LEGACY OF THE EMPRESS is FREE for St. Patty's!

For today only, snag a copy of Legacy of the Empress free for Kindle! :)


Happy St. Patrick's Day, all!

Rediscovering the Short Story!

My blogger/writer pal Shelli Johannes Wells was kind enough to have me as a guest on her blog today!

I'm talking about my success with writing short stories as well as my thoughts on the genre and writing style. Good stuff! Go check it out. :)

Guest Post: Author Callie Kingston Shares Her Story!

Today, Callie Kingston is back, sharing with us the story of her journey as a writer :). She recently published her first novel, UNDERTOW. 


Take it away, Callie!

My mother passed away unexpectedly a few years ago. For a week afterwards I stayed up late each night to write her eulogy, after having spent the day planning her funeral, cleaning her apartment, and taking care of myriad details. I hadn’t written anything for years, although I had wanted to be a writer since I could hold a pen.

Something gave way in those midnight hours. I haven’t stopped writing since.

The months that followed found me turning over plots and characters in my mind. Twilight had taken the world by storm, and I started imagining Belle as a young girl who was suffering a delusion, a girl on the brink of a psychotic break. What would that be like, I wondered? What if the story was not about her union with a magical creature, but instead focused on her resilience and recovery from a mental illness? Undertow was born.

At first, I wrote in secret. In longhand. Months later and at risk of developing carpel tunnel, I had a rough draft. Finally, I shared my “hobby” with others and discovered an amazing community of supportive writers. Rounds of critiques and revisions were followed by the standard next step: querying agents and pitching editors.

My timing couldn’t be better. Traditional publishing was just getting hit by a tsunami of incredible proportions.  The rise of indie publishing, the demise of the legacy model, and the massive implosion caused by the recession; all of this was eroding the likelihood of a new author like myself getting picked up. Especially with a genre-bending novel about a girl in college who was losing her mind.

The indie publishing journey has been a wild ride, and one I wouldn’t give up. I like the freedom, the control, and the fact that my work remains mine and true to my vision.

Thank you so much, Callie, for sharing your journey with us :). You've been through a ton, and it's inspiring that it brought you to such a great place, publishing your novel!

Check out UNDERTOW, Callie's fascinating debut!

Interview with YA Author, CALLIE KINGSTON!

Callie Kingston is a YA Author and friend of mine, who just launched her new YA novel, UNDERTOW.


I have the privilege of being part of her kick off blog tour, and snagged an interview with her about the new release!

Tell us a little about UNDERTOW. You said it was a genre-bender--how so?

When I set out to write Undertow, I knew the story would be directed to the young adult audience, but target the older end of the age range. With a college-age protagonist who experiences a mental illness, and themes focusing on family relationships, redemption, forgiveness, Undertow crosses over into the women's fiction genre, as well as what many are now referring to as “New Adult.”

Sounds fascinating! What are your favorite novels of all time? :) Which genres/writing styles attract you?

I adore lyrical, literary novels in many genres, especially those which include touches of the supernatural as they address serious issues. Novels such as The Mermaid Chair, Wintergirls, Mists of Avalon, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, The Shadow of the Wind, and A Tale of Two Cities are all favorites. But I also love great stories, especially ones with a twist from what's expected. The Adoration of Jenna Fox,as one YA example, and Vibes, for another. 

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is one of my all-time favorites as well! 

If you could go back in time, what's one piece of writing advice you could give yourself?

Have confidence in the story, and my ability to tell it as no one else could. Also, to give up writing long hand! Not only was it much slower, but deciphering my handwriting so I could convert the first draft to Word was brutal!

My hand just cramped up thinking about that... What's next for Callie Kingston? Any other projects in the works?

I have another YA novel entitled Upstaged, which will launch late summer 2012. Also, I've begun a new novel and am currently heavily involved in research, outlining, and drafting.This is the most exciting stage of a project, in my opinion--a lot like falling in love. 

Tee hee :). Love it!

A huge THANK YOU to Callie Kingston for the interview, and best of luck with UNDERTOW!

Here's a sneak peak of what it's all about:

Marissa is nearly eighteen and can't wait to leave behind her traumatic past. With long time boyfriend Drake, she thinks she has her future all figured out--until she discovers his betrayal. She flees to a desolate beach on the wild Oregon coast hoping to escape her pain, where, overcome with emotional and physical exhaustion, she dozes off beside a log. When the first icy waves strike her, it is too late: a rogue wave drags her out to sea.


