 Week 3 of our 6 Simple Facebook Contests you can set up in 5 minutes and it time for Solve to Win!
This was the photo and the question was--"How many wolves are in the picture?" The answer: 3 By now my author has determined that the effort is not worth the yields and wants to direct her efforts in a different direction. But I love the idea of Facebook engagement. Sometimes, though, your fans just want you--and that's okay. Will I stop using Facebook as a platform? No. I don't subscribe to the method that authors need to be in all places at once. I believe they need to concentrate on the platform, or platforms, that they feel most comfortable in and work it! My favorite is twitter but I also love Facebook. I don't cross promote on the platforms very much so it keeps both places fresh and different, but sometimes cross promoting is best for you. I don't know--it's only a suggestion. But the important thing to remember is, know what you want to do on your platforms. Do you want interaction or promotion? Either one takes a unique approach on any platform. This experiment we did was under the promotion category and we found out our fans want interaction as their engagement. So fans get what fans want! ACTION ITEM: Take from this what type of interaction your fans want from you on each platform.
0 Comments
 Snow Blood is an episodic story where each episode is released every Tuesday. Think of it as a TV show, where every week, you get a new episode unveiling more of the story.
This episodic writing was an experiment I suggested to author Carol McKibben and she agreed! Now that we've gotten to 4 out of 6 episodes this is what it looks like: #97 in the Kindle Store >Science Fiction, Fantasy & Scary Stories > Fantasy & Magic > Coming of Age The time and effort it took to make these episodes was a new and different challenge. I could not have published them and kept every episode straight without the organizational skills I've learned over the years. Would I recommend doing a series? If you have the stamina to weekly installments for at least 6 episodes, I would tell you it's a fun process. But it's much more work than putting one book up and then promoting just that book. It's great for getting your name out there and being on the just released lists. It's great for pushing a higher word count. It's also a lot more pressure. ACTION ITEM: Attempt for 4 weeks of releasing your own episodes each week to see how you like it! Snow Blood: Episode 4: Rebellion To protect Selene, Brogio leaves Kane and Snow Blood to guard the love-of-his-life. While his master endeavors to lead the Gods astray, Snow Blood searches for a way for the two lovers to remain together. In his search, Snow Blood displays true sacrifice and unconditional love for both Brogio and Selene. Find episode 4 on: Amazon TRP Smashwords Barnes & Nobel  Photo by: Donald Weller Article written by ULRIKE I’ve had this plan for a long time. When I would go to metaphysics class, starting in my 20’s, and listen to my teacher, I thought: “That’s what I’m going to do when I retire.” And yes, it took thirty more years… I originally started teaching after several years of studying the works of William W. Walter – The Walter Method/ Eschatology. There was a specific, rigorous plan to this study, step by step and it was very methodical. The group was, and still is, a closed society and newcomers are not approached. ‘They’ had to find us. Advertising was out of the question. “When the time is right, the teacher (or student) will appear”, I was told. It felt special at the time. I had found this private study and I was eager to find out what it was all about. The concepts of ‘all is mental’ and ‘all is good’ were intriguing, and the promise that this was not a religion or cult appealed to me even more. There were books, booklets, and masses of papers to read and ponder, keeping me busy for a long time. However, the most intriguing and best work of Mister Walter’s writings is certainly his collection of the metaphysical diagnosis, which had been added to and rewritten by several of the Board’s Directors. In class, the reading of other materials from other metaphysical writers was strongly discouraged. It was explained to me, that the reason for this was ‘not to be deterred’ from the straight path of finding the Truth; we were not to be confused by too many varying concepts and ideas. I, however, wanted to hear, listen and learn and I wanted to read all there was to be read. In hindsight this constraint was a good thing for beginners. It gave the student a solid foundation. With this basis of a serious and sincere study, I continued to read everything I could get my hands on in the world of ‘thought is causative’. There was an abundance of good reading materials and I was sifting, reasoning and chewing on the ideas until they made sense, and conformed to my proper mental attitude. I also discovered Eastern philosophies and absorbed all teachings of New Age thinking with a hunger that was incredible. I was a living sponge. Teaching ‘Right Thinking’, no matter what the study or lessons are called, is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had and still have. Learning about the Truth and to realize that all religions, teachings, the writings of the ancient wisdoms and New Age ideas, are in principle the same, was a great awakening. They are all grounded in the searching for Spirit, Higher Power, Universe, God, Consciousness, or the other names given to this all-inclusive limitless Power. The essential concept is that we are Souls, spiritual beings, and that our thoughts, conscious awareness, beliefs, and life attitudes shape our experiences. We are all striving to go ‘up’ in the scale of being. Being a teacher also means being a student. You must be open to new ideas and concepts. You must to act as a mental receiver, absorbing all that is presented to you every minute of your waking hours. Take it in, reason about it, sift the right from the wrong, stay on the good side only, and make sure that your feelings are kept on the right side at all times. Writing is part of this awakening. Putting the thoughts down on paper and reading them over and over again, clarifies the picture and allows you to make the necessary corrections. It teaches you patience and diligence. How blessed am I, and sharing my experience will only add to this blessing!  ULRIKE is an inspirational writer/author and metaphysics teacher. She teaches the art of right thinking in a scientific, step by step program, that benefits all areas of your life; health, wealth and most of all happiness...
