Getting Wylde!

Hi, Scribe fans! We have a special treat for you today. I recently discovered Irish author Anya Wylde and now I can’t get enough of her zany historical romantic romps. Anya will be here at some point today to answer your questions. And if you don’t have questions, just say hi to our new friend across the pond.

Tell us a little about yourself, Anya.

I live in Dublin, Ireland with my husband and poodle. I try and write ridiculous books in an attempt to tickle the funny bone which I strongly believe is good for health.

Tell us a little about your latest book, Penelope.

Penelope is a madcap romantic comedy where a clumsy country bumpkin is plunged into a glitzy London society. Along the way people attempt to groom her, help her and try and find a husband for her. What follows is a series of misadventures, love affairs, moonlit balls, fake moustaches, highwaymen, sneering beauties, and the wrath of a devilishly handsome duke.

Are you surprised by how well Penelope and your first book, The Wicked Wager, are selling? To what do you attribute your fantastic sales (other than having written a couple of great books)?

I am stunned. When I published The Wicked Wager I thought only seven of my family and friends would buy the book and thereafter it would languish. They still haven’t bought it but a whole lot of other people have. I think the main reasons it has done well are the low price point, a nice cover and good blurb. Also my husband has been a big help.

Do you have any marketing advice for our readers?

I think bloggers are a great help in getting the word out .Also pricing the book right, having a nice cover and a good blurb.

What made you want to write historicals? Who are some of your favorite authors?

I wrote historical because I enjoy reading them. The first romance book I ever read was Pride and Prejudice and since then the Regency era has become the most romantic time period in my mind. Apart from Jane Austen I love reading Julia Quinn, Wodehouse, Robert Jordan, Agatha Christie, Roald Dahl and so many more.

On this side of the pond there is a fascination with Ireland—and not just on St. Patrick’s Day either! Why do you think there is such a mystique about Ireland?

I am not sure. From where I am standing Ireland has no mystery whatsoever. Now, New York and LA are full of mystique, glamour and Hollywood magic.

How do you battle the Doubt Monster? We define the Doubt Monster as: the nagging feeling that your prose is terrible, your plot is silly, your characters are insipid, and no one in her right mind would read this drivel, let alone buy it.

I am convinced that my prose is terrible, the plot silly and the characters insipid. I don’t battle the doubt monster. I have come to accept him.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.

I have an adorable black poodle called Portia. She used to be fat and then we put her on diet and it seems to have worked (sort of). She is still lazy though, can’t do anything about that.

What’s your junk food of choice?

Chocolate éclairs, profiteroles and home-made caramel popcorn.

What are you working on now? When can we expect it to be out?

I am working on another romantic comedy. It is a sort of follow up of Penelope but this time it is her sister Celine who arrives at the Blackthorne mansion in search of love.

Anya Wylde lives in Ireland along with her husband and a fat French poodle (now on a diet). She can cook a mean curry, and her idea of exercise is occasionally stretching her toes. She holds a degree in English literature and adores reading and writing. You can connect with Anya here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anya-Wylde/462621383768241?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/Anyawylde
www.anyawylde.com

Cover Reveal and an Excerpt of WESTERN DESERT

I’m so happy to see the month of April and the light at the end of the long winter tunnel. If you want details about all of my April happenings, stop by my blog at http://www.pjsharonyawriter.blogspot.com. There are contests, prizes, a Beach Book Blast Spring Splash book sale, and an Authors in Bloom Blog Hop on the agenda, so pop on over and check out the fun when you’re done here!

PJ here, if you hadn’t guessed. We still have patches of snow in the Berkshires, but I’m finally seeing signs of spring. The Robins have arrived and the pearly white petals of the snow drops are peeking out of the ground where the snow has melted. I think we’re all looking forward to the lovely face of spring that will soon overtake the gray landscape. And speaking of lovely faces, I thought I would share with you the cover to my next book, WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in THE CHRONICLES OF LILY CARMICHAEL trilogy. The fabulous Melody Simmons designed the covers for the trilogy. I think she has done a great job so far. What do you think?

Cover Reveal!

Taking off where WANING MOON ends, Lily Carmichael and Will Callahan embark on a journey across a sun-ravaged and decimated US in the year 2057, headed for the Western Desert on a dangerous rescue mission. The survivors they meet along the way put Lily’s healing abilities to the test, and challenge Will’s talents for lying and conning his way out of some tricky situations. But even with the weight of life and death on their shoulders, the greatest challenge they face is trusting their hearts to each other.

