Friday, September 9, 2011

OVER 64,000 BOOKS SOLD IN SIX MONTHS


Total as of 9/8/11 at 10 PM and does NOT include 25,000 FREE downloads
Amazon and Barnes & Noble combined sales


Return of the Rose - Released March 2, 2011    $2.99
Medieval Time Travel Romance

March:                             298
April:                               894
May:                            1,600
June:                            1,475
July:                             1,291
August:                       2,352
September:                      558*

Total:                          8,468


A Knight in Central Park- Released March 18, 2011   $.99
Medieval Time Travel Romance

March:                            247
April:                            6,071 
May:                            4,306
June:                            2,414
July:                             1,330
August:                        9,812
September:                      696*

Total:                          24,876


Taming Mad Max - Released April 25, 2011  $2.99
Romantic Comedy

April:                                  30 
May:                                182
June:                                265
July:                                 310
August:                            934
September:                        371*

Total:                            2,092


Finding Kate Huntley - Released May 5, 2011   $2.99
Romantic Suspense

May:                                187
June:                                261
July:                                 325
August:                          1,159
September:                        641*
                    
Total:                          2,573


Abducted - Released May 29, 2011   $2.99
Romantic Suspense/Thriller

May:                                    25
June:                                  694
July:                                1,708
August:                          12,917
September:                      10,716*

Total:                          26,060

 *sales as of 9/8/11   10 PM

Clearly, becoming an indie author was the best decision I ever made. But new writers should know that none of this came easily for me. For the past 19 years I wrote nearly every day. In that time, I completed ten 400 page manuscripts and countless partials. I have received my fair share of rejections. I worked hard to learn my craft and I will never stop learning. I joined RWA in 1997. I signed with two agents. I went to dozens of conferences and attended many workshops. I worked with other writers, driving hours to exchange pages every week. I entered contests and judged contests.

I have never felt any competition with other writers. Whenever a writing friend would sell his/her novel, I was happy for them and glad to know that new authors were still being bought. Writers are the most helpful, encouraging people I've ever met. I love being around like-minded people whose minds are filled with plot scenes and characters. So many fiction writers have inspired me. I am certain I never would have become a writer if it weren't for Jude Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor. That is the ONLY book I have read more than once. If I had sold fifteen years ago, I would still be writing time travels. Instead, I was inspired to try my hand at romantic comedy (Taming Mad Max) after reading Susan E. Phillip's Nobody's Baby but Mine. In 2008, frustrated with not selling, I read about Lisa Gardner's journey to success and how it took her a couple of years to transition to writing single title romantic suspense. That's when I decided to write ABDUCTED and I named my main character after Lisa Gardner (Lizzy Gardner).

I don't know what the future holds for the book industry, but I do know that every writer has their own personal and unique journey. My hope is that I can inspire others out there who are working hard at their craft to NEVER GIVE UP.