Soul Catcher Cover (G.P. Ching)

It's here! I can finally share with you the cover of the fourth Soulkeepers novel, Soul Catcher.

Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it's changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.

When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.

Add it on Goodreads!

About The Cover

Adam Bedore of Anjin Design creates all of the covers for The Soulkeepers Series. Book four revolves around Dane, pictured here, and introduces Cheveyo, a Hopi indian boy and the last Soulkeeper on the list Dr. Silva conjured in book 3. Cheveyo is represented by the dream catcher and adobe wall behind Dane.  Fate, also known as Fatima, plays a role in the story.  You can see her shadow hanging from the red stone in the dream catcher. (Yes, she is represented as a spider. She is a master weaver after all!) And if you think there is something up with that shadow behind Dane, you are not mistaken.  There's more to him than meets the eye.

 About The Book

Soul Catcher is slated for a March release and is the fourth book in the bestselling Soulkeepers series.

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

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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.

Building the best self-publishing team

Miral Sattar (founder of Bibliocrunch, a service one-stop for self pubbers) stops by to talk about creating a great self pubbing team!

Why is building a publishing team important?

There is so much activity in the publishing space in terms of new platforms and tools that are accessible to everyone. There is no barrier to entry to publish a book anymore. The publishing industry is the last to go digital, hence it can be argued that it's going through the quickest transition. Because the tools are accessible to everyone there are a greater number of self-published and indie books published. Because so many books are being put out, there is also an increase in the number of “bad” books being published. “Bad” books have poor covers that someone used PowerPoint to create, or books that have clearly not been edited well. “Bad” books have grammar errors and are poorly formatted or not been proofed. Because of the rise of “bad’ books this has given self-publishers and indie authors a negative reputation.

So even though it's much easier to publish a book, it's even harder to get it noticed and make it stand out. By building a solid publishing team you make sure that you cover all your bases in the book publishing process. You don’t just need a good story but need someone to help you design a cover, you need editing (not yourself) from a professional editor, you need a proofer to make sure your book is free or errors and you need marketing for your book to help readers find you. You can pretty much get ‘Big Six’ publisher quality if you have put together a great publishing team because there are no publishing services that a big publisher can provide that you can’t get done through your own publishing team.

What is quality?

Quality is making sure that your book is in the best shape it can be for your reader: you have an eye-catching cover, a well-edited book without grammar mistakes or types, an error-free version that is converted correctly (you don’t want to run into the JK Rowling Last Vacancy situation J  where readers couldn’t adjust the font), a great landing page on Amazon which conveys what the book is about, having good meta data, and a good marketing plan. A lot of writers tell me that they don’t have any capitol to hire professionals for their book and can pretty much do everything for free themselves. Which is fine, if you don’t want anyone to buy your book and you just want to give it away for free.

Membership Special

We also have a special discount code for premium memberships. 

If you would like to join BiblioCrunch, use promo code UNTR to get 50% off a premium subscription with a number of bonus features.

About BiblioCrunch.com:

BiblioCrunch helps connect authors and publishers with book publishing professionals to get new books and apps to market. With an exclusive community of professionals who have worked for some of the largest publishing houses, including Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Random House, and Harper Collins, BiblioCrunch authors can get access to resources that BIG SIX publishing have.

Miral Sattar

Miral Sattar is a NYC-based writer and tech entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of BiblioCrunch, a platform that connects authors with quality, vetted book publishing professionals. She has worked in the media industry for 11 years, most recently at TIME where she launched several digital initiatives including an iPad and mobile site, mobile apps, a video and podcast channel, blogs, and SEO. Her writing has been featured in TIME, CNN, NY Daily News, among other media publications. She has a MS in Publishing (Digital + Print Media) from NYU and a BS from

Columbia University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. You can follow Miral on Twitter at @BiblioCrunch.

All about Self Publishing

If you want to follow the Unbelievable Uncontrollable blog tour - the link is now on the right. I will be talking about marketing, writing, and self pubbing along the way with tons of giveaways so follow along!

Today I wanted to provide some great links on the self pubbing world. For those thinking about self pubbing or curious about pros and cons, check out some of these articles.

