I mean, why is it so difficult to get people to review your book?
As an author, you get notified that you’ve sold a book, or several books. And you wait. And wait some more. But the reviews never come. Even if the one or two reviews you’ve manage to obtain are top rated reviews.
Why review?
It isn’t to give the author a good feeling about their book, even though that’s great.
When it comes to selling on Amazon and getting their help to promote your book, they go by the number of reviews you’ve received. It doesn’t matter whether they are one star reviews or five star. They only look at how many reviews you have.
Until you have at least 25 reviews for your book, you really don’t get recommended at all. After 25 reviews, your book starts showing up in the recommendations. You’ll see it in the “customers who liked this also liked…” area when you buy a book in a similar genre.
After 50 reviews, an author really starts gettine promoted on Amazon.
But until then, you’re pretty much sunk.
So, why is it difficult to get people to review a book? It isn’t hard to do. Takes maybe two minutes. But that two minutes meas a lot to an author, especially an indie author struggling to get a book into the public eye.
So, please, if you read a book, stop by Amazon and review it. It means so very much to those of us putting all that blood, sweat, and tears into writing them.
If you’re looking for something to read, check out my Mellie’s Romance page.
As you know, if you’ve read any of the series, there are currently three books available. But, with any luck at all, the next book will be out later this year–Old Flame.
They met at university, graduated and haven’t seen each other since, until they meet by chance on their way to Gambler’s Folly. While they’d never been more than friends, hadn’t even seriously dated, there was an attraction now they couldn’t ignore. But can she fit into his very public world?
Here’s a little teaser–
“How particular can you be if you’re keeping company with me?” she teased.
“As I recall, a long time ago I threatened to spank your bottom,” he teased back.
“Your memory is correct. And I believe I dared you to try it.”
“If you keep it up, I’ll do more than try,” he said and felt his face light up.
“Yeah, right,” she answered. “Think you’re up to all that effort? Rich living hasn’t slowed you down?”
“Not so you’d notice,” he said.
“I guess I’d better stay on my toes.”
“You’d be easier to kiss that way,” he said before he could keep the words from coming out of his mouth.
“Who says we’re going to kiss?”
At least, this is what she said, but her face developed a glow that hadn’t been there before, and her scent grew a little stronger as the tip of her tongue moistened her lips.
“I do,” he told her. “At least once in this life, I’m going to taste that pretty mouth of yours. I missed my opportunity thirty years ago, and I’m not going to wait another thirty years.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“No, sweetheart, that’s a promise.”
After Old Flame we have Scotch and Soulmates. Paul is from the British nobility working for Interpol as a profler. Since he’s also an expert on expensive Scotch, he’s helping out on Gambler’s Folly with counterfeit liquors. Sophia is from the Bronx and a radical feminist, who takes ain instant dislike to Paul, even if she is attracted to him. Mother Nature is going to have fun with these two.
Teaser:
“How do you feel about Paul?” Kari asked.
“He’s arrogant, annoying, smug, and too confident for his own good. He makes me want to crack that composure and see the man underneath the mask. Nobody is that calm all the time.”
“Dangerous territory, Sophia. Once you let the wolf out of the cage, it can be difficult to put him back into it.”
“Oh, I don’t want to let him out, just see him snarl a little, and show he’s actually human.”
“And how does he feel about you?”
“No idea, but I don’t think we’re destined to be best friends.”
“No. But I wouldn’t be surprised to find out you’re soul mates.”
“Be serious! I can’t be around the man for five minutes before my inner bitch comes out,” Sophia answered.
“Then why is your scent changing?” Kari asked. “How does his scent affect you?”
Sophia thought back to the conference room and the scent which slowly filled the space. Visions of heather in bloom, with hints of rich loam, and the sea, overlaid lightly with musk had called to her, building her tensions higher.
“That’s what I thought,” Kari said with a laugh. “His scent attracts you.”
“No, I refuse to take a mate, especially an arrogant Englishman.”
And after this is Unwilling Soulmates. Trevor is originally from Scotland and has worked on Gambler’s Folly for three years up in the Crystal Mountains region. Recently transferred to Speranza, Theresa takes one look at him and immediately dislikes him, but won’t tell anyone why. The tension becomes so difficult around the office, Trevor stops coming into the office and teleconferences with the team when needed.
So when Theresa shows up on the beach during one of his weekend camping trips, he is confused, angry, and completely blindsided when she thows down her mating challenge.
Teaser
“All right, you two. Enough,” Dima barked. “Can we see if there is a way to get past this?”
“Whatever,” the crazy woman answered.
“Now that you’ve worked with Trevor, read his reports, and talked to the guys he works with in the field, don’t you think you could give him a chance to prove himself, rather than instantly relegating him to some ridiculous category?”
