Out with the old blog into the new? Not quite yet.

Lately I’ve been doing a little more research about how other authors have built their author brands and platforms or how they promote and market upcoming releases.  It would be so much easier if there was a one-size-fits-all marketing approach when it comes to selling books but what works for one doesn’t always work for another. 

What I focused on this past week was how other authors market themselves via their blogs, websites or Facebook pages.  I focused mainly on female authors who wrote mysteries, from suspenseful to police procedural to cozies.  I even accidentally researched some authors who wrote in the romantic suspense genre; not my favorite type of read but it was still interesting to see how they market their books.    

What I discovered was a huge range of techniques, some I liked and some I didn’t.  But that was the whole point in researching the other sites; not only to compare them to my own but also to see if there were some good ideas I could utilize or some techniques I’d like to avoid. 

A few techniques on some blogs and websites I found where I was immediately put off included the following:

• The use of black backgrounds – even if I like the author or their books, I would avoid their site like the plague because I just can’t stand trying to focus on words with a black background
• When the sites are SO busy I have a difficult time finding the basic information I need
• Any sites that look like they were typeset directly from a typewriter (i.e. they just look outdated) and with no graphic art or visual stimulation to keep me interested
• Offering outdated information even if a book was published in the current year
• When moving around the site proves difficult so that I’m not able to easily move from one page to another

A few techniques on some blogs and websites I found where I enjoyed my stay included the following:

• Good visual background that doesn’t slap my retinas and that had stimulating graphic art
• Information is easy to locate whether by tabs or gadgets and movement around the site is user friendly
• The attitude and personality of the author is evident and not cookie-cutter style
• The sites make it easy to connect with the author, whether via e-mail, their blog, or social media
•  The site is actually fun (these are few and far between)

My research also took me to the Facebook pages of authors who do use Facebook.  I’m actually surprised when I discover authors who still don’t use any sort of social media beyond their website or blog but then there are probably a few who wonder when I’m finally going to get into Twitter or Pinterest.  I’ll be honest and say that I have no interest in Twitter and can’t say that I’ll ever try it but I’ve thought more about using Pinterest only because I believe it would be a great way to visually share information with regard to the series, the characters and the setting.  It’s an idea but I just haven’t taken the time to really get involved with making the concept happen.

Anyway, with regard to social media, there are definitely different styles when it comes to authors who promote themselves.  Some share personal information about their days and their families, others are much more business-like and tend to only post about their books and then there are many who are the in-between.  A little dash of personal, along with a snippet of business, while mixing in a good assortment of this or that relating to everything in-between.  Those are the pages I enjoy – author pages that include a good mix of everything, not too much of one thing or another so that I don’t get bored.

So what’s all this research mean for me? 

I’ve wanted to make some changes to my blog but I have to actually make a decision on what I want to do and then set aside the time to do it.  My Facebook page will probably continue as is except that I’d like to try to post on a regular basis rather than erratically.  As I get closer to a publishing date for the third novel in my series, I’m hopeful that it will also mark the date when I’ll have made some necessary changes to this blog.  It’s the idea anyway and something to look forward to because I’ll enjoy promoting my new book on a blog with a new look.      

Until then, the old look will remain but I’ll continue to envision the new!

This little Piggy went to Market, this little Piggy stayed Home

Sometimes I wish marketing books were as simple as a trip to the market.  Unless you’re one of “those people” who enjoy sales (my husband is one of them, thankfully, because I am not), it really is difficult to market a product when you’re not used to working in sales and, for many authors who are introverts, it’s especially hard to market yourself.

Marketing yourself means talking about yourself.  Bringing attention to yourself.  Saying “look at me!” and then sharing solid reasons why others should keep looking.

It can be exhausting work for introverts when your brain doesn’t normally work that way. 

I’m one of “those authors” who would rather just write books, share thoughts via a blog or Facebook posts and let the creative juices just keep flowing without the mind games involved with what it really takes to market what I’ve created. 

