POINT OF NO RETURN

Create, Pitch, Sell

My Amazon KDP Select Experiment

As more and more success stories about writers who had gotten thousands and even tens of thousands of downloads of a book they'd enrolled in Amazon's KDP Select program started popping up on writers forums and blogs my competitive spirit kicked into high gear. I love to win. Even more, I love the chase.

I submitted one of my books. The clock started ticking on January 25.

On the night of the 29th I viewed the results of my 5-day experiment. The total number of downloads wasn't what I had... expected? Honestly, I believe the only reason I didn't have better results is because I am still an unknown writer. Possibly, my expectations were set too high? Perhaps I should've submitted a novel instead of a short story? Maybe I should've just waited.

I know it sounds like it, but no, I am not bitter about the outcome. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? I'll chalk it up to a lesson learned, and leave it at that.

On the plus side, because of this program a few more people know my name. Thank you, to everyone in the US and the UK who downloaded my book. I am very, very grateful.

It's a beautiful day. I think I'll go for a walk on the beach and concentrate on the things I can control such as my new work-in-progress.

Promoting Indie Authors

Indie Writers Zone Indie Insider
Excuse Me, Miss Bargain Ebooks
Pixel of Ink Free & Bargain Ebooks
Go Indie Discover the Best in Indie Publishing
Ccebooks How to Make, Market & Sell Ebooks
Spalding's Racket Making a Noise About Indie Authors
The Indie Spotlight Where the Independent Author Shines
Week in Rewind, Nook Free & Bargain Books for the Nook
The Frugal eReader Frugal Finds Under Nine for the Kindle
The Tale's The Thing Sharing Work by Outstanding Authors
Week in Rewind, Kindle Free & Bargain Books for the Kindle

The Plot Thickens

New Release

My psychological thriller short story, SERIAL QUILLER 2, is available now on Smashwords and Amazon.

In SERIAL QUILLER 2, BJ Donovan embarks on a murderous rampage after someone at a writers retreat steals her handwritten manuscript of a new novel containing details of a true crime that were never made public.

Bad Mojo Series

Coming soon to Apple, Nook, Sony, Kobo, Diesel

SERIAL QUILLER 3 - Coming February 2012

New Look For The Hellfire Trilogy

New E-Book Releases For January

BAD WISDOM By Christine Cook
IN A FLASH By William Mangieri
SAINT MUDD By Steve Thayer
Il BERSAGLIO By Domenico Martusciello
DOUBLE DOWN By Vicky De Leo
DESERT VICTIM By Ron Hudson
SCOFFLAW BLUES By Marc Krulewitch
COASTAL EMPIRE By Rocky Leonard
SEA OF DARKNESS By Sarah D'Almeida
DIED ON THE VINE By Joyce Harmon

ROSE OF DIAMONDS By Salima Korri
...SORRY, WRONG NUMBER: Suzie B. Mystery #1 By Gene Grossman
ALREADY GONE (Young Adult Mystery Thriller) By Christopher Fulbright
TICK TOCK (A Detective Shakespeare Mystery Book #2) By J Robert Kennedy
CREEPING DAWN: THE RISE OF THE BLACK CENTIPEDE By Chuck Miller
SHERLOCK HOLMES INVESTIGATES: THE FREE TRADE CONSORTIUM By Philip van Wulven
DOCTOR WATSON INVESTIGATES: THE CASE OF THE SCARLET NECKERCHIEF By Andrew Hickey
LOST IN LONG COVE By Suzanne Ouimet ... A DEADLY AFFECTION By Cuyler Overholt
A GHOST OF A MURDER By Elizabeth Pulford ... FORBANNELSE AV GUDINNAN By Ratan Lal Basu
THE DEATH OF BRO. COSMONAUT By Julius Harlande ... HUGH MONN: PRIVATE DETECTIVE By Lee Houston Jr.

Coming Soon

My psychological thriller short story, SERIAL QUILLER 2, will soon be available.

Initially, Florida was the setting of this story. I decided to use Corpus Christi, Texas instead. As usual, my Quiller goes wherever the hell she wants to go. Was it the haunted lighthouse? Or something far more sinister that drew her to the First Coast? She's there right now. BJ and six other newly published authors have descended on St. Augustine to spend two weeks at a popular resort and workshop where their manuscript will be critiqued and given the attention it deserves.

So. What could possibly happen in this beautiful and historic city to cause BJ to seek out a bokor and then go on a murderous rampage?

This:

In SERIAL QUILLER 2, someone at a Florida writers retreat steals BJ Donovan's manuscript, an unpolished first draft of a thriller novel, packed with unpublicized details leading up to the murder of Detective Lucas Cantin of New Orleans in Louisiana.

