Unstoppable Cover Reveal!

So I have been asked why UNSTOPPABLE (Book 3) was scheduled for Sept and then was put on hold.

Well...Amazon has offered to publish my NATURE OF GRACE series. :) That means UNSTOPPABLE will only be available on Kindle for one year before releasing on other site. Different I know but a change. Risky but why not?

This whole process started out as an experiment 2 years ago and I like to test the waters.

So, Amazon is rereleasing the series when the third book comes out.

UNSTOPPABLE is now scheduled for some time in first quarter but the actual release date is still pending.

So I will announce it as soon as I know! yay!

So I've decided to go ahead with my cover reveal :) Thanks again to the amazing Vania at VLC Photo (who has done all my covers) and Jade (the model)

Here it is along with the blurb....

After everything that has happened, Grace goes to the Everglades to live with her grandmother, Birdee. Even though she is now home-schooled by her bird-obsessed grandmother, the move gives Grace time to relax. She learns to scuba dive and starts boating with old man Rex, Birdee's casual friend/boyfriend. 

One day while out in the marshes of the Everglades, Grace rescues an abused Florida panther, currently on the endangered list. The more she dives into the animal’s horrific condition, the more she ventures into the underground world of the roadside zoos that run rampant in Florida with a total disregard for the law. Eventually, she stumbles upon one large roadside zoo filled with a variety of endangered and illegal animals. 

Before she can gather evidence and report her findings to the authorities, she is kidnapped by the ruthless owner and dragged deep into the Everglades for a hunting challenge. Only this time, Grace is the prey. 

During a sick game of cat and mouse, Grace is offered one chance at survival. With a one-hour head start and very little supplies, time and skill are now all that stands between the hunter and the hunted.

To catch up on the series - Untraceable is on sale for 99 cents and Uncontrollable is on sale for 2.99.

Indie-pendence Day! Celebrating Indies

Today, my indie shout out goes to the amazeballs, Adam Kunz, author of One Tiny Secret.

For those who don't know Adam, he's not only a sweetie pie but he's been part of an awesome writing team, CA Kunz (with his mom, how cute is that!). This is his first break out on his own and is getting amazing reviews!

Today, he's giving away signed swag and a signed copy of One Tiny Secret.

**Stay tuned because I am also giving away a HUGE swag pack later this week.

===========

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for 17+ due to language, violence, and sexual content. 

Just one tiny secret has the potential to ruin everything.

Being the daughter of the sheriff in a small town like Holden Ridge means that eighteen-year-old Danielle "Dani" Marks' life is under constant surveillance. She's made a habit of staying under the radar by being a floater among social circles at school, which has kept her out of trouble--until now.

After a missing persons case stirs up the entire town, Dani finds herself caught right in the middle of the scandal. When she's labeled a possible suspect, things quickly go from bad to worse. The sudden return of her old flame, Parker Reed, manages to make her whole situation even more complicated. 

When an elusive unknown person begins to blackmail Dani by threatening to reveal her deepest secrets, Dani refuses to play along. That is, until the person's actions take a violent turn. Holden Ridge loses its sense of quaint town security, and Dani is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Who can she trust when anyone around her could be a suspect? 

One thing's for certain though: Never underestimate the power of one tiny secret.

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Adam is giving away a signed copy today!

Enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why I love the Indie Life!

The Indie Life has it's ups and downs. So does the traditional side. My goal is to experience both someday.

But for right now, in this moment, I am loving being indie in today's world. It was much harder a year and 1/2 ago when I started publishing, but now things are changing and becoming more acceptable in the industry and it's exciting.

The top 10 reasons I love being indie:

1) The control. Yes for those who don't know, I am a control freak by nature. So creating my own book and releasing it - no matter how hard - is awesome and rewarding.

2) The way-smart business people - esp women. I love hanging out with some serious smart women who know how to run a business as well as have kick ass writing (Just to name a few out of all the awesome: All of the Indelibles like Rashelle Workman & Susan Quinn doing interesting things, Heidi MacLaughlin, Addison Moore, and M. Leighton) Again, this is just to name a few! It's a world of awesomeness.

3) I can write what I want when I want. Branding is important in books but so is passion. If I want to write a sci fi series, I can. If I want to put out a marketing nonfiction, I can. I love the freedom of writing what is in me at the time.

4) My book is what I envision. I know when I put my book out it is the best it can be and it is all me.  The cover, the editing, the story. It's like having a baby. You know it's a direct product of you.

5) The community rocks. Every indie author is so helpful and I love that we all support each other. Whether it is Hugh Howey giving shout outs or M. Leighton giving a pep talk. The indie authors are so approachable no matter what status they hold because they have all been there. And they know how hard it really is.

6) Seeing people rise to the top. I love seeing indie bust their bum for years and then see them finally break through the glass ceiling. Hugh Howey, Abbi Glines, Addison Moore, M. Leighton, Samantha Young, Chelsea Cameron. Gosh, I could name so many others. They get there on their own and they work hard for it. It is never handed to an indie author to come out on top.

7) Some stability options. With the state of flux in the publishing world, I feel this gives me ANOTHER avenue for my writing. Not always the only one but another one.

8) A paycheck. I like getting paid every month, knowing my writing is bringing in income for my family and that people see value in what I do.

