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Oh, Behave

As I’ve said in earlier posts, the indie community is small and sometimes a little incestuous. There are rarely six degrees of separation; most authors’ friends lists intersect with all the others, and word spreads fast.

So whenever there’s an instance of an author Behaving Badly, it doesn’t take long for the story to get around. And I know it’s a shocker, but sometimes the facts get lost along the way.

I don’t claim to have it all together. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else out there. But I was raised right, by parents and grandparents who made sure I knew what was what. And although I’m nearing the end of my fifth decade and all of those wonderful people have moved on to a better world, I still know better. Most of the time.

its-time-to-stop-postingI know, for instance, that when I’m in public at an event, representing my profession and my books and my branding, I need to Behave. I smile no matter what, and when people say outrageous things, I do my best to nod and keep smiling. When I’m tired and ready to go hide in my room, I really try to pull out some extra energy and keep on keeping on. I’ll admit that there have been times when I’ve been less than outgoing; I’m not an extravert, and I have to force it.

When others make different choices, when we feel as though Bad Behavior is encroaching on our own rights, we might be tempted to vent. Some of us might want to vent on social media. This, dear ones, is not a good idea. Vent to your mother, your sister, your husband, your therapist. But spouting off on social media, no matter how justified you feel it might be, is Not Cool. And it won’t lead to resolution; it will lead to more Bad Behavior and to people taking sides and to nastiness all around. Don’t do it.

But if someone does decide to vent on social media, don’t respond. Be the Bigger Person. Hide the complainer, unfriend her, turn off your computer and your phone or do whatever you must do, but avoid engaging.

I’ve heard the excuses. I’ve heard authors claim that readers “deserve to know” about an author or an event or another reader. Dear ones, they really don’t. They don’t deserve to know, because it doesn’t affect them. A bitchy author who writes excellent books doesn’t need you to bring her down. Karma will do it. Or not, but it doesn’t matter to you. Move on and in the immortal words of Taylor Swift. . .Shake It Off.

Call me Pollyanna or say that I’m wearing rose-colored-glasses, but I promise, life is much nicer when you step away from the drama. When you close the computer, turn off the phone and just say no to posting something negative. Focus on the positive; talk about the wonderful sweet and helpful authors out there, the ones who cheer on their compatriots. Tell your readers about how fabulous the event you attended was.

Or in the words of Austin Powers. . .oh, behave.APimages

An Eventful Year (Part 2)

Last week, I talked a little about what it’s like going to author/reader events as a reader, along with some tips for making the most of the experience. This week, I want to talk about it from the other side of the table.

What are events like from an author’s point of view?

First, I have to recommend this really excellent post by Delilah Dawson. She does a great job of talking about why you may find authors difficult to interact with at events. (That’s my nice way of saying it; Delilah lays it on the line.)

Each of us has a different plan for our schedule and for how many events we attend. Last year, for instance, my year began in early February, and with the exception of April, when I was home, I was at a con about every other weekend until the end of May, and then again in August and10605450_10152421412689145_601366583_o September. It was a lot; in fact, it was almost too much. I was exhausted to the point of tear by May.

This year, as I said last week, I’m a little more spread out from February to mid-August. (Click here for an exact schedule.) I’m hoping it will be less stress on me and more fun for everyone.

Let’s talk about events: the author POV.

Preparation for a con begins months, sometimes even a year, ahead of time. We determine if this event will be a good fit for us, and we commit to a table. We may volunteer to donate swag, books for a charity giveaway, sponsor a party or some other element of the weekend and offer to sit on panels (if they’re available).

And then we promote. We share with our readers where we’re going to be. We offer incentives to come see us. We participate in the reader/author groups (one per event) and we put banners on our pages and we cheerlead–a lot.

As the time comes for the author event, we have to plan our swag offerings, how many books to bring, what else we want on our table, whether or not to bring a banner and any other piece of plan-ahead minutia. We check the agenda to see what kind of clothes to wear. We check the weather to see whether we need a coat. We check the hotel to see if it has a pool.

