Vancouver mystery – Mystery Deb

Last week’s blog about promotion sites generated few responses and those who did respond weren’t familiar with the sites I listed. However, I did come across something helpful while catching up on the many blogs I subscribe to.

Author and marketing guru David Gaughran posts a lot of helpful and interesting information about marketing that includes ads, Amazon algorithms, and many other things. The day after I posted my blog I came across his piece on the Best Book Promotion Sites, which you can find HERE.

Those who’ve been following my blog for a while know that I’ve already taken part in a BookBub promo back on Dec. 31. In June, I also promoted my books on Bargain Booksy and Book Adrenaline, offering the first book in my series, The Opposite of Dark, at the discounted price of $.99. Results showed a small profit, but nothing significant. Next month, I’m trying the same discount with The Fussy Librarian.

I’ve chosen not to do three or four promos at a time because I want to track the amount of sales for each event to figure out which are the most financially viable investments. With six books in my Casey Holland series, sales can trickle in for two or three months (longer for BookBub) after an event, which I also want to track.

Meanwhile, a colleague also planned a promotion event in June, offering the first book in her series for free. As with my books, hers are available at sites other than Amazon, however when she asked Amazon to price match the book for free, Amazon declined. That didn’t happen to me back in January, so I’m wondering if this has happened to any of you, or if you’ve heard of this happening to other authors? So far, I’ve had no difficulty asking Amazon to price match books I’ve discounted for $.99 this summer, but who knows what will happen in future?

Deb & books, Feb. 12, 2020 Book release day has come and gone, and a huge thank you to those who ventured out to Western Sky Books last night to be part of the The Blade Man’s launch. The release of a new book is a rare and special event for authors, often filled with pre-launch nervousness, doubt, and worry. It’s also exhilarating, but once the event is over, it’s also a great relief. Of course, there’s also the realization that there’s still a great deal of promo work to do.

Publication of The Blade Man has been a long journey. I’ve never been one to work on only one manuscript at a time. It’s common for me to tackle three or four manuscripts, two of which are usually percolating between drafts. The downside to this is that it can take years to actually complete a book, and such was the case with this one. I think I first began working on this sixth Casey Holland mystery in 2014.

My usual routine is to work on one book in the morning, then leave for the day job before switching to another manuscript in the afternoon and evening. When preparing for a new book release, a conference, or a public speaking engagement, though, all of my attention is diverts to the task at hand.

Signing at launch, Feb. 12, 2020 It’s now time to figure out which project to continue next. A couple of books have been waiting in the wings a rather long time while I finish up the fourth draft of my 134,000 word urban fantasy, which has proven to be a whole other challenge.

The photos here were taken by author and Crime Writers of Canada board member Winona Kent, and a big thank you to her for that. I’m also grateful for the supportive writers in my community and to the wonderful independent store, Western Sky books who hosted the event. A big thank you as well to those who gave me input with the manuscript, the cover, and the title.

I’m taking a vacation day from the day job today, to take a breath and reflect on things. I need to prioritize upcoming tasks and relax a little. One of my writing colleagues surprised me with a bottle of red wine last night so I could celebrate when I got home. Relaxing with a glass red wine is always a good idea, and many thanks to A.J. Devlin for the thoughtful gift!

Books at lauch, Feb. 12, 2020