Here’s an excerpt from WESTERN DESERT:

“Rudy really cares about you.” Will stared out the back window. “You’re lucky…to have so many people who love you.” He glanced my way as he came around to face front, his expression sad and hard at the same time.

I adjusted the mirror and straightened my shoulders, gripping the steering wheel with both hands as I blinked back tears. “He’s a good friend.” The words came out softer than I intended, choking past the knot in my throat. As lucky as I was to have my family and community, Will had been equally unlucky, having lost his mother and sister in a storm that leveled his house and wiped out his whole town. With no reason to stay, he’d roamed the country for the past two years in search of his father, the only family he had left. My heart squeezed at the thought of all he had been through.

The road changed from gravel to chunky asphalt, cracked and loaded with potholes. Will held onto the grab bar that hung from the ceiling above the door. “You should have let me take the gun Rudy offered.”

“I hate guns. And what if we got caught with one?”

Will ignored me and shook his head. “I’m more concerned about what happens if we get caught without one? Have you figured out a plan for breaking into Industry Headquarters when we get to Vegas, or are we just going to storm the gates? I’m not sure a blow gun and a baseball bat are going to get us in and out alive.”

I felt the cool gaze of his gray-blue eyes on me but I focused on the road. “No specific plan yet, but we have plenty of time to figure it out.” I pressed my foot to the gas pedal, anxious to put some distance between me and the voices of home that echoed in my mind. “And we’ll make do with whatever we have.” Sam’s words flowed out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them. “Adapt, improvise, and overcome, right?”

“If you say so; you’re the boss.”

I glanced at Will, whose lips twitched before he turned his head away to watch the Stanton town line fade into the distance in the side view mirror.

I hope you’ll join Lily, Will, and the cast of characters who embody the best and worst of humanity in this second book of the dystopian trilogy, THE CHRONICLES OF LILY CARMICHAEL. WESTERN DESERT is scheduled for release June 24th. If you haven’t read Book One, WANING MOON, stop by my website and purchase your e-copy today, or comment below and you will be instantly entered into a drawing for a signed print copy. Good Luck!

Thanks for stopping in. As always, your feedback and comments are welcome.

PJ

A New Face for a New Year

PJ Sharon here wishing all you Scribe’s followers a Happy New Year!

We are so thankful for your support over the past year and hope you’ll continue to join us for fun, informative, and entertaining posts about writing, publishing, and all things books. You’ll be treated to an occasional secret recipe, guest authors, interviews with industry professionals, reviews of our favorite books, and tips on everything from  craft to the everyday pitfalls of trying to manage this crazy writer’s life.

As the first Scribe to post in 2013, I’d like to talk about the most important selling point of a well-written book–aside from it being well-written, that is.

In this day of digital publishing, when as many as 350,000 new books a year are put in front of readers, the burning question is, what will help your book to stand out in the deluge? I can’t help but think the answer goes back to the basics. Most of us judge a book first by its cover, then by the blurb, and then by reading the first page or so. Most readers, many who are buying from their e-reading devices, only see a thumbnail version of a book cover and often decide to look closer only if something about that tiny image pulls them in. Having a breathtaking cover, a well-written and captivating blurb (back cover description), and a grabber of a first line can only up your chances at being noticed.

As you may know, I had moderate success with a FREE promotion last week and I think the results prove my point.  After having my cover redone by a professional cover artist, downloads for Heaven is for Heroes outnumbered my previous bestseller, On Thin Ice, 3 to 1. You can read about my results here.  Since the only thing I did differently to showcase Heaven is for Heroes was a $5 paid ad on Facebook, I’m betting that the new cover had something to do with the increased numbers. My results tell me two things. Facebook ads do work, and cover art matters. Either way, I took the hint and had a new cover made for Savage Cinderella. **Incidentally, I did see a small bump in sales this week after my FREE days, so IMO it’s still worth hopping on the KDP Select gravy train if you’re looking for a boost in sales and visibility.

Although I’d had lots of feedback from friends and fellow writers who liked the original cover, the black and white just didn’t stand out on the thumbnail version. The title and author name didn’t “pop,” and the image didn’t really give a clear impression of the genre or the story, at least not when competing against the cream of the crop with their photoshopped masterpieces.