“I just don’t like him,” she stated. “Am I not allowed to have a personal dislike for someone?”
“As long as you keep it under wraps at work. But that’s not what you’ve been doing,” Dima told her. “I now have one of my team working from home, with minimal contact with the rest of us, because you can’t control your attitude.”
“Like I said, I can’t seem to control my mouth or emotions around him.”
“What, exactly, have I done to you?” Trevor asked. “I’ve been polite, stayed out of your way, and rearranged my workout to accommodate your schedule. Hell, I even sent you flowers.”
“And we all know you meant them as some sort of insult, you bastard,” she shouted at him. “Was that some crack about my social life? How exactly did you mean those weeds?”
“They weren’t meant as an insult, though at the moment, I doubt I like you any better than you like me. As for being a bastard, I am well acquainted with my father. As a matter of fact, we currently have a good relationship. I’m sure he wouldn’t approve of you or your attitude any more than I do.”
“Is that a fact?” she asked. “And why wouldn’t he approve of me? Too low in the income bracket for his tastes?”
“No. He prefers it if I see women who know how to be ladies instead of screeching harpy fishwives,” Trevor answered, keeping his tone conversational.
“Screeching? Harp… Fishwives?” she sputtered.
“I could have called you an SOB,” he returned.
“Why would you call me a son of a bitch? I am nobody’s son,” she demanded.
“Sorry. In this instance it stands for selfish obnoxious bitch.”
So there’s the lineup from Gambler’s Folly. Sorry you’ll have to wait a bit, but editing takes time. But don’t worry. There is another series and some stand alones coming your way as well.
I swear, Mother Nature needs to get back on her meds or something. Maybe see a shrink. She seems stuck in bitch mode. Yesterday was a little chilly and rainy, but not really cold. I think it was in the mid-50’s And during the night the temperatures slowly climbed until it was around 60 degrees this morning.
Of course, since then, the temperatures have been dropping, with an expected low in the 20’s tonight. From spring to winter in one overnight jump. Our animals can’t figure out what to do. Should we grow fur and feathers or begin shedding again?
What am I saying? I can’t figure out what to do either. I have winter clothes out, summer clothes out, clothes everywhere. And I’m still not comfortable. I’m either too hot or too cold, but never quite comfortable.
In the meantime, I’m working on the next book in the Esperance Series. No, not the next one for you, but the next one in the series I’m writing. The next one for you, Too Many Talents, is in its final edit. And after that will be Ben of Blackstone’s Forge. Finally we’ll get to the one I’m working on now, Gregor Thayne.
Yes, I do have new books planned, but they take a little while for me to get them out to you.
But if you haven’t read the first books in the series, this would be a good weekend to give them a try.
Why?
All the Esperance books are on sale this weekend over at Smashwords. Take your pick, or pick all three. They’re only $0.99 each through Sunday evening.
Come on. You can’t even buy a cup of coffee for that any more. And at Smashwords, you can choose which format ebook you need for your reader.
So keep warm. Or cool. Or whatever it is you need today. Maybe Mother Nature will get her act together soon.
But before I go, how about a small excerpt from Too Many Talents?
Too Many Talents
Excerpt from Chapter 2–Connell
“But Mom, why do I have to go live with Grandpa? I want to stay here with you,” Connell complained for the hundredth time.
“You know why, young man,” his mother scolded. “And as soon as your father and I can take care of everything here, we’ll join you.”
“But how long will that be?” he asked, rolling his blue eyes at her. “I don’t know why we have to go anyway. I don’t want to be First Lord.”
“Now that is enough. We don’t have time for this. You’re ten years old and you know better.”
“I’m almost eleven,” he countered.
“Then start acting like it,” his mother snapped, exasperation beginning to show.
“But what about all my friends? I won’t have any friends there,” he continued.
“I’m sure you’ll make new friends.”
“But I like my old ones.”
“Connell, find something to do besides complain, or I’ll find something for you to do.”
“Fine!”
The little boy of almost eleven spun on his heel and ran out the door. Arriving at his favorite spot by the stream, he dropped down onto a large gray boulder and fought back the tears. No, he would not cry. Selecting a flat stone from the bank, he skipped it expertly across the water.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there before he heard someone behind him.
“Connell? Can I sit with you?”
Great! The voice could only be little Nell. She was all right for a girl, but, well, she was a girl. And she was always trying to help him with whatever he was doing. Two years younger than he was, they’d grown up together in the village, and he’d always liked her, even though she could be annoying.
“I guess. Sure,” he answered with a sigh.
He turned to give the little blonde, blue-eyed girl a hand so she wouldn’t slip on the bank. Once seated on the rock bench, she smoothed her flowered frock down over her knees.
