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I’m Not Afraid
There are a lot of things in the world that scare me. I’m terrified of what happens to my family in a couple of weeks when my job ends if I can’t find another one (another job, not family). I’m particularly frightened in the fall months of the year as my book sales decrease that they won’t rebound, even though the last couple of years show that they can and do.
That fear is interesting and, I suspect, not isolated to me. I’ve seen a few blog posts recently by people with bigger names and louder mouths than me about the surging tide of books and fear of being lost in the wake. Most of these people have been discussing how it was once believed that in order to succeed and be famous— to sell books— one must write as many books as one can. Now the opinion by these vocal individuals is swaying the other way.
One dispute I read claimed that people churning out as many as six books a year aren’t honing their craft. They aren’t making improvements to their writing style, they’re just churning out more and more crap. Another claimed that the flood of self-published books overwhelms readers and causes everyone to suffer because nothing can be found.
Pardon me while I adopt a British accent and loudly proclaim, “Rubbish!”
I receive mail regularly from readers who tell me how much they enjoyed one of my older books. I’ve been thanked profusely for offering books for free, otherwise they might have missed out on the books and on discovering me (they went on to purchase several more of my books). When I get these emails I’m appreciate and honored, but I also cringe. Those early books were so….early! I’ve learned so much since then and gotten so much better! I’m afraid they’ll judge me on those old books and not my current ones, yet somewhere along the way I seem to have forgotten that they said they loved reading them. Oh. Woops.
Okay, so with every book I learn new things and refine my skill at writing. Maybe even mid book I get better. Hmm, so if I’m getting better is the problem then that I’m cranking out six books a year? No, that’s not right. Oh! I’ve been on a 12 book a year pace for the last couple of years. Guess I’m doing twice as bad then instead of learning twice as much. Pfft.
And to the blogger / writer / whoever it was that thinks nothing can be found – every website of substance I’ve seen allows people to search by genre, title, author, and a host of other options. If you’re on the prowl for something new and there’s a lot of material to pick from, well, that’s a target rich environment.
Sure, maybe some of the new books are crap. Maybe most of them are. Maybe they’ve got excessive numbers of reviews claiming it’s the best thing since mankind figured out how to insert rod P into slot V. Well, if they’re using the lingo “rod V and slot P,” stay away. If the book is just released and it’s got a bunch of reviews? Stay away. If the book is written by Jason Halstead – BUY IT!
Okay, sorry, I got a little excited there. The point is that you’re odds of finding a new book online are as good as they are in a bookstore. I can’t help you there. A good cover is exactly that, a good cover. It has nothing to do with the guts. A blurb is a better gauge but even that can be off. Reading a sample is your best bet, but that can take time. Ultimately I think the absolute best practice for finding a new book is to look for freebies.
That (naturally) leads me to my strategy of having the first book in each of my series either free or available for no more than $.99. Grab it and read it at your leisure, then when you realize you have to know more, come on back for the next book(s) in the series. By that time you know it’s a quality read and you won’t be wasting your time or money.
As for me? I plan to keep on writing and getting as many books out as I can. That’s how I learn and that’s how I keep my readers happy. It’s a win / win situation. Sorry to the writers that feel I’m flooding the market because I write faster than they do and give readers want they want. I suppose I’d be upset if I were in their shoes too – they profited on a dying system that barred talented people from reaching the masses. Now people like me are able to get the word out and distribute our books and take reader’s interest and attention away from the old school.
To that end I’m nearing the completion of Dragonlady, the final book in the setting was started with Child of Fate. It’s a fantasy series spanning 7 books and yes, Child of Fate is available on Amazon and other retailers for free. Try it out – I double dog dare you.
Don’t be afraid of progress and hard work, my friends, be afraid of not being able to pay the bills.
To learn more about Jason Halstead visit his website to read about him, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
There Are Dozens of Reasons You Shouldn’t Feed Wild Animals
In spite of those many reasons, April O’Brien perseveres. No, she’s not crazy, she’s just refusing to live life by anyone’s standards except her own. I’d even argue that there’s a little bit of wild animal in her. Read below to learn more about this energetic and unstoppable force of nature who calls herself an author. I’d ask you to trust me when I say you won’t regret it, but maybe you should try reading this short interview I did with her yourself and make up your own mind.
Tell us about your book or books – share some of your misery with other would-be writers to give them hope.
They say a writer should write about what they know. “Well, been there done that.” Give me a topic and I will write about it. It is just something I must do. I believe anyone can learn the logistics of writing, but you either have it, or you don’t. A well written book can be edited, but it can not be taught. If you want it, make it happen. You can’t take rejection so hard. That is a requirement. Hemmingway was turned down 99 times before someone picked him up. If you want, it is hard work but so rewarding. I have now written six books, published 3 and am working on more. “April was here” is my autobiography and is better than any novel. I have also written in other genres. “It doesn’t get dark until midnight” is action adventure; a story of survival in the Alaskan wilderness with a young woman is the heroin. (You can’t put this book down.)