I’m the little piggy that just wants to stay home.

Don’t get me wrong.  Once a book signing or book club meeting is scheduled and the day is here, I’m all for meeting people and talking about my work.  It’s great fun and I enjoy meeting others who actually enjoy hearing what I have to say.  It’s very humbling, uplifting and surreal all at the same time and an experience that will never get old.

It’s the process it takes in getting there that can be difficult.  Not because it’s hard…but because of the time it takes away from writing.  And that’s where my problem lies…marketing takes me away from writing so as a result, I tend to remove myself from what is limiting my time to write.

That’s obviously not a good thing when you actually have a product you need to market and sell.  With the amount of new books coming out every day, the “next big thing” is always trying to become known and readers are insatiable when it comes to finding new books and new authors to read.  As an author, you certainly don’t want readers to forget about you but it’s also difficult to write fast enough to satisfy most readers. 

Marketing right before the latest book comes out is easy.  You’re all excited to share the next book so you do what it takes to let everyone know that it’s available and then you also use that time to reach new readers.  The problem area for me is marketing between books.  I’m sharing myself here and on my Facebook page but the book events and marketing techniques taper down and I’m much more focused on what it’s going to take to finish the next book over what it’s going to take to continue selling the books I already have out there.    

That being said, I do believe in the opinion that the more books you have, the more those books will sell your previous work.  There’s a theme behind the advice most commonly provided by authors who have been at this a long time…just keep writing. 

The key is to finding a balance – the balance between when to go to market and when to stay home.  Finding that balance takes time and for me will include learning what works best as I switch between doing what I’m comfortable with and trying something new when I venture from my comfort zone.  I’ll always be that little piggy who would rather stay home but because I have the desire to share what I create with others, I will learn to make the most of those days when I venture out to market.

What about you?  Do you find it hard to split your time between creating and marketing?  Or does it come easy to you?  If so, do you have any tips to help others you’d like to share?

Prepping the summer reading list

How have you been doing with your reading list lately?  I think I’ve been doing pretty well and here’s a photo of the books I’ve read most recently:

I’ve managed to get through a number of books lately and I’m looking forward to the next batch of books I hope to plow through during the summer months.  Recognize any of the books in my photo?  Have you read any of them?  If you haven’t heard of or read The Maze Runner series, you may not realize that four of the books included with those I’ve read recently are from the young adult series.  I’ll admit I haven’t read much in the way of young adult books since Harry Potter took readers on full force before books like Twilight, The Hunger Games and then the Divergent series took over.  My youngest son knew I was looking for new books to read and he asked me to read some of his favorite books.  I decided to start with The Maze Runner.  It was an easy, fast-paced read and it kept me guessing so I can understand why my son liked it so much.  Out of the four books in the series, I have to say The Maze Runner (1st book) and The Kill Order (4th book) are my favorites.      

Now I’m preparing my summer reading list and I’ve got a good selection, I think, of what I believe will be good, suspenseful, fast-paced reads.  Except for the non-fiction books, of course; can’t say those will be very suspenseful.  I’m also starting another of my son’s favorite young adult series, Divergent.  I’ve seen the movie so there won’t be many surprises there but if it’s an enjoyable read, I’ll be adding the other two books to my summer reading list as well.   

Some ask me how I find the time to read…I guess those who ask me know how busy I am and they just can’t imagine I somehow manage to find the time to read other books.  But to write well, you have to read often.  The two go hand-in-hand.  There’s that fact and the fact that reading is just a terrific way to escape the stresses of every-day life; whether the book makes you laugh, is a light read so that you’re not delving into anything real heavy or it’s a suspenseful or apocalyptic read to remind you…your life really isn’t so bad.  

