My Two Cents on "An Honest Look At Self-Publishing" by Willow Cross...

So, most of what I'm going to post here today comes from the most awesome Willow Cross. I met Ms. Cross through Facebook and like most of us we formed a common friendship in our efforts to Take Over the World, MUHAHAHAHAHA!

Ok, that's not the whole of the bond, but you get the idea...

If you'd like to join us in this endeavor, head on over and just give her page a like (linked above) and then join our quest to get to 4,000 Minions!

Anyway, she posted something interesting on her blog the other day, An Honest Look At Self-Publishing and I thought you folks here might enjoy it too!

Now, in her post she dispels a lot of common Myths about what we do as non-traditional or Indie Authors and I really liked it. It's honest, funny and oh so very true!

But, I wanted to add in my two cents worth too, so here goes...

1.  I can quit my day job because the book is live and sales will be more than enough to pay my bills.

Ms. Willow says FALSE and I couldn't agree more!!! Now, is that to say that isn't the end goal of this? Why, sure it is! I love to write and would love to be able to write full-time. But the honest reality of it is, like most, it falls squarely on *my* shoulders to pay the bills and that requires a...*shudders* day job that isn't full of fantasy worlds and hot smexy book boyfriends...

2.  As soon as my book releases, my reader base will grow exponentially.

Ms. Willow and I both agree. This is 100% FALSE! It's taken me and her I'm sure, months of interacting on Facebook, Twitter and the various Yahoo Groups to which I belong to build up any sort of realistic fan base. And even then, you have to consistently maintain it! You have to be around, answer emails, interact with those fans that *have* taken the time to like your Facebook page, follow you on Twitter and reply to the numerous emails you get on a daily basis.

TRUTH: If you *do* this though, if you "hang out" on Facebook, or at the very least respond to posts on your timeline and Author page, tweet and re-tweet stuff, they will come. It's a matter of time, fortitude and patience. AND giving your fans something to talk about. This means along with the interaction, occasionally give them something, anything book related.

This does NOT mean spam the bejesus out of them though! Even I, as a reader get tired of seeing "Buy my book, buy my book, buy my book..."

3.  My friends and the people on my fan page will share all my links and soon everyone will have heard of me.

Again, Ms. Willow and I are of the same mind. This is FALSE, especially with all the changes going on with Facebook. Now, I've 'ranted' about this, as have many others, and at this point, all we can do is find those ways to work around the algorithms FB is constantly jacking up! This is not as easy as it sounds, but we're slowly figuring it out as we go...as are so many others. At this point, the best thing you can do, if you truly want to see what your favorite Author is posting, once you've liked a page, hover over the like button and check the "Get Notifications" feature. This does not always work 100% of the time, but it's a start! And I thank you if you do that on my Author's page, I really do! ;)

4.  I have hundreds of authors on my friend’s list.  They will help me get the word out!

This couldn't be more FALSE! Like a lot of other Authors I interact with them too. I respond to their posts on my Newsfeed, I enter their contests, I donate to their contests. Would I ever, EVER ask them to pimp my work? No, I wouldn't. They have their own work and promotions to worry about and like me, may and/or may not have a lot of time to do it in. Me, asking them to pimp me, isn't fair. Now, that's not to say I won't <3 them forever if they do, but still, I would never ask...

And honestly, most of the other Authors that share *my* stuff, know I'll do the same in return. I've proven that I will, that I don't mind sharing their news, attending their release parties, blogging their releases and cover reveals, and entering/donating to their giveaways! It truly is a tit-for-tat kind of business we're in and you have to be prepared for that...

5.  I have 150 NYTs bestselling authors on my friend’s list.  I’ll have them read and review my book!

Again, quite FALSE! And besides that, I would never, EVER do this! Now, if they ask me, totally different story, but that's never happened and is not likely too. I have no expectation of it and neither should you. Not at the start at least.

Now, that's not to say I think they are any better than me. They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like me. What I do know is, they've paid their dues in this business and while we both may work an equal amount to polish our work, tighten it, get it out to the world, they have just been doing it longer than me...at this point at least.

I will say, the ones I've interacted with so far though have been super nice and patient when I have a total fangirl moment! (And no, I won't drop any names *cough* Jill Slavis *cough* Lori Foster *cough*, other than to say I love them both and I am truly, first and foremost, a fan! :D )

6.  My book cover is good enough.  People will read the blurb and know what it’s about.

Oh no no no! Please do NOT be this deluded when you start your journey into Indie Publishing. Please, just don't. Your cover is the first thing and sometimes the ONLY thing a reader, potential new fan will see of your work! So, it has to be as eye-catching as you can make it! And it truly does need to fit the story.

