Amazon, Amazing and AMEN!!

I know I said that I might let the blog go but I have to be honest, I miss it.  I love coming here and just ranting and rambling and really, I seem to have a never-ending list of things to rant and ramble about!

Life is a precarious balancing act right now.  I'm happy, I'm scared, I'm a little bit angry and there is a whole lot of uncertainty in many areas.  A lot, right?  Okay, so here's the run down on what's going on.

Books.  OH.  MY.  GOODNESS.  Let's see, the last time I wrote I had released book number two in my Montgomery Brothers series, "Trust in Me".  It's done well on the charts but amazingly enough, it never hit the heights as the first book, "Wait for Me". I'm okay with that; I'm just thrilled that people actually read my stuff!  Who knew?

Earlier this month I released another book, "In the Eye of the Storm".  This book was the one that a New York agent wanted to represent but ultimately could not sell and it was also a top five finalist with Harlequin for their Desire Editor's Pitch Challenge.  Clearly people liked it so I decided to just release it myself.  So far?  The numbers aren't too bad.  I had tried pricing it a little bit higher than the other, at a whopping $1.49, but after two weeks of so-so sales, I lowered it to .99 cents and it's flying.  As much as I hate doing it, it seems like the way to a reader's heart is a .99 cent eBook.  Lesson learned.
 
I collaborated with four other indie authors and we put out a box set that is a collection of contemporary romances that all deal with CEO's as main characters.  It's called "Loving the CEO".  My book "Catering to the CEO" is part of it and right now the set is available for only .99 cents.  There's that price again, right?  Well, THAT is flying up the charts and if all goes as planned, we are hoping to see it hit the USA Today bestseller list.

THAT IS MY DREAM!!

Actually, it is my dream to hit the USA Today list with a single title but I'll take the success where I can get it.

Book number three of the Montgomery series will be out mid-August and I am starting to get some serious fan interaction on Facebook.  It's kind of cool.  THEN...because I am just loving the author thing, I broke into the top 100 Overall Authors on Amazon!  EEK!!  I'm talking OVERALL!  Not categorized by genre (although I am on FIVE of those in the top 100) but the whole shebang!  That was mind-blowing!

So...with all of the good things happening with the writing, something had to give.  I will be leaving my office job in two weeks.  It was not a decision that I made lightly.  I used to enjoy my job and I love the people that I work with but there have been some changes being made and I sort of got put in an awkward position and, long story short, it became blazingly obvious that it was time for me to leave.  I'm excited to be able to focus on being a full-time writer but I'm terrified to sort of be flying without a net!

We had a major power surge hit the house two weeks ago and it blew out our stove and refrigerator.  I THOUGHT my insurance was going to cover it, but they are not.  So we had to go and buy replacements.  Thanks for NOTHING.  They told me that surges weren't covered but have yet to answer me on what exactly has to happen to my stuff for it to be covered! 

Basically, I've been busy.  Tonight I'm working on tweaking the new book cover and eating some gelato to celebrate my Amazon Author Ranking.  I'm feeling pretty sassy right now.  If you look at the post below this one, you'll see the video for an interview that I did.  My first ever video interview!  Not my greatest look but all in all, a total blast. 

Please share the book links with your friends; please buy the books.  I would LOVE to keep climbing the charts and feel a little more secure in my new-found employment!  Let the journey begin!!

Comparing the Bestseller Lists

There are a lot of lists out there and to be honest with you, I cannot wrap my brain around how they work.  It seems like a crap shoot most of the time how a book gets on one but you can be certain that the most popular authors with the big publishing houses behind them will be on there first.  

It's not as easy of a trek for us indie authors.

I write, I publish.  After that it's anyone's guess on where those books will show up and on what lists.  I have been blessed enough to hit the "bestseller" status on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble with my books but there is no formula to guarantee that.  

Frustrating as all get-out, I can tell you that!

I have yet to hit a point where I am comfortable spending a lot of money on marketing and promoting my work.  I know plenty of authors do it and I commend them on it and they do see results but I am too scared to spend too much money at this point in my career and then have it not work.  I'll get there some day, just not right now.  So by marketing you get seen by more people, the more people that see you the more they may be inclined to buy your work.  The more people that buy your work, the better your sales stats, blah, blah, blah and then there you are on a list.  I get that but what I find amazing is the vast difference in rankings.

What do I mean?  Okay, this morning my newest book "Trust in Me" is number 32 on Barnesandnoble.com.  And not just in romance!  No!  It is #32 on the site!  That is pretty freakin exciting, right?  I mean, top 100!  There are some seriously big named authors on there all around me!  So I get all giddy and excited and dance around the house and then I jump over to Amazon.com and there is the same book, released the same day and where is "Trust in Me" on their list?  I'm number 1406.  The book is only .99 cents on both sites so it's not like one has the advantage over one another but if you do the math, clearly there's a difference.

A big difference.

Now I understand that the two sites really are vastly different.  For me, when I think of a physical bookstore, I think Barnes and Noble.  But online?  It's Amazon all the way.  So that takes a little of the shine off of my bestseller glory because it's a ranking on a smaller site.   People look at you a little bit more - or take you a little more seriously as a writer - if you are an Amazon best seller.

And don't even get me started on the NY Times or USA Today lists.  I haven't even figured those two out.  If there is a way to get your book on there, I haven't found it.  Although, I am working on a collection/box set with several other indie authors and as of late, collections like this HAVE gotten onto the USA Today list.  We'll also be paying a decent amount of money to be seen so maybe that's a big part of it.  