Writers Conferences 2012

JANUARY:
Jan. 20-22 ... Writer's Digest Conference – Sheraton Hotel – New York City, New York
Jan. 20-24 ... The American Library Association Midwinter Meeting – Dallas Convention Center – Dallas, Texas
Jan. 27-29 ... San Diego State University Writers Conference – Doubletree Hotel – San Diego, California's Mission Valley

FEBRUARY:
Feb. 3-4 ... Cape Fear Crime Festival – Wilmington, NC
Feb. 4 ... Murder in the Magic City – The Homewood Library – Birmingham, Alabama
Feb. 3-5 ... Love Is Murder Mystery Conference – Chicago, Illinois
Feb. 15-19 ... Savannah Book Festival – Savannah, Georgia
Feb.16-19 ... San Francisco Writers Conference – San Francisco, California
Feb. 16-19 ... San Miguel Writers Conference – San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Feb. 17-20 ... The Southern California Writers Conference – San Diego, California
Feb. 22-26 ... Fisherman's Wharf Writers Conference – Algonkian Writers Conference – San Francisco, California

MARCH:
Mar. 1-4 ... Sleuthfest – Orlando, Florida
Mar. 3-4 ... Whidbey Island Writers Conference – Whidbey Island, Washington
Mar. 10-11 ... The Tucson Festival of Books – University of Arizona Campus – Tucson, Arizona
Mar. 16-17 ... The Write Stuff, Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group – Allentown, Pennsylvania
Mar. 30-31 ... Northern Colorado Writers Conference – Fort Collins Hilton
Mar. 29-Apr. 1 ... Left Coast Crime Mystery Convention – Sacramento, California
Mar. 29-Apr. 1 ... The Maine Festival of the Book – Portland, Maine

APRIL:
Apr. 11-15 ... Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention – Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel – Rosemont (Chicago), Illinois
Apr. 13-14 ... Houston Writers Guild Conference – Sugar Land, Texas
Apr. 14 ... TMCC Writers Conference – Truckee Meadows Community College – Reno, Nevada
Apr. 16-21 ... Philadelphia Book Festival – Pennsylvania
Apr. 19-21 ... Las Vegas Writers Conference – Sam's Town Hotel and Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada
Apr. 20-22 ... Missouri Writers Guild Conference – Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center of St. Louis
Apr. 20-21 ... Kentucky Writers Conference and Southern Kentucky Bookfest – Bowling Green
Apr. 21 ... Alabama Book Festival – Montgomery
Apr. 21-22 ... Pikes Peak Writers Conference – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Apr. 25-25 ... Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards & Symposium – Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York
Apr. 26-28 ... American Society of Journalists and Authors 41st Annual Writers Conference for nonfiction writers – New York City, New York
Apr. 28 ... Unicorn Writers Conference – Portland, Connecticut

MAY:
May 3-5 ... The Oklahoma Writers Federation Story Weavers Conference – Oklahoma City
May 5 ... Ontario Writers Conference – Garden Hilton Hotel, Ajax, Ontario, Canada
May 4-6 ... Tallahassee Book Festival and Writers Conference – Florida
May 11-13 ... Algonkian Writers Conference – San Francisco, California
May 18-20 ... SC Book Festival – Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center – South Carolina
May 24-26 ... Backspace Writers Conference – New York City, New York
May 24-27 ... CrimeFest – Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel in Bristol, UK

JUNE:
June 1-3 ... Bloody Words XII, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
June 1-3 ... Wyoming Writers Conference – Casper, Wyoming
June 8-12 ... Kachemak Bay Writers Conference – Lands End Resort – Homer, Alaska
June 9-14 ... Santa Barbara Writers Conference – Santa Barbara, California
June 12-16 ... Western Writers of America Convention – Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 22-24 ... Writers League of Texas Agents Conference – Hyatt Regency – Austin, Texas
June 25- 28 ... Romance Writers of America Annual Conference – Anaheim, California
June 28-30 ... Jackson Hole Writers Conference – Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Special Announcement

I thought it would be fun to jumpstart the new year with a sale to go with all of those new eReaders.

For a limited time, my short stories regularly priced at $1.99 will be on sale for only 99 cents. The ones I'm offering free of charge will remain that way.

Since I write in several genres, hopefully, you will find something of interest to read.

New Perspective, New Goals

To be on the safe side, I'm having black-eyed peas, and later, a thin slice of chocolate cake today. Lucky Foods for the New Year :)

At the start of 2011, I said I would:
—have no less than six titles available by December.
—use CreateSpace to turn my ebooks into paperbacks.
—learn how to snorkel.
—pan for gold out West, just for fun.
—find something good to say about rainy days.
—reclaim the little things in life that used to make me smile [being awakened by songbirds, sunny days, starry nights, hiking, boating, the sound of waves lapping against the hull or the shore, the smell of fresh-baked bread, the smell of fresh-cut grass, wind rustling autumn leaves….]

By year's end:
I had more than six titles available by December.
Never got around to using CreateSpace.
Never learned how to snorkel (too many jellyfish!).
Didn't pan for gold out West.
Closed the blinds so I couldn't see rainy days.
Reclaimed all of the little things in life that used to make me smile.

2012
I've prepared a list of everything I'd like to accomplish this year. Instead of posting the whole thing now, then spending all year worrying whether or not I can meet my goals, I'll just post a few every month.

Mostly, I will:
—write.
—experiment (book prices, genres, sales venues).
—send books to reviewers.
—request to have a book listed on promotional sites.
—have bookmarks and business cards printed to hand out wherever I go.
—promote new releases of indie authors.
—try something different every month: outdoor adventure, food, etc.

Here's to better days and happier tomorrows. Cheers!