In the News - Self Publishing Industry
Not a Gold Rush Report
Self Publishers Make Gains
How to Self Publish
Self Published eBook author

Past Posts of Mine
Not all is equal in publishing
The Schizophrenic Self Pubber
Thinking of Self Pubbing?
What to consider in distribution?
Tips and Trick from Indie Authors
The importance of Editing
More about ISBNs
All about Covers
Ebooks and Pricing
Testing the Blogger Theory
Choosing Launch Dates
Market Your Words book
To self pub or not to self pub?
The Entrepreneurial Author

Interesting Articles

My friend and fellow Indelible, Susan Quinn, did a great series on self pubbing:
Where to Publish
Formatting Ebooks - The Easy Ways
Formatting Ebooks - The Hard Way
Publishing to iTunes

Stigma of Self Publishing by Lisa Nowak
Art of Self Pubbing by Allison Moon
Rediscovering the eshort market by Rebecca Knight
The Power of Community by Melisa Foster
All About ISBNs by Lisa Nowak
Pen Names by Megg Jensen
The IndieRevolution by Laura Pauling
It's all Subjective by Karen Hooper
Self Pub and Agents? by Megg Jensen
Creating a Cover by CK Bryant

Let me know if you have any questions!

IndieView: Hugh Howey on writing eshorts (Bestselling Author of WOOL series)

NOTE: Hugh Howey will be joining us on #indiechat tonight (Tuesday) at 9PM EST to answer more questions about writing eshorts. You can use tweetchat.com and enter in the hashtag #indiechat to follow easily.

Enter for an ecopy of Omnibus below.

For those who haven't heard of Hugh Howey, he is an indie writer who started publishing a couple years ago. His first short story WOOL took off last spring. When readers begged for more, he released several more editions within 6 months and quickly became a household name in the indie world :) He just signed with Kristin Nelson, sold Wool to RH in UK, and sold his film rights to Ridley Scott.


Today, I'm giving away a couple ebooks of his OMNIBUS edition which collects the five WOOL books into a single volume. This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside.

And BTW, he's like the nicest guy! Now here's Hugh.

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Hi Hugh, thank you so much for stopping by. 

Can you tell us about you and your indie journey to publication?

I've been a voracious reader all my life. I grew up on a farm in North Carolina, the son of a school teacher and a farmer. I tried to write my first novel when I was twelve, and it was just awful. Not that it mattered: I lacked the dedication to finish the work. Over the years, I've probably started a dozen books before losing interest.

It wasn't until I started reviewing books for a popular website that I learned the dedication of writing on a deadline. I also got hooked on the immediate feedback from readers (possibly why I love getting e-mails and reviews so much). While covering book conventions for this website, I heard successful authors repeat a mantra over and over: If you want to write, what's stopping you? Just sit down and write.

This really hit me hard. I had this childhood dream, and it was perfectly attainable. It didn't matter if what I wrote was garbage, what mattered is that I finished a novel just to say that I had. So I sat down with renewed spirit and wrote my first book. To my surprise, it didn't stink as much as I feared it would. It even got picked up by a small publisher, which meant working with a professional editor and not having to pay a dime to print the thing.

After taking this first step, I was hooked. I kept writing, and when the contract came in for the next book, I decided to try publishing on my own. I wanted to be able to get stories out as fast as I could write them and also maintain control over the entire process. 

Things were growing steadily until WOOL came out, and then they went into overdrive. What started as a 60-page novelette turned into a serialized adventure that stormed up the bestseller lists. It's been a wild ride ever since, one I keep expecting to come to a stop, but it still finds some way to press on. Recently, we announced both a movie deal with Ridley Scott and a hardback release from Random House in the UK. All from a short story that I didn't even promote when it came out.

I love seeing indie authors take off and all because of reader's word of mouth! What are the top three things to think about when writing a short story series?

First, plan ahead. Make sure you know where the overall story arc is going so you can foreshadow and plan appropriately. When writing a novel, you don't publish the first chapter until you've already written and revised the final chapter. Writing a series does not usually afford this luxury, and you don't want to make it up as you go like the writers of LOST did. Readers are savvy. They can tell in an instant when a creator doesn't have a handle on their own material.

Secondly, keep up the pace. If you are giving readers less to read, you better dole it out more often. A short story a month or a novella every two months feels about right. You want to keep your material fresh and your name visible.

Finally, listen to your readers. I check out every review and read every e-mail. With a series, you get a rare opportunity that a novel writer misses out on: you get feedback that you can actually use for future "chapters." I've heard from readers that some issues are unclear, or some characters need more attention, and I definitely allow this to guide my writing. It's like having beta readers help you steer your work so that it's as awesome as it can be.