9) Reaching readers (I had touching readers but it felt creepy :). I get mail from readers, librarians, and parents about how they love my book. That makes me feel like I'm making a small difference in someone's life.

10). I love this business. No matter the ups and downs. I love publishing industry. I love both sides. I think both have things to offer that they other may not. And I'm honored to be a part of it in any way.

Here are more thoughts today on the INdie Life


What do you love?

Quick Recap of IndieReCon

Thank you to everyone one who visited us at IndieReCon last week!

We had almost 20,000 unique visitors and over 2000 comments in 3 days!! 

I'm so glad people found it valuable.

The conference posts and recorded chats will remain live on the site so if you are just hearing about it - you can catch up anytime :) Here is the schedule with direct links to each event.

Publishing Perpectives wrote a great article about it yesterday. (yay!)

And yes at this time, we plan on having a mini-event in summer and an annual event. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to fill out the survey.


Great nuggets I pulled from each speaker at the conference:

Bob Mayer: "Product is king... and series is key."

Jessie Harrell - "And where are Indie and traditional publishing equal?  Serendipity. So much in this business is timing and luck and that doesn’t change, no matter which path you choose."

SR. Johannes - "Self publishing is not the easy way out. It is just the fast way to publication. It should not replace writing a good book, creating a quality book, or everything  that comes with self publishing."

Colleen Hoover - "I make choices based on each manuscript that I write and how I feel that manuscript can best reach the readers."

Joanna Penn - "The long haul career of a pro-writer involves always working on the next book. Celebrating the last, but getting on with the next."

Miral Sattar - "Spending money on quality editorial services will already set your book apart from the rest."

Heather McCorkle - "The most important thing to remember is to ask for help, and pay for it if need be, rather than put out a book that is less than stellar."

Denise Grover Swank - "While creating a business plan may seem like an intimidating project, just take it slow and give it some thought. You’ll have much more insight into the business side of your writing and will hopefully help increase sales. 

Cheri Lasota - "Start with global issues and work your way down to the paragraph, sentence, word, and punctuation levels."

Alicia Kat Dillman - "Thinking you know more about design than a trained professional is down right foolish."

M. Leighton - "Enter New Adult. It’s got all the charm and innocence of Young Adult material, only it has teeth.  Sharp ones.  This stuff has some steam, people!"

Addison Moore - "There aren’t any hard and fast secrets to a successful series, there are only ideas that, through hard work and passion, can be plausible avenues to propel your private manifesto into a story that is wildly embraced by readers the world over..."

Hugh Howey - "Which is why it’s only natural for the freedoms inherent in self-publishing to make it the new indie. The word is short for independent. What could be more so than publishing on one’s own?"

Laura Pauling/Sybil Nelson regarding middle grade self-publishing- "Contacting librarians directly has done wonders in this aspect. School librarians are so wonderful and helpful."

Lori Culwell - "Put keywords into your website so that the search engines will associate your site with these words, with the ultimate goal of having your site pop up when people Google those words.  The words are the demand, your site is the supply."

Jason Letts - "Every service you use to connect with your fans is trying to make money from you off of that relationship. The mission is threefold: (1) play the game by their rules, (2) know when to spend, and (3) find a way to own access to your fans."

Brittany Geragotelis - "I respond to every single comment that a fan leaves on my wall...it makes them feel like they have a connection with me, which makes them more likely to follow me and what I do."

DuoLit girls - "Your mailing list, when grown and used effectively, can deliver 24x the results of the more traditional book marketing methods, such as social media marketing."

Ali Cross - "Remember being true to who you are as a writer, and as a person, is the essence of your brand."

Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi - "Without the backing and promotional support of a publishing house, we are on our own. Success or failure is up to us, and to capitalize on the buzz rush that accompanies a book launch, we must work hard, think creatively and have a wide reach to give our book the strongest start possible."

Amy Edelman - "As far as Award’s go, the point of getting chosen as a winner is the same as with reviews: you want to get people’s attention for your book in a crowded sea of other titles."

Susan Kaye Quinn - "Write the best book you can. Write a series. Write in a different genre. The sales will come or they won't. You don't have control over sales; you only control what you write next."

Nancy Holder - "We can also keep one foot in the more traditional publishing world. We don’t have to choose one or the other."

Orna Ross - "We own our rights and we can decide what we want to do with them. We are not bound by a publisher's overall policy and can do what seems best for each individual book."

Stacey Wallace Benefiel- "You’ve already written the book and you’ve gone to the trouble to format it for e-book and print – just think of this as another distribution channel."

Steena Holmes - "Not all agents are equal. Not everyone will work in your best interest. Just because you get an offer doesn’t mean you have to accept it."

Barbara Freethy - "If something isn't working, change it. Try a new cover, change prices. Explore the top and the bottom of your price point. Run sales. Do giveaways. Most importantly - enjoy the process!"

Richard Smith - "The target market for Book Apps is any reader with a device using an Android or an iOS operating system (OS)."

Mark Lefebvre - "Booksellers and book lovers – the main thing that attracts people to get into bookselling isn’t a love for being a retailer; it is a love of books."

LM Preston - "Authors are getting a lot smarter about the ‘business’ of writing. And the days of writing books and sitting back while someone else promotes you as an author is long gone."

If you attended, was there any nugget that stood out to you?

