Recently a fellow blogger and author that I follow, Charles Yallowitz of Legends of Windermere ( Click Here for Link) shared a promotional website that was taking the month of June to celebrate Gay Pride Month. N.N. Light’s Book Heaven’s Promotion of Pride is offering “…book recommendations, book spotlights, book promos and even book reviews.” They have invited authors within the LGBT community to have their writing highlighted for a day.
“…June is Pride Month and we are hosting a month-long event entitled Promotion With Pride. We’re huge supporters of LGBTQ human rights including the right of every person to be who they are, love whom they choose and to walk proudly.” “…We’d love to have you join us so be sure to bookmark N. N. Light’s Book Heaven.”
Friday, June 22, my recent book Guilt – My Companionis be featured (see link below). They asked me to include an excerpt from the book along with the blurb. Please follow the link and when you have finished, leave me a comment on N.N. Light’s Book Heaven’s website and promotions. I’m also inviting you to leave comments on your impression of my new book here.
Feature Image Contributed From Nature Photography by Urmo Parts
I’m putting out this post because I’m soliciting my followers, friends, fellow WordPress members, and especially other authors opinions and advice. If you will tolerate my diversion with a summary discussion, I’ll get to my request below.
The most common advice we receive from those authors that have gone before us through the growing pains of self-publishing is (a) make sure you have a cover that grabs attention, (b) make sure your book title is captivating and reveals what the book is about. So, is one more important than the other or do they equally play a role in readers’ selections?
Book Covers:
Professionals who study the reader’s selection processes state the average shopper will select or reject your book in two seconds. You might have written a best seller but if the reader rejects it, it will sit on the shelf unsold. A cover will bring the needed attention and success, yet it can also lead to its demise. If the book brings negative attention, it can be as damaging as a poorly designed cover that brings no attention. The pros tell us it is all about the first impression and you get one shot at grabbing the positive response from the shopper.
According to an August 2012 post from Psychology Today, “Guilt is, first and foremost, an emotion… It’s more accurate to think of guilt as an internal state. In the overall scheme of emotions, guilt is in the general category of negative feeling states. It’s one of the “sad” emotions, which also include agony, grief, and loneliness, according to one comprehensive framework.”
However, like so many of our other emotions, we really don’t know why we have guilt other than it results from experiencing other emotions. Many psychiatrists and psychologist agree that its origin is from childhood when the child fears to show their true emotions due to acceptance or approval from their parents or peers. As they mature, guilt can create a negative inhibition.
How many times have we been told that an author’s book cover can make or break its success? They tell us a picture is worth a thousand words. Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language”. There are thousands of quotes, but the message is still the same; pictures or images used for our books are essential marketing tools. My guess, as important as the catchy title.
Now that my next book is in its final stages. I’m asking for opinions for a cover. Below are three sample covers and I’m asking you to help me select the best one. Of the three books I’ve written, this last one has been the hardest. I have so many emotions invested, it’s difficult for me to select one objectively. I have my favorite of the three covers, but it could be the least effective. (more…)
Many of you who follow me and my blog post, know I have complained about poor sales on my second book What Did I Do?I have it listed with Amazon’s KDP as an eBook and a paperback. Initially sales did well, but after three months, they have all but stopped. I tried for two weeks doing a promotional for $.99; I sold four. I have done the sponsored ads (e.g. pay per click). I’ve promoted it on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Flipboard, etc.
In my opinion there are several elements involved for the lack of sales. The prime consideration is the lack of reviews. I have pleaded and begged readers to leave a review. I get the typical promise, but they don’t follow through. I further believe the subject (e.g. child abuses) hinders people’s desire to read it. Whatever the cause, I have decided to not fret and move on.
During my adult life, I actually had three careers. First was the four years I served in the military. When I left the military, I went to mortuary school, served a two-year apprenticeship, and then became a licensed funeral director and embalmer. I worked for funeral homes for twelve years. I started out in East Texas and most of my years were in San Antonio working for a prestigious funeral home.
They were rewarding years and I am proud of my career in the business. I left when I had a death in my immediate family and I could no longer work emotionally detached. I have many memories from the years I worked in the funeral business. Some are emotionally challenging, some involved historical individuals, and some in hindsight are comical. When you worked in view of the public, your demeanor was always dignified. When handling the remains of family members we served, we gave the same dignified and respectful care. However, I have to admit, behind the scenes were a lighter atmosphere between staff members. I have many stories of my experiences that will either pull at your heartstrings or enlighten you to the lighter side of funerals. I am going to share one of my experiences, which became notorious. I’ll let you decide if you think it was humorous.
Out of respect to the family that still owns and operates the funeral home, I am changing the name and the name of the owner. However, if your curiosity is such, you can find the story on the Internet by querying the name of the deceased that I have not changed. It will verify most of the details of my story.
Some of you may or may not know I am in the process of writing my second book. I have a draft manuscript completed and I am going through the difficult task of editing my work. I realize I should follow the experts’ advice and have a professional do a copy-edit. I would, if I can find someone in an affordable price range. However, that is not what this post is about.
I am struggling with the issue to whether publish this book as a memoir or a fiction based on my life events. I am not sure if either genre has more impact over the other in the book market. I know both have their advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps if I lay out some detail of my dilemma, you will help me in the decision process.
By definition, a memoir needs to be truthful. Yet, we know many authors of memoirs embellish the story to make it more impactful and captivating to the reader. So, to what degree can the author embellish and meet the definition of a memoir? (more…)
Recently, I commented on a blog about Incarnation. As the blogger I follow explained, “…incarnation literally means the act of becoming flesh” Christians believe it is “…the embodiment of a deity or… the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ”.
I remember in catechism classes, the nuns trying to teach us about the Immaculate Conception and the birth of Jesus. They went on to tell us the story of Jesus being born in a manger in Bethlehem. As we continued our catechism lessons, they told us about the short life of Jesus. They told us of the miracles He performed. Another mystery was the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection. They explained how the disciples followed His teaching and after Jesus’s death, they spread Christianity. (more…)
According to an August 2012 post from 
How many times have we been told that an author’s book cover can make or break its success? They tell us a picture is worth a thousand words. Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language”. There are thousands of quotes, but the message is still the same; pictures or images used for our books are essential marketing tools. My guess, as important as the catchy title.
