Away with the fairies or A way with the faeries?

I can quite honestly say that I never thought I would write about fairies. As lovely as they are, for me it was just not something that I would even consider. Now, I think I have mentioned about how ideas almost float around a person like a asteroids. Those idea asteroids float around a person's head until it is time to land. There are times when there are so many asteroids floating around a person that they find it difficult to concentrate because those pesky little blighters fight for attention because they want to be landed. I am sure you have all had those creative moment before sleep where you turn the light off, have an idea, write the idea down, turn the light off and so on.. I have even taken to writing in the dark. Bizarre? Erm yes!

Thinking about it, I feel I have to take this a step further. I think these asteroids (metaphor for ideas) may actually be intelligent. Yes, this is actually making me sound particularly away with the fairies. The reason I say this is because Elora, (sorry but I can't give away the rest of the title a it is top secret while it is being edited, proof read and the cover is being illustrated) literally would not leave me alone until she was written. Her name kept appearing in places and the name of the baddy literally played around my head until I wrote it down. I did my absolute best to ignore her; however, people started appearing with fairy tattoos and I kept hearing the word fairy... Oh - gosh - I sound so odd. The thing is these characters take form in the unconscious and they do what they can to get your attention.

There I am at work with a fairy asteroid vying for attention and wanting to be creatively landed. At the same time the baddy name is tormenting me as I am attempting to work on business analysis. In the end I sat back and thought - 'right I hear your name... now show me what you want me to create for a baddy!' No sooner as I had said that - the baddy arrived in reality. Honestly it was astounding how she literally turned up. My next meeting became a full analysis in note form of the lady who carried the baddy traits. She was phenomenal. Soooo phenomenal that I almost sat in a business meeting with my mouth open. Are you curious? Okay. Have you ever felt as though the life is being sucked out of you because someone is so miserable? In that business meeting people were sitting around a table and it was as if they were turning grey in her presence. The image of a hoover attached to their foreheads kept flashing up in my mind. I wrote and I wrote and I seriously wrote. She must have thought I was so dedicated to business analysis. Later on I had a chat with her and discovered a whole new level of pessimism. In the end I asked her if she had a comedian she liked. She didn't she didn't find anything funny; in fact laughter irritated her... Do you get where I am going with this? In the end she made it clear that life could not be fun, work was not fun and that misery was what she expected. Oh my goodness - the perfect piece of inspiration for my story. As much as she has since made me redundant (oh and don't be concerned about this because all is good) she has given me three months garden leave because of my access to the systems. What makes it all the more exciting is that I have managed to complete 3 more books in this time because I am writing full time at the moment and not allowed to start work until October! Life is beautiful and the fairy hauntings have resulted in me writing a book that I feel is so my fun, filled with laughter and considers what would happen if one cruel baddy turned the world to sorrow. So...  Away with the faires? Answer is yes. A way with the faeries? I think the faeries had a way with me and wanted a book written about them. Who knows about unseen forces and their plans?

Enjoy audio books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

THE HIARY-LEGGED MYSTERY ON AUDIBLE LINK: http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/The-Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Audiobook/B01H2HF0XU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1468187800&sr=1-1#publisher-summary

The Importance of Word Of Mouth

The Importance of Word Of Mouth

Do you have aspirations of being the next J.K Rowling or the next Tolkien? Admittedly I don't have such aspirations. I was simply happy writing my books, keeping myself entertained and entering into a beautiful mental landscape which was completely different to my usual world of Business Analysis. I was happy when I made one sale let alone a thousand. The challenge with having a mind that needs to figure things out and spends time working out common trends and patterns is that you apply that to all activities. Once an analyst, always an analyst. So this is why I share my findings with my lovely blog readers.

