A First Time for Everything!

I have enjoyed so many amazingly wonderful FIRSTS since publishing Return of the Rose in March of 2011. It just doesn't stop. I am seriously grateful to every single reader who has picked up one of my books and then taken the time to let me know how much they enjoyed it.

Just a few days ago, I received an e-mail from Kaylee Beyea from Nebraska. She had to pick an American author to write a report about and do a speech in class and she picked ME!! She asked me a few questions about myself and, of course, I eagerly obliged. 

Kaylee read two of my books, Finding Kate Huntley and Taming Mad Max. She loved them both and she is going to share her report with me when she is finished with it. Kaylee is a Junior in High School and here is a picture of her classmates. Hopefully Kaylee will comment and let us know where she is in the picture.

Thank you, Kaylee!

Over 134,000 Books Sold - November Update

TOTAL BOOKS SOLD: 134,080

Totals are as of November 22, 2011 @ 10PM and do NOT include 25,000 FREE downloads
(Amazon and B&N 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:     1,955

October:         1,527
November:         752*

Total:           12,144*

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:    2,088

October:        1,348
November:        674*

Total:         28,290*

Taming Mad Max - Released April 25, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Comedy

April:               30

May:               182

June:               265

July:                310

August:           934

September:   1,872
October:        2,125
November:      1,663*

Total:             7,381*

Finding Kate Huntley - Released May 5, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Suspense

May:                187

June:                261

July:                 325

August:         1,159

September:    3,363
October:        2,089
November:        811*

Total:             8,195*

Abducted - Released May 29, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Suspense/Thriller

May:                   25

June:                 694

July:               1,708

August:        12,917

September:   39,413
October:       18,176
November:       5,137*

Total:           78,070*

*sales as of November 22, 2011 @ 10 PM (B&N and Amazon combined)

Don't forget to come join the November party at The Romance Reviews. Only a few days left of games and free books!

Brenda Hiatt is collecting data on independent publishing. Help her out by sharing your numbers so that we can all benefit. It's all done anonymously. Click HERE for more information.


If you are thinking about self-publishing, but don't know where to start when it comes to marketing and promotion, or even formatting, don't worry. There are so many helpful authors willing to share what they have learned. My advice to you is to join Indie Romance Ink run by Cate Rowan and Carly Carson. There are over 400 members. Many IRI members are traditionally published and have already self-published a book or two. Some members are undecided. All are welcome to join and learn.

Twice a month, I plan to share my number of books sold in hopes that these numbers might help other writers make their own decisions about self-publishing. As you can see my sales have dropped significantly. I have already reached more readers than I had first envisioned. My plan is to keep writing the best books I can and reach more and more readers as the years go by. DEAD WEIGHT, the sequel to Abducted will be released at the end of December, hopefully before Christmas.

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.

Let me know if you have ANY questions at all. And to all who celebrate Turkey Day, Happy Thanksgiving!

October Sales Update #2

TOTAL BOOKS SOLD: 122,611

 

Totals are as of 10/26/11 @ 8PM and do not include 25,000 FREE downloads
(Amazon and B&N 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: 1,955

October: 1,332*

Total:   11,197

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: 2,088

October:  1,188*

Total:   27,456

Taming Mad Max - Released April 25, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Comedy

April: 30

May: 182

June: 265

July: 310

August: 934

September: 1,872
October: 1,742*

Total:   5,335

Finding Kate Huntley - Released May 5, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Suspense

May: 187

June: 261

July: 325

August: 1,159

September: 3,363
October: 1,889*

Total:   7,184

Abducted - Released May 29, 2011 $2.99

Romantic Suspense/Thriller

May: 25

June: 694

July: 1,708

August: 12,917

September: 39,413
October: 16,682*

Total:  71,439

*sales as of 10/26/11 @ 8 PM (B&N and Amazon combined)

Nothing new over here, except to say that seven months later, I can still say that becoming an indie author has been an amazing experience. Recently I was interviewed at Indie Reader. Fun!

As far as promotion and marketing, I love free sites like Digital Books Today. Anthony Wessel is friendly and helpful. "The staff at Digital Book Today is currently a group of 4 who all have either worked in the book industry and/or have been avid bookreaders all of our lives." How cool is that?

And don't forget The Romance Reviews, Eye on Romance, Pixel of Ink and The Frugal Ereader. I will try to list more advertising sites on my next update.  

If you decide to self-publish and don't know where to start when it comes to marketing and promotion, or even formatting, don't worry. There are so many helpful authors willing to share what they have learned. My advice to you is to join Indie Romance Ink run by Cate Rowan and Carly Carson. There are over 400 members. Many IRI members are traditionally published and have already self-published a book or two. Some members are undecided. All are welcome to join and learn.

Twice a month, I plan to share my number of books sold in hopes that these numbers might help other writers make their own decisions about self-publishing.

 

I hope these numbers help to answer questions. What sort of spikes and/or drops will the holidays bring? How will the release of the $79 kindle affect sales? What genre will sell best in December? Will a new release take away from current sales or bring me new readers? Will sales go up and down based on the number of new kindle users peaking and then dropping? Does one genre consistently sell better than another or will my time travel romances out sell romantic comedy over the holidays?

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.

Let me know if you have ANY questions at all.

September Sales Update - Over 96,900 books sold

Total as of 9/28/11 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:                    1,835*

Total:                                9,745      

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:                   1,978*

Total:                       26,158

Taming Mad Max - Released April 25, 2011  $2.99

Romantic Comedy

April:                                  30 

May:                                182

June:                                265

July:                                 310

August:                            934

September:                     1,764*

Total:                          3,485

Finding Kate Huntley - Released May 5, 2011   $2.99

Romantic Suspense

May:                                187

June:                                261

July:                                 325

August:                          1,159

September:                      3,130*

                    

Total:                          5,062

Abducted - Released May 29, 2011   $2.99

Romantic Suspense/Thriller

May:                                    25

June:                                  694

July:                                1,708

August:                          12,917

September:                      37,178*

Total:                          52,522

 *sales as of 9/28/11   10 PM (B&N and Amazon combined)

Twice a month, I plan to share my number of books sold in hopes that these numbers might help other writers make their own decisions about self-publishing.

I hope these numbers help to answer questions. What sort of spikes and/or drops will the holidays bring? How will the release of the $79 kindle affect sales? What genre will sell best in December? Will a new release take away from current sales or bring me new readers? Will sales go up and down based on the number of new kindle users peaking and then dropping? Does one genre consistently sell better than another or will my time travel romances out sell romantic comedy over the holidays?

As we all know, 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. 

Let me know if you have ANY questions at all.

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.