“What are you doing down here? I thought you guys were moving.”
“Mom’s mad and told me to find something to do. So I came down to skip stones.”
“I could never do that. Can you show me?”
Even if she was a girl, Nell took his mind away from his problems. They skipped stones until the light began to fade.
“We should probably go back, Nell,” he told the little girl. “Mom was mad before I came down here. If I’m too late getting back, it won’t help anything.”
“Will I see you before you go, Connell?” she asked.
“I guess. We’ll be here a few days yet, and anyway, I’ll come back sometimes.”
“Can I still be your friend when you’re First Lord?”
“Of course. Why couldn’t you?”
“I don’t know. I just wondered. Thanks, Connell.”
About a week later, over the weekend, his father got the cart ready for the trip to Belfort Manor. Connell had determined ahead of time not to cry, no matter what, at least until they were out of town.
Though his mother said she was fine, he saw a few tears threatening to fall before he looked away. He so wished his parents could come with him right now. The idea of living with his grandfather, the First Lord, was intimidating
Of course, Nell had been there, tearful, and sure she’d never see him again. The pretty little bouquet of wildflowers was a sweet gesture, and after a quick hug, she buried her face in her mother’s skirt with a big sob.
“He’s not going away forever, Nell,” his mother had said. “He’s going to train his skills so he’ll be a good First Lord.”
I went in for my second cataract surgery yesterday. I had the first cataract removed a month ago, which helped quite a bit in the reading department. I’m hoping this one goes just as well. It’s nice to be able to read labels in the store, newspapers, magazines, and print books again.
Thinking about the same thing yourself?
Don’t sweat it!
The surgeon at Gainesville Eye Associates does laser surgery. It’s quick, and virtually painless. From the time I went in until I was back in the car was about an hour and a half. And that included the post surugery check up. What takes most of the time is getting your eye dilated, IV hooked up, and all the things you need to do before you reach the OR. The surgery itself takes about ten minutes.
Ten minutes?
Yep. That’s it. I will have eye drops to put in several times a day for a month, but that’s no biggie. And for the first few days, my vision will be a little blurry as everything heals. But the results will give me vision like I haven’t had in years.
So what’s happening in my writing world?
I’m still working to finish Gregor Thayne. Too Many Talents should be about through editing, and a few other things are in various stages of editing.
So this weekend, reach out and take home a little magic!
Master of the Fleet will be on sale at Smashwords for only $0.99 this weekend.
So reach for the magic, settle into a comfy chair, and visit the Cote d’Or!
I’m headed to Gambler’s Follyfor a while. It’s been a while since I visited with Dam and Kari.
What? You aren’t acquainted with the Leone family? We need to fix that right away!
Come with me to Gambler’s Folly. Meet Damiano and Karianna in Book 1 and follow their romance. You’ll also meet Dante, Marco, Paulo, and Nagi, who will pop in every now and again in other stories along the way.
After that, in Book 2, Dante’s Angel, we can go to Italy with the whole bunch for Dam and Kari’s church wedding. And you can share in the joy, frustration, and chaos when Dante finds his soulmate, who happens to be one of Damiano’s cousins.
Book 3, The Russian, introduces a new character–Dmitri Ivanovich Volkov, known as The Russian. He is an anomaly, even for a shifter. Over 500 years old, he found his soulmate over 200 years ago, and held her in his arms as she died. He doesn’t want another mate. The heartache is too great. But Mother Nature has other plans for The Russian.
Where can you meet all these characters?
Go over to the Gambler’s Folly page on Smashwords. For this weekend each book is priced at only $0.99 in the series! And once you have, you can vacation with me!
Yes, all the books from my Esperance Series are on sale this weekend! If you’re like me, you love a book sale. I have several series I’ve started I need to finish. Since they’re all several books long, I wait for a sale to stock up.
And you can do the same!
Just go to Smashwords and check it out. All three books in the current series are on sale for only $0.99 each! Full length novels you can sit back and get into.
So if you’re looking for a place to get away, Esperance may be what you’re looking for–a place from an earlier time, ruled by psychic lords, and normal, everyday people with maybe a touch of Talent to make life a little easier for them.
There is a lot of discussion between those who prefer “real” books and those who like ebooks. And then there are some who prefer an actual physical book, but buy eBooks for the sake of economy or space limitations.
I like a nice hardcover book I can actually hold in my hands. There is something about the smell of a new book the first time you open it, the feel of the cover and the pages as you turn them. I’m not sure what it is, but it isn’t just reading. It’s a sensory experience.
So why do I buy ebooks so often?
Economy. I can buy several ebooks for the price of one hardcover or paperback book. If I’m reading a new author, I might not want to keep it around, so why spend so much on something I’ll never read again.