So when I first started releasing books I would put them on Kindle and assumed that magically readers would find them. I might sell ten books this way but nothing big ever happened. I realised that this attitude was not going to result in great sales. So my next books I did a desk launch. This was before publishing policies were implemented into the corporation I worked for. So I launched my book on Kindle and released the paperback from the desk and did desk signings. It actually was nuts because people lined up to buy books and I signed when I should have been working. I had no idea how I got away with it. I sold a stack of books this way but that did not spiral into world literary domination. It did result in me being accosted in the toilet and being asked if I was 'that author...' After that I came to the conclusion launching at work was not the best plan, so I adopted a pseudo-name and decided that the more book formats the better. I then branched in audio through having my books produced through ACX. This also increased sales but I was missing a key piece of the jigsaw puzzle - reviews.

Reviews are so powerful. I have written about this in some of my other blogs. Reviews from readers sell to other readers. The best thing to learn is not to take reviews personally - that is the challenge. However, a review has the ability to make or break a book sale. The more reviews the better because it makes the rubbish ones drop down the list. Remember you can't remove a review once it is posted. On one of my audio books some of the reviewers did not like the narrator and slated them. Those comments ground sales of that book to a halt. That was the learning. As I mentioned before, I don't rely on book sales for my income. Instead the additional income is used to over-pay my mortgage, saved or pays for a nice spa day. That is all part of my 'rewards' system as a motivator.

You may wonder how you get reviews. If you look at the Indie review book list, there are a list of reviewers you can approach. I also now advise people who have reviewed my other books when a book is due. Since most have enjoyed reviewing my other work, I now have a 'list' of reviewers who review most of my books once released.

So how does the word of mouth work? Well, every time I send a reviewer a free audio code I ask them to recommend the book, in whatever way they think will reach the most readers. That is - if they like the book. This word of mouth generates sales. Then that word of mouth generates more sales. Sometimes this momentum continues. At other times it just stops. Although this time I have noticed the shift in sales and momentum. Last month I released The Hairy-legged Mystery and Tingle Dingle and The Little Mischiefs. These were fun books for kids. My colleagues at work asked me to write them for their kids because the school holidays were nigh. So I put finger to keyboard and entertained myself. Within a few weeks these books were drafted, edited, proofread and published. They were short, fun and easy to write. I then posted on ACX. Two producers snapped them up and produced them within a week. I then asked reviewers to get involved and I had sixty reviewers offer review.  It is during this period that you get scared. What if none sell? Should you buy one just to start the sales? Honestly... I have considered doing that before. However, the reviews rolled in and the reviewers recommended the books as did my friends that I wrote the book for. That is how it spirals... One child tells another that they read The Hairy-legged Mystery and another becomes curious... What I realised is that by having these books on audio they work on car journeys as well as bed time stories. As we know children can listen to something over and over again. So much so that parents also hear the same recording over and over again. In no time The Hairy-Legged Mystery became 'normalised' and people talked about it. That then made more sales. So with all that in mind my top tips for word of mouth generation are as follows:

• Make a product you love and will happily stand by.
• Let people know you are creating it / have created it.
• Make as many formats possible - paperback,  digital and audio.
• Ask reviewers to review.
• Ask reviewers to recommend.
• Give as many free codes / samples to friends and ask them to tell their friends.
• Finally find as many ways to let people know your book exists.

The truth is word of mouth is the best seller and creates a bestseller. No matter how much hype you make, if the product is of bad quality then there is only a short duration of sales. Provide quality, be authentic, relax into it and enjoy the sales!

EXAMPLE:

"Intriguing with a WONDERFULLY twist at the end"

This is the 2nd story by this author I have read and I love it. Will eagerly seek more by her. The story was captivating, mystical magical and entertaining. The parental
Bed time stories and deceptions of the various monsters and creatures of fantasy keep you guessing as to what it
Is. The reveal is more magical for the build up and Even more amazing than described. Loved it and highly recommend it for kids and adults alike. Good luck figuring it out. I received this audiobook from the author narrator or publisher for free via audiobookboom in exchange for an unbiased review

THE HIARY-LEGGED MYSTERY ON AUDIBLE LINK: http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/The-Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Audiobook/B01H2HF0XU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1468187800&sr=1-1#publisher-summary

Enjoy my books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

A Bit More About Reviews

A Bit More About Reviews

Do you like to share your journey with others? I do because I know there are other writers and authors who are just starting out on a similar journey and I feel that by sharing the highs and lows of writing, I can somehow help and support them. On one of my previous posts I talked about reviews. Since then I have been asked a few questions about the process and how to deal with reviews.