Somehow she survives, and now each night she dreams of a creature who rescues her. Determined to discover the truth, her obsession deepens until she once again risks her life in the frigid ocean. Will the creature Marissa seeks save her? Will she be lost forever in the eddies of her mind, or will Jim, her new boyfriend, keep her from drowning in the abyss? 

Check it out here on Amazon.

I'm giving away one copy of UNDERTOW to one of the people who comments on this post, by tomorrow! :) 

About Callie:


My home is in the Pacific Northwest, where I live with an assortment of furry creatures (husband included). I have a masters degree in Psychology. When not writing or working, I like to explore the outdoors, especially the forests and beaches along the Oregon coast. I also enjoy a great cup of cappuccino, which happily is easily found in this part of the world.

Don't miss the rest of Callie's blog tour for more chances to win a copy of UNDERTOW!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, my lovely blog friends! :)

If you're like me, you're maybe not as into the whole "give one another a whitman sampler" tradition as most, but my husband and I do have a very special thing that we do every year to celebrate this wonderful day.

We watch V for Vendetta and eat steak! This is why I'm excited that V Day has come 'round again. Gonna eat me some cow, watch me some distopian goodness. What could be better?

Love, people. Love. I obviously was lucky enough to find my soulmate. Who else would not only put up with such rituals, but participate in them with gusto?

Here's hoping you have a wonderful V Day however you might celebrate it, and whomever with :). Much Love!

Cha cha cha Changes! Adjusting to My Weird, New Life.

So, now that I've gotten what I wish for, it's bizarre adjusting to this new life. I thought to share some of the Weird I've been adjusting to, I'd share a list of Working From Home Pros That Are Also Cons :).

1A) I get to work in my PJs!


This is awesome. I get up when my husband leaves for work, smooch him goodbye, then just hang around in my pajamas. It's a personal choice whether or not to put on Real Pants. This is new and exciting. There's nothing I love more than comfy clothing, so this is a major benefit in my new career path.

1B) I'm allowed to stay in my PJs.


It's strangely difficult to do anything productive when you're schleppin' around in your pajama bottoms and a hoody with no time restraints or places to be. Ooh, is Iron Chef on Netflix? Ooh, check out those birds nesting in my yard! Ooh, a new Youtube video of an adorable panda sneezing.

Oh, wait... I guess I should probably write something... Maybe it's time to put pants on.

2A) I get to cook for myself! 


Screw you fast food. Screw you in the eye. I'm done with you and your easy-but-crappy breakfast and lunch choices. I have options now, and they include making myself delicious fresh eggs and bacon every morning. Woo hoooo!

2B) I love cooking now.


And time looking up new things to make for lunch today and riding my bike to the store to get ingredients is time that I'm not actually writing. Damn you, delicious, fresh food! *shakes fist*

3A) I have more time to help around the house!


Yaaay! Now I can finally do all of those chores I've been putting off for the last few days years. Awesome! After all, those curtains won't dust themselves.

3B) I have more time to help around the house.


...

Yeah.


Overall it's awesome, but I'm definitely figuring out what works as far as a steady routine and what makes Becca an Unproductive Citizen.

Rule #1: Put on Real Pants.

After that, the rest just falls into place :).

Guess What I Do For a Living Now?

Wait for it........

.......

.................... Waaaait for it.................................


........................


I WRITE!!! :)


You read that correctly, guys!

I quit my job a couple of weeks ago, and have just settled into the groove of living my dream: Being a Full Time Writer for a living!

For the last few months, I've been quiet because I've been busting my balls writing stories under a variety of pen names, as suggested by a guy calling himself Throwaway Writer who gave some excellent writing advice on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comm...he_first_time/

That gentleman is making ~$1000/day from writing alone, so I took his advice seriously. Before I'd heard of him, though, I knew the old adage "Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket," so I was already busy, typing away.

Well, it all paid off :). For the last three months I've matched (and recently far exceeded) my salary at my corporate job, and was able to quit.

It was a surreal feeling handing in my notice, and even more surreal when people asked what I was going to do, and I just responded "write." This was met most often with blank stares, because, lets face it, it's like I told them my garage band just got signed by a major label or something equally impossible.

I'm living my dream.

When I was a child, I drew books with crayon before I could write. In the 6th grade I did an assignment where we had to present on what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wanted to be a writer. I majored in Writing/Literature in college, a degree which everyone thought was useless and fanciful.

I am so BLESSED that I'm able to do what I love and fulfill my childhood dream. I thank God every day. It still hasn't quite sunk in.