When I travel, I find it difficult to take along enough books to read in physical form, but I can pack a whole library of eBooks.
I also have eyesight issues which make it difficult to see the printed page. My tablet or Kindle allow me the option of changing the brightness and contrast making it easier to see the words.
Whcih do you prefer? Are you in the e book camp or the physical book crowd? And why?
Whichever format you choose, you can find one of my books to suit your mood. All my books on Amazon are available for Kindle, in paperback, and in hardcover versions. So choose the format you like, pour yourself a cuppa, and enter a fantasy world for a little while.
Check out my book under the name Sultonna Nadine–Master of the Fleet, in a world where elemental magic is real, but won’t necessarily help Richard with his love life.
Yes,January 1 is the last day of the year end book sale over atSmashwords. So if you haven’t checked it out, now is definitely the time.
Is everyone ready for the New Year? What do you have planned for the weekend? We’re just going to hang out with the cats and enjoy the quiet of the countryside.
But if you’re looking for something to read, head on over to the sale. And for tonight and tomorrow only, you’ll find aspecial discount on all my books for the last hurrah of the season.
Hope your Christmas holiday was great and wishing you a wonderful, magical new year.
From all the folks on Gambler’s Folly, Esperance, and the Cote d’Or
But it’s also the season for the SmashwordsEnd of Year Sale! Thousands of books all on sale during these last couple weeks of December. The sale begins today and lasts through Jan. 1, 2022.
And all my books, by both Mellie Miller and Sultonna Nadine, are included in this sale! So if you love ebooks, or have started a series and want to read more, now is the time. If you’re like me, this time of year can get a bit tedious. Right now we have rainy weather, which makes it uncomfortable to take a walk. The holidays are here, but you might not want to go visiting just now. Sometimes family can be overwhelming.
But you want to go somewhere…
Why not take a fantasy trip to another world?
And I have three to choose from!
Esperance is more of a frontier world, with not much in the way of technology. But when it comes to psychic abilities, they have it in spades. Ruled by multi-talented First Lords, this is a place where technology is replaced by psychic abilities: telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation, energy healing, and abilities I don’t even have names for.
Gambler’s Folly is a futuristic world, a pleasure world where you can find anything you’d like. The vacation spot for the galaxy, our cast of characters work for the Special Division of Interpol. Composed of agebts who are shifters of various sorts, follow them as they search for contraband and find their soulmates.
Master of the Fleet is written uner the name Sultonna Nadine and is a stand alone book. In a world where magic is real, Richard LeMarnier is a weather shaper and master of the fleet for his family’s merchant fleet on the northwestern coast of what we know as America. He thinks he’s found the woman of his dreams, but she never intends to marry. For Anne-Marie, he is just another rich mark to be taken for all she can get before she moves to greener pastures. When her temper gets the better of her, they find themselves bound not only by marriage vows, but by a blood oath. Can they find a happily ever after?
So take a virtual trip to another world. And if I don’t meet with you again before the holidays, have a safe and wonderful holiday!
All right, I know it is the electronic age. Technology is everywhere, whether we like it or not. Everywhere you look, there is something else being done electronically.
But I wonder, how many readers prefer ebooks to print? Do people buy paperbacks and hardcover books anymore? Or are actual physical books a thing of the past?
I have recently been reading ebooks mostly because of the trouble I’m having with my eyes. I can’t seem to get enough light on the printed page to read the words. But I would much prefer an actual print book. There’s something about the feel of it in your hands, the turning of pages, and the smell of the ink.
It isn’t just the reading. It’s the whole experience. New books have the fresh from the press smell of the new paper and ink. Old books from a bookstore, especially the really old ones, have a musty, dusty smell. Sometimes, on the fly leaf you will find a brief note from a previous owner. Maybe it’s the date of purchase. Perhaps the book was given as a gift and there is a birthday or holiday message to the recipient of the gift.
On rare occasions, you might come across an autographed book and wonder who originally bought it. How did this book come to be in a used book store?
And how much are you willing to pay for a book? Do you buy ebooks from new authors, to try them out before committing to anything more expensive? I do this quite often with someone I’ve not read before. And then, if I like the book–and can actually see–I buy the next book in a print format.
Maybe you wait until they have a sale on, so you can save money. I like to do this if I’m completing a series, because I know I’ll probably binge read the whole thing.
If you’re looking for books this season, you can find all of mine in all formats at Amazon.
If you like ebooks, keep your eyes open for December 17, the start of the Smashwords seasonal book sale. All my books, and others, will be on sale for the holidays.
So drop me a line below, and share your thoughts with me. If I don’t see you again, have a wonderful and happy holiday!
