It makes a lot of difference to authors like me, who sell on Amazon. It is difficult to get noticed out there and reviews help. How often have you seen a product or book listed on Amazon and decided not to look at it because it had few or no reviews?
There is also the promotion factor. Unless an author has a certain number of reviews for their book, Amazon does very little to promote it. It won’t show up in suggestions for readers or in any promotional events. You’re on your own without reviews.
If you don’t review, why not? It takes only a few minutes to say whether or not you liked the book or what you liked about it. It may take less time than getting through the drive through during lunch hour and it costs you nothing.
But it will help out that new author whose book you tried the other day. The one you couldn’t put down.
After the last bit of chill, Mother Nature has chosen to go straight into summer. We’re supposed to have temperatures up in the 90’s this weekends, with night time lows warmer than our daytime highs were just over a week ago.
But the tomatoes are looking good and enjoying the sunshine, even if I’m uncomfortable with all the temperature shifts. All in all, a good time to stay indoors and get with the writing!
What have you been working on lately?
I’ve finished the first draft and read through of Lady Calloway and gone back to Scotch and Soulmates and Old Flame to make the corrections I made on the Kindle.
I don’t know about you, but I cannot read a manuscript properly on my computer monitor. But what I’ve found works a lot better is to save it out as a mobi file –I use Calibre to help with that–and upload it to my Kindle Fire. That way it’s more like reading a book without going through reams of paper and cartons of toner.
I haven’t figured out a way to make the changes to it on the Kindle, so I highlight the sections where I’ve found problems or bits I want to rewrite. Once I’ve finished the read through, I take the Kindle to my desk, open the book and the manuscript on the computer, and work my way through.
Yes, it is a little cumbersome, but whatever works. Right?
With the three of those moved out of the way for a bit, I’ve revisited the unfinished WIP for the Esperance series. The next one to publish will be Too Many Talents, Book 4, followed by Ben of Blackstone’s Forge, Book 5. The one I’ve pulled back out of the “to be finished” folder is Gregor Thayne–Heir of Rowan.
Way back in Viviane, First Lady, we meet Gregor’s father, Lord Kinsey of Clan Rowan. His was the deciding vote in the trial in Clan Belfort. In this book we meet his son and heir, who is a bit of a rogue. Earlier in life, Gregor decided he’d had enough and refused to be the clan heir. Taking off for the far side of the clan, he took his mother’s surname and became a city guard.
Eventually, he and his father came to an agreement and he returned to his duties as heir. But he retained the last name Thayne as a final show of rebellion.
But he was not a happy man when his father announced the marriage arrangement he’d made with another first Lord, pledging him to a woman he’d never met.
How will this all turn out? Your guess is as good as mine at this point. My characters tend to have minds of their own and go off on tangents I’d never imagined.
Watch for Too Many Talents later this year. And who knows? There may be something else from Sultonna Nadine as well.
Haven’t read the Esperance Series? You can find in on Amazon or at Smashwords!
I normally write full length novels, mainly because I’m long winded and don’t know when to shut up.
But I do have a few shorter works out there which you might like to check out. Mainly these are thoughts about the world today or sometimes issues I’m dealing with, questions the grandsons have asked.
If you’d like to check them out follow my link to Vocal.Media and see if anything there tickles your fancy. My latest work there is The Walk, because sometimes you just need a walk to help think things through.
If you’re new to Vocal.Media, go over and check it out. Maybe you’d like to publish something there yourself!
Who else is glad the election is over here in the USA? I’ve never been so tired of the season in my life. All the phone calls, the text messages, posts on social media…
So after you take a breather from all of that, what are your plans for the month?
I have to finish Lady Calloway and get a couple other books edited and ready to the professional editing so I can get another book out to you soon. And I want to get another book out from Sultonna Nadine, too.
All this with the holiday season ready to kick off.…
What are you reading these days?
If you’re looking for something in the PNR, fantasy genre, check out my Amazon Author Page. I have two series started under the name Mellie Miller.
For Master of the Fleet, look under Sultonna Nadine. I use this name for my stand alones.
So grab a cup of something delightful, take a few minutes to catch your breath and get ready for the holidays!
I don’t know what’s happening where you live, but we’ve had a bit of weather here today. Earlier it was raining like crazy with a pretty strong wind. It sounded awesome in the trees, when I wasn’t wondering whether any of them were going to come crashing down.
So what is new with me?
Right at the moment, I’m working on Lady Calloway.
But aside from books, I also have a website promoting healthier alternatives in skincare, hair care and household products.
So if you’re interested in things more natural for you and your home, check out my website Mellie’s News., while you’re waiting for another book to be released.
My editor is working on the next in the Esperance Series, book 4, so hang on! In the meantime, check out Mellie’s News.
Or you can check out what I currently have available to read onAmazon .com!
And to International Coffee Day! Grab a cuppa and sit with me for a few to celebrate!
What’s your favorite coffee? Do you have a favorite brand or a favorite recipe? And do you drink it hot or cold? I know, in summertime people drink the frappacino type drinks, but i still like mine hot and black. Our daughter likes the caramel macchiato, stirred please, with an extra shot.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a survivor, I wrote a short book about my experiences with the disease, from diagnosis through recovery. TitledCancer and the Warrior’s Way, it goes through how my martial arts training helped me get through chemo and all the side effects of it and radiation therapy.
When I originally wrote the book, it was in paperback and in audio. When I released it as an ebook, I changed the author name slightly. So if you’d rather have the paperback or audio books, follow this link.
Have a wonderful month of October. At least our weather has gotten cooler and a little drier. I think my tomatoes are suffering from too much rain, but they’re hanging in there.
Yes, the sale ends July 31, so there are only a couple days left to take advantage of the sale prices. So if there are any books you might be interested in trying, head on over today before it’s too late!
All of my books are still $0.99 during the sale. Yes, all the books in both series, and the standalone written as Sultonna Nadine.
Need to complete a series? Now’s the time!
Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale! This link takes you to my author profile page, where you will find the linke to all of my books. Just click and scroll down!
Do you like souvenirs?
You can now buy mugs featuring my books covers, plus totes and T-shirts featuring my series covers over at TeeSpring. So if you’re a fan of the Esperance books, get your favorite book cover on a mug!
So, go visit the sale, and then head over and get a souvenir from your favorite world–Gambler’s Folly, Esperance, or the Cote d’Or!
Okay, so I didn’t have anywhere to go anyway, but it is the first snow of the year. And probably the last.
It doesn’t snow much here, so when it does I enjoy it while it lasts.
Thought I’d share some pictures with you. They’re almost like a study in black and white. Some are from around our home, and the last one is the road we live on.
I’ll have to write a book around a winter storm after this. Maybe something on Gambler’s Folly… What do you think?
Yes, I know. I’ve been gone for a while. Between internet issues and doing a re-edit on several books I have the rights back for, it has been a little busy, with not much news.
But, later this month, you should see links for the re-release of Gambler’s Folly, Jareth, First Lord, and Viviane, First Lady. They all have new covers and have been re-edited for re-release. I’ll be publishing all of them as an indie author this time, so watch Smashwords and Amazon for them.
I also hope to release Gambler’s Folly Book 3–The Russian later this month. I think you’ll like the Russian. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he has been around for quite a while. And that’s enough to make anyone a little thick-skinned.