One of the benefits of independent publishing is that we can easily adapt and change with the market. Young adult cover art has evolved over the past year or two, leaning toward “darker” images, bolder colors, haunted faces with intense expressions, and beautiful young men and women looking tormented but relatable on the covers. The tone of a book should be clearly expressed through the cover art, and there should be some hint as to what the story will entail via the title fonts, tone, and cover image. I’m hoping that my new cover does all of those things, perhaps even tapping into a new readership who previously may have overlooked the other cover simply because it didn’t stand out enough or they didn’t “get” a feel for the book.

There’s no doubt that I’ll run across those who would rather not see a face on the cover, preferring the character’s features be left to the imagination, but the idea is to make an impression–to grab a browsing reader and make them look twice. If you’ve read the book you’ll probably understand why this image is so powerful. If you haven’t read the book, you can find it on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords, or you can read a chapter a week for FREE on Wattpad.

As always, I’d love your feedback.

This cover is the work of Melody Simmons, who also did my Heaven is for Heroes and Waning Moon covers. She is super easy to work with and reasonably priced, not to mention, fast. She had this cover and my HIFH cover back to me in a day or two, offering me several options from which to choose, and working with my suggestions to get to the look I wanted.

I hope you’re looking forward to 2013 as much as I am. I have a feeling it’s going to be a stellar year for the Scribes and we’d love for you all to share the journey with us.

Blessings of good health, peace, prosperity, balance, and harmony to all,

PJ

Do you have any exciting plans for the coming year? What do you think about trends in cover art? Too many faces on YA covers, or do you like to see those smoldering and deperate looks?

 

Results of FREE Promo

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Scribe fans. It’s been an amazing year. Four YA novels and a short story published, and I’ve learned tons about the business. A huge thanks to all those who have read and helped spread the word about my books this past year. There is no way I could have done all of this without you. I’m truly grateful and humbled by the generosity of my writing community. You guys rock!

I just came off a two day Free promo for Heaven is for Heroes and On Thin Ice. Sales for both books had trickled to a slow drip over the last six months and I thought a run in the KDP Select program might breathe new life into my visibility through the holidays. As with all of my promotional efforts, it’s pretty much of an experiment each and every time since what works one day in publishing may not work the next.

In hind site, my biggest mistake was that I didn’t plan far enough ahead to garner a spot in any of the paid advertising sites like Pixel of Ink, E-reader News Today, Kindle Nation Daily, or one of the newer sites Book Bub, a site that I’ve heard is getting some impressive attention. Some of these sites take one to six months to get an ad, and some cost as much as $200 for a one day advertisement. Pricey, but usually worth it to reach the 10,000+ mark for downloads in a two day period. The consensus seems to be that two days is the charm, as downloads usually drop by day three and if you haven’t hit the top 100 list on Amazon, you’re not likely to beyond day three. The idea is that if you can get enough volume of downloads, it will affect your rankings and set you up for a nice bump in sales once the book goes back into the paid store. At least that’s how it used to work.

Amazon appears to be fond of changing the rules on us Indies as soon as we figure out how to make the system work for us. I’m sure you’ve heard or read about incidents of things like reviews disappearing arbitrarily, algorithms changing to favor traditionally published and higher priced books, and the shifty way they manipulate the rankings after a free promo. In other words, it’s beginning to feel like the cards are stacked against us.

For example, in March I did a two day FREE promo for Savage Cinderella. Granted, I was part of a group of 19 authors giving our books away and cross-promoting the event, clearly able to reach many more readers than going solo, but I had 28,000 downloads, made it into the Amazon top 100, and had an uptick in sales for about three weeks after the promotion, selling about 800 books that month. This week’s promotion didn’t do nearly as well, but I didn’t expect it to given I hadn’t advertised ahead of time and didn’t have the cross-promotion benefits. I did get several new twitter followers and a few new FB “likes” out of the deal and my books are in the hands of a few thousand new readers—always a good thing! Hopefully, it will translate to some postiive reviews.

Here are my results:

Heaven is for Heroes:

2,868 US downloads, 96 (UK), 25 (de), 3(Fr.), 1 (es.), 4 (It.), 1 (Jap), and 7 (Ca.)