During the writing to publishing process it is necessary to get reviews. It is an interesting phenomenon that many people base their buying decisions on the opinions of others. I look at it as a tribal mentality. People feel safer when other people offer opinions. There must be some deep-rooted psychological reasons for that.

So this week my books went out for review. This means that random people, who I have never met, listen to the audio versions of these books and post their opinions. When I first took part in this process I found it horrifying. When I say horrifying there were times I wanted to re-write a whole book based on the feedback. Over time I hardened up and realised that reviews were opinions based on people lives and where they were 'at' when they were writing the review. I doubt anyone would write a nice review after stubbing a toe or having a stressful day at work. The way that I dealt with it: I decided that I loved writing the books and releasing them. The reviews were simply part of a promotional process. If they were good then great, if they were absolutely hideous then I would go and do something nice like paddle-boarding  to reward myself for being able to accept 'criticism.'

The thing is all authors are vulnerable because they open their hearts and souls to the world. They are being intellectually intimate with strangers. I actually wonder whether readers are aware of how they literally step into another person's inner world and what a privilege that is. Of course on the other side of the coin is being able to allow people access into your inner world.

The thing is reviews provide approval, disapproval and are part of the process. I have listed the three that I have received this week for Tingle Dingle and The Little Mischiefs. Guess which one was the one that caught my attention. Which one would capture your attention? It is funny isn't it?

Mary Karowski 06-30-16

"Wonderful story wonderful message"     

Great story. The author hit it on the nose. Great tale to keep kids out of mischief. I don't know if the book itself is illustrated but if it
Is I can just imagine the wonderful done scenes of the story. Well written well narrated. Straight to the pint and great for kids of all ages. I received this audiobook from the author narrator or publisher for free via audiobookboom in exchange for an unbiased review

                                      

 

Tanya M. Spiegel Miami, Florida07-01-16

"Just ok"

I wanted to give this a great review. However, it did not hold either of my children's attention. The story also ended very abruptly. I wish the writer had given a little more at the end. It is rather a frightening book from my perspective as a mother being that the mischief makers in the end leave Tinkle crying and bound up. I care for foster children that didn't sit well with me at all. I received this book for free for an honest review. I liked the fact the author was heading for a good ending it was the abruptness of the ending and how it ended I struggled with.

  

   

Susan L. Daniels 06-17-16   

"Nice book for my grandchildren"

Where does Tingle Dingle and the Little Mischiefs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I haven't listened to very many but I loved the way the narrator added sound effects. Even though this is a childrens' book I thorough enjoyed listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

The sound effects

What about Triera Holley’s performance did you like?

Her voice is soothing and clear.

For all those new writers that are entering the world of publishing, find your own way to work with the reviews. Some other author friends of mine simply don't bother looking. They said they created the work and put it into the world. That work then has to fend for itself...

Personally I now use the reviews to find ways to grow and improve. I like honest feedback and in truth I desire to provide my readers with the best books I can. That is easier if I listen to feedback, process it and then intend to create something more wonderful with the next piece of work.

Enjoy my books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

NEW RELEASE: TINGLE DINGLE AND THE LITTLE MISCHIEFS

 https://www.amazon.com/Tingle-Dingle-Little-Mischiefs-Allure-ebook/dp/B01G9C0XC2?ie=UTF8&keywords=Ruby%20Allure&qid=1465049617&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

NEW RELEASE: THE HAIRY-LEGGED MYSTERY

https://www.amazon.com/Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Ruby-Allure-ebook/dp/B01G2C0Y9Q?ie=UTF8&qid=1465049724&ref_=sr_1_2&s=digital-text&sr=1-2

MONEY FARM 5 STAR REVIEW

Another Five Star Review! Lovely!