you can contact her at: Website Goodreads Books on Amazon YouTube  This Tuesday's Tools is more of a thought I had. Let's say that Facebook ads work and you've had some success with them and playing around with A/B ads might be something you're interested in.
What if you could do it for free? Test which ads might work better that is. Well, why not use twitter and their stats to tell you what works? Twitter gives you stats of your best posts so why not take that information and use the best tweets as a facebook ad? Okay here's your chance to laugh at me going--Ha!Ha!Ha! Stephanie--we've been doing that for years!! Or, Ha!Ha!Ha! Stephanie, that's the worst idea ever. Sorry if I'm slow on the uptake but I think I'm going to try it. ACTION ITEM: Laugh at me while I figure out the validity of such an idea to test with twitter first, then try it on Facebook. Or, maybe do the same thing and let me know how yours works!  Two weeks ago we started our 6 Simple Facebook Contests you can set up in 5 minutes. This past week we tried Simple Facebook Contest #2 - Comment to Win.
For us, this wasn't as popular as the Like to Win Contest. Which means the question was too difficult or the prize wasn't appealing. I believe it has to do with the question. It probably wasn't something that many people could think of from the top of their heads and had to go looking for the answer. Now that I think of it, I wasn't sure how to answer and I'm a huge Snow Blood fan! Hence, I'm thinking we made the question too difficult for our fans. Lived and learned! Continuing forth with Contest #3 for Snow Blood: Episode 4!! ACTION ITEM: Try the Contest -- Comment to Win -- just give a very obvious question that anyone can answer. Something like what color is blue? The point is engagement, not necessarily sales. These are your fans who, have probably already bought your book (maybe, maybe not) but the goal is for them NOT to forget you. These are your peeps. Treat them well and they become your advocates. Advocates talk you up to others, share your content and pay attention to what you're saying because your entertaining, give them a thing of value and inspire them to DO (something). This link was share to me, and now I'm sharing to you!! 21 Best GIFs of All Time of the Week This one happens to be my favorite!! 
Have a Great Weekend!
 My author, Patricia A. Knight, has courageously charged ahead in the production of her first audiobook and lives to tell the tale! We got the first 2 days or her documented excursions before illness stabbed her in the throat. From Wednesday afternoon on, PAK has been down with a severe cold and no matter how she tries, she couldn't duplicate the same voice when she started on Monday. So, for those following her on her blog, that's why she hasn't given us more. Now as a publisher, I'm amazed and proud of Patricia for wanting to under-go voicing her own audiobook. I don't think many authors have the ability to make the recording sound professional, but after listening to her short excerpts, I'm confident she can pull it off! Now, finding a recording studio was easy. Simple ask your VA--I mean, go to Google and search for recording studios in (your city here). Now, if you're close to Seattle, and like your studio in a treehouse, you might want to check out Bear Creek Studios. (See the video below.) While I had to find a place that was closer to my author, I might have tried to send her to this one if she was in Washington. However, we found Sunfire Studios and the guys there have treated PAK with professionalism and kindness.
