As a bottom of the list author who has to pay for promotion, it's hard to decided what works and what doesn't. Over the years, I've given away more gadgets with my logo & website on them than I could possibly count, not to mention the wads of cash these things have cost. Yet, I still don't know what works. What item catches the reader's attention enough to make them check out your website and hopefully purchase your books?
It's an ongoing struggle to figure this out. I want to hitch my wagon to the promo horse that will place my stuff in everyone's hands world wide. I want to be the next "Fifty Shades" but better written with amazingly believable characters, plot and sex scenes. Do you think the person that wrote that book went around passing out pens and bookmarks at readers events trying to get noticed? I highly doubt it.
Did she just get lucky? Nope. I don't think that's it either. I think she hit the promotional jackpot. But how?
I'm opening up the discussion for what you believe works and what doesn't in the world of bottom and mid-list authors. How do we become A-list, got-to-have authors? What promo do you believe will make us stand out in the crowd? What item have you collected at a reader's event that you've kept and used and gone to the author's website because of it? What do you throw away without even reading the promo?
I look forward to your feedback.
Thanks,
Tara Nina
www.taranina.com
Monday, July 23, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
You Can't Go Home
You Can’t Go Home
A writer friend of mine and I were talking recently about
our first romance books. I loved Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and would read and
reread her stories. I remember reading
ASHES IN THE WIND so many times, the pages fell out. I recently went out and
got another copy of it because I hated that the one I had was held together by
elastics.
We talked about THE WOLF AND THE DOVE and THE FLAME AND THE
FLOWER and she asked when was the last time I had read one of KEW’s books. I
said I hadn’t read one in years. Probably not since I started writing.
She said, “Don’t! It’ll never be the same.”
The more I thought about it, the more I think she’s right.
Before I learned more about the craft of writing, I think I was a happier
reader. Now I go back and look at my earlier books (SURPRISE and TAKE YOUR
MEDICINE were the first books I EVER wrote) and absolutely CRINGE at what I
read.
It’s kind of like when you look through your photo album
from high school and you see the terrible hair and the awful boyfriend you
thought was “It”. Cringeworthy indeed. (Hey, I grew up in the 80’s you have no
idea how bad those pictures are.)
I still have all my KEW books, but I doubt I’ll read them
again. I don’t want to ruin the good memories I had reading those books on snow
days or on the beach when my biggest worry was whether I’d have a date for the
prom… or if I had enough hair spray. . .
Monday, July 9, 2012
Rain, rain, go away...
So two months ago some of the UK was under a hosepipe ban because the winter had been too dry. People moaned and complained about not being able to water their gardens or wash their cars. Bet their sorry now. July has been the wettest the UK has had in decades, perhaps ever. There’s widespread flooding and it’s been weeks since we saw any proper sunshine. On the positive side, the hosepipe ban has been lifted. I’m just glad I live on high ground.
I’m not complaining though, I’d much rather have our rain than the 100F temperatures people in parts of the USA are suffering right now. It’s easy enough for me to put up an umbrella or put on a rain coat and still get on with my day. I can’t imagine dealing with those temperatures everyday and getting anything accomplished. I still hope the weather clears up before our summer is a distant memory but it helps to remember that I have a holiday booked in November. In the meantime I’ll don my coat, put up my umbrella and make the most of it.
How are you coping with the weather this summer? Are you sweltering in the heat or dancing in the rain with me?
I’m not complaining though, I’d much rather have our rain than the 100F temperatures people in parts of the USA are suffering right now. It’s easy enough for me to put up an umbrella or put on a rain coat and still get on with my day. I can’t imagine dealing with those temperatures everyday and getting anything accomplished. I still hope the weather clears up before our summer is a distant memory but it helps to remember that I have a holiday booked in November. In the meantime I’ll don my coat, put up my umbrella and make the most of it.
How are you coping with the weather this summer? Are you sweltering in the heat or dancing in the rain with me?
Sunday, July 1, 2012
A little murder with your dinner?
I've been writing erotic romance for nine years. In that time I've published 8 short stories, 5 novellas and 6 full-length novels. In each one I have explored some aspect of the D/s lifestyle, from the extreme Master/slave relationship to a simple power exchange between a married couple looking to spice up their love life.
But in all that time, in all those stories, I've never tried a murder-mystery. Well, that's not actually true, I do have a partial mystery sitting on my laptop that I never finished (wrote myself into a corner at 20,000 words and there it sits). It's a hard genre to write in and more focused on plot than relationships. Murder-mysteries have more characters, plot twists and red herrings than I've ever dealt with until now.
So I approached Shooting Star with some trepidation. Could I actually manage all those characters? What about the false clues? Could I successfully hide the true killer until the reveal at the end? I was nervous and excited all through the writing of this novel.
Last week I took the plunge, releasing it as a self-published book. It's already available in all ebook formats and print is coming soon (found some formatting problems in the proof copy. Fixing those and hope to have print copies available shortly). The story involves not one, but two couples (okay, three) who run afoul of one very nasty person intent on killing.
As Sherlock would say, "The game's afoot!" Read the book and leave reviews (on the site or on your own blogs) and let me know if I successfully pulled it off! My next novel is one for the Sweet Spot series and I'm thinking there may be murder prowling the streets of Port Clef if Shooting Star is well-received.
Play safe!
Diana
But in all that time, in all those stories, I've never tried a murder-mystery. Well, that's not actually true, I do have a partial mystery sitting on my laptop that I never finished (wrote myself into a corner at 20,000 words and there it sits). It's a hard genre to write in and more focused on plot than relationships. Murder-mysteries have more characters, plot twists and red herrings than I've ever dealt with until now.