For example: If you see the Spi-Corp covers, both the ones that are currently out, Book 1 & 2, you *know* they are Science Fiction at the very least. They just have that feel to them as will all 18 of the books in the series. And I just heart Carey Abbott and S Cu' Policar for all their hard work on them! Without them, I couldn't do what I do! Trust me!

7.  I don’t need an editor.  I got good grades in English and I have spell check.

Again, please do NOT be this deluded! You need an editor! Something I found out the hard way but, I'm correcting! Just be patient, m'kay??

8.  My book is awesome.  Good reviews will pour in and that will sell my books!

Oh boy...

Yeah, this is probably the worst expectation you can have, especially if you're going to self-publish! Now, don't get me wrong, reviews are helpful and I love all my readers who post them, I really do. They let me know where I might have messed up and I always take them constructively, I really do!

But...the only real time they help you *sell* your work, on their own, is if Amazon or B&N or Smashwords or aRe pick them up as a positive sign and start helping you promote. But, realistically, this is way down the line...for most of us.

Now, is this to say the exception doesn't happen? Of course it does, but are you likely to *be* that exception? No, you're not. Am I? Nope. I haven't been, but that's ok. I didn't step onto this path with that expectation...

In conclusion, the reality here is that you *must* keep your expectations low and realistic. Don't expect to sell a Million copies right out of the gate with your first book. (Celebrate it if you do, but don't count on it!)

And if you simply must have numbers, set them in a range you can live with. (When I started, I said to myself, if I sell thirty copies of my first book in the first month, I'm happy. Did I? Actually, yes, I did. Was I happy? I was ecstatic!)

But, most of all, have fun. Enjoy the success that you published that first book, no matter how good or poorly it does. And if it does do poorly, do your very best to figure out why.

If you don't meet your realistic goals, ask yourself, IS IT THE WORK? Or, is it the cover? The blurb? What?!?!?!

Poll people. Ask for advice from other Authors and take that seriously when they give it. But, do so respectfully. Don't demand their help, ask it with  a "Hey, if you have a minute...could I get your opinion?" And if they say no, do NOT take it personally because it probably isn't. Most likely it will boil down to they just don't have the time to help. (And honestly, most will say that...)

Anyway, that's my two cents - ok, this blog turned into more like a half-dollar's - worth of advice on Self-Publishing. Feel free to use it, or don't. The choice is yours...

Until next time!

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Margaret Taylor

Please Join me on release day for...

Title: Restroom
Author: Paul Levas
Length: Approx. 11 pages
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Wolf Paw Publications
Cover Reveal Date: January 20, 2014
Expected Release Date: January 31, 2014
Reveal Organizer: Wolf Paw Blog Tours
GoodReads

Blurb:
Randy’s brother has a bladder infection. He has for years. Kyle has been laughed at, wet the bed, even wet himself in a normal day’s walk, but when his mother, Shelly, decides to take Randy and Kyle to the carnival, Kyle has hope that he won’t have a bladder issue today, because today is just to good to be bad…until Kyle feels that he has to go. Randy rushes him over to the porta-potty, yet once he enters ,his life issue is the last thing he will ever have to worry about.

Buy Links

Amazon:

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

Paul Levas was born and grew up in Antioch, IL, but has lived in Phoenix, AZ, for the past twenty years. He is a writer specializing in the horror genre, and cites Stephen King as his major influences. He has six short stories published: The Shed, The Hungry Woods, The Blog of Kevin Hickey, Tracy's Day Out (Novelette), Sweet Temptation, and Shadows. He is also included in the anthology titled Grave Robbers, and Pavor Nocturnus Magazine | Horror Quarterly, which is publishing Shadows in their vol 2 Magazine out January 2014. He is currently at work on a novel and A few short stories.

Author Facebook   Pinterest   Website   Tumblr   GoodReads

Until then,

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Margaret Taylor

Please join me for the Emblem of Eternity Spotlight...

Eternal Starling
Book 1

A love so strong, even eternity can’t separate them.

Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.

For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie—but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society—the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance—the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

Amazon | B&N

Eternal Echoes

Book 2

She thought she stopped the evil.

She thought she was safe.

Everything she thought was wrong.

Almost four months have passed since Evie Starling learned she was a Tracker and helped defeat a Daevos Clan that was taking others like her—but that wasn’t the end of the abductions. As an unknown evil emerges, Evie vows to help solve the mystery of the missing Trackers, regardless of the risk.

With new powers she doesn’t understand and can’t control, she turns to Alex and Emil, her two soul mates, for help. But her feelings for them both are tearing her apart.