I got lucky, but I also worked incredibly hard. Right now I have almost 40 titles out. Soon I hope to make enough money to allow my husband to go back to school and follow his dreams.

I just wanted to share and say that with indie publishing, it IS possible to make a living as a writer :). I did it, guys! And all it took was hard work, luck, and determination instead of years and a mountain of query letters.

The Wave of the Future: Subscription Book Services

As a big fan and user of Netflix, I got to thinking about what the new Kindle Owner's Lending Library means for readers. Will a similar program as the unlimited streaming be coming down the pipeline, only with e-books instead of video?

I read this great blog post by author David Gaughran today, which addresses mainly this topic. I'm of two minds about the whole thing, really.

As a reader, I'm excited.

I love Netflix because I get free access to movies I wouldn't have otherwise purchased. That's basically what I use it for--experimenting and finding new, cool things to watch without commiting myself to buying a new Blu Ray or, God forbid, coughing up for a movie ticket.

If I find something I truly love, OR (more likely), Netflix doesn't have it available for free streaming, then I'll buy it or rent it if I've heard it's awesome.  I still have a blu ray collection that I add to every year, so Netflix isn't cutting into my purchasing decisions just because it's free.

As a writer, I'm worried.

In the blog post I linked above, David closes with an excellent point about how we as authors want to get paid. If everything goes subscription-based, then we're basically agreeing to a flat rate, set by the retailer and can never hope to make more than that.  Right now, I get to set my own prices, and the only things determining my earning cap are a) how hard I want to work to produce more content and b) reader interest. 

There is no limit to how much I'm "allowed" to make! If I keep churning out great stories that people want to read, the potential is there to make a nice living. 

However, if my only choice is to be locked into a flat payout (or even worse, some mystery payout like Kindle Select offers), then that will seriously suck. 

I like being in control of my own destiny, and I especially like being paid properly for my hard work.

So, here's my question to you:

Would you use a subscription site as a reader, and if so, how do you think it would influence your book-purchasing habits?

This is a fascinating time to be alive :).  Only time will tell how this all shakes out.

Kindle Select: A Potential Monopoly?

It has been one hell of an interesting week with the launch of Kindle Select, a new program for indie authors where they can give Amazon 90 day exclusivity of their titles in exchange for a piece of a mysterious pie and the opportunity to promote their titles for free for up to 5 days.

I've been lurking on the forums and listening to peoples' experiences who took this plunge with both feet, and the more I watch, the more concerned I become.

I mean, obviously Amazon isn't creating this program out of the goodness of their hearts, so there must be a reason why they created such a tempting program for indie authors.

From what I've heard from folks who used their free promotions this past weekend, some benefits for Amazon have become apparent:

• Amazon doesn't let you opt out more than once! 
• When you sign up for Kindle Select, you get 72 hours to opt out and change your mind. However, if you opt out once, you don't get that same window the next time you sign up. You're in. For 90 days. PERIOD.  They also make you forfeit your opt out window if you have your book go free during that timeframe. 
• The non-compete clause means no bundles, and probably no excerpts.
• If you have a short story in their program, you have to unpublish any short story bundle or anything with an excerpt of that story from all other sites.  Doing #samplesunday on your blog? Well, you've got to erase all of that, too, or potentially forfeit any earnings.
• The "Free" game has changed.
• It used to be that when your book or story went free on Amazon, it zoomed you up in the ranks. This meant when your story went back to paid, you'd still be at whatever ranking you earned as a free book.  If you hit the Top 100 for your genre, you could get a lot of exposure, and a lot of sales.
• From friends of mine who went free this weekend, I heard of people going from the Top 20 in their genre, to falling instantly back down to their previous rank when it went paid again, down to 1 billion.  The game has changed. Amazon may have tweaked their algorithms.

All this is to say, AUTHOR BEWARE!

I had one title in this program because I got excited like everyone else, but I've since pulled it.  I don't want Amazon to get a monopoly over indie authors, and I certainly don't want to be part of a program that promises a promotional tool and delivers something else entirely.

It feels very predatory the more I learn.

What do you think?  Any experiences with Kindle Select, good or bad?

New Kindle Lending Program: Good for Indie Authors?

I got a very interesting email this morning from Kindle Direct Publishing, letting me know about a new opportunity for indie authors: Kindle Select.

Basically, they have a new program that indie authors can enroll in that will allow people with Amazon Prime memberships to "borrow" their books through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

The kicker is that for every person who borrows the book, the author gets a share of a profit pool..