But before I hired them, here are the questions I asked: 1. Have you had authors come in for audio recordings before? 2. Are you able to meet the requirements needed by ACX to upload the audio files? 3. What format will I be receiving the audio files in? 4. What is your price per hour for my author to come in and do the recording? Does that include editing? 5. How long will it take you to wrap up and complete the project? I was also required to give 50% deposit of an estimated amount. I figured it might take Patricia 12 hours to do a 60,000 word recording. Since this is my first audiobook, it was only an estimate. As of Wednesday she had it half completed and she'd been at the microphone for approximately 12 hours. Patricia will be returning when her voice resumes its usual work. Also, I think the guys at Sunfire Studios want to know how the book ends :) ACTION ITEM: If interested in seeing the journey of an author make her first audiobook, check out Patricia's blog HERE!  Photo Credit: paulcoxphotography via Compfight cc Article written by Marilyn Lakewood E-musings … star date 01.24.14 I write erotic romance, some with elements of dominance and submission. It’s fiction, and not meant to be a guide or manual, in any way whatsoever. My stories are not real life. They are about consensual fantasy situations—romantic and sexual fantasies—with sexy alpha male heroes. They are meant to be fun, an adventure and entertaining escape. No matter what type of romance you prefer, passion is a key element. Taut sexual tension between lovers remains the gold-standard for exciting romance. Readers love that strung-out, wiggle in your seat, heart-pounding, breathless excitement. The hotter, the better. Foreplay increases sexual tension. Drawn out glances, touches, starts and slows, the ‘just barely’ makes everything about the dance of courtship foreplay. One of the things I love about D/s romance is the way it takes foreplay to a higher level. Foreplay on steroids. A scene between a Dom and his subbie isn’t just about the cuffs or floggers that increase the physical intensity of foreplay—a Dom playing with his lover can also increase the duration of foreplay. Who doesn’t like that? And then there’s the way a Dom lavishly bestows attention on his sub before, during, and afterwards. Wildly romantic, right? And ultra responsible. Romance readers can find passion in many sub-genres. Fantasy romance, paranormal romance, ménage romance, sci-fi romance, western romance, and D/s romance—to name just some—and within each there are more choices. I enjoy all kinds of romance with Alpha heroes—the majority are M/f and M/f/M*, but whatever your preferences, there’s a vast spectrum of choice in erotic romance. Happy reading, Marilyn *I’ve noticed some D/s stories have tags that use a capitol ‘M’ to denote a dominant male, and small ‘f’ to denote a submissive female. So if I see M/f, I not only know it’s about a man and woman, I also know it’s a dominant male and a submissive female. By the same short & sweet method, if I see M/f/M, not only do I know the story is a ménage where both men make love to the woman, I also know she’s submissive and the males are dominant. It makes sense to me. I liked this post by Kim Dare defining some acronyms used in erotic writing. The article was written in 2008, but I think these terms are still in use. http://totalebound.blogspot.com/2008/10/kinky-code.html  Marilyn Lakewood is our latest UP and Coming author! Diving into Sugar Kink Ink, her debut novel "Chase's Hard Wear" is expected to be released December 2014. This new series revolves around light bondage and BDSM themes that tantalize until you scream! "Chase's Hard Wear" will be the first of three and maybe more in the series.
Marilyn writes stories with hot, alpha males to inspire her during the long Northwest winters. She loves creating XXX romances with protective, hard-lovin' heroes and sexy fantasies.  Have you heard of Skillshare? It's a place of learning--webinar learning and learn as you go style teaching.
You can use Skillshare as a place to learn new things, or you can teach. Have knowledge you'd like to share? You can reach people with the Skillshare platform. I once took a course with Laura Pepper Wu about book marketing and she did videos, worksheets, and gave us fun assignments. It was a basic course, but good for connecting and touching base with other authors. Right now Skillshare has some heavy hitters teaching on their site such as Marketing God, Seth Godin! You might want to check it out!! ACTION ITEM: Look around Skillshare and see if there are any classes you might be interested in...you'll get some great classes for $10/monthly. |
Dear Reader,
My efforts are to make this a learning blog where writers can see the flip side of publishing. If you have comments that will improve your experience or have a certain topic you'd like discussed, please contact me through email - HERE. ~ Sincerley, Your Editor Stephanie McKibben Head Troll Troll River Publications Books on Kindle
Categories
All
Blog Roll
Archives
January 2017
|
RSS Feed
