Not unless Pete figures out how to reverse his spell and free Weasel and him from Victorian England. 

He has until the next full moon. Only a few days.

Tick. Tock.

Here’s how the story starts, and it only gets worse.

One minute the clock was tick-tocking on the mantel and the next it was a smoldering mess.

“No,”􏰁Harriet shouted. Then she braced one hand on her desk and covered her eyes with the other.

Pete froze, not blinking, not breathing, but waiting to see if Harriet would point one of her long, bony fingers at him and turn him into a turnip or something slimy.

SEQUEL TO ALLIGATORS OVERHEAD

To celebrate the launch of The Great Time Lock Disaster I'm giving 20 eBooks away. Hope you'll jump in to the copter and go for a ride!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Usually, C. Lee takes on modern issues that today's teens face in their daily lives. Her first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge, which dealt with cutting and suicide was published in 2009. Her second, titled The Princess of Las Pulgas, dealing with a family who loses everything and must rebuild their lives came out in 2010. Double Negative (2014) was her third young adult novel. Researching it turned her into a literacy advocate. Her fourth YA, Sudden Secrets came out in December 2014. 

When she really want to have FUN, she writes middle grade books. Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster are now available.

WEBSITE   BLOG   FACEBOOK  TWITTER  GOODREADS

Are you familiar with C. Lee and her books? Have you met Michelle Howard or Dianna Gunn yet? What are your plans for the weekend? Are you thawing our or deeper in the freezer like us?

Cold But Busy

The A to Z Blogging Challenge is only six weeks away. Still lots of time to sign up and if you have already signed up and picked a theme, you'll enjoy The Theme Reveal Blog Hop scheduled for March 23rd. Sign ups are open.

Also if you've signed up and would like to expand your A to Z experience, I could still use a few Dragon Soldiers. Check out the cool badge you can display on your blog sidebar. You know you want
one. Let me know in the comments and I'll get back to you sooner than a dragon can start a fire.

Tomorrow, to fire up the enthusiasm for April, we'll have our first Twitter Chats from 1 pm to 2 pm and from 8 pm to 9 pm, all times EST. These chats will continue every Thursday from tomorrow until the end of April. Check it out at #atozchallenge or #AZchat. Hope to see you then.

Also tomorrow I will be a guest at The Dabbler where Dianna Gunn, publicity expert with Musa Publishing will host me. Hope you'll stop over there.

This Friday is the reissue of Keepers of Sulbreth. I'm very excited but also worried. It is a reissue
that sold pretty well when first released. What if nobody wants it who hasn't already purchased it? Nothing is a sure thing in this business. Wish me luck.

And today, you should stop by IWSG group where Janice Hardy is our guest. She has some great things to say about improving your manuscript.

We're expecting more snow later today and then two days of frigid cold before more snow on Sunday. Not to wish my life away, but winter really needs to move out of here. I think if you live anywhere in North America, you feel the same way.

"The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent." Carl Sagan

I think that fits Mother Nature's attitude about now.

I'm working on the 3rd Warrior of Gaviron book now that I have a small breather between edits for my fantasy series. Not sure how long that breather will last so maybe the cold is a good thing, keeping me inside to write. Looking for a silver lining here.

Have you ever had a book reissued and if so, did it do well? Can you join us for a Twitter chat tomorrow? Are you signed up for the theme reveal? Do you agree with Carl Sagan?

Start the Year Right

I hope you'll visit me today over at the A to Z Blogging Challenge Home. You can share your plans for networking in 2015.

Don't forget that Wednesday is IWSG post time. After three years as a group, many members have come and gone but most stay once they get here. To help everyone get to know the new folks and for the new folks to learn more about the veteran folks, on January 7th, all the participants will introduce themselves as if they just met. If you're not yet part of IWSG, Wednesday is the day to check out the members and see if you want to be part of it.

I'm of the school of thought that I should always be working on improving my writing. My writers' groups provide opportunities but there are lots of places to learn online. Writer's Digest always has some great articles on every aspect of the writing business. Brian Klems put together this list at the end of December, 50 Articles on Writing to Help you in 2015. I'm still checking a few of them out.

Since improving organization is the #2 New Year's Resolution, I admit I try to do a little bit of that at the start of every year. My daughter helped me and we have four boxes for Goodwill and a big box of books we're taking to 2nd and Charles. My shelves look better and I have my entire TBR pile stacked together. Except for the dozens on my Kindle. I'm also making sure my children to adopt some of my physical books and over stuff their shelves. Yet I could still borrow my books back from them. How great is that for me?

I'm also setting up some blog appearances for the reissue of my first epic fantasy series. I love reading and writing fantasy and am thrilled to have these books ready to go out again. My publisher has given me a great new cover. It's darker and better suited for a dark tale.

"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man." Benjamin Franklin

What are you working to improve on? How big is your current TBR pile and how organized is it? What do you do with books when you have to clear out some space? Have any plans to increase your networking this year?

Wine Down

I spelled that right. Various friends and family members gifted me with numerous bottles of the vino for Christmas. A glass once in a while in the evenings will make me smile through the next few busy, busy months.

Just as exciting as the full cupboard of wine are the many things happening during the first seven months of this year. I knew I was busy but it wasn't until I started making notes in my brand new Old Farmer's Almanac Engagement Calendar that I realized just how busy I am.

The good news is a number of guests who will appear here with terrific posts during the next two months with more on the way for March. Not only does that help with the variety here, but it frees me up for the many things I have going on.

At this time of year, many of us start to think of goals for the upcoming year. I've heard lots of my friends say they're not setting any but that doesn't mean they don't have plans. Whether it's with writing, the day job, the family or other personal issues, most of us have an idea where they hope to be when 2015 winds down. I'm sure it will roll by faster than 2014 as the years tend to do.

This post is short as I have some final edits to read through for the reissue of Keepers of Sulbreth. I'm so very impressed with the publishing process at Musa Publishing. And I've mentioned before that I love deadlines. I set them for myself but they work even better when set by someone else.

Are you thinking about goals or making plans for the next year? Are you busy like me and worried about getting through the next few months? Any deadlines in the near future for you?