5 of 5 stars A brilliant, well-written, compelling read. 11 Jun. 2016

By LMS#YOM - Published on Amazon.com

This is a fascinating and powerful book that delves into the workings of financial institutions perfectly. After a lot of soul searching and personal debate the main character, Gillian, joins M.O.N.E.Y but then she quickly realises what a cult-like existence it is. Gillian bears witness to the extreme pressure to fit in and become part of the clique, but does she really want to conform? The challenges and demands put upon the ‘chosen’ ones to constantly improve and achieve their optimum is intense. The deceptive tactics used are all a part of M.O.N.E.Y’s control, but then comes the devastating feeling of being owned. Is it all too much for Gillian? Will she survive M.O.N.E.Y? A brilliant, well-written, compelling read.

MONEY FARM PAPERBACK LINK ON AMAZON: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Money-Farm-Ms-Ruby-Allure/dp/151230526X#customerReviews

AUDIBLE LINK: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Money-Farm-Audiobook/B010BOM9A8/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1467218674&sr=1-1

Tingle Dingle Audio Sample

Tingle Dingle and The Little Mischiefs is for those lovely people who like fun little fairy tales about mischief, magic and 'the moral of the story.' Please share with parents and children alike who enjoy such stories... Thank you so much. The link for the audio is at the bottom of the page...

http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/Tingle-Dingle-and-the-Little-Mischiefs-Audiobook/B01GW55E48/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1467135555&sr=1-1

"Nice book for my grandchildren"

Where does Tingle Dingle and the Little Mischiefs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I haven't listened to very many but I loved the way the narrator added sound effects. Even though this is a childrens' book I thorough enjoyed listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

The sound effects

What about Triera Holley’s performance did you like?

Her voice is soothing and clear.

NEW 5 STAR REVIEW ON TINGLE DINGLE AND THE LITTLE MISCHIEFS

The First 5 Star Review on Tingle Dingle and The Little Mischiefs

      06-17-16

Susan L. Daniels 06-17-16

SD

"Nice book for my grandchildren"

Where does Tingle Dingle and the Little Mischiefs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I haven't listened to very many but I loved the way the narrator added sound effects. Even though this is a childrens' book I thorough enjoyed listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

The sound effects

What about Triera Holley’s performance did you like?

Her voice is soothing and clear.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not particularly.

Ruby Allure BOOKS ON AUDIBLE.COM
http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_mn_mt_ano_tseft__galileo?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+Allure&x=0&y=0 

NEW RELEASE: TINGLE DINGLE AND THE LITTLE MISCHIEFS

 https://www.amazon.com/Tingle-Dingle-Little-Mischiefs-Allure-ebook/dp/B01G9C0XC2?ie=UTF8&keywords=Ruby%20Allure&qid=1465049617&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

NEW RELEASE: THE HAIRY-LEGGED MYSTERY

https://www.amazon.com/Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Ruby-Allure-ebook/dp/B01G2C0Y9Q?ie=UTF8&qid=1465049724&ref_=sr_1_2&s=digital-text&sr=1-2

WRITE.PRODUCE. RELEASE...

WRITE. PRODUCE. RELEASE.

I am very lucky because I have a friend who is quite brilliant. This friend managed to simply accumulate wealth. She does not have to try... Money quite literally gravitates to her. It is amazing. The thing is, because she is removed from the wasted mental energy needed to pay bills and make ends meet, she provides some fantastic insights. Last night's insight was about why we do things. What is our motivation? How does that motivation change as we mature?

Admittedly we have both matured in the last ten years. The way we approach things have changed dramatically. She has watched my writing journey with amusement. In the beginning there were heady ideals and great aspirations which gradually whittled away to become the purity of creation. My delusional ideals were quite hilarious now when I look back; however, they are what drove me to write daily. They motivated me to create discipline and conquer the inner critic, the inner saboteur and the deluded grandiose egotism that demanded that I prove to the world that I was special. I now write anonymously because I have no desire to be known. That is quite a reverse of the dream of standing in the spotlight!