“Enter at your own risk” is a psychological thriller that leads you into the mind of a serial killer. It takes you from the beginnings of his rampage to an unforgettable ending.
Why self-publishing?
I didn’t know anything about writing, publishing, marketing or anything else.
I was born to do this, had something interesting to say and wanted the world to know. One day, after writing my story, my husband kindly told me that no one would be interested in me because I was not known. So I sat down and wrote two more books within a year and they were so good I just kept going. So the weird thing is I published them first even after wanting my book out there so badly. The only regret I have is not learning more first and not paying the money and having them professionally edited before I published! LOL
What’s your greatest fear?
I was born to write. I lived my life so I could write. My fear is that there is no one out there to tell all of this to, but I won’t stop until the world knows! My fear is rejection, just like any artist. I taught myself to paint and painted the covers of my books. I write, I make money trees and paint landscapes with people’s ashes in the paint. I live in the mountains of Colorado and feed every animal that comes to my door; I guess that is who I am.
What about your target market – your readers. How do you find them and how do you interact / relate with them?
I write in more than one genre and for more than one age group. “Midnight” is loved by both genders from 12 to 90 while “Enter” is definitely an adult novel and ”April was here” is such an emotional ride it could be read by teens but is probably more for the 20 and older age group. Women and men both love my books and can find something in each one that leaves them wanting to read another. I have done a few book signings; I loved doing that because I got to interact with my readers. The first time a stranger came to me at a signing and said “I have been waiting for your next book anxiously” I was thrilled and it felt so good. I have joined Independent author’s network and I love it. It truly is helping me market my books.
I use social media each day to let people know about my books such as twitter (aprilsworld1) and facebook (April Ma-Lynn O’Brien. I have a web site so people can get to know me and my books Aprilsworld.com and I am still learning how to link all of this together. Marketing takes time and dedication. If you don’t believe in your books, no one else will. It isn’t easy, I won’t lead you to think it is but it is hopefully all worth it in the end. I also got my books to kindle on Amazon. (A MUST.) There is also querying to agents and publishers but be ready for rejection and much waiting. A Query must be PERFECT and I am not perfect so I am still learning and probably will be until I am gone.
What’s next for April – anything in process or any ideas nibbling away in the back of your mind?
Always writing, even in my head, my mind won’t stop. I have so many ideas and books going, it is hard to keep up with them all, but I am driven by my overactive mind. I am almost finished with a book of short stories that is just fabulous. I am now starting a Y.A. novel that is so full of imagination it will satisfy all who read it. I also have a sequel working to “Enter (at your own risk)” and have a sequel done to my book “April was here.” Can’t give you all of my ideas yet as they are not copy written.
What advice can you give to other writers trying to be published?
I believe the future is Independent publishing, Kindle, and next, audio books. So start with a hard cover book, something you can hold in your hand and do book signings with, but that is NOT where you will make any money. It is all the other things I already mentioned that will get you where you want to be. I used Author house because they offer a return policy just like a traditional publisher. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500.00 to a few thousand depending on what all you need. From start to finish you can hold your book in your hand as soon as two or three months. You can bypass this process and publish directly to Kindle, but there is nothing like holding a hard copy of your own book!
Finally – share a little dirt. Something that makes you less of a superhero who can balance writing with a busy life. What’s your kryptonite?
This is a book in itself, the murder of my only child, my daughter Katrina Michelle. She was 25 when she was shot in the head. My autobiography “April was here” tells many secrets. It ends when I am twenty. It is not about my daughter that is another book. It is so full of unimaginable events it is sometimes hard to believe. I am true to my book and hold nothing back. It is so interesting you can’t put it down. Not a dull page in it and very revealing. I don’t regret how honest my book is in fact, I believe I lived my life to tell the world! I also believe I wouldn’t be who I am today without all of the yesterdays. I try to learn something from these lessons, even the hard ones, how would I know happiness if I hadn’t known sadness.
Where can anxious readers find you on the web?
I am everywhere!
Website: http://aprilsworld.com
Blog: http://aprilsworld.com/blog/
Independent Author Network: http://bit.ly/pLjWGK,
Twitter: @aprilsworld1,
Facebook: April Ma-Lynn O’Brien,
Email: aprilsworld@msn.com
I am also a member of The women’s nest, writers digest and many more.
April O’Brien
A treasure waiting to be found
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com
Books by Jason 