Which would you recommend?

Picture the following. There I am, standing behind my book table during a conference break at a large church. I am a little tired, not only from being on my feet for some time but also from having to explain to one person after another that I am the author of those books in front of me and then having to answer their questions. Now another lady approaches. Once again, I point out my non-fiction book and briefly talk about my novels. She seems to listen well but then fires a question at me.

‘Which one would you recommend?’

For a moment, I am dumbfounded. Did I hear what I thought I heard? Did she really ask me which of my own books I would recommend? Does that mean she thinks I would waste my time writing and selling books I would not recommend?

I take a deep breath and try to calm down. She didn’t think about what she was asking, I tell myself. But how can I best respond? Perhaps I need to ask her a few questions to see what sort of book she’s looking for. I try that, but the only further light she sheds is that she would like something her eighteen year old daughter might want to read. I decide to recommend my novel featuring my youngest heroine—perhaps that might connect the best. The lady peruses it, then moves on to my other books. In the end, she does buy one, although now I don’t remember which.

How would you have responded? I have been asked before which of my books I like best—and even that’s a hard one to answer. I love them all for different reasons. Granted, my earlier novels are not my best writing. And yes, my memoir Soul Friend holds a special place in my heart because I share my true self in those pages. But I can’t honestly say which one I like best. Perhaps that is the question this lady was actually asking, I realise now.

Just a few days earlier, as I sold my books after speaking at a secular women’s club, I was asked a different and much more heart-warming question. There I was on this occasion, wondering if I would sell any books, when a lady came up to me with tears in her eyes.

‘I need that book of yours you mentioned about forgiveness,’ she told me straight up. ‘Which one would that be?’

Again, I was a little dumbfounded. Several of my novels include something about forgiveness—which one had I mentioned in my talk? Then I suddenly remembered explaining that my latest novel explores the theme of holding onto anger and bitterness and the trouble that can come as a result. She quickly agreed that was the one and bought it. And as I signed her copy with my usual ‘God bless’, I prayed in my heart that she would truly be blessed as she read it and set free from whatever was troubling her.

I know I need to answer any questions thrown at me at my book table with patience and grace—and I continue to ask God to enable me to do that. Still, I’d much rather be asked which of my books talks about forgiveness than which one I would recommend!

How about you? Have you perhaps asked or been asked some interesting questions at book tables too?

Jo-Anne Berthelsen lives in Sydney but grew up in Brisbane. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher, editor and secretary, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne is passionate about touching hearts and lives through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of six published novels and one non-fiction work, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey. Jo-Anne is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and four grandchildren. For more information, please visit www.jo-anneberthelsen.com or www.soulfriend.com.au.

Balancing book marketing and writing time (plus book giveaway)

by Narelle Atkins

Like many aspiring authors, I spent years dreaming about my first book sale. My dream came to fruition in February this year, when my debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was released by Love Inspired Heartsong Presents.

It’s exciting and fun to celebrate a book release. My favourite part of book promotion is interacting with readers. This includes blog visiting and social media. I did a blog chase and blog tour for Falling for the Farmer, including an ACRBA tour in early March.  I blogged about my first blog tour on ICFW last month.

I researched book promotion and marketing in the months leading up to my book release. I learned what the marketing experts suggest a brand new author should consider doing for their book launch. I adapted this information to take into account a few unique factors relating to my book. 

I couldn’t ignore geographical factors, which can present different challenges and opportunities for international authors. I live in Australia, and my home market is North America. I can’t contact my local Walmart store in the US and organise a book signing. I only spotted my book on a shelf in an Australian book store a few weeks ago, nearly 2 months after it released in the US. On the plus side, I’m marketing my books in North America and Australia/New Zealand, potentially reaching a larger audience. 

My books are part of the Heartsong Presents category romance line. My publisher, Harlequin, sells the Love Inspired and Heartsong Presents books via their Reader Service. I was blessed to have the opportunity to write an article for the February inspirational issue of Harlequin’s Simply Books magazine that is sent to their Reader Service subscribers. There are inbuilt marketing benefits for books belonging to a known brand. I recently set up a Goodreads group with my Heartsong Presents author friends. 