Since you have become so successful, can you share some of the marketing tools or secrets you used to get the word out?

I've tried everything, but nothing works like word of mouth. I Tweet and use Facebook and participate on writing forums. I blog and do interviews, Skype with book clubs and speak to classrooms. But honestly, nothing will drive sales and continue to drive them quite like word of mouth. And how to achieve that is a mystery to me. I think the story has to be not only good and well-told, it has to be interesting, puzzling, engaging. It has to be addicting. And there's no way to really sit down and guarantee you'll achieve that. Even the masters write duds. All of my books aren't jumping off the digital shelves with the same vigor. So maybe this is the answer to marketing yourself: Write a lot and don't write the same thing over and over. Spread yourself across genres. Write works of varying lengths. You never know what's going to take off, so diversify, give yourself a chance, don't buy multiple lottery tickets with the same number and expect your chances to budge an inch. 

Now, I know you just signed with Kristin Nelson at Nelson Agency. I think she is the dream agent of many authors :) How is it to work with an agent after being independent? 

Agents rock if you get the right one. Kristin Nelson has got to be the best agent in the business for authors with self-pubbed success. I don't think there's any doubt. I've heard it from editors at major publishers, from authors, and even from other agents. What Kristin has done for me is allow me to thrive where I'm already having success while branching off in ways I never would have imagined. We've signed over a dozen foreign publication deals in the past few months in addition to that major Hollywood deal with Ridley Scott, Steve Zaillian, and 20th Century Fox. I never would have managed this on my own.

Co-agents are also key. Jenny Meyer, Kassie Evashevski, and Gray Tan have all done amazing things to get WOOL into the right hands. If you self publish and you begin to have some real success, start reaching out to agents who support hybrid authors, those who want to go the traditional route as well as stay indie. It's the best decision you'll ever make as an author.

So what is next for you? Will you stay indie, go traditional or both?

My next work is a horrible little zombie book told from their perspective. I'll be begging people to not read it. Seriously, it's awful. After that, I'll return to the silo with the second of the prequels. Once I wrap up that series, I've got a new one I'm dying to start. There's just so much to write and not enough time! And for the first time in my life, I've got a legion of fans hounding me for more, so it isn't just the pressure I put on myself anymore. Not that I would have it any other way. 

Thanks Hugh.

You can find him online at Facebook, Twitter, and at his web site.

Today I'm giving away the whole ebook of the WOOL series called Ominibus. You will be able to choose your format. To be eligible, you must leave a question for Hugh, fill out the Rafflecopter form, and be a follower of my blog . There are also several ways to get extra entries if you like.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Marketing ebook

First off, here is an interesting article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the success of ebooking (psst I might be quoted in it :)

Secondly, I wanted to talk about marketing.

Since I started this marketing blog, readers have been asking me/suggesting I do a marketing ebook for some time.

Well, now is the time.

In a few weeks - I will be publishing a marketing ebook. The book will encompasses ALL of the marketing articles I have written on my blog over the past 6 years, It will also include some exclusive ones (that will not be on the web site) on new topics such as self pubbing and pinterest to name a few.

In addition to the blog articles, the ebook will also encompass about 20-25 of the marvelous marketing interviews from top editors, outstanding agents, and bestselling authors who have all provided permission for me to use them. It will also include a section on resources with additional marketing resources including blogs, web sites, books, and more!

Now, just to be upfront and honest so you don't feel bamboozled (love that word) - you can find 75% of the ebook information on my blog for free! You just have to search for it.

I am pulling together this ebook mainly for my readers - to provide an easy reference guide that is convenient, organized by topic, and put together - so you don't have to search over 6 years in my blog to find anything on marketing plans or book trailers.

The ebook will be about 100 pages and sell for under 5$. However, it will be on sale for less the first week it is out which is planned for early August. It will be available in all formats so if you don't have an ereader - you will be able to get a pdf/doc so you can keep it on your computer for future reference. 

If you have any suggestions of additional articles you would like to see - feel free to leave them in the comments section and I will consider the topics as I finish my original articles.

Stay tuned! :)

Cutting Through the Mist-ery of Cover Design (Alicia Kat Dillman, author of Daemons in the Mist)

Author and illustrator Alicia Kat Dillman as part of her blog tour for Daemons in the Mist is here today to talk about cover designs, yay! Here is a little bit about the indie author and her first book!