Even so, how do I find the time?  I remember a time when I used to be able to sit and read for hours.  Hours.  I’d easily finish a book in a day.  I really can’t imagine that now.  I don’t have hours to spare because the hours I do have are already earmarked for so many other things…the day job, my writing, household chores, outside chores, shopping, necessary paperwork, visiting with family, spending time with my husband and my boys…and other important things like sleeping.  Really, who can find the time to read for hours anymore?  I can’t so I find the time when I can squeeze it in…a few minutes in my car before I head into the office after lunch, standing in the kitchen while stirring whatever food I’m trying not to burn, in bed before I go to sleep or until my husband finally admits the light is bothering him, during commercials if I’m watching a show, while I’m eating breakfast when I actually do eat breakfast, during the weekends when I just curl up in my chair and ignore my to-do list for awhile or, and this is my favorite, out on my porch when it’s nice enough to sit outside in the mornings with my coffee in one hand and my book in the other.

It doesn’t seem like much reading at any given time but those bits and pieces do add up and eventually…I finish a book and move on to the next.  I do what I can with the time I have, although I certainly can’t read fast enough for my son, who continuously asked me what part I was on in The Maze Runner series because he wanted to know when I was getting close to some of his favorite parts.  I can only imagine how often he’ll ask me that question when I finally get to the books in The Hunger Games, his ultimate favorite.

So how do you find the time to read?  Where are your favorite places to read?  If you’re a busy working mom (or dad) like me, I’m sure you’re just as creative as I am and I applaud you if you’re also able to keep up with your reading list. 

Happy reading!

   

How does your Mom stack up to fictional moms?

How often do you read books where the mom has any real part in the plot?  With all the Young Adult books out there, the general idea behind most stories seems to be that the main characters don’t have parents or the parents aren’t that involved in the story.   Harry Potter’s parents are dead, Katniss’ mom in the Hunger Games pretty much checked out after her husband passed away, and none of the characters in the Maze Runner even remember their parents, much less know if they are still alive or the walking diseased.

In many of the mystery books I read, the main character may have parents involved in the story, or they may not.  For the most part, parents really aren’t involved.  If it doesn’t move the story along, there’s really no reason to include parents other than to give the main character more depth or to give the readers something to relate to. 

In the mystery series I’m deep in the middle of, where I’m now writing my third novel, my main character has parents and they are warm, loving and always there for her when she needs them.  But Jorja learns in “No Mother of Mine” that there’s a secret behind her birth and who her parents really are and her world is changed in one moment when she learns the truth behind what actually occurred on the day she was born.  In “Best Kept Secrets” the story of Jorja’s past continues to unfold as she finally learns the truth about her father.  During the series, Jorja has to try to come to terms with what happened and what her birth mother was capable of but it’s a process and not something she’s likely to really understand until further in the series, if at all.  Even if Jorja never quite understands, my plan is to work it out for myself and the readers by eventually writing a prequel to the series to involve the story behind her birth parents.  It’s an idea in the works, anyway.

In “No Mother of Mine” we also met Kat, who hires Jorja to find the mother who abandoned her and her father when Kat was just a toddler.  The result of Jorja’s investigation shows us that the past is not always what it seems to be.  In “Best Kept Secrets” we not only get to know more about Jorja’s father, but we follow the stories involving two other families, with mothers who desperately act to save their children and fathers who only put shame to their titles of father and husband.  Not all parents are like the parents Jorja grew up with…many are like my other characters; full of rage, hate, greed, jealously, and fear.

Why did I decide to use parents in the series?  Because parents are the core of our being…it’s why we’re here, whether the parents we live with gave birth to us or not. 

Another reason my stories involve parents is that it’s usually family which propels us towards whatever future we finally etch out for ourselves.  How we are raised, who we live with, the experiences we’re involved with as children, who we look up to or who we fear…all these things eventually play a part in what we do with our lives, whether it can be easily explained or not.  Some grow up with a good family life and continue on in that tradition with their own families; while others are brought up in happy, healthy homes yet somehow turn into what the media will later label as a monster.  Those who knew only fear as children might vent their rage on others in an attempt to shed the anger buried deep inside them while others may face those fears with defiance and a determination not to force the same abuse on their own children or spouse.