So I approached Shooting Star with some trepidation. Could I actually manage all those characters? What about the false clues? Could I successfully hide the true killer until the reveal at the end? I was nervous and excited all through the writing of this novel.
Last week I took the plunge, releasing it as a self-published book. It's already available in all ebook formats and print is coming soon (found some formatting problems in the proof copy. Fixing those and hope to have print copies available shortly). The story involves not one, but two couples (okay, three) who run afoul of one very nasty person intent on killing.
As Sherlock would say, "The game's afoot!" Read the book and leave reviews (on the site or on your own blogs) and let me know if I successfully pulled it off! My next novel is one for the Sweet Spot series and I'm thinking there may be murder prowling the streets of Port Clef if Shooting Star is well-received.
Play safe!
Diana
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The Sweet Spot
About a year ago, the Scribes were chatting on line and
someone suggested...we should do a book together. Well, because we’re writers, our ideas expanded (and
expanded) and now, we’re doing a series of books...The Sweet Spot Series.
The stories are all loosely connected in the fictional town
of Port Clef.
In Port Clef is The Sweet Spot, a bakery-candy shop-cafe run
by Jacqui and Jill and you’ll find everyone stops by for their favorite treat
and sometimes some advice on love.
Lynn LaFleur is starting us off with “Candlelight Wish,”
released just this week. Over the
next year, you’ll see stories from all the Scribes. It’s not necessary to read all the books (or read them in
order) but why miss out on the fun? You never know who might appear in someone
else’s story.
Also, I have a book coming out tomorrow...Scarlet, Book 2 of
the Red Panty Diaries will be available at Ellora’s Cave and then in a week or
so on Amazon and B&N! I really had fun with this m/m/f menage.
Hope you’re having a wonderful summer!
Tielle
Friday, June 8, 2012
Book Lovers' Buffet Vacation Getaway!
The Book Lovers' Buffet Vacation Getaway sale is now open! Only 99¢ for every ebook. Choose from contemporary, erotic, paranormal, mystery, historical...over 100 books on sale, including books from Ruby Storm, Tara Nina and me. Happy shopping!
Lynn
Sunday, June 3, 2012
A Belated Happy Mother's Day To All!
I know it's June, but I wanted to wish you all a belated Happy Mother's Day! I couldn't get to posting until tonight. Of course I was a bit stressed by it, but I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Today my parents and all my kids and grandchildren came out to spend the day. This was my perfect Mother's Day for me). We barbecued burgers and made a couple of salads. But the best part of the day was when we started talking about past family vacations. Of course, one incident came up (as it always does when we're having a few drinks and laughing!) When I sat down tonight to blog, I knew what I wanted to blog about.
Okay, this was when my youngest son was three years old. (He's 29 now - how in hell did that happen?) So we'd traveled out of state to visit family in Wisconsin. Close by was an animal farm so my husband and I and kids plus his sister and family thought we'd spend the day there. At the end of the park was an area with a petting zoo. Benches, corn for the goats, and popcorn for the kids. My three year old at the time was sitting on a bench, munching his popcorn beside an unknown woman who was also visiting. His little chubby legs, too short to reach the ground, were swinging back and forth as he took in his surroundings. I'm standing about 10 feet away with everyone in our group, just talking and snapping pictures and turned my camera on him. Along comes a black goat into the picture only a foot in front of my son. My son stops eating and stares because though this goat is black, he has a gray...um...'spot' under his tail. You know, the spot where poop comes out.
I wish I'd had a video camera because my son stops eating his popcorn, leans forward with an outstretched hand and says, "what's that?" and low and behold his finger disappears right up to the knuckle in the 'gray' hole! The goat did a skip forward, surprised as hell! The poor woman sitting beside my son blew her popcorn right out of her mouth with a burst of laughter. Her laughing quickly turned to a choking gag when my son immediately went back to his own popcorn (using the hand with the offending finger) and began eating again, never giving it another thought! We howled for fifteen minutes, wiping tears and suppressing the urge to pee our pants!
Honest to god, I'm sure every one of you has a funny, gross story about one of your innocent children. Feel free to share! And again, Happy Belated Mother's Day!
Hugs, Ruby
Okay, this was when my youngest son was three years old. (He's 29 now - how in hell did that happen?) So we'd traveled out of state to visit family in Wisconsin. Close by was an animal farm so my husband and I and kids plus his sister and family thought we'd spend the day there. At the end of the park was an area with a petting zoo. Benches, corn for the goats, and popcorn for the kids. My three year old at the time was sitting on a bench, munching his popcorn beside an unknown woman who was also visiting. His little chubby legs, too short to reach the ground, were swinging back and forth as he took in his surroundings. I'm standing about 10 feet away with everyone in our group, just talking and snapping pictures and turned my camera on him. Along comes a black goat into the picture only a foot in front of my son. My son stops eating and stares because though this goat is black, he has a gray...um...'spot' under his tail. You know, the spot where poop comes out.
I wish I'd had a video camera because my son stops eating his popcorn, leans forward with an outstretched hand and says, "what's that?" and low and behold his finger disappears right up to the knuckle in the 'gray' hole! The goat did a skip forward, surprised as hell! The poor woman sitting beside my son blew her popcorn right out of her mouth with a burst of laughter. Her laughing quickly turned to a choking gag when my son immediately went back to his own popcorn (using the hand with the offending finger) and began eating again, never giving it another thought! We howled for fifteen minutes, wiping tears and suppressing the urge to pee our pants!
Honest to god, I'm sure every one of you has a funny, gross story about one of your innocent children. Feel free to share! And again, Happy Belated Mother's Day!
Hugs, Ruby
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