Amazon Bestseller Rankings:

#130 Free Kindle store

#8 Kindle store>e-books>teens

#32 kindle store>e-books>fiction>genre fiction>romance contemporary

On Thin Ice:

825 US Downloads, 114 (UK), 22 (de), 2 (Ca.)

#453 in Kindle store

#14 Kindle store>Kindle books>teen>romance

OBSERVATIONS:

Not bad numbers overall, considering there were no paid ads and I basically depended on Twitter and Facebook for advertising. I listed the books on half a dozen Facebook pages that allowed for promotion of free books, focusing on YA sites. I belong to several writers loops and had lots of help spreading the word (THANK YOU Wana Minions, CTRWA buddies, Authors Network and the WG2E Street team folks.)

I had low expectations of this promotion since it was a last minute decision and I scrambled to pull it together. I’ll see over the next week whether sales are given a boost, but I’m not anticipating that since the rankings dropped back to the pre-promo numbers as soon as I came off of FREE. It used to take a few days for this to happen, but Amazon’s new practices seem to expedite this process, making it that much harder for authors to take advantage of short term boosts in rankings. I was hoping I’d stay in the visible top 100 to catch those new Kindle owners after Christmas, but I’m thinking that’s not going to happen either. They’ll likely be loading up on the FREE books going up next week, the zillion .99 cent books that will be available over the next month, and the lucky ducks sitting on the Top 100 list that most people find as soon as they fire up their Kindles.

One interesting note is the number of downloads of Heaven is for Heroes verses On Thin Ice. On Thin Ice has been my best seller for several months, selling twice as many in the UK as here in the US, and outselling my other titles three to one. Since the only thing I did to change the game was to change my cover for Heaven is for Heroes, I’m wondering if that might be what gave the book a boost.

My favorite takeaway from this promotion is seeing downloads in Italy, Japan, and Canada, new markets previously untapped for me. Very exciting!

I hope Santa was good to you all and that whatever you’re doing today, you’ll find some downtime to escape into a good book. Merry Christmas everyone!

Any questions? Thoughts? Ideas?

Marketing Makeover

As the end of 2012 looms on the horizon, I’ve been working on my first quarter marketing plan for 2013. Being a relative newbie to indie-publishing with much more to learn, I’ve been studying the results of my first year efforts, and in retrospect, I can say I’ve definitively learned one thing. Well, I’ve learned a LOT actually, but one thing in particular stands out for me. I’ve learned that there are no constants in this business. What worked for one book didn’t work for others. What worked yesterday might not work today, and no matter how hard I work, there is an element of luck and timing that I have no control over. PJ Sharon here, welcoming you to the Writing Secrets of Seven Scribes. Today, I’ll be sharing what I think is a more focused approach than my previous “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” marketing plan.

Not that I haven’t had some moderate success with this approach, but like any business, the only way I can survive is if I trim the fat so to speak, and look for areas where I am wasting my time, effort, and resources. To that end, here is what I plan to do differently in 2013.

1) KDP Select-The exclusive 90 day enrollment that I did last spring with Amazon for Savage Cinderella was by far the most successful (at least in the short term) promotional tool I found. With 39,000 downloads, a temporary spot on the top 100 list, and a significant uptick in sales for several weeks after my FREE days, I felt like I was seeing some real progress forward. However, shortly after coming off the Select program, my sales declined in June, and the numbers tumbled every month after that for my first three books. I heard from industry veterans that the best way to rebound was to publish another book, which I did in September. Despite a month long blog tour and several group promotions, I have not seen much improvement in sales since then.

I resisted continuing with the KDP Select program because I didn’t like the idea of exclusivity, and I was hearing that results for the Select program had reportedly not been as good as they were last spring. That being said, I’ve decided to take the plunge again—for several reasons. I would be foolish not to tap into the Amazon pot that is set aside monthly to be divided amongst Select participants, paid out for “borrows” from the Kindle Lending Library. With 1.5 million dollars available for December (twice the norm), “borrows” should offer authors a nice Christmas bonus. Being able to offer my books for FREE for five days during that 90 day period without jumping through all the hoops of playing the “price matching” game is a simple and effective marketing tool. It also helps me to increase my reader base and my visibility, which are probably the greatest challenges that an author must focus on.

So I’ve revamped my cover for Heaven is for Heroes and enrolled both it, and On Thin Ice, into the program for the next 90 days. That means Only Savage Cinderella and Waning Moon are available on all platforms. If all goes well, when my 90 days are up, HIFH and OTI will go back onto all distribution channels and I’ll put Waning Moon into the Select program for a few months prior to the release of Western Desert, book two in the trilogy. I hate feeding the Amazon “monster,” but until I see real sales on B&N et al. I can’t pass up the opportunity. I literally have made an average of $15 a month from B&N—and less through Smashwords–hardly worth giving up potentially hundreds of sales through Amazon.

