I am so happy for my amazing friend and fellow Author, Diane Olsen and her amazing new book release I finished and reviewed for her too! “Rising Wind: The Thunder Beings” book one is so good? I can not WAIT for book 2! Check out these Rave Amazon Reviews!
Hello, 19 Followers and Counting As I Welcome New Reader Visitors …
<<<<< I am so happy and amazed at the delightful reception my new book is garnishing that just had to share with all of you some of the fabulous book reviews coming in already for my new native mystery suspense and action-adventure read!
This new book was not only a Labor of Love to write, but it came from an old screenplay I had written years ago and always knew it would make a great read. I do hope if you have not gotten a copy of this one yet, that you will and give a read as I know by the recent book reviews, you are going to enjoy this suspenseful RIDE! In celebration of the paperback now released, I have the e-book priced for a short time at only $ .99 CENTS! So grab your copy…
Now we know how difficult it is to promote and market our books to the right “niche” of genres and target who our book readership is. I know, as I do it for a job! Lol. One way is to place yourself on as many book sites that have and target readers of all genres as possible. Next, keep a couple book ads running on some different book sites like here on Book Bub For Authors.
Authors can set themselves a nice author profile with photo, bio, and more. Then you can list your books. Now there are two ways you can advertise your books to Book Bub’s large readership. You can apply and submit your book for a “Featured Deal,” but sadly, they only chose 20% out of 100% of new books submitted. But, below, is an article that walks you through the HOW’s on how to use their other book advertising through their Book Bub Partner Ad network from your author dashboard. Now many are not as computer savvy or know how to do or set “Budget Ads.”
So I found this Exceptional Article on Book Bub’s Blog written by Carlyn Robertson who works in product marketing on BookBub’s Partners Team, where she ensures all authors & publishers know how to use all BookBub’s tools to achieve their marketing goals. She writes content for the partners’ blog & website, speaks at conferences, & conducts market research. So make sure you follow her on Twitter at @CarlynAtBookBub.
Here is what she shares about how to effectively use Boob Bub Partner Book Ads!
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How an Author Doubled First-in-Series Sales Using BookBub Ads
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Many partners use BookBub Ads to continuously promote first-in-series books. Because you can run ads on an ongoing basis, you can introduce a consistent stream of new readers to book #1 and drive sales for the whole series.
Eva Pohler doubled daily sales for her $3.99 first-in-series supernatural suspense by running a continuous BookBub Ads campaign. She increased sales across different retailers and regions, and over the past month, her campaign has been ROI positive. Here’s how she did it!
Campaign Goals
Eva’s primary goal for this ad campaign was to drive sales of book #1 in her Mystery House series in the lead-up to the launch of book #3.
My goal for this campaign was increased sales. I began the campaign for Secrets of the Greek Revival a month before the release of the third book in the series, French Quarter Clues, with the hope of prepping new readers for the third book. I immediately saw an increase in sales of book #1 and #2, and I believe my release was positively affected by both the ad campaign for book #1 and a Featured New Release for French Quarter Clues.
Campaign Execution
Creative
Eva designed her ad image usingtipsshe’d seen on our Partners Blog.
My mistake in past graphics was trying to fit a one-line synopsis, which cluttered the visual. I learned from a Partners Blog post that I could help readers know what the book was about with images rather than cluttered text. I also used to make the book cover the most prominent part of the ad — taking up at least half of the graphic. After viewing images in the blog post, I learned that the book cover could be made smaller so that a line of text could fit along the top or bottom of the ad, making the ad look more cohesive.
Targeting
Eva ran a number of tests before settling on an ad that targeted her own fans on BookBub plus the fans of 20 similar authors. She included links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play in all worldwide regions where each retailer is available.
I tried targeting just genres, just authors, and both genres and authors. I found the ads that targeted only authors performed the best. I’ve also found that my ads don’t always start off with a bang. They take time to perform well. I think this may be because the ad needs to be seen once or twice before a person will finally click on it.