IndieReCon starts tomorrow

Hey guys

I'll probably not be back until next week as I'll be facilitating INdieRecon that starts tomorrow!!

It's been a lot of work for a team of us but I'm excited about the agenda and hope to help writers decide or learn more about the journey.

Here is the call to writers posted today.

And here is the instructions on how to participate.

Heres how to register or help spread the word at a chance for a KoBo ereader.

All events are on the indierecon site.

Hope to see you there!

2 ways to win 2 KOBO ereader - sponsor of IndieReCon

IndieRecon starts in 5 days.

For those who don't know IndiereCon is a free online conference inspired by WriteOnCon.

It is Feb 19 - Feb 21st. We have over 25 speakers and tons of prizes. This conference is online and free. It relates to any writer - traditional or self pubbed as it covers a variety of topics from the basics of indie publishing to how to market books into being bestsellers.

We recently had KOBO sign on as a partner/sponsor and they offered two ereaders up for grabs. yay! ;)

Two ways to win 1 of 2 Kobo ereaders:

1) Help spread the word for a chance at a KoboGlo. 

2) Register for the conference and get a chance at a KoboMini. 

Spread the Word! 
(ends midnight Thurs night/Fri am 2/21 EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Register for IndieRecon! 
(ends midnight Thur night/Fri am 2/21 EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

To be clear on this one - we will draw from the registration list so if you have already registered, you will be included.

Good luck! And we hope to see you there!

20 reasons you should sign up for IndieReCon!

As you may or may not know, IndieReCon starts in less than 2 weeks from Feb 19-Feb 21.

The free conference features over 25 guests who will discuss the nuts and bolts of self-publishing from the pros / cons all the way through marketing and being a bestselling author.

Here it is - 20 reasons why you should register for IndieReCon Today!

1. Key note speaker Bob Mayer reveals the future of digital publishing.

2. Identify the biggest mistakes indie authors make and how to avoid them.

3. Find out all the nitty gritty details on self-publishing basics like pricing, distribution, and formatting.

4. Create a business plan and understand your costs.

5. Explore the elements of a great book and how to make your book stand out through editing and covers.

6. Learn the importance of creating a solid business plan and how to measure your success.

7. Discover everything you need to know about reaching your readers including: metatagging, blogging, and audio books.

8. Delve into marketing skills like building your community, utilizing social media and understanding your brand.

9. Learn how to throw a creative book launch by using events, blogging, and more.

10. Chat with some great bestselling authors and get the 411 you need to garner success.

11. It's FREE!

12. Since it's online, you can stay in your PJs and we won't laugh at you. :)

13. There are huge giveaways! Yeah... HUGE!

14. Learn about awesome organizations that support indie authors including: IndieReader, The Book Designer, Indelibles, World Literary Cafe, Fostering Success, Alliance of Independent Authors, Kindle Fire Department, Goodereader, and Bibliocrunch.

15. Discover some great new authors to read.

16. Walk away knowing what self-publishing entails and if it's right for you.

17. Did we mention it's FREE?

18. Find out secrets from bestselling authors like Bob Mayer, Hugh Howey, M. Leighton, CJ Lyons, Barbara Freethy, Colleen Hoover, RaShelle Workman, Darcie Chan, and Addison Moore.

19. Because it will be epic! (At least we think so.)

20. Did we mention it's FREE AND ONLINE?? Why? Because we like YOU :) (Just call us the Mickey Mouse club of indies.)

Every single blog post, chat, vlog will be packed with all the information you need to help you on the self-publishing path.

IndieReCon will help you learn all the dirty secrets about the indie pubbing industry and help you succeed.

February 19-21!!!

Tell your friends.

Hang out with us all day. Hourly posts. Check out the amazeballs schedule.

Just enter your email up in the left sidebar to receive updates and a drawing for giveaways so you don’t miss out!

See you there!

Marketing channels that work!

They are so many places to try and push your book but which ones are worth the money.

You will have to put some money into advertising - you just need to figure out what your budget is.

I wanted to give you guys a few insights to some marketing channels that have worked for me that are very affordable.

1 - Pixel of Ink - Great for boost in sale or increasing free downloads. Unfortunately they do not take paid sponsorships anymore. But if you ever have a free book, let them know on their web site. They have a wonderful following of readers and are very supportive of Indie Books. It's hard to get air time but if you do, it can make a HUGE difference.  They rock.

2 - Kindle Nation Daily - Great for increase in rankings. They have very affordable sponsorships that have always impacted ranking as well as sales. Depending on how much you spend, will depend on if you earn your money back. It's a great way to climb the charts though. The triple play has always worked for me the best.

3 - Kindle Fire Department  - Great for awareness and ranking boost. They are very affordable and really growing as a channel.

4 - BookBub - Great for sales and ranking boost. Again, you can purchase spots from affordable to expensive. You can also choose spots based on your target audience. I think this tends to work better for adult romance and thrillers as opposed to YA though.

5 - WLC - Great for awareness. Especially for adult books. I'm not sure young adult or children's books get as much benefit. But the community is awesome and the tweet parties are fun.

6 - ENT - Great for increasing rankings and sales. It is hard to get a sponsorship because they sell out quickly but they do list bargain books or free books.