From the FAQ:

__

How is my share of the Kindle Owners' Lending Library fund calculated?


Your share of the Kindle Owners' Lending Library Fund is calculated based on a share of the total number of qualified borrows of all participating KDP titles. For example, if the monthly fund amount is $500,000 and the total qualified borrows of all participating KDP titles is 100,000 in December and if your book was borrowed 1,500 times, you will earn 1.5% (1,500/100,000 = 1.5%), or $7,500 in December.

__

While I seriously doubt most of us will be making $7500 a month from this, it's still very intriguing.

Kindle Direct Publishing even went so far as to sweeten the deal by allowing authors enrolled in this program to make their book free as a promotion for 5 days during enrollment.

Now here's the rub. Nothing is perfect, right guys? ;)

Your book must be exclusive to Amazon for 90 days to participate in this program.

This means if your book is selling in any other store (Sony, iTunes, Kobo, Diesel, Barnes and Noble, etc,) you must take it down from those sites in order to be a part of this new Lending Library.

This article has a very good summary of what the program entails:
http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/pressed/2011/12/08/amazon-provides-boost-for-independent-authors

Now, I'm hesitant about this because I'm selling well at the other stores. I've heard other indie authors talking this morning about pulling all of their titles from Amazon's competition, and couldn't help but ask "What happens if Amazon gets a monopoly on indie bookselling?" Will they still treat authors as well as they are now?

What happens to our 70% royalty rate once they're the only show in town?

For now, I'm going to sit back and see what happens with the folks who are putting most or all of their books into this program. There could be amazing potential for profit, but there is also a high risk when you rely on one source for all of your income.

What do you guys think?  Should indies jump on it, or hold out to see what happens next?

Back In Action!

Hi, guys!

I apologize for being gone for so long, but I'm happy to say that I'm back, baby, and quite possibly better than ever :).

I have been working diligently on some very exciting things for the past few months, and will have a BIG announcement coming up at the end of this month.  And no, I'm not going to tell you what it is because it's a surprise.  You're just going to have to wait because I'm evil like that ;).

Thank you so much to all who participated in naming the next installment of the Fairytale Assassin short story series. I got distracted by other projects, but then decided to go a different way with the naming, so I wanted to let you know that. I appreciate the support, though, and the great names you guys put out there.  I love this blog. You guys are so awesome!

Anyway, fun stuff is coming down the pipeline, so stay tuned!

I also have 10 authographed copies of the delightful trade paperback version of Legacy of the Empress that I'm currently selling :). I'm happy to autograph these any old way you'd like and may even include some bad artwork if you're lucky, so snap them up for any loved ones who love a great fantasy adventure for under the tree!  You can purchase them HERE.

How many people can say they got a book for the holiday personally autographed just for them? I think that would be pretty darn nifty, if I do say so myself.  I'm using wepay.com for the transactions, so it's easy and safe for all.

Other than that, you'll be seeing a lot more of me 'round these parts... so hold onto your butts.

Legacy of the Empress is available in PAPERBACK!

The day has come!  It's finally here, and I am practically vibrating with excitement :).

Legacy of the Empress is a FOR REALS book!  On paper!  With bindings and pages and new book smell!


To your left you will see me holding a copy of my for-realsies paperback novel, formatted with tender loving care, and looking completely and utterly awesome.

330 pages full of goodness.. in my actual hands.

I know that I've said in the past that when the day came that I held my book in my hands, that I'd get a big pile of them and swim through them like Scrooge McDuck, however... now that the day has come, I don't want to crease them with my flailing body.

They are just too pretty.

In related news, the trade paperback is available on Amazon for $10.99!  How awesome is that?

So if you love the feel of a delicious papery book in your hands, and also want a great epic fantasy read, here you go.  You're all set :).

I have my first ever book signing this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in Vancouver, WA at Cover to Cover bookstore, so if you're in the area, come say "hi!"  I will be thrilled to see you :).

Thank you for letting me share this incredibly exciting moment with you, and for all of the love and support over the past couple of years.  You guys mean the world to me.  ((internet hugs!))

New Cover Art! A Paperback! A Book Tour! OH MY!

In case you've been wondering what I've been up to when I've been horridly neglecting you, here's some new and exciting news! :)

Legacy of the Empress has a Fancy Pants professional cover, and is coming out in paperback form NEXT WEEK!  That's right, ladies and gents. I'm going paper, and I'm going there hard.  The book will be a nice sized trade paperback, and will be priced at $10.99.  Woot!