As the world around her is thrown into chaos, Evie is confronted with what could be a destiny-altering truth. Will she accept her history, her memories, and her role in this life, or choose to ignore the echoes of her past?

Amazon | B&N

Eternal Echoes Excerpt by Angela Corbett

(Emblem of Eternity trilogy, Book 2)

I took a deep breath as I came out of the memory. I was getting better at keeping my flashback reaction less noticeable, but I still steadied myself against the gate. Alex noticed. “Are you okay?” he asked.

            I nodded, my breath less ragged. “I’m fine.”

            “Are you sure?” He came over and stood behind me, a commanding presence. His hands were a gentle weight on my arms as he turned me toward him. At first, he seemed to be looking for signs of distress, but as our eyes caught and held, I knew his thoughts were in other places, and mine were headed there, too. His hand slipped feather-light over my arms and down until they rested above my hips.

            Like I was having some sort of out-of-body experience, I watched as my hand went up to his face, tracing the line of his jaw. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” I said in a very unconvincing way.

It wasn’t that I didn’t mean what I said. I did. And I still had enough blood flowing to my brain to vocalize it. But I was having a hard time convincing my rational side I shouldn’t be making out with Alex. Especially when my rational side was practically screaming that I’d kissed Emil last night and to be fair, I should also make out with Alex. My rational side told me I wouldn’t want a double-standard. My rational side had lost its mind.

            “Why?” Alex asked, inching slowly closer, his eyes dark in a way that made my legs feel like pudding.

            There were so many possible answers to that question, with reasonable arguments why we shouldn’t proceed, that I wasn’t sure which to choose. I started with, “What if the bracelet doesn’t work?”

            Alex glanced down at my bracelet, giving a very slow smile I could only describe as predatory before eying me like he was preparing for an attack. Apparently a couple of centuries of sexual frustration will do that to you.

“It will,” he answered, still moving toward me.

            “How can you be sure?”

            Alex’s mouth curved slightly in a smile part rapacious, part entertained. “I’ve been waiting a long time for a relationship with you, Evie. And for everything that comes with it. I wouldn’t have given you the bracelet if I wasn’t sure it would work. I gave it to you because I intend to put it to use.”

            Sheesh! Judging by his dark, focused gaze, I knew he wasn’t kidding.

            “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” I shook my head, like that would emphasize my argument and stop his sultry advances. It didn’t.

His arms went around me tight, pulling me to him. My chest crushed into his, the hard planes of his stomach obvious even through our clothes. He stared down at me, not loosening his embrace. My breath was shallow as I stared back, wondering how long it would be until we both lost all common sense. He moved his lips over my cheeks, the soft skin brushing wispy strokes over my face. When he got to my ear, he took the soft pad in his lips and nipped lightly, then whispered one word. “Why?”

Why? Why what? Had there been a question? I fumbled around in my head for what we’d been talking about. Oh. That’s right. Bad idea. This is a bad idea. Why is it still a bad idea? What was my list again? I did more fumbling and found one. “What about Emil?”

I felt Alex tense, his shoulders becoming taut under his shirt. “He’s not invited to this conversation.”

Geez! Alex had always been overbearing, but apparently when it came to sex, he was not only overbearing, but alarmingly primitive. Again, I attributed the aggression to decades of pent up frustration.

“Don’t you think he’ll be pissed?”

Alex kept kissing down my neck, and I moaned. His hands moved around to my stomach, unzipping my coat. He quickly discarded it on the ground.

“We all agreed to the rules,” Alex said, his hands moving lightly under my sweater, inching it up ever so slightly. I’d never been addicted to anything, but imagined this was how addiction started. A little at a time. Alex pulled my sweater over my head, then kept kissing back up my neck and along my jawline. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

I looked at where our hands were, and the clothes slowly making their way to the ground. We were about to be doing things that were wrong in a very good way. “I guess it depends on your definition. Emil would think this is seriously wrong.”

The muscles at Alex’s jaw ticked, his eyes glittering with a combination of passion and anger. “I told you,” he said, moving swiftly, one arm sliding under my thighs, the other around my back. He lifted me, cradling me in his arms, and walked down the row of stalls to an empty stall at the end of the barn. Fresh hay was scattered in large mounds, creating a soft bed on the ground—albeit a scratchy one, but better than the dirt floor. He laid me down gently in the hay then straddled me, the years of want and need, written across his face. “We’re not talking about him.” With that, he was on top of me, the kiss aggressive. I could feel my soulmark burning, and my bracelet seemed to be giving off heat as well. If this kept up, I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole barn burst into flames.