The closer it gets, the more excited we become. Writing can be a lonely business, and some of us get positively giddy at the thought of hanging with our favorite author buddies! The idea of chatting with people who speak our peculiar and particular language. . .it’s fabulous. We plan meet-ups and hang-outs, because from this vantage point, the weekend seems full of opportunity, and sitting at home, our energy levels are high.

For a lot of us, though, once we arrive at the venue, things can change. The stresses of travel, getting checked in to a hotel and to the event, finding where we’re supposed to be, hauling alllll our stuff to our rooms. . .well, it’s tiring. And when we see crowds of people doing the same thing, we may just want to crawl into that beautiful hotel bed and hide.

Some of us, some of won’t. Some of us will be at every party, and some of us will convince ourselves that the parties and other meet-ups are for other authors, not people like us. But we’ll show up at every place where we’re specifically committed: panels, signings, meet and greets, blogger events. . .because we’ve said we’d be there. Even if we’re fatigued beyond the telling, we’ll slap on a smile and go.

For those authors who are dipping their toes into the event pool this year–and for those who feel they’re still figuring it all out–here are some tips I’ve picked up from my own experience and from some of my friends. Take it for what it’s worth.

–Don’t over commit yourself. Ten events in ten different cities may seem like a good and workable plan now, as you sit at your desk, but unless you’re twenty-two, have a personal staff and a private plane, it’ll do you in. Plan the events that are reasonable, with enough recovery time in-between.

–If you commit to an event, do promote it. The planners can only do so much, and it behooves everyone to get involved in publicity. Share all the info, push ticket sales, encourage your readers to come. If you can, give away some tickets. Tell readers why they’ll enjoy it.

–Be participatory and responsive in the months leading up to the event. I’ve been next to authors who’ve sniffily said they were too good to join the author-only groups for an event. Guess what? Those authors missed out on vital information that would’ve made the day more successful. You’re only hurting yourself and the event by not jumping in.

–Don’t spam the event reader groups. It’s fine to introduce yourself and share info about your books, but maybe once or twice in the months leading up to the event. You don’t want to turn people off before they’ve met you.

–Get to know other authors. Often, in the author-only groups, you’ll find you have things in common with other attending authors. It’s cool to make friends ahead of time. You might even want to make plans to meet that person once you get there, especially if you don’t know anyone else.

–Ask questions–but limit them to the event. It’s fine to ask how many books to bring, where’s the best spot to get a margarita in the host city, or who could take delivery of your books before the weekend. It’s great to post for a roommate, a ride from the airport or ask who wants to meet for dinner one night. It’s not okay to ask other authors to critique your books, offer a review sentence or help you choose a cover.

–Stay at the venue hotel. The planners have a room block, and they need to fill it. Help out.

–Allow plenty of time to get to the event. Don’t stress yourself and the planners by arriving at the last minute. Have a ride from the airport.

–Plan to participate in as many of the weekend activities as possible. This is for your benefit and for the planners. Don’t disappoint anyone by hiding in your room the whole time.

–At the same time, pace yourself. If you’re like me, signings and meet and greets can be exhausting. Try to give yourself a 30 minute break between these commitments so that you can refresh and recharge.

–Dress professionally. You don’t have to wear a business suit, but jeans and sneakers probably don’t cut it. You can be comfortable and still look put-together. This is your business. Treat it that way.

–Act professionally. Readers might like your wild and crazy personality on line, but in person, you need to keep things toned down. You can be yourself one-on-one, if you know a reader, but on panels, at signings and at meet and greets, limit profanity. I don’t care how dirty your books are; this is business, and no matter what, you will offend someone.

–Don’t get drunk in public. Now, does this sound like a no-brainer? And yet. . .for a lot of us, we combine events with vacations. This is our time away, and we might want to cut loose. Don’t do where you can embarrass yourself and your readers.

–Make the effort to reach out. When you’re at a signing or a meet and greet, look people in the eye, shake their hands and introduce yourself. Ask about them. Make conversation.

–Wear your name tag. I don’t care how well known you are, not everyone will recognize you. At RT last year, I stepped back to let a lady pass me. I didn’t recognize her. I happened to see her name tag and gasped. . .it was Charlaine Harris. As in, Sookie Stackhouse. I love her books, but I wouldn’t have known her if I hadn’t seen her name tag. Wear yours and help everyone out.