7 - Digital Book Today- Great for awareness and

8 - Goodreads Giveaways - Great for getting your book added to

9 - Book Blasts with Bloggers - Great for awareness and exposure. These are awesome! I love Kathy at I am a Reader not a Writer. She does great author events and book blasts. They are very effective in increasing your social media and presence.

10 List of free sites - Great to report free books for exposure.  Bibliocrunch has a full list with links

Do you have any other sites that work well? What sites do you use to promote your book? What sites do you look at to find a book?

From Wattpad Sensation to Bewitched Author - Brittany Geragotelis (Special Giveaway)

For those of you who haven't heard of Brittany Geragotelis, (where have you been?:). Here's a quick recap of her awesome journey. She wrote a young adult book (Life is a Witch), uploaded it to Wattpad for free, had more than 18 million reads over 12 months. This got the interest of news media. Once a story was published about her - she was contacted by an agent and then given a book deal by S&S.

She is now releasing What the Spell - a three e-book series packaged together - a prequel to her successful book Life is a Witch. packaged as a book. It comes out tomorrow and you can preorder at Amazon or B&N

Today's awesome giveaway (US only): (enter using Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post)

What the Spell Bound Manuscript (signed) - An early form of the book, before it was edited into its current form, and it has no cover.

A signed finished copy of What the Spell

A What the Spell lip gloss

A teenage witch juggles popularity and romance while keeping her powers a secret in this spellbinding debut.

Almost-sixteen-year-old Brooklyn feels invisible, but she desperately wants to be pretty, to be popular, to be adored by a cute guy. Luckily for her, she’s a witch about to come of age—so she’s only a few spells away from making it all happen. On her milestone birthday, Brooklyn’s conservative parents finally unbind her powers, which include the ability to magically match couples with a love spell. Brooklyn uses her special skills to get a makeover, new friends, and the attention of her crush, Asher. But the popular clique Brooklyn wants to infiltrate puts her in the same precarious position as her Salem ancestors: If she’s found out, she could be vilified—and lose Asher in the process. Can she make the most of her magic, or will she be luckless and loveless? Be careful what you witch for.

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Hi Brittany, thanks for stopping by. Wow this year has really taken off with you. Tell us how long you've been writing and why did you decide to start with your book on Wattpad? 

Well, I'd been writing since I was 15 and when I moved to NYC, I began my quest to get published. After a few years, I was lucky enough to get an agent. But after he couldn't sell a few of my books, he dropped me as a client. By this point, I began to wonder if I should even be writing. It's a lot of work for no one to ever read what you've written. So I took a 6-month hiatus from writing. 

But after that, I got the itch to write again and decided I needed to change things up. Instead of writing to get published (more specifically, being published by going through the process of getting an agent who sells your book to a publisher), I decided to change my focus to writing because I loved it and so that people could read (and hopefully enjoy) my stories. Around this time, I was introduced to the writing community site called Wattpad. It was described to me as a YouTube for writers, and I decided to give it a try. So, I started writing an original book that was loosely based on the Salem Witch Trials, called LIFE'S A WITCH.

Life’s a Witch is the story of Hadley Bishop, descendant of a woman executed for being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. She’s a teen witch in contemporary times and must face down an evil and supernatural presence from the past while dealing with the usual problems of a popular high school teenager.

Can you tell us what you did to grow that readership? Did you have a specific approach you can share with us?

Well, Wattpad has a great platform to begin with. They have 10 million unique visitors a month and a new member registers on their site every 2.5 seconds. People who are on Wattpad are there for one of two reasons. Either they love to write or they love to read. Some of them do both. When I began to upload LIFE'S A WITCH, it was a bit slow taking off at first, but once people began to comment, there were a few things I did to continue to get the word out there. 

One was that I responded to every single comment that was left on my page and on the stories. This is really hard to continue in present day (and four-five stories/books later), but I try my best. I think it makes my fans feel like they know me and that I'm accessible to them. And when a fan has access to you and can see you more as a real person and not just a faceless writer, I think it makes them more prone to become brand ambassadors or super fans who will tell their friends about your books if they like them. So, there was that...but I also have a YouTube channel where I do author videos where I talk about the writing process, I have a blog where I talk about my experiences writing and am active on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

By the time I'd finished uploading LIFE'S A WITCH on Wattpad, I had over 6 million reads of it. And just about a year after I began uploading the book, I had 18 million reads of it!

You must have totally freaked out. What happened after the hits started climbing? Give us the deets!

Ahhhh! Man, after I had 1,000 reads of the first chapter, I was beyond psyched! I remember thinking it was just such an amazing feeling, after SO many years of rejection, hearing that people were enjoying the story! And then the number just kept getting bigger! I million, then 6 million and just before a year after I began uploading, I had 18 million reads of the book! People were acting out scenes from the story in public, fans were calling themselves "Twitches" (a term in the book for teenage witch). And then some of my fans started asking where they could buy it, even though they could read it on Wattpad for free. But book lovers want that tangible book in their hand, on their bookshelf, so they can share with friends....so, I decided to self-publish.

An incredible journalist at Publisher's Weekly heard about my story and decided to do an article on me, and that got the publishing industry buzzing. Then, a few weeks after I self-pubbed, he did a follow-up on me. By this time, I'd gotten a literary agent, a foreign rights agent and a movie/TV rights agent. And then something was written about me in The Huffington Post and suddenly the whole publishing world was interested in the book. We ended up going into auction with four different publishers and ultimately, I chose to go with Simon & Schuster!!!