Along with that awesome and most excellent news, I'm excited to say that I'm going on a booktour around the Portland Metro Area in October with some other really cool, local YA Authors.  Since Legacy straddles the line between YA and epic fantasy, they were nice enough to have me.

Here's where you can find me if you live in the area:

• Cover to Cover Bookstore on October 1st, from 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
• West Linn Public Library on October 7th, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
• Beaverton City Library on October 20th, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• A Children's Place Bookstore on October 22nd at 1 p.m. - whenever they kick us out!

So, all of you Pacific Northwest Internet Friends, come say "hi!" :)  I'll be the one getting all nervous and sweaty before reading a passage from my book.

I'm so excited!  I hope I get to meet some of you face to face. How cool would that be?

Also, please tweet, facebook, or blog about these events, or even the paperback. It would be a huge help.  Thanks for all your support, guys!

Announcements Tomorrow!

Hi, guys,

As you have probably deduced, I've been one busy lady over the past couple of weeks, but tomorrow I get to announce some EXCITING things, and show you the fruits of my labor!

Woo hoo!

See you then ;).

Get out the Vote! What's YOUR Favorite Title?

Hi, guys!

Thanks for bearing with me lately on the blogging.  Life has been crazy around here, with family emergencies, work, and a flurry of visiting relations.

Now that it's fall things should be settling down, which makes it the perfect time for writing, and of course, blogging!

Now, I owe you guys a vote!

Several awesome blog followers entered my Name that E-Book Contest, submitting possible titles for the new Fairytale Assassin adventure for the chance at a free copy, a dedication in the e-book, and a $15 Amazon giftcard.

Well, it's time to vote for your favorite, my friends :).  Here are my top three picks for my tale, based on the Rumplestiltskin story:

1. Greed
2. Avarice
3. Spun Gold

So, you tell me!

What's the best name, and who is our lucky winner?  Please leave your votes in the comments, and support Kimmy and Nichole, our two finalists!

___

Above is a sneak peak at the cover for the next Fairytale Assassin story, coming soon!  Woo hooo!

Baring Your Soul

When you're writing, do you ever feel like you're baring your soul?  Or at least having one of those weird dreams where you're walking down the hall naked and the only one who knows it is you?

I do.

I was thinking about this today, and wondering why we writers don't feel shy when we write, even though we're usually a shyer bunch face to face. 

After all, when we write a scary scene, aren't we telling people what scares us?  And when we write a love scene, aren't we telling the world what turns us on?

Aren't we showing our own views on life, religion, social interaction, and even good versus evil with every story we write?

What do you guys think?  :) 

Do you think a writer bares a part of themselves when they write?  If so, are you shy about it, or do you love the freedom?

_______
Coming tomorrow:  We'll vote for my Name that E-Book Contest winner!

Sorry for My Absence!

Hi, guys,

I apologize for lying down on the job as far as blogging goes recently. Life came up, and I needed to unplug for a bit, but I promise to be back in blogging form next week :).

Don't forget to enter my NAME THAT E-BOOK contest! We have some great entries so far, and I'd love to have more names for the voting soon.  After all, there's a $15 Amazon giftcard at stake! Let's make it interesting ;).

Because it's Friday, I'll leave this post short, but to make up for it, here's a picture of one of the cutest things in the world--a baby stoat.

D'awwwww :3  Lookit that face and tell me that's not one adorable creature.  Seriously.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

10 Random Facts: I've Been Tagged!

I was tagged by author pal, Samantha Warren, in a fun blogging game where we each have to list 10 random facts, and then tag four other bloggers :).

Who am I to deny some bloggy fun times?

So, here goes!  10 random things about me that you never wanted to know but are going to read anyway:

10)  I used to fell trees with my ex-lumberjack grandpa!  We live in the Pacific Northwest, and our house was overshadowed by some creaky, terrifyingly large trees that threatened to fall on us during every storm.  So, of course, like any normal family, grandpa decided to enlist my 12 year old self to help him take them down.  To this day I remember his shouts of "run for your life!" and "watch out for the power lines!" echoing through our neighborhood of track houses.  Good times, Grandpa.  Good times.

9)  I met my husband through Craigslist.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Some girlfriends of mine were posting ads during college so I posted a joke one that said "Two Headed Girl Seeks Friendship, Maybe More" to see if anyone would respond.  My husband's roommate forwarded him my ad, and the rest is history.  Random, no?  Obviously, 'twas destiny.

8)  I hate fruity, sugary booze, and love whiskey straight up.  Apparently, I am a 1890s cowboy.