–At the signing: have the most copies of your first in series and your most recent release. Those will be your biggest sellers, most likely. Display your books as attractively as you can. I’ve found that a rack of books is intimidating to people, but single books, displayed at the front, draw readers in.

–Have something else at your table that attracts attention. Last year, I began having balloons at my table. It was great for visibility and made me a draw to moms wandering with small children. Candy is also a big hit.

–Hand out something. Whether it’s a swag back, small non-paper swag or goodie bags, having something to give everyone who comes past your table gets you on your feet and interacting with readers. I’ve yet to meet the person who will turn down a goodie bag.

–If you have a newsletter, have a sign up sheet on your table or a tablet where readers can sign up. Great way to build your list.

–Don’t have too much at your table. Your books, some swag and maybe one signature piece. . .you don’t want it to look junky.

–Be engaged. Believe me, I understand how easy it is to sit at your table while people wander past, checking your messages or playing solitaire on your phone. Don’t do it. Smile, catch eyes and engage.

–Not everyone will stop at your table. Don’t take it personally. There are readers who come to see one author only, and they won’t let themselves even meet another new one. Most readers aren’t like that. Don’t sweat those who are.

–When readers do stop, if they don’t know you, tell them why they should read your books. Give them a link to your freebies. Put a paperback in their hands and suggest they read the back. Ask what they like to read, and tell them how your books fit into that. Tell them where they can find you online.

–Get good sleep while you’re away. Don’t stay up too late.

–Eat well. You need your energy, and it turns out peanut M&M’s and chips and dip won’t cut it all weekend.

–Stay hydrated. Bottled water is your friend.

–Have your pain reliever of choice on hand: you may get a headache. Also have mints and hand sanitizer. Just saying.

–If you can do it, have help. Bring an assistant, a friend, or an older kid. They’ll help you unpack, re-pack and haul alllll your stuff back and forth. You’ll need that help.

–Talk to the authors near you. Check out their books. Offer to trade a book for one of theirs. Exchange cards. When a reader comes up and mentions she enjoys the genre the author at the next table writes, introduce them. It’s called being gracious.

–At some point during the weekend, step out of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to authors you’ve never met.

–Try to go to panels, even if you’re not on them. It’s classy.

Oh, my goodness, I could keep going. We may need a Part 3. But you get the picture. Remember all those manners your mama taught you? Use them. Be kind, be polite, be classy. Open doors, hold elevators, compliment others. Oh, and take pictures, so you can share the weekend with all your readers who couldn’t be there. When they see what fun they’ve missed, they may make the effort to come to the next event.

 

Two Sides of the Amazon Coin

(Full disclosure: I’m at a crucial point in finishing a book under deadline. I’ve hardly moved from my computer all day, and every creative impulse has been sapped out of me. So I dug into my old post pile and found this one from April 2012. Guess what? It still applies today. Enjoy, and I’ll be back next Thursday with a fresh and shiny This Author’s Life.)

For the last several months, most of my posts here have been about book promotion–and that is how it should be, since for the last several months, my life has been about book promotion.

amazonToday we’re going to veer off that topic just a little.  I’d like to talk about Amazon.

I’ve spoken with quite a few people who work in different parts of the publishing world. There are some who believe that Amazon’s very existence is threatening small business, state governments, the future of publishing and the very fabric of life itself. There are others who see Amazon as the wave of the future, the only possible solution to the challenges that have confronted the ever-changing world of business in general and book publishing specifically.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll remind you that my books are epublished and sold through Amazon.  I clearly have a business relationship with them.

I am grateful that Amazon exists.  The company has not only opened wide the doors of publishing for the independent author, it has for all intents and purposes held our hands as we walked through. Indie publishing is that easy through Amazon.

But I see the bigger picture as well.  I know that Amazon’s existence and ease of use has made us lazy and demanding consumers.  When we want something, we simply go to the Amazon page, search for it. . .order it. . .and usually it arrives within a few days, at a price that it is at least competitive if not better than that of our local source.

I know too that many consider Amazon’s open door to publishing to be a death knoll of quality books, that without the traditional gatekeepers of agents and editors fighting off the specter of bad writing and poor stories, we’re all doomed.