About Alicia Kat Dillman

Indie author & illustrator Alicia Kat Dillman is a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area. Kat illustrates and designs book covers & computer game art by day and writes teen fiction by night. The owner of two very crazy studio cats and nine overfull bookcases, Kat can usually be found performing, watching anime or hanging out in twitter chats when not playing in the imaginary worlds within her head. 

Daemons in the Mist

Seventeen year old Patrick Connolly has been hopelessly infatuated with Nualla for years but he is all but invisible to her. Until, that is, he rescues her from a confrontation with her ex. Little does Patrick know he’s just set off a dangerous chain reaction that will thrust him into a world of life altering secrets and things that shouldn’t exist, because the fog and mist of San Francisco is concealing more than just buildings.

Here she is...

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There are bad covers out there; we have all seen them. The ones with the glaring, eye-searing colors, painful design, and horrid photoshopping that should be a crime against humanity. I could go on for days about the horrors I have seen lurking in the dark corners of bookshops, but I’m sure you’d all rather I talk about what makes a good cover.

I’m going to use the cover I designed for my debut novel Daemons in the Mist as an example.

Daemons in the Mist is very atmospheric, almost like the environment is a real breathing creature itself, and my characters embody their environments. I wanted to convey this on the cover so I chose one main character and one location in the city that reflected a part of the city and the character at the same time.

I wanted Nualla, one of Daemons in the Mist’s main characters, to look like she was standing across the street from you, her hair caught up in the gust of wind from a passing car. Placing her firmly in our world but at the same time pulling you into something hidden; something extraordinary. She is as much inviting you, the reader, into her world as she invites Patrick into her life in the story. And I wanted a bridge, in this case the Bay Bridge. Why did I chose the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate Bridge for the cover of Daemons in the Mist? Because really the Golden Gate Bridge is for tourists, most of the locals, the commuters and students, use the Bay Bridge to come into the city. The story is about people who live in the city each day and most of the books are set there so I wanted the readers to get a taste of the city the way I see it. But why a bridge in the first place? In the story Patrick makes a journey from the human world into the world of daemons, much like a bridge carries us into a new place. Parts of the bridge are obscured by fog conveying to the viewer that not everything is what it seems.

With these illustrative elements in place, it’s time to take a look at the text. I read somewhere that a book cover should never have more than three fonts or font colors. Publisher logos and fonts are, of course, excluded from this. Think of your fonts as a kind of branding for your book. You want them to stand out and mesh well together. For Daemons in the Mist I chose hard sharp-edged fonts to contrast with the curving and soft edges of Nualla and the bridge lights.

But book cover design isn’t simply stacking the right elements on a page, it goes deeper than that. It’s not simply pretty on accident, it’sdesigned to be pleasing and striking. Nualla’s face was placed on the upper third/third square, an artistic design element employed to make the image instantly more dynamic. The deep rich black of her hair contrasts dramatically with the pale soft completion of her face, and is left simple and detail free to make her eyes stand out. Nualla’s hair sweeps the eye downward leading us right into the title. The visual elements of the cover are right-heavy so the title was place over to the left to balance out the design. The text has a slight glow to it to appear as if it is being viewed through a foggy night. It is all these elements working together that create good design.

Look at some of your favorite covers and analyze why you like them, why they caught your eye. Why they said, “buy me, I’m awesome!”

Okay, so now you know what to do and you have a fab cover design ready, but how does it look shrunk down to under two inches? Though we would love everyone to bask in the glory that is our high resolution cover the first time they see it, the truth is they will most likely see it as an inch tall, slightly blurry graphic in a sea of other potential reads. So how do you design for this? Make sure you have large eye-catching elements mixed in with your small secondary reads and fonts that are clear and easy to read even at a small size.  If you look at the Daemons in the Mistcover right now on a search of Amazon, Nualla is striking even at such a small size and you can even read the title and author name; well, you can on my screen anyways. As you design your cover, keep checking a small, on-screen version of it. There are a variety of ways to do this depending on your program and system of choice.

If all the analysis that goes into one of my covers makes your head hurt, don’t worry. I’m a trained professional, it’s my job to do this. As a writer, you don’t have to be able to pull off a stellar cover design, you just need to know enough to know who to hire to create one for you.

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Thank you for stopping by Alicia!