After all the success, what made you decide to sign your book with a publisher instead of staying in self publishing? 

Although I got my start by self-publishing it wasn't my sole intention. I self-published because there was a demand for my book and it wasn't happening traditionally. When I was approached about going with a traditional publisher, I weighed my options. The bottom line is that signing with Simon & Schuster offered me benefits I couldn't have gotten through self-publishing. 

One, I got an advance, which allows me to now write full-time. This was one of my biggest dreams since I was a little kid. Now I get to wake up every day and do what I love, while sitting at home and being my own boss. It's pretty amazing, and I couldn't do it without the generous advances from my books. Two, by going with S&S, I have help with so many aspects of the publishing game. From publicists to marketing, to editors....everyone is a pro at their jobs and I have access to them. Of course, I'm not their only author, so I still have to do stuff myself, but I would have had to do it all if I was self-publishing. And three....being with a traditional publisher gets me into bookstores and libraries. This, I couldn't have done on my own. But the reason I went with S&S specifically was because they're forward-thinkers. They've tried some outside-the-box ideas in the past and understand that the literary world is changing and they want to be a part of that. I'm SO happy with my decision!

What's next for you in your career? Do you plan to continue self publishing or stick to the traditional route. Maybe both?  

I won't count out anything for the future. We live in such an amazing time right now, where there are so many opportunities available to us as authors. You can go traditional, you can do self-publishing. You just have to decide which one's right for which project. There are a ton of really successful self-published authors--in fact, a large amount of the books that are on the top books lists are self-published. Gone are the days where self-published authors are automatically branded as wannabe writers who aren't good enough to be published traditionally.

Right now I'm looking forward to my traditional publishing journey with S&S! WHAT THE SPELL?, the prequel/spin-off to LIFE'S A WITCH, will be the first book in the LAW series and comes out everywhere January 29th! Then, a new and improved LIFE'S A WITCH will come out in May 2013, followed by the sequel, THE WITCH IS BACK in Jan 2014! Hopefully those books will do so well that we'll be able to do more. I also have a few other books I've already written that I'd like to try and publish. But, if those books aren't traditionally published, I'd be fine with self-publishing them. I think in the future, it won't be a matter of whether more of my books will be published, it will be how.

Okay, here are a few things to help us get to know you better. Just say "This" or "That"

Witch or Fairy (Duh! Didn't you hear? This is the year of the Witch?)

Book or ebook (Book....I love the feel of it in my hands. I love the smell. I love the pages. I love everything about it. BUT I did just get a iPad mini for Christmas, so I might have to give an e-book a try!)

Sports or art (Television and movies...does that fall under art? I'm a huge TV buff and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE movies! If only I could act, I might've become an actress! Now, I'm just hoping that LIFE'S A WITCH is made into a movie or show, too!!!)

Thanks for stopping by Brittany!

If you are interested in the giveaway, enter the random drawing below. Or feel free to ask Brittany a question in the comments!

Catch up on her books on the web:

• To read an excerpt
• To watch a trailer

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Some News and 2013 Focus

So I have some great (unexpected) news that came up over the holiday!

I have a new foreign rights agent! Yay! Jennifer Custer is with AM Heath in London, one of the oldest literary agencies in the UK. Now Untraceable and friends will be at Bologna in March and fingers crossed we can jump the pond. :)

In a way it was serendipitous as I think these things often are - Jennifer is from Atlanta and the South so she personally connected to the story when it came across her desk. She lives in London with her hubby so we also share foreign hubbys (not the same one but our hubbys are foreigners :). Also - a big thank you to the Alliance of Independent Authors because they introduced me to Jennifer. You can find out more about them on the right side of my page.

This is very important to me. For one - it is hard to get your indie-pubbed work out internationally. And two - I must say it is nice to have someone on my side again. I haven't had that for a couple years since my last agent and I parted - so this is a great change for 2013.

I've also reestablished my goals for the year.

I'm trying to balance social media with writing and giving back to the writing community. I don't want to just focus on one or the other. And as I've mentioned before, giving back in some way is important to me.

Priorities

• Write more on a schedule
• Post blogs on a schedule - 2-3 times a week
• Schedule time on social media when taking breaks
• Only attend conferences I speak at or have a direct tie in to my craft or the business of publishing
• Find ways to give back to all authors and the writing community.

Publishing Goals

• Continue indie publishing while maybe testing out some traditional publishing options.
• Query my shiny new project to see what publishing path is best - indie or traditional (haven't decided yet)
• Release Unstoppable (book 3) in May (indie)
• Finish releasing the SUFFOCATE novelette series over the summer (indie)
• Release a fourth book in Fall? (indie)

Marketing goals

• Reach the reader more directly - skype visits etc
• Update my web site - lord knows it needs it
• Continue to be authentic
• Try to find a way to support a couple nature organizations with my Nature of Grace series
• National coverage (have not clue how yet :)

Aggressive but doable only because my books are already planned and plotted - it's just writing and editing, which is the easiest part for me.

A huge personal goal is to establish my worth and stick to it. Without going into detail, I often accept less than what I deserve to accommodate others or I give more than is expected - so this shift in mindset is a hard one for me.

