I changed my mind!

Earlier, I posted a book cover for my upcoming release "A Week at the Beach".  Here it is:

I had a few people look at it, and while I got some positive feedback from it, I just wasn't feeling it.  So, I did a little more searching and here's what I've come up with now:

So...which do you prefer? 

What do you want from your chick lit?

Seriously...as a reader, what is it that you want from your chick lit?  Do you hope to learn something new about yourself?  Are you hoping to gain an insight into the human condition?  What are your expectations going into chick lit?
For me, when I read chick lit, I do it for a specific purpose.  To be entertained.  I like to laugh.  I like to smile.  Sometimes, I even like to cry.  I read chick lit because I like to escape the real world.  I don't want to pick up a book and be bored with a storyline that mimics my own life. Blah! I want to be swept away by the unrealistic romance.  I want a big stupid romantic moment at the end.  I want a happily ever after!  I've only read one book in the chick lit genre that didn't have what I would call a happy ending, and I was pissed when I finished that book!  I felt cheated and angry! 
As an indie author in this genre, I am curious what others want from their chick lit.  Do you expect more realism?  Do you not want the happy ending?  What is it that you want from your chick lit?

Put your judgement cap on!

I've done this before, so I'm offering it up again.  My next release is A Week at the Beach.  It's a fun, light, beach-themed read that I hope you'll enjoy.  Before it hits the online store, I need to settle on a cover.  I want your honest opinion.  Would you pick this book based on the cover?

Tell me what you think!

Striking while the iron is hot!

I've given it a lot of thought, and I've decided that I should move on things while my name is out there.  Instead of sitting back and hoping that the 10,000+ people who downloaded a free copy of Nuptials for Sale will buy one of the other books, I've decided to give them another bite.  Starting 12/23 and ending 12/24, Second Chance will be free! 
Now that my name is out there, I think offering people the chance to grab another book might help keep it out there.  I plan to throw these free promotional days out there for all of my books for the next few months.  I hope that it intrigues readers and encourages them to read all my books, as well as spread the word about them. 
Again, a big thank you to all that scoop up these books!  You make it all seem worth it!

Happy Reading!

Cows, milk, and books

Take a moment to really think about the title of this post...Do you see where I'm going with this?

Yes, I'm referencing that old saying, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?"  I've just finished my first free promotion campaign.  It was definitely successful.  Seeing the number of downloaded books rise all the way up to, and then past, 10,000 was an amazing experience.  I don't think I got much work done at all this week, but I've gotten really good at mental math!
Now that I know there are 10,000 people out there with my book, I'm waiting anxiously to find out if sales of the other three books will pick up.  So far, not counting the free "sales", this has been my most successful month.  I was tickled to receive a 5* review from someone at amazon.co.uk (thanks for posting on here, Rita!).  Tonight, I nearly wept when I found that another 5* review has been posted on amazon.co.uk!  (You can read them both here) Since sales of Nuptials for Sale were basically nonexistent prior to this campaign, I would say that sometimes giving the milk away is a good thing.  While your mother may not agree with this sentiment when it comes to other things in life, I think that with indie books, giving the milk away just makes others want to buy the cow!
On a side note, I'd like to say something to the people of the UK.  I love you!  You nearly doubled the US download total!  Believe me when I say that I am seriously fighting the urge to move there so I can be with people who clearly get me!  Thanks!  I love you! 

A small glimpse at success or just a very pricey mistake?

My last post was about my decision to offer Nuptials for Sale for free 12/14-12/18.  I was absolutely thrilled when I woke up on the 14th to find that I'd given away twice as many books in 6 hours as I'd sold in several months (that's with all titles combined).  However, by the time I checked my reports again at school - a mere forty-five minutes later - I started to wonder if I'd made a big mistake by offering the book for free.  It's now been almost 48 hours since the book went on sale for 100% off and I am absolutely freaking out about the results.
As a new indie author, the idea of selling the same number of books as I have fingers and toes in one month feels like success.  So watching my freebie numbers continue to rise is a little frightening. A million questions are floating through my head.

What have I done?

What if none of the free readers buy one of my other books?

What's going to happen when my book is no longer free and disappears from the spotlight?

Will some of these readers post reviews?

Could this actually help me sell more books?

Is that opportunity knocking at my door or is it just the sound of my head banging against the wall out of regret?

I felt a little better when I received a comment on my last post from a reader.  She was very encouraging and then posted an amazing review.  See it here   It's amazing and I seriously want to put it on a shirt and wear it around for everyone to read!

The questions are still lingering, though.  This is completely new territory for me and I feel like I have no one to go to for advice.  There's no one I know that can calm me down, tell me this is normal, and that this will all work out in the end.  Right now, I could really use the sage advice of someone who can simply say, "Been there. Done that."

Basically, I've still got 3 more days of this torture before I can see if this whole thing has paid off.  Pun intended!



The best things in life are free...and so is one of my books!

With the addition of the new feature, KDP Select, for indie authors on Amazon, I was able to promote myself by offering one of my books for free for 5 days.  Despite the controversy that KDP Select has caused amongst indie authors, I chose to sign up with the program.  I do not currently offer my books anywhere but on Amazon, so I figured it was worth a try. 
I decided to put Nuptials for Sale on promotion from 12/14-12/18.  Currently, Christmas in Hell is doing well, but that's a seasonal title and I know that come December 26, the interest in that one will die down.  So, how do I continue to promote myself? 
Apparently, I offer a book for free!
Holy Cow!!!!!
I checked my stats this morning and was SHOCKED to see how many people had downloaded Nuptials for Sale for free!  My first thought was "What have I done?  Look at all the royalties I've lost!" However, the more optimistic side of me calmed me down by saying, "Yes, but look at how many more readers you've just gained!"
I am hopeful that this will work in my favor.  I hope that people will download this free book, be happy with the quality of it, and seek out other titles by this up and coming Indie author! 
I'll keep you posted!

BTW...in case you missed it, here's a link to the Amazon page where you can get this book for free! http://amzn.to/u1IIAf