Dead Wrong...in paper

My latest novel in the Vinnie Esposito series has made it into the paperback realm. I know many publishers and authors have given up on the paper market, but I have staunch readers who enjoy the feel and texture of paper. They refuse to give it it up for an electronic reader. I enjoy both paper and readers, but I must say an electronic reader is oh, so much more convenient. When I want a book, I download it instantly. No running to the store (several miles, for me) or waiting in line at the register... Every time one of my books makes a debut, I hold a tea party bash with free everything, except the books. I place an ad in the local papers, online and even in the church bulletin. People come in droves and we have a great time. Since the books come out in ebook form first, I generally make pdf copies so the buyers can download the story into their ereader. What if they share it? That's a chance I take and another matter altogether. But...back to paper. Don't you just love the texture of paper? I do, I have a stack of books that I'll never discard in any way, simply because I enjoy the books and read them over now and then, but also I like the feel of a book in my hands. I don't think paper will disappear entirely, not everyone can afford an ereader, but they will become an endangered species, that's for sure.

Publicity & Budgeting

When working out a plan for publicity, the first thing I do is consider how much money I have available. The second thing is work out what goodies I will give away that will stay in the public's hands and not end up in the trash.

Give-aways are great, but how much revenue/publicity do they generate? How many new readers will I get? I have gotten emails from people who took my goody bags, so I realize they have at least looked things over and found use for many of them. Since I make much of my own goodies, the interest is usually great. I put together materials people can keep and use, but cost little. Am I crazy? Sometimes I wonder, but as a creative person, I enjoy making my give-aways, staying within my budget and trying to come up with new ideas for fans. You're not an artist/crafter, you say? You don't need to be. My computer is my best friend, I print, cut and paste lots of stuff on sticky paper from Staples. I use a paper cutter to cut them out and then stick them to whatever surface I plan to use. I shop in places like JobLot, The Dollar Tree, Oriental Trading and such. Why pay tons when you can put things together for little cost and do so while watching your favorite television program. It's easier than you think.

Advertising is another issue. When putting my budget together, I try to find what I can get for free, where I can get it and who is offering a 2 or 3 for 1 deal. CoffeeTime Romance is great, but The Romance Studio has done wonders where my advertising is concerned. They do the set-up, the scheduling and offer bargains. Who could ask for more? I take every opportunity offered for interviews, public readings, library appearances, etc. and if my publisher doesn't send out my book for review to everyone under the sun, then I pick up the slack and send it to my favorite places.

Facebook, Linked-in, blogging, websites, and a newsletter also get my name out there. The newsletter thing is in the works right now, but will be on everyone's email soon. I just have to find more time in the day.

So think about what you do, how you can use this information to increase your notoriety and then tell me how it's going. I'd love to hear from you.

Starting the New Year Off Right!

Let's face it...we all say we have attainable resolutions for the upcoming year, but do we really? I begin every January with a host of great goals that seem good at the time I make them. Most of them never work out and for that I have myself to blame. Or do I? Maybe I make those resolutions with others in mind, not myself or maybe I set my standards too high. For instance..losing weight because my suit doesn't seem to sit on my body as neatly as it did. What about gravity? Couldn't that be the reason? Yeah, right!
Anyway...this year I decided to start out with a couple simple goals. One is to write or create everyday, even if it is only for a brief period of time. The other goal is to get much needed exercise, even if that means walking the neighborhood in the cold, rain or what have you. Yep, I set those darned goals, and I feel they are attainable. We'll see!
What kind of goals did you set?

Memories Past

After reading a blog this morning, I began thinking about my own childhood memories of Christmas past. I lived in Maine as a child. The winters were frigid and the snowfall magnificent. I'm sure the adults didn't think so, but as a kid, there was always sledding, snowmobiling, skating and the best of all...snowman making. The snowbanks were high, snow castles fun and the snow angels plentiful. My parents would cut down a tree (we lived on 300 acres of wooded property) and our family would spend hours decorating it. Those were the days! Christmas morning held wonderful surprises for all four of us kids. I was the youngest, and believed in Santa for what seems ages. (Still do, I think!)
My mother was an excellent cook and a superb baker. She began making her own chocloates as gifts for friends. We, of course, got the mistakes. Yummy! Our table was full, our happiness plentiful and the season wondrous.
Today things are different. Things change with time and of course, our memories do as well. I have a grown grandson who is the light of my life. Our small family spends the holidays together every year. We reminisce over the days of old and maybe even wear rose colored glasses when we do so. But, that's okay. Happy holidays to you all and may your dreams come true.

JM

Hunting for Agents

There are ups and downs when it comes to acquiring an agent, but for me, the hunt is the most difficult. Even though agents are supposed to work for the author, the difficulty is in acquiring them. I know we all think our work is the biggest and brightest star on the horizon. I just had that conversation with a fellow writer not long ago. But, the truth is, we have to figure out how to make an agent we really desire to represent our work see how brilliant we really are. (Tongue in cheek, there).

I met an agent in October who I thought would be a perfect match for me. She readily agreed to read the first 100 pages of my manuscript, but declined taking me on saying the character in the story didn't grab her. Okay! I can take rejection, but the best thing here is that it made me consider WHAT and WHY the character didn't grab her. Was it a personal preference or something about the character that wasn't strong enough to hold the agents attention? I gave it some thought after feeling sorry for myself (for about twenty minutes) and then decided to perservere. "Onward and Upward" is my motto, so I moved forward and sought a new agent of interest. (There are lots of them out there, by the way. Sort of like fish in a barrel, swimming around, waiting to be scooped up).

I figure I have nothing to lose and a lot to gain, so I sent the partial to another agent and heard from her yesterday. She wanted to read the entire manuscript. I sent it out right away and hope to Heaven that she likes it enough to warrant a working relationship. The moral of this story is to NEVER give up. Brush your hurt feelings and/or disappointmnet aside and keep going. The brightest star on the horizon could be you, no matter what field you are in.

Is It Really Autumn?

The leaves are changing color here in New England. The days are cool, and the nights are chilly. The smell of fall pervades the air. This time of year is my favorite. Crunchy fresh apples, apple pie, pumpkins, corn stalks, Halloween... Need I say more?

It is hard to stay inside and write when the days are so beautiful. As with all responsibilities, the responsibility of writing hangs on my shoulders like a heavy cloak at times. Editors are clamoring for edits, galleys and such, while story characters are running around in my head, just looking for an opportunity to be heard. Yes, it is hard to stay indoors, but I have to get the work done and move on. That is the point of writing, right?

Don't get me wrong, I love the world of story telling and all that it entails. I am honored to be a published author. The work that goes into my novels is a pleasure, to say the least, even when I hit the proverbial brick wall. That's when these days come into play. I leave the house, walk the country road I live on and return refreshed and, hopefully, ready to start again. What could be better than that? Ah, well, there's always chocloate and wine, but that's another story...

In October, I will attend the New Jersey Romance Writers Conference in Iselin, NJ. Both my publishers will be there. I will be attending the book fair, so if you are in the area, stop by and chat with me. Maybe autumn in New Jersey will be as wonderful as it is here in New England.