I currently have a six book contract, which means I’ll have a book releasing every three months from February 2014 to May 2015. My second book, The Nurse’s Perfect Match, releases next week on May 1 (ebook) and May 6 (print).

A number of books and articles that discuss book marketing and promotion seem to be based on the assumption that the author’s next book may not be available for six months or longer. This doesn’t apply in my situation, and isn’t relevant for a growing number of indie and hybrid authors who have learned there are marketing benefits to be gained by having more frequent book releases. 

My economics background means that I look at book promotion from a cost-benefit perspective. If I invest X amount of time and money, what will be the tangible outcome? There are many marketing books that provide great ideas that we can try, but the outcomes appear to be hit and miss. How can authors measure whether or not they are receiving value from their marketing efforts? How can they link specific book promotion and marketing activities to book sales? 

The time cost of book promotion and marketing is a huge factor that I need to consider. If I spend more time on book promotion, I have less time to write my contracted books. At the moment I’m revising and rewriting book 5 (deadline June 15), and I need to start writing Chapter 4 of book 6 ASAP (deadline September 15). I also have proposals to write for my agent as we look ahead to seek future contracts. The proposal ideas are in my head, but I need time to map out the story outlines and write the first 3 chapters and synopses. 

Debut books are special, and I did more online promotion for Falling for the Farmer than I’m planning to do for The Nurse’s Perfect Match. 

I’ll be posting my complete book promo schedule for The Nurse’s Perfect Match on my blog next week. 

I’m kicking off my book release celebrations today with a print giveaway (worldwide, wherever The Book Depository delivers) of The Nurse’s Perfect Match. To entry the drawing, please leave a comment on this post and complete the Rafflecopter information below.

NURSE AMY WILKINS HAS COME HOME 

After her marriage ends in tragedy, Amy returns to Snowgum Creek to rebuild her life. There she meets widower Ben Morton, who's not looking for romance, though his young children are eager for Amy's attention. She's given up on her dream of being a mother, but can't ignore how she's drawn to Ben's little ones, and to their handsome farmer dad.

As love kindles between Ben and Amy, she worries how she'll ever measure up to the wife he lost. And Ben is concerned about how Amy will ever truly fit into life on the farm. They could be the answer to each other's prayers—if the secret Amy is keeping doesn't tear them apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you struggled to balance writing time with marketing and promotion? Are there any particular marketing strategies that you’ve found effective? Do you have any insights on how to quantify and measure the effectiveness of book marketing and promotion? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. 

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. 

Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014. 

Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com 
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor 
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adam Collings - Novelist and You Tube video creator

For some time now I have been in contact with fellow Tasmanian writer of speculative fiction, Adam Collings. He is currently working on a science fiction novel and works as a software engineer during the day. Recently I was very intrigued to read on his blog and Facebook that he has commenced releasing a new YouTube series – Stories. 

First of all I was curious how this fits in with his desire to be a published author and then wondered just how he produces these YouTube videos. 

Adam, can you tell us why you started writing novels, why this YouTube series, what they will include and how you are creating the videos? 

Certainly, Mary. I’ve loved writing stories since a very young age. I think it was encouragement from my Mum that really got me thinking seriously about writing a novel in the hopes of getting published. Writing fiction is a desire within me that can’t be extinguished. 

As I’ve learned more about this writing world, I’ve come to understand the importance of building a platform. Social media is a great tool for this, and is a very natural form of communication for me. 

I recently read How To Market a Book by Joanna Penn. I was intrigued by what she had to say on the subject of content marketing. The idea is that you produce content which is either useful or entertaining and give it away. This helps build a fan following (who may end up being potential buyers of your book). 

The same time, I became aware of the booktube phenomenon – a community of people who review books on YouTube. This sounded like a whole lot of fun. The people I need to connect with are fans of science fiction and fantasy, particularly Christians. I decided to start my own YouTube show talking about books – both Christian and secular - but also movies and the occasional computer game, as sci-fi fans tend to enjoy all these forms of story-telling. 

I wanted to keep it simple and very quick to produce and not take time away from my writing. With a wife, two kids and a job, time is rather precious. 