This is where I was supposed to mention earlier that both Heaven is for Heroes and On Thin Ice will be available for FREE on Amazon this Friday and Saturday, December 22-23. If you haven’t read them, I’d love it if you would download them or tell anyone you know who might enjoy some YA romance drama. The more downloads I have, the closer I’ll get to that top 100 list so all those new Kindle owners can find me after Christmas. I appreciate it!

2) I’ll keep exploring available social media platforms-I now have almost 500 FB likes and nearly 1000 Twitter followers, which is where I have put my focus over the past year. I’m not sure how that translates directly to sales, but it sure helps me connect with some great authors, bloggers, readers, reviewers, industry professionals, and some all-around awesome people. Since word of mouth is still the best advertising, it’s clear that social media is here to stay and is a useful medium to help get the word out. I would like to try to focus on finding what works for me and best helps me connect with my target audience. That will include more time on sites like Good reads, Pinterest, Tumbler, Wattpad, and Kindle Boards.

3) Budget funds for paid advertisements and production costs. Short cuts are not the way to go in this business. It’s a very competitive industry and becoming more so every day. Hiring a cover artist, quality editors, and paying for advertising that has proven to be effective are worth budgeting funds for. My husband and I doing everything ourselves at first seemed like a way to save money and maintain control of my product, but in the long run, I can see I didn’t give my books their due.

The nice thing about Indie publishing is that I can make changes whenever I want. The books won’t be taken off the market if they don’t sell in a month or two. My backlist can become my front list if I want to start a new advertising campaign and change up the cover, try a new venue, or target specific groups of potential readers. The sky is the limit, but it all costs money, so I’ve realized that I have to budget money to give the books their best chance to succeed.

4) More than anything, though, I’d like to become more organized about my time management-This is a business. But without writing good books in a timely manner, I will have no business. That means that the writing has to come first. I’m not kidding myself into thinking I’ll be able to keep it all under perfect control, but I will budget my time differently, allowing for 50-60% of my time to go towards production of new material, with only 40% of my time spent on administrative details.

There have been times over the past year where I haven’t written a word on a WIP for weeks because of getting caught up in all the crazy business chores and responsibilities. I’m finally beginning to let go of all that, and bring my focus back to the writing. If it means less time building my network or promoting the books, then so be it. And if I only get one quality book out this year, then that’s okay with me, too–though I’m planning for two and possibly another short story.

Most importantly, staying healhy, sane, and having some fun along the way is much more important to me than sales figures these days. When I start stressing about all the “to-do’s,” I remind myself to relax and enjoy the ride. You never know what’s going to come over that next big hill.

What will you do differently this year?

Nanowrimo-ing Monkey Blog #2

Hello Scribblers!  J Monkeys here.  I’m posting early this month, if you don’t know why, check out last weeks’ blog. 

Nanowrimo day 9 ended a minute ago.  I have 13,253 of 18,000 words written so far.  I’m behind, but not so far that I can’t catch up with a couple of good days!

I wanted to tell you all about a GREAT new trilogy that I’ve started reading.  The first two books are available now, Sanctus and The Key.  Simon Toyne, the author says that the 3rd is still a WIP and should be available in the United States early next summer.  If you liked The DaVinci Code, you should definitely pick up this series. 

Let me tell you how Sanctus came to be found at the top of my To Be Read pile.  I walked past The Key in my town library and was immediately attracted to the fire blaze on the cover, in the shape of a key.  Yup – that’s all it took.  I knew nothing about the book, or the author, but the tag line on the front cover read, “The fate of man lies in the hands of one woman.”  I checked it out without even glancing at the jacket.

About 50 very gripping pages into the story – I began to suspect that there was something I didn’t know but should.  I read the jacket text much more carefully than I had previously and even read the short blub about the author on the back.  That’s where I realized that The Key is the second book in the trilogy.  I put it down, picked up my Kindle and immediately shelled out $9 and change for Sanctus.  Immediately.  I think that’s the reaction every author hopes for in their readers. 

So I plowed through Sanctus as quickly as possible and the little that I’d read of The Key immediately made more sense.  I read and read and read at every spare moment.  It’s Saturday morning now.  I think I might have purchased Sanctus on Wednesday-ish.  I’ve finished both books and I can’t wait to read the last one next summer!

