Tag: Books

What Success Means To Me

On By dotluvs2writeIn blogging, Fiction Writing, Inspirational, News Events2 Comments

I’m very thankful, touched, grateful, and a bit astonished over my book sales. I say this because when I published my book, Passage of Promise, I had a very realistic and sober view of the amount of books I thought I’d sell.

I truly believed I would sell between 10 and 20 copies. That I’d be thrilled to know that 20 people had purchased my book.

But checking out my year-to-date report for all forms of my book sold: International, Print, Digital, Signed Copies, the number is more than 20, and I’m still somewhat shocked, but also so very happy.

Since my book came out May 1 (print) and May 4 (ebook/digital), I’ve sold 100 copies.

If I count the 10 my mother ordered to give as gifts to her friends, I’ve sold 110 copies.

Maybe folks won’t see that as a huge success, but for me, it’s amazing and indeed a success for me, an unknown self-published author (with the help of the best editor I know, D.A. Sarac) with her first ever published book. I feel extremely grateful and blessed.

THANK YOU ALL, who were interested in my book, buying it, reading it, reviewing it. This means more to me than I can truly express.

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A Small Book Signing Presentation

On By dotluvs2writeIn Fiction Writing, Inspirational, News Events, Writing Techniques1 Comment

I had a small book signing for my debut novel, Passage of Promise, today after church. My table was set up next to the three tables for parishioners in the parking lot of the church for our coffee hour that follows liturgy.

Many of my fellow parishioners have already bought my book, I found out a little while ago. 🙂 But there are some people who haven’t. 😁

I will be doing another book signing presentation in the coming months at my church.

Here’s a picture taken this morning at my table. 🙂

It’s tough being able to do these events during this period of the pandemic, but I do them when and where I’m able.

I hope this inspires my fellow writers to work out some outside event for her/his published book(s) at this time. 🙂

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The Not-So-Stellar Book Reviews

On By dotluvs2writeIn blogging, Fiction Writing, Inspirational, Musings, News Events, Writing TechniquesLeave a comment

open white pages book

Today, I received a two-star rating on my debut novel, Passage of Promise. It was my first two-star review out of twenty that have been mostly five and four stars.

As a newly-published author, I expected to receive some ratings that judged my work mediocre. It is part of the life of an author.

Even top, best-selling authors get one-star and two-star reviews, some, unfortunately, with a few nasty remarks. It’s par for the course in the realm of the author’s world, as I said.

Experienced authors have always given the advice to newer authors that they must grow thick skins and not take reviews that aren’t spectacular to heart.

I found the two-star anonymous reviewer’s comments pretty fair. Not everyone is going to like my storyline or my writing style.

This is natural.

As a reader myself, I too, pick up books to read, and come to the same conclusions. Although, if I don’t like the writing style, I don’t buy the book, so I may be even more picky than my two-star reviewer!

The latest book I bought and am having a struggle getting through, I read the first few pages on Amazon and tended to like it because I thought the writing style was pretty good.

But I admit now that the storyline so far has been dragging, and I’m finding it easy to set down the book. The story just isn’t drawing me in to the point where I feel compelled to keep reading it.

Therefore, I understand everybody’s tastes are different, and that each author has her/his niche readers. And that’s good enough for me.

New writers out there and newly-published writers, don’t be discouraged if or when you may get a negative or lower-starred review. Count it as a good thing.

There are three things good about even two-star reviews that are somewhat negative, especially the one I received:

  1. The comments weren’t really insulting.
  2. The person took the time to leave a review.
  3. You learn what each reader gleans from your novel.

For someone who doesn’t really have a high self-esteem, I do know my writing is good, that my stories are worth sharing, and I appreciate the feedback.

Newly-published writers, keep writing and keep publishing your work. There are enough readers out there for each of us.

 

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