BookBub makes it easier than Facebook to target specific authors, because many of the authors I use are not available as targets on Facebook. I chose the authors by looking at the top sellers (on Amazon) in the genre of whatever book I’m marketing.
Budget and Bid
Eva set up a continuous campaign with a daily budget of $10. She chose CPC bidding and set her bid above the average range we display to ensure that her ad would be competitive in the auction.
When deciding on a budget, I consider things like the length of the series, the sell-through rate, the price of the first book, the effect on rank, my overall marketing budget, and my return on investment. The third book in the series just released, and as the length of the series increases, I hope to increase the ad spend depending on the sell-through of the later books.
I chose to pay per click rather than per thousand impressions because the former gives me valuable feedback about which readers are responding to my ad. For example, most of the people clicking on Secrets of the Greek Revival are Barnes and Noble readers or readers from Canada (at both Amazon and Kobo), whereas most of the people clicking on my ad for another book, a YA paranormal, are US Kobo readers.
I chose a $2 CPC bid because I want to win the best bids, and I rarely end up actually spending that much per click. My average cost per click is more like $0.66. While that may seem high to authors used to paying less per click on Facebook ads, BookBub leads are much ‘warmer’ because your targets are already wanting to find books. I think it’s reasonable to have to pay more per click for warmer leads. And, ultimately, the ROI is what matters more than anything. I make more on the ad per day than I spend. As long as that continues, I will keep running the ad.
Campaign Results
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When analyzing her results, Eva was primarily focused on comparing the cost of the ad to the sales she could credit to it. Since she wants to drive sales for the whole series, she has links to purchase book #2 in the back matter of book #1 and calculates her ad’s profitability based on the total series sales (not just book #1 sales!). Eva estimated her series sell-through by dividing book #2 sales by book #1 sales within a given time frame and multiplying by 100 — 22% of the readers who purchase book #1 in the Mystery House series go on to buy book #2.
BookBub Ads increased the sales of Secrets of The Greek Revival from two or three a day to five or six a day (sometimes more). Although the CTR is important, I’m mostly concerned with this: how much am I spending per day versus how much am I making per day (on sales that can be attributed to a given ad).
I’m able to measure the effects of my BookBub Ads on my sales because they are the only marketing I do for readers who use retailers other than Amazon. I’m investing more time and money in BookBub Ads because I feel that the people seeing these ads are looking for books, which isn’t always true with Amazon and Facebook. I use Amazon ads and Facebook ads to target Kindle users, but I’ve found BookBub Ads to be better than Facebook at targeting Nook, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play readers. I can also see an increase in Kindle sales with my BookBub Ads, but it’s just more difficult to measure.
Tip: Use our bidding calculator to determine your own series sell-through and calculate how much you can afford to spend on ads for the first book in your series!
I’m investing more time and money in BookBub Ads because I feel that the people seeing these ads are looking for books, which isn’t always true with Amazon and Facebook.” @EvaPohler #pubtip CLICK TO TWEET
Takeaways
Eva has also run ads for her first-in-series books in other genres and has gleaned some interesting insights about the impact of genre, price, and platform on her ad performance by comparing the results of her campaigns:
B&N sales have increased the most with this ad for Secrets of The Greek Revival. When I compare the results to an ad I have for a YA paranormal novel called Vampire Addiction, also priced at $3.99, I find that Kobo readers are responding really well to that one. The CTR at Kobo for that book has been close to 5%.
The Gatekeeper’s Sons, the first in my longest YA series based on Greek mythology, has given me the most grief. I’ve been experimenting with pricing after it was permafree for five years. Because Secrets of the Greek Revival did so well at $3.99 with BookBub Ads, I tried to do the same with The Gatekeeper’s Sons. However, it did not sell well at $3.99. I recently changed it back to free, and now that ad is doing really well, especially at Kobo. Even though The Gatekeeper’s Sons is free, I spend $15 per day for that book on BookBub Ads because it’s part of a long series, and I make money on the sell-through to the other books, which is at a rate of 33%.