I don’t want to tell you anything that happens in the story because it’s so exciting.  I’ll just say this, vast conspiracy throughout history with religion at it’s center.  I loved the pacing, fast – like Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (which I thought was the best of his books so far with The Davinci Code as a close second.)  Lots of characters to root for or root for their demise.  (Yes that’s the correct version of “root”; I looked it up.  I had “route” at first and thought that seemed off.  It was.  Freakin English language!)

Today’s Secret: Read Sanctus and The Key!

Today’s Question: What have you read lately that you got really excited about?

Fresh Meat! An interview with a romance cover model.

Hi All,

Jennifer the Scribe, here.

So, I was wondering how many of you have looked at the cover of a romance novel and thought, “Man, where do they gets these guys?” The ripped muscles, blankless expressions, and perfect bods almost look computer generated, don’t they?  Well, I’m here to tell you not so!

Our guest today on the Scribes is cover model Jason Baca, who has graced the cover of over 100 romance novels.  I was lucky enough to get an interview with Jason, and yes ladies, I kept my hands to myself.  But, isn’t he handsome:

JF: How long have you been modeling for book covers and how were you discovered?

Jason:  Well, I have been modeling since 1997, but for the book covers since 2008. I actually went after the book covers on my own. For the regular modeling, I was discovered by a staff photographer in Bodega Bay, CA where I’d been a body double for one of the main actors in I Know What You Did Last Summer.

JF: Tell us what a typical shoot is like.  How much knowledge of the book do you have prior to shooting the cover?

Jason: Most of the time I have 0 knowledge of how/what type of shoot this will be. They may tell me to bring some clothes or don’t shave a few days before. They often give me photo reference the day of the shoot as far as the posing goes. This helps me out a great deal so I know the look they want. Quite often they’ll want me expressionless.

A shoot can last anywhere from 2-6 hours. Some photographers will take thousands of photos of very similar poses of me and the female model. You get into awkward positions and hold a stance for a while. And at the same time you are having to flex your muscles to show the definition in the body. By the end of the shoot, I’m usually starved and beat tired from all the tensing up.

The shoots are very professional. I make sure to always bring the confident powerful side of me to the shoot since more often then not, they want a character that has that in them.

JF: Do you believe the cover helps sell a book?

Jason:  Absolutely they do. Many times I’ve been in a bookstore and saw a cover of a book and just was completely turned off by it. It could have been the best read in the world too but if you don’t have a styling cover… forget it.

JF: What covers do you have out right now?

Jason:  Well, there are currently 95 out there with about 6 pending. Lucky for me, I’ve worked with some pretty amazing graphic artists that have recreated my image and made me look better.

JF: If you could be on a cover for your  “dream author” who would it be?

Jason: Gena Showalter. She has some awesome covers. It would be a big deal for me to be a part of her world.

JF: I know under all that muscles, lies a junk food junkie, right?  Come on, tell us, what’s your favorite junk food?

Jason: I have a few actually…  Jack & the Box Tacos, Mr.Goodbar, and my number 1 favorite.. Reese’s Peanut butter cups dark chocolate flavor.

Well Jason, I hope one day you can grace the cover of my book.  Thanks so much for being a good sport and agreeing to be interviewed by the Scribes.

So, ladies, what questions do you have for Jason today?

Cover reveal for WANING MOON

Oh happy day! PJ here, and I’m thrilled to share with you the cover for my upcoming release, WANING MOON, Book ONE in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy. In the past, my husband and I have designed my covers. But this time, I enlisted the help of the wonderful and fabulous Melody Simmons, who has been very accommodating, I must say. Because WM is part of a trilogy, I wanted a cohesive look to the books and I was ready to take my covers to the next level.

We’re still tweaking fonts for the back cover,  but she came up with this front cover after I gave her my ideas for a concept and picked out the stock photo of the model. I think she did great! Let us know how you like it, and if there’s anything about it you don’t like. We’re thick skinned and there’s still time to make changes. Have I told you lately that I love Indie publishing?

Meet Lily Carmichael!

Here’s the back cover blurb to give you an idea of what the story is about:

In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a global shift threatens the remainder of the population with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Carmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey into the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.

Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the tension between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put Lily in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.

