Friday, September 28, 2012

My Indie Journey So Far




Since March of 2011 I have sold over 350,000 e-books. Hopefully I will have an exact number by the time my two-year anniversary rolls around. I love making lists and so I thought I would share some of the highlights since I published Return of the Rose last year:

I began to receive incredible emails from wonderful readers
A Knight in Central Park was selected by Pixel of Ink as one of their Top 10 bestsellers in 2011
A Knight in Central Park was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, print and e-edition
A Knight in Central Park hit the Top 100 All Kindle Best Sellers List twice
Abducted hit the Top 100 All Kindle Best Sellers List twice, making it as high as #5
Taming Mad Max and Dead Weight hit the All Kindle Top 100 List
I was interviewed on USA Today's HEA blog
I was approached by some wonderful agents, foreign sales people, and two movie producers
I received mentions in Amazon's Press Release and KDP Newsletter
I was mentioned in PC Magazine on February 29, 2012 among others
Return of the Rose and A Knight in Central Park remained in the Top 20 in Time Travel Romance for over a year
Abducted received a wonderful review from Kirkus Revews.
Abducted was given 4 1/2 Top Pick in the April 2012 Romantic Times magazine.
Abducted was selected as one of the BEST for 2011 in Suspense Magazine.
Kaylee Beyea from Nebraska picked ME as an America Author to write about
I signed my first Publishing Agreement with Amazon
I love working with my editor, Alan Turkus, with Thomas & Mercer
I attended my first BEA (Book Expo in New York) and I spoke on my first panel
I was interviewed by Bernard Starr at the Huffington Post
Having My Baby hit the All Kindle Top 100 List and hit #48 at B&N
I signed a seven-book contract with Audible
I will be speaking at the Idaho Book Extravaganza on November 10, 2012
I was invited to attend Amazon's Press Conference in Santa Monica where I was lucky enough to be one of three featured authors on the video shown 
I was invited by D.D. Scott to post once a month on the incredible WG2E blog.
I am working on my first collaboration, a short Christmas story, with D.D. Scott
I have met so many wonderful authors and professionals in the industry 
 
Although I have moments of feeling overwhelmed, I have never had so much fun! I am also learning to make more time for writing. That's my priority. I have four finished novels I could release, but as far as I'm concerned, they need more work. I refuse to publish a book until I feel it's the best it can be. More than anything, I want to work on my craft and become a better storyteller and a better writer because there is always room for improvement. I recently finished book 3 in the Lizzy Gardner series and I'll be sending the book to my editor next week! yay! 
 
If you're a new writer just starting out, don't look too far ahead into the future. Don't write for money or fame, write because you have a story to tell. Live in the moment and write that book one page at a time. You can do it!

 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Got Book?

If you are thinking about self-publishing, here are a few great places to start.




AUTHOR E.M.S. - ENTREPRENEUER.MANAGEMENT.SOLUTIONS

BUSINESS RESOURCES FOR AUTHORS

Authors today are faced with a changing industry, evolving technology and growing competition. Tired of trying to find all the answers on your own? We're here to help. Author E.M.S. is a growing online community designed to help you streamline your business time without sacrificing the creative artist within.

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INDIE ROMANCE INK

New members must be ***ROMANCE WRITERS*** who have self-published or are indie-curious. We're a genre-focused group by and for romance authors, and we do not allow self-promo. Author service providers and other industry professionals are welcome as long as they are ALSO romance writers.

If you are not a romance writer, consider the Indie Authors Forum The IAF admits writers of all genres as well as industry professionals.

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WG2E - TIPS, RESOURCES, REAL NUMBERS AND NEWS

E-Publishing is here to stay. We’re here to provide answers to all your E-Publishing questions. We’re using real numbers, real data, and real examples from our experiences. Sit down, settle in, and breathe in the future.

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If you want to see what I did when I first self-published click on the LINKS tab on the top of my site or click HERE.

I first self-published in March of 2011. Not every writer who self-publishes is going to sell a million books. They might not even sell a hundred books. If you are serious about being a writer, though, and you put in the hours and the time and you refuse to release any book that isn't the best it can be, then I believe you have as good a chance as anyone of being a success. 

Be a positive force. Enjoy your journey. Believe in yourself.