I don’t agree. Visit your local bookstore, pick up about ten books randomly.  Some of them will be great; well-edited, well-written stories that deserve their spot on the shelf.  But some of them are the equivalent of literary garbage, poorly written drivel that slips through because of the perceived demands of the reading public. (“We need MORE VAMPIRE BOOKS!!  I don’t care if there’s a story. . just GIVE ME VAMPIRES!!”)

Here’s the truth, folks:  Amazon isn’t the devil.  It’s not going to usher in the end of days. But it’s not the savior either; it’s merely a vehicle that’s helping to take us from point A–our old way of doing things–to point B, whatever the future might hold. Change is never easy, but it’s constant. Let’s hold on and see where we end up.

In the meantime, I’m happy to marching right through that door.

I’m Reading #Nerd, #Hater, #Player

The indie community is not without its drama, and last fall, some of it involved two authors who apparently were both writing books with a similar main idea. I don’t know details, I don’t know people involved; I only heard buzzings here and there. For some reason, the topic in question stuck in my head.

So when I saw the titles of Cambria Hebert’s series, it rang a bell. I might’ve just slid past it, but the blurb of the first book (#Nerd) struck a chord, and I downloaded it.

I’ve said before that I find some New Adult books somewhat formulaic. It doesn’t bother me, necessarily, as long as the characters are strong and the storyline doesn’t take itself too seriously. A few extra twists never hurt anyone, either.

#Nerd definitely has the formula element. The nerd is the girl, Rimmel (and it’s never addressed where her name came from. . .which I found interesting and a little maddening. If I knew a girl named Rimmel, the first thing I’d ask is where she got her name). She’s not only a nerd, she’s actually a very shy, withdrawn, almost-hermit girl, who dresses in clothes five sizes too big, wears her hair around her face and keeps everyone at arm’s length.  As a matter of fact, in my school days, she wouldn’t have been termed a nerd, necessarily, as much as just ignored. In Buffy-lore, Rimmel would’ve gone invisible long before our story begins. But I digress.

She’s at a college in Maryland on scholarship, and of course part of that scholarship is the requirement to tutor her less-academically-minded students. And to whom is she assigned as a tutor? You guessed it. Hot, rich, popular football player, with heavy emphasis on PLAYER. Dude gets around. During their first study session in the library, he slinks off with a random chick and our poor little nerd spies him getting some action in the stacks.

(Side note to girls in college: if popular literature is accurate, get yourself on staff as a tutor to meet the man of your dreams. Apparently it never fails. You’re welcome.)

But our player, Roman, aka Romeo (and it’s a testament to how much I really liked his character, because I had a hard time taking him seriously with that nickname) turns out to have a heart of gold. He sees the sweet vulnerability in Rimmel, and something in him harkens to something in her. Deep cries unto deep, one might say.

Unfortunately, before this can really develop, there’s a complication in the form of a fraternity rushing initiation. Although this is not a belabored point, thankfully, it does play into both the rest of this book and the second one. There’s the twist, see?

I gobbled up all three books in about three days, so you can tell I enjoyed them. The characters were compelling, well-written and likable. The plot wasn’t shocking or earth-shattering, but it was viable and interesting. The use of the fictional college’s BuzzFeed, a texting gossip network work that uses way too many hashtags, was cute and added to the background.

If I had any reservations about these books, it would be the speed with which Rimmel transforms from hermit-girl to girlfriend of popular dude. We find out why she’s hiding under all those clothes fairly quickly after she and Romeo begin dating, and while I am all for the theory of love-cures-all, I needed her to be a little more real in her reservations. Then again, maybe in real life, any girl who was full-court-press pursued by our man Romeo would cave fast, too.

A fourth book is coming out in May, about one of the side characters. I really enjoyed the supporting cast in these books, including Romeo’s parents. I like this new trend in NA of letting the parents play a bigger role. It feels more realistic to me.

So if you enjoy New Adult romance with a little humor, some heaty heat (oh, yeah!) and some intense love. . .if you liked Beautiful Disaster, for instance. . .check out Cambria Hebert’s Hashtag series.

I’m off to skulk for something else to read. Oh, yeah. . .and write the book that’s under deadline right now.