Want to share this post? Here are some ready-made tweets: <<<<
Click to tweet: See how one author DOUBLED her first-in-series book sales! #writetip #pubtip http://bit.ly/2TjI4Bl
Click to tweet:Fascinating case study for how an author doubled sales for the first book in her series! #publishing #amwriting http://bit.ly/2TjI4Bl
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Does your book club enjoy award-winning mysteries?
Would you enjoy a free appearance and reading by a favorite thriller author?
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If you answered yes to either of these questions, then don’t miss out on the opportunity to host Author, Kim Carter when she’s in town. Ms. Carter shows up with lots of fun free gifts, does a special reading from one of her upcoming books, and will sign books upon request.
Kim Carter Mysteries Book Club Tour has begun January 15, 2019, and will be scheduled as bookings come in. Appearances will be booked on a first come, first serve basis. She will do a special Sneak Peek reading of her new working title of “Murder On The Bayou” to release in a few months.
To learn more about Ms. Carter and all six published titles, visit on her Official Author website today! So, don’t miss out because Kim’s calendar is filling up quickly for Georgia and New Orleans areas!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~ KIM CARTER
Kim Carter is an Atlanta, GA, award-winning author of suspense, mystery and thriller novels.
She was a finalist for the 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and a recipient of the 2017 TCK Publishers’ Readers’ Choice Award for her book Murder Among The Tombstones. This is the first book in her Clara and Iris Mystery series. The characters in this series are a couple of overly curious widows who become private investigators. These funny women were inspired by Kim’s mother and her mom’s best friend.
Her other titles include Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle, When Dawn Never Comes, Deadly Odds, No Second Chances, and her latest, And The Forecast Called For Rain.
Kim’s writing career started after she suffered an illness that made her housebound for a couple of years. An avid reader of mystery novels herself, she embarked on writing as a means of filling her time. She began to share those early writings with friends and family who encouraged her to pursue writing professionally. Her health struggles and successes have been chronicled on The Lifetime Television in early 2000, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Women’s Day Magazine, and Guidepost.
Prior to her illness, Kim worked in many different capacities in county government as her “Day Job,” but ultimately, it was her job as a correctional officer that provided her the opportunities to talk and interact with a diverse group of people. Her experiences ran the gamete of inspiring success stories to tragic endings, much like her mysteries.
She self-published her first book No Second Chances. One of the guest speakers at the launch party she had at the Performing Arts Center in Newnan, Georgia included her close friend retired Atlanta Police Chief Eldrin Bell. This connection would become helpful as she started doing more research for other books, this time working with a small publishing house.
Kim began networking and made connections with numerous homicide detectives, medical examiners, and prison officials. Her research has taken her many places including morgues, death row, and the occasional midnight visit to cemeteries.
Kim is a college graduate of Saint Leo University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She and her husband have three successful grown children and reside just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
Kim’s books can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, and Indie Bound.
If your book club is interested, please contact her publicist, Catherine Lyon at lyonmedia@aol.com or call Catherine at (602-795-6345).
An amazing book share from one of my Favorite Book Blogs of my Dear Friend and fellow author Joe Siccardi …One of the best storyteller writers I know and his New Book released and Worth a Read as I Highly Suggest you do! Learn more by a visit to his site :-)
One of the downsides of publishing is the need to promote it … especially if you’re not necessarily into self-promotion. That’s me. I want to build readership {and sales} for the novella Heaven Shining Through and the collection of essays, Wisdom From a Father. But I’m reluctant to tell readers to read them because I say they’re good.
That’s the conundrum. I want readers to read the books and tell others why they felt it was good. However, with so many reading choices out there, how do prospective readers even know your book is available?
So, you request reviews. You post on social media. You hawk {I hate that word} your product. You seek promotion options. You watch sales flat line. Even the positive reviews don’t move the needle.
And then you’re reminded why you ventured into the wild, wacky, unpredictable world of publishing. An e-mail here — “You brought…
Happy Weekend Avid Romance Readers!