Enjoy this short excerpt:

We both groaned as we lifted the heavy iron cover. I dropped down into the icy churning water, sucking in a breath while Will climbed down the ladder. He paused, grunting as he pulled the heavy cover in place behind him.

 

Just in time. We heard rushing footsteps overhead, voices loud and angry. Will and I exchanged a look and then turned toward the dark tunnel. Will’s hand slipped into mine as he took the lead. “Stay with me. Don’t let go, okay?”

 

I let him pull me forward. The water deepened as we dragged ourselves along. The sound of rushing water ahead had me backing up against the current. “This is not a good idea.”

 

Will tugged me by the hand, wincing in pain. “It’s the only way out. Trust me. It’ll be alright.”

 

“Trust you? That’s a joke, right?” 

 

 “Can we fight about this later?” 

 

Before I could argue, a wave of turbulent water rushed in from a connecting pipe, and swept us off our feet. Will’s hand tightened around mine and we dropped abruptly downward. As the slope steepened, the water picked up speed. Darkness and the stench of sewage overwhelmed my senses. I prayed a quick prayer that the end of the tunnel was near. What I worried for next was how far of a fall it would be to the murky waters of the Hudson below when we reached it.

 

Another rapid decent shot my stomach to my throat and Will’s hand pulled free. “Noooo!”

 

But the thunderous roar of the cascading waterfall swallowed the sound of my scream.  It launched us into the darkening horizon like a torpedo, and then dumped us thirty feet into the icy roiling waters of the Hudson River.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. Stay tuned for more exciting excerpts from WANING MOON, which is set to release September 28th. Let me know what you think of the cover, and if you want to get in touch with Melody Simmons or see some of her pre-made covers, check out her website @ http://ebookindiecovers.com/contact/.

My TOP 5 Indie Picks for 2012

Hey Scriblers, PJ Sharon here and as promised, this week I’m spreading some Indie love. As an independently published author, I’ve had the good fortune of meeting bunches of other Indies like me. Since I write YA (young adult) fiction, I read mostly in that genre, but there are plenty of excellent self-published authors of all kinds out there.  Here are my top five indie books I’ve read this year.

In the #5 slot, FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH, by Maree Anderson.

Loved this story about Jay, a teenaged cyborg trying to fit in and fade into the background at a new high school. As she fends off the popular kids, deals with her new found “feelings” about Tyler, a boy who is as much an outcast as she is, and tries to stay hidden from the agency set out to find and destroy her, she discovers that being human is much more complicated than she imagined. This wonderful indie story got “discovered” on Wattpad, and is now being optioned for television in Canada! Go Maree! 

#4 on my list was RILEY’S POND by Harley Brooks

A sweet and steamy teen romance, this one kept me up all night. The main character, Riley Martin is the middle boy between two brothers—an older one who is the classic rebel, and a younger brother who is nearly perfect. But finding his own way gets complicated when he stumbles upon Taylor Wilson, a beautiful teenage girl who has a heap of her own trouble, and has found her way to Riley’s pond. Harley Brooks captures the angst of the teen boy in a voice that is real and engaging as he struggles with first love, and trying to be the son his parents expect him to be.

The #3 spot goes to RUNNING, by Patrice Fitzgerald

Not a YA! This fast paced political thriller had it all. I loved the main character, Catherine Young, the Vice president and newly-selected Democratic nominee, who gets a chance to prove herself when the President is hospitalized and she has to take over. But just as the White House is within reach, Catherine’s romantic entanglement from decades ago comes to light and someone is blackmailing the Vice President. Excellent debut novel and very well written.

My #2 pick is OFF LEASH, by Renee Pace.

OFF LEASH is the first book in the Nitty Gritty series by Pace, another Canadian author who proves herself a top notch Indie as she delves into the teen psyche without holding back. This story grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go. An emotional read about a boy living in poverty with a drug addicted mother and a younger sister who is dying of cancer. When Jay is forced to get a job to help support his family, he takes up dog walking. Ollie, the pit bull, is a fabulous character and Pace does an amazing job telling the story from both Jay’s POV and Ollie’s. In an incredibly effective chapter by chapter POV switch, Ollie and Jay’s first person accounts are powerful and prove once again, that taking a risk on the page is as rewarding as taking a risk in life. I look forward to reading OFF LIMITS and OFF STROKE by this author.

AND MY #1 FAVORITE INDIE BOOK OF 2012 is PRIDE’S RUN, by Cat Kalen.