Writing Goals


From a writing perspective, I am moving in one direction for now: Contemporary Thrillers (adult and new adult)

I want to create fast-paced novels. Untraceable was not as fast-paced as Uncontrollable (in my opinion). I think that was primarily because there was too much feedback on Untraceable in the beginning and I lost confidence in my own work with my old agent.

• Tone down my urge to add descriptions and narrative
• Up the pacing
• Plot in advance to make the writing part easier
• Continue being open to feedback and learning my craft

What are your goals for writing/publishing this year? I'd love to hear them :)

JA Konrath's Revelation

So as my first post, I'm going to talk about hypocrisy in publishing.

JA Konrath has been a pioneer in self-publishing. Those of us who have traveled down the self- publishing road know of him. His blog, his opinions, his books. He's been a man who has stood up for his right to publish. A man who has been vocal in his distaste for publishing. And a successful self publishing author (who of course build his audience with a traditional publisher).

Every year, Konrath lists his New Years Resolutions and sometimes gives his prediction for indie publishing for the year to come.

This year JA Konrath's big statement - is telling indie authors and writers to "Get over yourself and just write."

Really?

For years, JA Konrath has promoted social networking, connected with readers, supported indie publishing, and helped authors move forward in their goal of publishing.

But now that he's made it big - he suddenly preaches, "Go on your own and forget everyone who helped you get there?" which of course was picked up by MediaBistro.

I'm sorry Mr. Konrath, but for once, I respectfully disagree with your post. I dont want to start a battle with him because to be frank he would chew me up and spit me out.

But this hypocrisy is what bothers me about some big-time authors. Self published or traditionally published.

They network with writers, connect with readers, network, blog and then when they make it big (usually with the help of those people) - they suddenly decide they don't have time for it anymore.

They decide they should just focus on themselves.

All in the name of writing.

Don't get me wrong, I think we do need to focus on writing more. The craft. Creating good stories. Spend less time online. But this to me was a - forget you- kind of statement. Not in the name of craft persay.

This view is a bit distorted. A tad shady. It makes me feel like they're networking just to sell. Not to connect and learn and assist. It's a mentality of "Let's do what we can to meet as many people to get ahead, build readers, and then when we make it really big and boast about sales and money - we don't have time for you anymore."

Now JA Konrath's big revelation is that he just wants to write??

Don't we all?

I understand this view. Sometimes I just want to write. Check out. Be alone. And sometimes I do take that time. But does it have to be all or none?

I kinda feel like I have somewhat of an obligation to continue connecting with those I've met along the way. Those I've been connecting with. Those who have helped me. To respond to readers who give my book a chance. To connect with authors. But most of all, to give back to others.

Maybe this is a problem of mine. Maybe this is not the popular view anymore.  But I think it should be. Especially if readers and writers are a big part of what got you where you are today.

I understand the need to write and prioritize. But to use the system to your benefit - start a blog, go on Facebook and pretend to connect, - make it big, and then back-out or disconnect when paychecks get too big and your name gets known - is a crappy thing to do.

What Konrath forgets is there are many authors who make it big and DON'T forget their readers, still talk at conferences to help writers, and maintain connections who helped them. They are able to do both. Sometimes one may falter but they try. maybe not equally but at least a little.

I hope as I continue to grow my career and explore different paths that I continue to blog, tweet, connect, share, and help others.  I hope I don't blow people off.

I don't think it has to be one or the other. I think I can write and still make time to connect.

Will I be able to do all of this every day or as much as I have in the past? No.
Will I let people down? Probably.
But will I try? Yes.
Will I make a declaration that I no longer have time for readers, writers, or the publishing industry? Never. Because that is not what I believe.

Bestselling authors would not be where they are without the community of writers and their loyal readers.

What are your thoughts?

Announcing INDIE ReCon - free conference on all things indie!

First of things, big Happy bday to Elana Johnson!! To celebrate her bday, Christina Fonseca is giving away a PRINT collection of all three of her books (yes, even the last one once it is released), and ebooks of Regret, Possession and Surrender. The contest will run through 12/15.

Ive known her for years online, skyped with her, and online grouped with her in many amazing forums. She is brilliant and lovely and I adore her so give her a bday shout out!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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In other news,

Do I have a surprise for you! :)

A small group of indie writers has pulled together and is hosting a FREE online conference on everything INDIE in Feb 2013!

Welcome to the first INDIE ReCon - Make Indie Publishing a Mission Possible

Are you curious about Indie publishing, but don't know where to start?  Or, are you already a published Indie author looking to boost your sales or expand your reach?  Then you'll want to attend a new exciting online conference happening in 2013 - INDIE Revolution Conference.  Or as we like to call it, INDIE ReCon.

INDIE ReCon is happening online from February 12-14, 2013.

INDIE ReCon is a FREE, ONLINE conference that is modeled after the awesome annual WriteOnCon. It is designed to help any writer or author who is curious about the ins and outs of Indie publishing. 

However any author or writer can attend because we cover topics all of you may want to know more about (marketing etc)

Everything from the pros and cons of Indie publishing, essential aspects in creating a high-quality book, successful online marketing, and expanding into International markets. 