I know, I know, you gotta spend money to make money, blah, blah, blah.  Someday I'll do it.

Then you have the Goodreads lists or the Shelfari lists...it's exhausting.  Can somebody please just buy the books and save me from obsessing over the lists??

Because THIS is what friend's do...

It seems like nowadays (I sound like I was born in the 40's, don't I?) that a lot of people not only work a regular job, but they have second jobs to make ends meet.  You know what I'm talking about; we all know a Pampered Chef consultant or a Tupperware consultant or some other home-party based business.  Or the guy who fixes computers on the side.  

Or an aspiring author.

Am I right?

Okay, so here's the thing, when it is possible, I do what I can to help my friends with their businesses.  I've hosted a home-party.  I've paid someone to help with my computer stuff.  Today I ordered a RIDICULOUSLY expensive cosmetic primer that, while I like it, I didn't really need.  Why? Because someone very sweet was just starting their new business and I wanted to help.  She was beyond grateful and even offered to DRIVE 500 miles if I wanted to host a party!

I am an aspiring author.  Or am I no longer aspiring because I'm published?  I don't know but basically I'm an author, self-publishing, self-promoting and I have little to NO money to use for marketing and I desperately need help from my friends to get the word out on my books.

I'm not asking for a Kidney.

I'm not asking for a loan to buy a pet elephant.

I'm asking for .99 cents or to just click a button.

I think I'd have more luck with the Kidney.  I know I'm being kind of down lately but it amazes me how many people have eReaders/Kindles and won't even just download a free copy of something to get me the ranking.  I never made it to the #1 spot last night.  I have no way of knowing how far I was from it but it sort of blew my mind with 919 Facebook friends and 693 fans on my author page and only having to click on something that was free and no one would do it.  I've gotten more kind words and reviews from strangers than from friends.

It just makes me sad.

Do I help everyone that I know with their home business?  No.  Sometimes I just can't.  I'm not going to host a party for a product that I do not want/need/ or believe in but I will certainly share the link to your website or Facebook page!  I've written reviews for fellow indie authors to help them get their review count up...don't get the favor returned too often.  

I just wish that people had more of a spirit of giving.

So here's my giving for the day:  A brand new indie author reached out to me.  She released her first story today.  It's a short story (24,000 words) and it's a sexy contemporary read (yes, there is sex - gasp!) and she's dipping her toe into the self-publishing pool and not so much feeling the love from other authors.  Well I'm willing to give some love.  Breah Elise's "Mistaken Identity" is a sensual, sexy read that had me turning the pages for sure!  It's only .99 cents on Amazon right now.  You can click HERE to buy it. 

Will you show the love?  Will you buy it?  Will you share the link?

What makes a best seller on Amazon?

This whole indie publishing thing is a daily learning process.  Just when you think you've got it worked out, your formula doesn't work.  When I wrote "The Christmas Cottage", I did not set out to write a best seller.  It just happened.  Only I didn't realize that until about two months after its release.  

What does that mean?  Well, here I was thinking that I was doing something phenomenal with my cheap and free marketing.  The truth was that I released a romantic holiday novella at Christmas time and people enjoy a holiday themed book.  It was priced at .99 cents as an ebook and so basically, the planets lined up on that one and I had a best seller.  

When I wrote the follow-up, "Ever After", there was no hook; there was no holiday that it was tied into and so I was just hoping to ride the coattails of the success of "The Christmas Cottage".  I marketed the same way; utilized a lot of the same websites that offered free or low cost promotions.  And I got two VERY different results.  "The Christmas Cottage" went into the top 100 Best Seller List in the Kindle Store in eight days.  "Ever After"?  It has never gotten that high on the list.

Well, that's not totally true; let me clarify.  The Kindle Store is the listing of ALL Kindle books.  Then it gets broken down into genres.  So while "Ever After" has (just recently) been on the best seller list, it was in sub-sub-SUB genre categories.

I did the free promo option on "Ever After" and STILL didn't break the top 100 in the Kindle Store.  And I did not get the bounce-back sales that I've heard people talk about, either, after their free days.  

I have blogged, tweeted, Tumblr'd, Facebooked...everything I could to spread the word about BOTH books and lightning did NOT strike twice.  I've come to learn through multiple indie authors that what happened with "The Christmas Cottage" sales-wise, was not the norm.  What I am experiencing with "Ever After" is.  A month after it's release, some random romance web-site promoted it on their bargain e-book day and I sold almost 800 books on that day alone!  That was more than I had sold in the month!  That was pure luck.

I'm learning to not obsess about the numbers and to not rely on this income.  I thought that I was going to be a bit more on easy-street when I was seeing the sales from "The Christmas Cottage" but have quickly learned that that was a seemingly one-time deal and I was lucky to experience it.  

So what makes a best seller on Amazon?  There seemingly is no direct answer.  They took away the like button so there goes that.  You need to get reviews.  THAT is a biggie.  The more reviews the better (and even more so when they are GOOD reviews).  But I've seen well-known authors having to essentially beg for reviews so imagine how hard it is for little ol' unknown me to get them!  

I'm going to keep writing.  I'm going to keep marketing the way that I do and maybe someday I'll luck out and get noticed by a big review site or by someone who just likes my work and I'll be able to get on and stay on the best seller list again.