Angela Corbett graduated from Westminster College with a double major in communication and sociology. She started working as a reporter when she was sixteen and won awards for feature, news, and editorial writing. She has also done freelance writing. In addition to writing, she works as a director of communications and marketing. She loves classic cars, traveling, cupcakes, and U2. She lives in Utah with her extremely supportive husband and their five-pound Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls could rival Justin Bieber's.

She writes YA/NA titles under the name Angela Corbett, and adult titles under the name Destiny Ford.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Time to Vote Folks...

Ok, I apologize for being late on this but I got the Flu on Friday and have been down, feeling like death warmed over on an unsalted saltine cracker ever since!

But, that doesn't excuse my duties as new mommy...

Anyway, just a few moments ago I wrote down all the names that had been submitted in the previous post and one by one called them out toward the new puppy.

She responded the most to:

Snow Storm (Snow for short)

Natasha (Tasha for short)

Godiva (nothing to shorten it to)

and

Her Exulted High Ladyship Lucky of the Silver Way (Lucky for short)

Now, personally, I'm partial to Her Exulted High Ladyship, but I'm weird like that.

But, I will let the people speak. So, post in a comment below your choice from among the three.

And because I'm late and still not feeling at all like myself, I'm going to leave this open until Wednesday at 8 pm CST to give everyone a chance to have their say.

The little one is anxiously awaiting her name folks. So, speak out, comment, share and make your voice heard!!!!

Until Wednesday.

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Margaret

PS: Don't forget about all the cool prizes to be had. You'll find them in this post here: http://margarettaylorsthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/ok-need-some-helpagain.html#comment-form

Ok, Need Some Help...AGAIN!

So, some of you heard me talking about this on Facebook, but last Saturday I went out to get something to eat. I decided I was craving Long John Silvers (Hey, hey now, don't judge me! I like their Chicken!)

Anyway, as I drove into the restaurant, I noticed a crowd had gathered in the parking lot. Curiosity piqued and hunger temporarily forgotten, I moved over to where everyone was and found...low and behold, four, adorable little puppies!

Apparently, some douche (please excuse the language there!) had driven up to the dumpster, gotten out of his car, set a box down, got back in his car and drove away without a second glance. A bit later one of the employees was taking out some trash and heard some whimpering mewlings coming from said box and investigated.

Now, by the time I arrived, Animal Control had already been called and a few minutes after I got there, an officer showed up. He informed the crowd cooing and awwwing over the wee darlin's that he could take them, but they would go to the Emergency Vet Clinic because our local shelter was currently not taking new animals. They would be held for 12 hours and if no one claimed them - because the Clinic is not a long term facility - they would be put down.

Needless to say, the crowd looked at one another and collectively said, "Oh hell nah!"

So, I have a new family member...

May I present, the currently unnamed little wee one...

 

TA-DA!!!!! (Sorry it's not a very good picture, but she's black with white markings and bow-legged in the back - which is super, duper cute!)

 

Now, according to a vet friend of mine, she is an eight-week old, Half Pit/Half Labrador. She is one of a four sisters, two of which went with other customers and the last went with one of the employees.

 

And, as you know, since I'm horrible with names, here's the dealio...

 

I'm going to run a contest until Saturday, January 11 at Midnight EST.  From now until then, please post what you think this little girl should be named in a comment below. On Saturday, I'll pick the three best names and post them here to be voted on. On Monday, the top vote getter (I'll tell you how to vote in the next post) will be chosen and thus the puppy will be happy!  (She's happy right now, and so is her suddenly loving big brother, Sir Bandit Maximillian Roo, The Gunny of Paradoxes! But, I can't keep calling her "Puppers" or "Little Girl" or "Hey You" or "Come mere".)

 

Anyway, here's what you can win.

 

The name with the highest votes on Monday will get the following:

 

1. Obviously, the puppy's forever gratitude, especially if it's a really, super, duper, cool name!

 



2. eBook copies of A First Love Never Dies *and* Saving His Love, Books 1 & 2 of the Spi-Corp Series. (And if you've read/have those, thank you! but I'll give you two choices from my back list in that case.)

3. A character named with your choice of puppy names in Book 4 of the Spi-Corp Series. (This is EJ's book and there are some very cute animals in it that need names!)

and finally,

4. Just because I'm cool like this, I'm gonna throw in a $10 GC to Amazon or B&N, your choice. 

But, to me that's just a bonus. Isn't it infinitely cooler to have a puppy's undying gratitude, and that your choice of names will be a character in a book?

I'm just sayin'...