We will feature over 30 guests that include industry experts as well as some of the bestselling adult and young adult authors in the publishing industry today including: Bob Mayer, Hugh Howey, M. Leighton, and Samantha Young (just to name a few).  

For three days, INDIE ReCon will highlight new topics every hour (sometimes every half hour) for 8 hours a day which will include interviews, blog posts, vlogs, and live online chats.  You'll receive advice from authors, bloggers, marketing partners, cover designers, editors, and more.  You can check out our line up of topics and guests on our website.

Did we mention it's FREE and ONLINE? Well, there's more. Tons of Giveaways! There will be awesome giveaways from each and every speaker and partner. This will include books as well as services like free book designs, free editing, book development services, marketing prizes, and more. 

So mark your calendars for Feb 12-14th!

But, more importantly, sign up now with your email and we'll be sure to send you updates, news, and reminders as the conference gets closer so you won't forget. 

You won't find this much information (or excitement) about Indie publishing anywhere else. The hosts, partners, and presenters are all giving their time and knowledge for free for one simple reason: they're excited about being Indie and they want to help you decide if it's right for you too.  

You can already sign up on the home page to receive updates and news.

We hope you join us at INDIE ReCon - where we'll help you make Indie publishing a mission possible!

See you there!

Founders/Hosts:

S.R. Johannes

Ali Cross

Laura Pauling

Jessie Harrell

Heather McCorkle

Cheri Lasota

Special thanks to our partners:

ALLi

Bibliocrunch

IndieReader

Kindle Fire Department

World Literary Cafe

Win Kindle Fire HD (or ereader valued at 200$)!

Jingle all the YA - sampler of 14 bestselling authors!

Download ebook for free (at Kindle, Kobo, or Apple) and enter to WIN A KINDLE FIRE HD (or ereader of your choice up to value of 200$)

It's easy to enter!

1) Download the free ebook here

2) Find the secret phrase embedded in the 14 excerpts 

(HINT: there is one character in each book bolded making 13 letters and one punctuation mark)

3) Enter secret phrase (14 characters) into Rafflecopter link below

Contest ends on Dec 31st. Winner announced on Jan 7th. Only open to US.

Book description

Curl up this holiday season and sample 14 bestselling young adult books. 

14 YA authors compiled this special gift for their readers. The holiday sampler includes excerpts from YA's bestselling books - all wrapped up in one neat little package. 

Whether you like paranormal, romance, mythology, or thrillers, "Jingle all the YA" gives you a taste of it all.

This sampler includes the following 14 bestselling YA authors:

Chelsea M. Cameron - Nocturnal (When seventeen-year-old Ava-Claire Sullivan meets a mysterious boy in a cemetery who isn't human, she'll have to decide whether a relationship with him is worth the risk to her own mortality.)

GP Ching - Grounded (A modest seventeen-year-old girl discovers she's the product of a government experiment, when her father's illness causes her to leave her isolated community.)

Shelly Crane - Significance (Because you are my significant, my soul mate, and I'm yours.)

Chelsea Fine - Anew (Sometimes love is meant to be, but sometimes...love is the death of you.)

Jessie Harrell - Destined (When Psyche destroys the one relationship she can't live without, she must journey alone through ancient Greece and face the wrath of the gods if she wants to reclaim an immortal love.

Ella James - Here

S.R. Johannes - Untraceable (When Grace's forest ranger father goes, missing, she fights officials and nature to find out what happened, uncovering a conspiracy that changes her small town forever.)

Tiffany King - Forever Changed

M. Leighton - Fragile (Her heart, as delicate as glass. His love, as strong as steel. Can either survive life and death?

Addison Moore - Ethereal (An entire faction of earthbound angels wants 16 y/o Skyla Messenger dead, at least she still has Logan, a boy who shares her gift of telepathy, or does she?)

Jessica Sorenson - Ember (What if you knew when someone was going to die?)

Raine Thomas - Becoming (When Amber Hopkins discovers that ancient gods, avenging angels and other beings of myth and legend all exist, she doesn't realize that her life is only going to get more complicated from there.)

Rashelle Workman - Exiled (Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.)

Samantha Young - Smokeless Fire (One girl's fiery battle with ancient deadly creatures, epic family drama and heart-wrenching romantic entanglements.)

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Walking the fence in publishing

I can't help but at times feel that I still want it all.

Both a traditional path and self pubbing path.

Maybe it's my awkward need or my want to belong. Or maybe I don't like to be pigeonholed. Not force myself into one box or standard. Maybe I'm greedy. Maybe I have a dual personality.

I don't know what it is, but I find myself looking at my future with both sides of the fence in mind.

This side of the fence is hard!


Why do I still pine for the "old flame"sometimes ? Because indie publishing is soooo HARD!!!!! It's so fun and I love the control, but I'm exhausted.

I've had a great start. In 9 months, I've sold almost 15,000 books (5,000 just since September) but I admit I still feel a need to be a part of the traditional industry in some way.

As I've mentioned in the past - I wear soooooo many hats and with each book that comes out - those hats multiply exponentially. I have tried to put things in place to help to lighten my load but I'd admit - I over commit and there is always so much to do. Especially in marketing, which I have a hard time not doing. It's in my blood.