7)  Once I discovered Ru Paul's Drag Race on Netflix, I couldn't stop watching it.  I seriously marathoned this show.  Ru Paul presents hilarious challenges to young drag queens, says "Don't fuck it up" as encouragement, and then ends it with "Shasay.... away.." when someone is eliminated.  Tell me this isn't the best reality show of ALL TIME.

6)  I named my kitty Fawkes after the phoenix in Harry Potter :3.  He's orange.

5)  I'm a pretty good shot with a bow and arrow.

4)  On a related note, I hit my mom in the eye once with a tiny arrow from my Lord of the Rings Aragorn action figure's wee plastic bow.  Luckily, she was wearing glasses, and it deflected the blow.  I was 20 at the time.

3)  I karaoke to "Bohemian Rhapsody" without feeling shame.

2)  As soon as I get home from work, even if it's early, I change into pajamas.  Pajamas are my natural state. Right now, because it's summer, I'm in a wifebeater and boxers.  Yes.  I am a classy lady ;).

1)  One of my favorite movies is Rambo, First Blood.  I'll tell people that I love oscar winners, but I seriously love terrible 80s action movies.  Favorite genre, hands down.

So, now it's time to pick some of you!  I want to know your 10 darkest secrets.... or at least 10 random facts :).

I'm tagging:

Tere Kirkland
Abby Annis
Christine Fonseca
Michelle McLean

Let's hope they spill some juicy facts! ;)

What about you?  What's a random fact about YOU, dear followers?  I'd love to know!

Fairytale Assassin Contest: Name That E-Book!

I'm almost done with the next Fairytale Assassin adventures, but I need YOUR HELP!

 

Help me come up with a snappy, punny name for a Rumplestiltskin story!

 

The person who comes up with the best story name and leaves it in the comments here by 8/31/11 wins:

• A free copy of the new short story
• A dedication in the e-book from me
• A $15 Amazon giftcard!

For inspiration, my current Veronica Grim: Fairytale Assassin story names ARE:

Blood Don't Lie (Bluebeard)

Carnivore (Little Red Riding Hood)

Heartless (Snow White)

 

Skin Deep (WIP, Beauty and the Beast)

Leave your ideas for Rumplestilskin in the comments, by 8/31, and on September 1st, I'll open up voting for you, my lovely readers, to pick the best one! 

So, what are you waiting for? 

Thinking caps on! 

May the best name, WIN!

***
Disclaimer that my husband made me add:

I pick the top three names to be voted on to weed out trolls and stuff because The Internet is not always a fun and friendly place. Also, I have no obligation to use any name you provide. This is for funsies and should work out great, but you know. Just in case. Carry on!

Get Your Head in the Game

Do you have a mind for business?

Well, if you're a writer, I hope your answer is either "yes," or "argh, I'm learning as fast as I can!"

Sometimes when we're neck-deep in story ideas, it's easy to forget there is a second, all-important skillset we need to honing:  our business savvy.  If you never reach your readers, how are you going to make it?  How can you reach them, entice them to pick up your book, and convince them to come back? 

Figuring that out is almost as important as the writing itself.

I'm constantly working on this, because being a small business owner is definitely new to me. When I first started on this journey, I had exactly zero clue, so I started reading about book marketing. I have a few books stacked up at home on the subject, but here's the kicker. They're almost entirely obsolete now because of the market shifting toward e-books!

So, I'm learning as I go.

One thing I recently picked up is that the Fall and Winter are huge for e-books (and books in general.)  People are home from summer vacation and they are giving their family and friends e-readers for back-to-school and Christmas. 

The savvy marketer at this point thinks, what can I do to make sure I'm positioned well for this great sales quarter? How can I make sure I benefit from this season?

A few things I'm doing to prepare:

• I'm looking for new cover art for Legacy of the Empress to bring it more in line with professional TOR-esque covers so it will stand out in time for Christmas
• I'm bringing Legacy of the Empress out in paperback to reach those who don't have e-readers yet.
• I'm going to be a part of a local author event at a Beaverton library in October talking to teens about writing and selling paperbacks.
• I'm writing more stuff! (The most important part.)  I hope to have two more Veronica Grim stories as well as (hopefully) a great start on the sequel to Legacy if not the whole thing, ready to go.

What are you doing in the coming months with your writing?  Even if you're not ready to be published yet, are you preparing a business plan for the next month, quarter, or year? 

It's something to think about :).

What do you think?  Do you have a mind for business?