This YA paranormal is as different a werewolf story as one could get. Pride is held in captivity by an evil master—a man who trains the wolves to hunt and kill humans. To control them he starves them and threatens their loved ones. Pride submits to his demands to protect the others, until her master goes too far and expects her to breed with a wolf she despises. Her only option is escape. While out in the wild, trying to figure out how to free the others, she meets Logan, a young alpha with secrets and a mission of his own. I won’t tell you anymore, but this first book in the Wolf’s Pride series left me waiting impatiently for the next one, PRIDE UNLEASHED, coming soon.

Don’t feel bad if you are an Indie author and you didn’t make my short list. It probably just means I haven’t gotten to yours yet. So many great Indie books, so little time. I’m currently reading a traditionally published book by my friend, debut author Huntley Fitzpatrick, called MY LIFE NEXT DOOR. Congratulations Huntley. Another wonderfully written story!

 

Notice all these fabulous covers!

And speaking of covers, WANING MOON, Book One of The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, will be exclusively revealed right here next week!

Have you read any outstanding Indie published books lately?

 

Book Review — The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

Hey, Scribelings! Suze here. So glad you could join us today! First things first: Sister Scribe Casey Wyatt’s latest book, The Undead Space Initiative, releases today from Pink Petal Books. This is a genre-busting story that you won’t be able to put down. Hot paranormal sex on a cold planet–don’t miss it!

So let me tell you about another book I just finished reading. The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones.  Don’t you just love the cover? Well I adored this book.  Check out the first line:

Since her marriage to Edward Swift, three years after the sudden death of her first husband Horace Torrington, Charlotte had changed her position at the breakfast table in order to accommodate her new husband’s needs: specifically, aiding him in the spreading of toast and cutting of meat, owing to his having suffered the loss of his left arm at the age of twenty-three in an unfortunate encounter wth the narrow wheels of a speeding gig, out of which he had fallen on the driveway of his home in County Wicklow.

Yes, that is one long sentence, and it breaks pretty much every rule we’ve ever been taught about hooking the reader and not inserting any backstory.

But Suze, you say. At least I know what the story’s going to be about. It has a Downtown Abbey feel about it. Poor Charlotte! Changing her position at the breakfast table is a metaphor for her life–she never puts herself first but always sees to the needs of others. She’s longing to express herself, on her own terms. Perhaps by the end of the book, she’ll take up painting, or writing, or find herself a young lover to fulfill her physical needs.  Did any of these things come to mind for you?

Well, I’m here to tell you that you’d be dead wrong, on all counts.

The Uninvited Guests is the story of Charlotte, her children Emerald, Clovis, and Imogen (Smudge) Torrington, and the way they spend the 24 hours of Emerald’s 20th birthday. The one-armed Edward Swift departs for town to try to borrow enough money to keep Sterne, the Torrington’s rambling old house, operating. Meanwhile, preparations are afoot for Emerald’s birthday dinner, to which her mother has invited John, a rich suitor (who could of course save them financially if Emerald can only decide to like him), as well as Emerald and Clovis’s childhood friends, Patience and Ernest.

Awful news arrives in the form of a telephone call. There’s been a train derailment nearby, and Sterne is the closest place where the traumatized passengers can be sheltered until the railway people can come and collect them up and send them on their way. The passengers begin to arrive and are herded into the morning room, while the cook and her assistant labor to complete the multicourse birthday dinner.

One of the passengers stands out from the crowd: Charlie Traversham-Beechers, a jovial, forceful gentleman who manages to wrangle an invitation to the birthday party. Charlotte and the housekeeper, Mrs. Trieves, take one look at him and gasp in horror: Clearly Charlie and Charlotte have a past, but she doesn’t want her children to know about it so she allows him to stay.

Once Charlie shows up, all hell breaks loose and the pacing never lets up. There’s a particularly awful parlor game which brings out the absolute worst in everyone. I can’t say much more because I really, truly do not want to spoil the surprises in this story for you.

Will Charlie ruin Charlotte by revealing their history? Will Smudge succeed in her Great Undertaking? Will Emerald save Sterne by accepting the wealthy John Buchanan? Who will lose her/his virginity with a particularly unlikely character?

By the end, everything is neatly wrapped up — some might say too neatly, but it absolutely suits the story, which would make a wonderful play. I will be first in line for tickets if someone decides to produce it.

What about you? Have you read anything that surprised you lately?