For example - today I want to do write but I have to gather and track my quarterly reports just to keep on top of my sales. And this is for every channel (which there are more than 5 for me right now)


My intern, Kate, has helped keep me stay organized. Love her!  But that is only a few hours a week. I miss those days of my agent cheering me on, giving me advice, complimenting my writing, and standing behind me. I miss having that one person on my side. At times, when I get tired, I find myself wishing I had someone invested in me again, someone that believed in me and my writing. Someone besides me and my mother :)

To keep self pubbing, I have to stay on it every day.

And some days I just want to write. Or breathe. Or watch TV or just be lazy.

But there are always many, many on my To Do list. And they all seem urgent with some kind of timeline. Besides PTA, family, personal, and girl scout stuff, there is all the other stuff that comes with self pubbing - the stuff beyond writing and promotion. And you have to do them all -  across several different projects. Keeping it all straight is almost impossible.

No matter what the opinion is, indie pubbing gets lonely and difficult. And it's HARD doing it all on your own. It's like owning your own business and it's growing but you can't hire any employees because it is not a guarantee.

I'm not saying traditional is not hard. But in self pubbing - you are a one man show. Always. For everything.


Walking the fence


Even as I pave my own way or find some level of success in this crazy publishing biz, at times, I still feel like the "odd man out" - on both sides.

In general, the traditional side of me questions some parts of self pubbing - how it is flooding the book world with a lot of "not so great" stuff. So, part of me wants a traditional publishing opportunity (that many self published authors don't agree with at all) so I can be the best I can be. I'm a good writer but I still make mistakes and I want to learn more.

But, then there is my self pubbing side which questions the validity of the traditional vetting process and the growth opportunities for authors (which of course many traditional authors don't agree with at all ).


So because of this outlook, I don't feel like I really belong to either side of the fence, therefore, always feel slightly awkward. Whether I am at a school visit or selling books at a conference. It's like high school all over again. I was a cheerleader but didn't really fit in b/c it wasn't quite me and you could tell. Yet because I was a cheerleader, other kids avoided me just because of the stereotype of a cheerleader. I should have just stuck with soccer or music.

It's hard to want both in this industry. It's like a war or something - everyone saying I "have" to choose. So what ends up happening is I sometimes get the feeling of walking down the middle and both sides firing because they don't know whose side you are on. Yet I don't want to put down either side and I want to be a part of both sides.

What about strategic decisions?

I believe there is a specific place for everything.


Why can't my decision to self pub just be a simple strategic decision in my career as an author? Why does it have to be one or the other based on opportunity or skill?

Self pubbing doesn't have to be a "way out" - you do skip the agent/editorial vetting process (no matter if you even want it) but it's hard to stand out. Hard to do it all on your own. The readers are the vetters. And trust me, indie authors can't get away with anything. Whether it is a couple of typos that slipped through your copyeditors fingers or the stigma, it always hangs over you.

Yet, trust me, for most self pubbing is definitely  not a "way in" either - generally it isn't a way in to traditional anyway so don't go into it for that. Agents and editors generally aren't seeking self pubbed books to redo. That is a very small percentage. And no matter what you hear, it's not 15,000 copies that gets you there, it is mostly luck or 100,000 sales with some press.

Self pubbing is about what works best. it's not always fair just like traditional pubbing.  In indie publishing - certain books sell better than others. YA suspense, contemporary, paranormal, and romance. New adult and adult romance as well as adult thrillers. Like it or not, you can have the best historical fiction but chances are it won't do great in indie pubbing.

What is my future? (rhetorical question ;)

Well, I am not someone who can just write to sell. To stay with the same series even though it makes money. That is probably good business sense for self pubbers and works well for many but I have other ideas I want to put out.

From a marketing perspective - some of my books just don't make sense to self pub and some do. Not all of my work would fit on both sides anyway. So why not choose some for one side and some for the other side?

So today, I am making my declaration public to the universe - I want both! Is that so bad? There are pros and cons to both sides and I want to experience both because sometimes you can only go so far unless you learn failure and success in new ways.

Yet I wonder if there is a place in the middle for hybrid authors to take the best of both worlds.

That one special project

Now I have one special project that could go either way in this industry. It's now choosing the way that is the hardest thing.

I have a new project - a timely YA cyber thriller that I think has great potential - but which way do I go? Do I self pub it and continue down that path knowing how hard it is? Knowing that sometimes there is only so far you can get on your own? Possibly limiting my readership potential due to limited distribution.

Or do I query agents/editors and start all over again? Knowing the book is timely and probably shouldn't wait 2 years. Yet knowing it has huge commercial potential.

And then if I go traditional with this story... do I query under an alias and hide all my sale information to get away from the stigma? Because like it or not - there is a stigma - whether you have great sales or not. Or should I proudly use my name and sales, knowing it could impact my book's chances. Maybe I should just hope to find someone who can look past the stigma of self publishing and focus on my skill and the book's merit. See my self pubbing as a win/a strength more than a weakness.

I've decided I want to be a hybrid author. Someone who is on the fence doing both - but committed to putting out good out books in the best way. Whether that is possible or not is the question.

This is not a popular view. I tend to choose those somehow. Many self pubbed authors want you to commit to self publishing, while many traditional authors say you are a sell out if you choose self pubbing. In addition, many agents and editors say you can't have it both ways.

I say why not? I truly see benefits in walking the fence.

How is now my question.