So, with that, I'll leave you now to think up some really cool names.  Please, don't go with the standard though.  I'm Pagan so the weirder the better as evidenced by Roo's full name!  Get me?

And to start things off, we already have a potential...

My loving Cousin, Jana Bramble, suggested Godiva (after the chocolate, but she doesn't have the coloring for it and she's not quite that much of a Diva, though she is getting there!)

If you like that name though, feel free to say so below.

Until Sunday,

Thanks, as always for stopping by.

Margaret Taylor.

A Christmas Funny for my peeps...

In the spirit of the holidays, I was on the blog of the lovely Ms. Kristen Lamb earlier today and she asked the question, What's the best Christmas Present you've ever gotten or given? And I just had to tell this story...(Warning, do *not* drink while reading the following...just sayin'...)

I got stopped once – back when I worked a 7pm to 3am shift and was sooooo tired the poor cop thought I was drunk. (I was a little punch drunk mind you, but still safe enough to drive.)

Anyway, I proceeded to stumble a bit, shot my arm in the air and answered the cop’s question of “Have you had anything to drink?” with, “YES! But it was the Klingon’s….they MADE me do it!”

This of course required the standard sobriety test to follow – which continuing to play the part of the drunken, alien diplomat – I failed in gloriously horrible fashion – doing things like, “Walk a straight line, heel to toe…” where I would pretend to stumble (not really cause I’m a natural klutz anyway!) and shout…”THERE IT GOES…” and “Say your ABC’s backwards…” To which I answered in some randomly made up and very ALIEN sounding language and the “Lean your head back, close your eyes and touch the tips of your fingers to your nose…” brought about a rockin’ rendition of a horribly belted out Klingon Opera whilst randomly poking myself in the eye!

Needless to say, the poor cop eventually gave me the Breathalyzer, which I passed of course (I truly had not had a drop!). When he finally broke down, frowning at the poor machine (He made me take it four times mind you b/c he thought it was busted) I leaned back against my car and told him in a perfectly calm tone, “Merry Christmas Sir. You looked like you could use a bit of levity on this day.”

At which point he fell over laughing…

When he could speak again, he just shook his head and said, “That, by far, was the strangest traffic stop/possible DUI I’ve ever had, but thank you. And Merry Christmas to you too.”

Now, as I have no friends and no family – and didn’t back then either – this was by far the best present I’ve ever given or gotten.

Best part…I still have the video! (Somewhere mind you, I have moved over the years, but it was all caught on his dash cam. And yes, for the remaining two years I lived in the area, every time I passed a cop, be they city or county, they smiled and waved, telling me they too, had seen...the video!)

The point being, during this time of year, remember it's not necessarily that you give a gaily wrapped gift of paper, ribbons and bows, but the fact that you give a gift of laughter and joy to someone who might just need it...

And I'd love to hear the best present you've ever gotten, given or got this year! Feel free to comment below with your answer and your email and I might just draw a name for a copy of I Saw Momma Shoot Santa Claus sometime later on tonight...you never know!

Happy Holidays everyone. May yours be filled with good food, fun laughter, Peace and Joy!

Until next time,

Margaret Taylor

Last Minute Christmas Sale

So, because I just love you all...

I've put I Saw Momma Shoot Santa Claus on sale for the next couple of days.

If you haven't grabbed a copy yet of this funny, romantic take on the Mythos of Santa, now's as good at time as any, right?

Right!

So, grab it while it's hot ladies and gents!

Feel free to share and if you like it, please consider writing a review! I love hearing from you!

 

BUY LINK

 

Slade McKinney does not believe in Santa Claus. She never has. Calling the worst places in the Chicago foster care system home just doesn’t inspire belief in a jolly fat man who grants wishes and creates miracles. So, when she discovers Santa Claus in her living room on Christmas Eve, she reacts just as if she were still a Chicago police detective …

Chris St. Nick has watched the horrors unfold in Slade’s life until he could no longer sit by. As a child he saved her from a horrible home. Slade carries a heavier burden into adulthood and Chris breaks protocol for the first time in order to ease her suffering again. Will his sacrifice truly help and can she appreciate the gifts he leaves behind?

Slade can’t understand a life without suffering and loss. Chris has never had to sacrifice anything. He wants to heal her pain but can Slade give in to the longings of her heart and find hope for the first time? Will Chris’ optimism be enough to overcome the years of pain she’s endured? Or is Slade cursed by a generation’s old tradition that has nothing to do with Chris but everything to do with the man he is...

 

 

Thanks, as always for stopping by.

 

May your Holiday be filled with good food, fun family, Peace and Joy!

 

Until next time.

 

Margaret Taylor