Of course, there’s more to family than just our parents.  In my third novel family is still key, with one story involving brothers, another a stepson and stepmother and yet another is about an aunt who finds herself in hot water.  While I enjoy writing about Jorja as she investigates each case, it is the story behind the story involving what makes families tick that I also like to touch on and what I hope readers also enjoy. 

It all seems kind of heavy for just a mystery series but my books have never been just about a mystery series for me.  They are a way for me to express myself and to share with others the stories, characters and emotions I believe many can relate to or may have strong feelings about.  While as a writer I do hope others enjoy what I have to share, it’s also important to remember this quote to avoid the risk of losing the passion behind the reason:

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.” 

~Cyril Connolly~

Easter eggs, Easter pretties & just taking-it-easy on Easter

I love this time of year with spring colors and flowers popping up everywhere.  I thought I’d share a photo of some flowers that recently decorated my table and that remind me of one of the colors my boys would use to decorate their Easter eggs when they were little (from those packaged pill sets).  I fell in love with these roses and the vibrant color they offered the first time I saw them.

I’m taking a break today from blogging to spend time with family and I hope you enjoy this wonderful day with your family as well. 

I’ll be back next weekend.  Enjoy the day and have a great week!

Commitment: when you’re in it for the long haul

Quite a few years ago, when my youngest son was probably around six years old, we were at the pet store where we would often visit just to browse around.  On this particular day, he wanted a new pet.  We had already tried gold fish, which seemed to die much too quickly, and Betta Fish, which weren’t as much fun when you couldn’t even put two or more of them together, and we even made the mistake of adopting some dwarf hamsters after being led to believe all five of them were the same sex.  Note to self:  always verify that fact, especially when you’re dealing with a species that can reproduce at the speed of lightning. 

Eventually, though, during this visit at the pet store, my son was able to talk me into looking at other possibilities when it came to what sort of pet we could bring home with us.  As most of you who are parents are well aware, it isn’t usually the child who winds up caring for the pet.  Oh, the kids do their best at first…they willingly under or over-feed them, when they remember, and the first time they have to clean the tank or the cage, they pretend to be interested but quickly realize it’s more work than it’s worth. 

We try to teach our kids how to be responsible but what usually happens to the fish, hamster, turtle, lizard or frog the child talks the parents into buying?  It will either die, is given away to someone else or the parents take over the care of the animal to keep it alive as long as possible.

You might be wondering what happened on this day years ago when my son was able to talk me into buying another pet.  With some reluctance, I finally decided to venture into the land of amphibians…in the form of newts.  And not just any newt, but the Chinese Fire Belly Newt.  Before you comment with zeal at my lack of prudence, I realize a potentially poisonous pet was not likely the best option for my six-year son.  But, as with the pets before them, the newts were no exception when it came to how long they held my son’s interest.  I can’t blame him, really.  While the newts were cute, there wasn’t much my son could do with them.

So what’s the point of this story? 

When I purchased these newts, about ten years ago now, I had absolutely no idea how long they could survive.  While I did some research on the care, feeding and handling of the newts, I don’t recall ever reading about their life expectancy.  Only recently did I finally learn that their life span could likely be about 10 to 15 years but that they could also live to the age of 30!

I had no idea the amount of commitment, by way of years, these tiny little amphibians would require from me.  Are the newts still alive?  You bet they are.  The reason I finally read up on their life expectancy was because I couldn’t believe they were still alive after all this time.  After it became clear my son was too young to care for them properly, I took on the task of caring for them and they have been constant companions on top of my desk at home ever since.  They have their own tank, which is located on top of my desk hutch, and while they get natural light from the window in my office, their tank is also near a small desk lamp that is regularly turned on for them in the mornings and turned off in the evenings to give them a schedule.  Believe it or not, we actually call the desk lamp the “newt lamp.”