On my journey I realised that I knew less than I thought, that ego was a dick and that actually the outcome is nothing in comparison to the beauty of being immersed in creativity. For me creativity is like being suspended in this beautiful light space where everything is possible. It is a space filled with magic, dreams, laughter and manifestation. I love it there. It has fairies, mythological creatures and all manner of hero waiting to take part in adventures. All the pieces of the puzzle are suspended in all directions and it my job to waft around the creative realm pulling all the pieces together into an adventurous narrative.

Over the years I must have written about forty books. Not bad going. I think about twelve are on the market, the thing is I actually stopped caring about the market, the acclaim or money. I have a good job which takes the pressure off the writing. The funny thing is when you stop caring about money or acclaim they come to you... What I have learned is there is a sense of privilege in being able to provide entertainment for others. There is a great feeling of gratitude in being given a creative idea that can run to completion and more than anything there is the true love of dreaming and imagining.

My friend then, in her own special way, pointed out creativity and writing was the opportunity to 'give' something of you to the world. That creativity is between you and your maker; however, once made you can share your creation with the world. That is why I publish the work - to share and to come to completion. Another great learning is that no one owes you anything, no one needs to read your work and no one owes you an income from what you create... This then leads people to the question then why create at all? THE ANSWER IS JOY AND THAT YOU ARE COMPELLED TO CREATE. Creativity has picked you to be the vessel to transmute an idea into reality. Isn't that a privilege?

This goes back to my friend and her insight: she arrived at a point in her life where she no longer needs to toil. Simplicity became the answer. She came to the conclusion after numerous successes that they meant nothing. The mastery comes from finding beauty in the mundane and when you master that then what do you need? It is funny how we both arrived at the same conclusion from very different paths. I was always competitive and taking part in sports competitions whilst writing books and climbing the career ladder. At the same time she set up businesses, developed property and had a family. Two very different paths but one conclusion - the joy is truly in the journey and learning to be authentic. By taking such paths we are open to learn who we truly are. At first we may aspire to be something or to have something. Yet the journey reveals us all the facets of self. During the journey we discover new pieces of the puzzle which can be slotted into the spaces that needed to be filled. During the journey we see our shadows and conquer our own dragons in search of the treasure. However, we are the treasure and yet we have looked outside for that validation. So with all that in mind, my approach is WRITE. PRODUCE. RELEASE. Today The Hairy Legged Mystery was released on audio. Fantastic job Lisa. Thanks for being the voice of the story! The amazing thing is that it already sells and I guess that is because I loved writing it. Those who have read it say they can feel the fun in it. What more can you want than that? People ask me about the money side of things - that is no longer the motivation - it is nice; however, the royalties become the by-product of the joy I felt in the creation. The value for me now is in creativity because ultimately money is a piece of paper with a stranger's face on that is used for exchange. Money is not the motivation the experience is and that is when things truly changed...

LINK TO THE HAIRY LEGGED MYSTERY ON AUDIO:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/The-Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Audiobook/B01H2HF0XU/ref=a_search_c4_1_9_srTtl?qid=1466104902&sr=1-9

Tingle Dingle & The Little Mischiefs - YIPEEEEE! MISCHIEF!!!!

Today Tingle Dingle and The Little Mischiefs arrived on audio. Tierra did a wonderful job and in all honesty it is wonderful to know that children are able to hear a funny bedtime story that popped from my random imagination....

LINK: TO TINGLE DINGLE & THE LITTLE MISCHIEFS ON AUDIO: http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/Tingle-Dingle-and-the-Little-Mischiefs-Audiobook/B01GW55E48/ref=a_search_c4_1_8_srTtl?qid=1465848730&sr=1-8

A fun bedtime story!!!