Thinking about what I’m going to say is important. I wrote out a full script and tried to memorise it as best I could. In terms of shooting, you don’t need much fancy equipment. Most modern smart phones these days have decent video cameras in them. I shoot small, bite-sized segments that could be edited together. 

After transferring the footage to the computer it’s editing time. I used a package called Adobe Premier Elements, but most computers come pre-installed with basic video editing software like Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. A more powerful free solution is Blender, though it has a steep learning curve. 

An endeavour like this takes time to build momentum. I’ve only released one episode so far, but am already planning my second. Through this I hope to build a bit of a following so that when I become an author (I know I can do it) I will have a good platform. 

Thank you, Adam. I found this all very interesting. Not sure I have the equipment and tech know-how to do this, but I hope is a big help to our authors to get the information to the readers. 

I am impressed you mentioned the priority of time spent with your wife and family because I too have always found this to be an essential balancing act. 

Besides all the promotion we would like to do, most important is to make the time to write the best book we can, then keep producing them as regularly as possible to build up that fan base – or as some call them, our “Tribe”. 

All the very best with having your books published. 
While I am not particularly a reader of sc-fi or fantasy novels do add me to your fan list!

Do enjoy some of Adam's efforts by clicking the following link -.  
http://www.youtube.com/user/collingsshow
Also, don't forget to click also on the words in blue throughout the post for more information about Adam, Blender and Joanna Penn

The benefits of bookstore appearances

When my first novel was published in 2007, author appearances at our nearest Christian bookstore here in Sydney were not overly encouraged, so I gave up the whole idea. In recent years, however, the situation has changed and the store manager now warmly welcomes author visits. I have made several and enjoy them immensely.

For starters, it feels special when I arrive to find a table strategically placed near the main entrance ready for me, along with whatever stocks of my books are available, promotional posters, pens, notepads and even a bottle of water! I am always provided with a comfortable chair as well and asked if I need anything else. Then at intervals during the day, a staff member makes an announcement over the PA system, encouraging customers to come and chat with me. At first, I wondered if I enjoyed all this simply because it was feeding my ego! Yet now I believe it’s more about feeling acknowledged and respected in a healthy way and allowing that to encourage me in my writing journey. For me, it’s about sensing God’s grace in the way these staff members look after me and allowing myself to be blessed in the process. And I hope and pray I bless them in return.

This whole experience also makes me realise God’s faithfulness and grace in my life in an even deeper way and to be so thankful. I often almost pinch myself in amazement as I see all six of my books published so far on display on that book table. Back in 2004, when I began writing in earnest, I could never have envisaged the day when I would be standing in a bookstore, talking about my writing and offering to sign my books for customers. That was the stuff dreams were made of! But God brought it about, enabling me to fulfil those dreams—and I am so grateful.

But there are also other benefits that flow from these author appearances. I do think they are a valuable way of promoting my books and obtaining higher sales than would otherwise be the case. It’s about making my books more visible among the thousands and thousands of others in that bookstore and enabling potential readers to put a face to that author’s name on the cover and to glimpse my heart in writing my books. Then hopefully, as more customers buy them, the store will order more from my publisher, which will eventually result in more royalties for me.

As well, I always give many of my business cards out to customers, whether they come up to my book table or not. It can be done in a polite, non-intrusive way and often leads to interesting conversations and connections. At my last book signing event, I approached a young woman, who, on taking my card, immediately looked up with a delighted smile and exclaimed, ‘Jo-Anne Berthelsen!’ I had known her years ago in a mentoring group and her excitement at hearing about my writing journey since then was so heart-warming for me. Giving customers my card also provides them with a way of connecting with me, should they ever be looking for a speaker.

How have you found your own author visits to bookstores? Do you feel they are worthwhile? Does the way they are conducted perhaps vary from country to country?

Jo-Anne Berthelsen lives in Sydney but grew up in Brisbane. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher, editor and secretary, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne is passionate about touching hearts and lives through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of five published novels and one non-fiction work, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey. Her sixth novel, The Inheritance, will be released in September. Jo-Anne is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information, please visit www.jo-anneberthelsen.com or www.soulfriend.com.au.