Kindle Unlimited, Book Pricing and The Worth of an Author

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I started this post a few moments ago at 11:10 PM, the night before it’s scheduled to go up. Working past midnight is not unusual for me. As I type this, the room is dark, and my husband is long asleep in the bed by my desk. Poor guy, he’s learned to sleep to the accompaniment of the taps of my keyboard and ignore the bright light of my monitor (and it’s a big one, too).

I’ve spent today writing. . .some. And I took some unusual time to spend with my two younger kids, one of whom is on spring break from college. Other than that, I worked on writer-related stuff. I responded to emails and messages. I commented on posts from readers. I corresponded with the wonderful people who keep my business life moving along, setting up tasks and goals for the next few weeks. I chatted with some fellow authors about some business issues and how to best address them. I worked with some other fellow authors on setting up an event we’re doing this Sunday to promote our books. I boxed up prizes and signed books to send to readers. I worked with my business partner on some details for the book event we’re hosting in July this year, here in Orlando.

So, yeah. Really a pretty light day.

I don’t think I know a single author who doesn’t work hard. Most of us have hours that would make the most hard-core stock broker or dedicated doctor cringe. We’re up late, we’re up early, and we never stop. We do it, as the lovely meme above reminds us, because we love it. We love the characters we create, we love the readers who love those characters along with us, we love our fellow writers (well, mostly) and we love the idea that on a daily basis we are peopling the world with more fabulous fictional folk.

But even when you do something for love, it’s nice to see a paycheck.

Last year, Amazon introduced a program called Kindle Unlimited. It’s basically Netflix for books: by the company’s own description: Enjoy unlimited access to over 700,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks on any device for just $9.99 a month.

Sounds awesome, huh? Great idea. 700,000 books for about the price of a cup and a half of coffee at Starbucks. What a bargain.

And of course it is. For some readers, this works out well. Even some authors have benefitted from the program.

Most have not.

I’m not going to get into the whys and wherefores here. Others have done it far better than I could, and I’ll share some of the links below. I strongly encourage you to read these posts and articles before you make up your mind about KU.

What I will address is the idea of an author’s worth. When ebooks were introduced, we weren’t really sure how to price them, to be honest. I remember sitting in front of my computer, uploading Fearless and trying to decide what to choose. (For the record, I believe Fearless began life at $2.99.)

But as time went on, authors began to realize that we can’t keep underpricing our books and continue producing them. It may seem that creating an ebook should be cheap and easy, but let me assure you, it is neither. Delivery is less expensive; other than that, it’s the same basic premise as any hardback or paperback you might buy at Barnes and Noble for $16.99. It must be edited, proofread and formatted. A cover must be created and produced. Often, artwork for that cover must be created. Nothing is cheap and nothing is free.

And yet. . .it seems some readers expect that our books should be.

Today, in March 2015, all of my ebooks are priced at $3.99 and under, with the exception of The King Series Boxset which is FOUR full-length books plus a short for $6.99. Two of my books are free (Fearless and Best Served Cold). Do I feel my books are fairly priced for a reader? Absolutely. Do I think they’re fairly priced for me? Not really.

I’m not complaining. I love my job, and I would do it for free. That’s the truth. I’d write even if you charged me to do it. But I don’t want to write for free, and like any other professional, I hope I’ve earned the right not to do so.

Happily, I am surrounded by fabulous readers who never, ever question the value of my books. They make me happy on a daily basis, and I’d pay for that luxury, too.

It’s business practices like KU and others going on in other book sellers that make us feel undervalued, under-respected and just plain tired.

So before you sign on for Kindle Unlimited, or for any program that affects how authors earn, do some research. Think about how much you value the work of your favorite authors.

We’re worth at least the same as a cup of designer coffee, right?

 

 

Articles on Kindle Unlimited that I recommend:

 

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/kindle-unlimiteds-two-tier-system-makes-some-authors-second-class-citizens/

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/01/writers-are-mixed-over-amazon-unlimited/?_r=0

http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/07/is-kindle-unlimited-bad-for-authors.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/technology/amazon-offers-all-you-can-eat-books-authors-turn-up-noses.html

Free And Bargain Kindle eBooks