You might now be wondering if there’s a real point of this story…

There is and it’s all about commitment.  Sometimes we get ourselves involved with something without having any knowledge beforehand at the amount of commitment it might require of us.  It might begin to feel as if we’re doing to same thing, over and over, without much in return.  We might decide one day we just can’t give that much of ourselves to something else for so long.  Or, regardless of the time it takes, we stick it out because what we’re doing feels right and we can’t imagine the idea of quitting. 

Had I known the newts could live for 10, 20 or even 30 years, would I have actually decided to purchase them when I did? 

Not as a pet for son, I don’t think, and possibly not even for myself but had I learned that fun fact soon after buying them, it wouldn’t have changed a thing.  I would have cared for them the same, whether I thought they’d live 10 years or just 10 months, because it felt right to do so and I couldn’t imagine quitting on them.

The newts are a simple version of what true commitment might mean.  The complicated version of commitment has to do with what I’ve taken on as a writer.  I knew it wouldn’t be easy but it wasn’t until after I began my journey that I read about authors who have waited 10, 20 or even 30 years before they felt they had reached some level of success.  The definition of success can be very subjective but for me, I believe the definition of success has many levels and those levels take time. 

Had I known how long it could take to become a success as an author, would I have decided not to begin writing at all? 

Not a chance. 

While the commitment to the newts will end when they eventually pass away, my commitment to writing will remain until the day I pass away, regardless of whether I’ve reached what others might define as “success” because what I’m doing feels right and I can’t imagine the idea of quitting.

When book characters have minds of their own

I put in a full afternoon on my book yesterday, but before I began to write from where I had left off, I decided to read over some of what I had written the week before.  I came to a certain point in the book when the stubborn attitude of one of the characters and what he said to Jorja made me laugh.  It struck me when I thought about the fact that this has happened before…when I’ve read over something I’ve written and when the words seem to be coming from someone else.  After that thought, I decided to post this on my Facebook page:

Sometimes, my characters just crack me up! I'm having a lot of fun with Jorja, Fritz and Brad today. It's very strange and not something I can easily put into words, but my characters do have minds of their own. It's very clear to me when I review the words I'm fully aware I wrote when it comes to what my characters do and say but which later surprise me, might even irritate me and oftentimes makes me laugh. It truly is a great feeling when characters lead a life of their own through your fingertips!

I still really can’t put this concept into words other than to say the characters do tend to have minds of their own.  I might think I know what’s going to happen in the story, but funny enough, the characters end up having their own ideas.

Case in point is the issue with Jorja, Brad and Fritz.  Jorja and Brad had a high school romance so they have some history and are now good friends; although it would seem Brad might prefer to have more to the relationship.  Fritz, on the other hand, is someone Jorja hasn’t known long but there is the idea that the two of them could possibly become a couple, if it weren’t for the fact that they tend to squabble about the type of work she deals with as a defense investigator. 

If Jorja were to finally get past her fears and actually form a romantic relationship with either man, who would be the best fit?  Both Brad and Fritz are good looking, they both have good jobs and they both have their good traits and bad traits.  The books aren’t written around whether Jorja will end up in a relationship or not; it’s just a possibility that’s always been there. 

At the very beginning, when I first began this series, I thought I had an idea of what might happen but it was just a thought…  I’m not writing a romance series but I do enjoy flirting with the idea of what romance might be like for Jorja, if she were to open herself up to the idea. 

While I am the creator of my characters, I don’t always get to tell them what to do.  And the characters don’t always let me know what the plan might be.  That fact became clear again to me yesterday when I was finally clued in to what one of the characters was up to.  It wasn’t what I was expecting but…I liked the idea so I went with it.

It might be odd to hear that the characters lead lives of their own through my fingertips, or that they have minds of their own.  Sometimes I even tend to forget this fact, but it isn’t long before the characters remind me about the truth in that statement.  What’s great about this whole concept?  It means that I can continue to claim my role as the creative artist but I also get to look forward to a few surprises here and there.  It’s what makes being a writer so much fun!