THE WAIT Is now over! Our amazing romance drama Author, Rusty Blackwood has released her E-book version and a brand new! “The Perils of Autumn” is now Available on Amazon Kindle!
It Is Cat’S “Hot New Release Ebook Pick Today!” https://www.amazon.com/Perils-Autumn-Rusty-Blackwood-ebook/dp/B07MWJ7S4Q/
You are all in for a treat today! I am honored and happy for everyone to meet and welcome our newest Author, Rusty Blackwood from Canada. Rusty and I have been friends for several years, and very soon Rusty has a BRAND NEW Book releasing that I get to share with all you! It is titled “The Perils of Autumn” a contemporary romance drama that is sure to please all readers! So let Cat get right to it and share a fabulous new interview she just did for Vinny at Awesomegang, an excellent place for all genre of reads, and all about this fantastic favorite Canadian writer.
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ABOUT THE PERILS OF AUTUMN:
Sometimes a book trailer is better than words … Rusty is pleased to bring you the official theatrical trailer for my upcoming, 5-star-award-winning romantic fiction drama, The Perils…
You are all in for a treat today! I am honored and happy for everyone to meet and welcome our newest Author, Rusty Blackwood from Canada. Rusty and I have been friends for several years, and very soon Rusty has a BRAND NEW Book releasing that I get to share with all you! It is titled “The Perils of Autumn” a contemporary romance drama that is sure to please all readers! So let Cat get right to it and share a fabulous new interview she just did for Vinny at Awesomegang, an excellent place for all genre of reads, and all about this fantastic favorite Canadian writer.
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ABOUT THE PERILS OF AUTUMN:
Sometimes a book trailer is better than words … Rusty is pleased to bring you the official theatrical trailer for my upcoming, 5-star-award-winning romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn. This page-turner is certain to become one your favorites …
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<<<< A Few Words from Rusty Blackwood
“It is my sincere hope that you enjoyed The Perils of Autumn, and I extend a personal invitation to continue reading about the often-unsettling life at Landon Manor, and Landon Lawns Stables. Rejoin Autumn and Cyril, as well as their staff, meet a few new, and interesting characters, and find out what happens to all concerned, as the story carries to its heart-touching conclusion in the coming, follow-up novel, Return to Autumn.”
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up during the 1950s on my paternal grandfathers farm in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada. My loving parents are both gone now, and I miss them every day, but I still have my brother. I am Mom to two wonderful sons, and loving grandmother to three beautiful granddaughters, and one handsome grandson. I am also a great grandmother – or G-G – as I am known to my delightful great-grandson.
I have always loved to write. This adoration for English composition began in grade school and carried into my adult years. Though I am unprofessionally trained in the field of writing, I have always possessed the uncanny ability of unique expression in stories that could grasp the heart and soul of the reader. I am an Interior Decorator by trade, and owned and operated a residential home service for twenty-eight years before retiring from that field. My writing venture began in 2001 when I became a serious writer with the intent on seeing where it could possibly take me. Over the years I had written an assortment of both contemporary and traditional poetry, and from this, I put together my first collection under the title, Feelings: A Rhythmic Journey in Thought which I self-published in 2009.
This was followed in 2010 with my first collection of children’s short stories, entitled, Young Minds. This collection was based on my own childhood as well as stories I wrote for my grandchildren. In 2010 I published the first part of the original two-part Passion in Paris that I began writing in 2001. This two-part romantic fiction drama was short-lived, and it was also not the way I had envisioned my first venture into this genre to be nor the publishing of it, and because of this, the end result was inept, so I took it off market it until I could revise it into my original concept, that of which I finally brought to fruition in the 818 pages, 4-star-Amazon awarded, romantic fiction grand scale novel, Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, which I released in 2013. Leading up to this, I published a new poetry collection entitled, Impressions which I released in 2011.
I followed this with a revised children’s short story collection, containing previously published stories, including those written for my grandchildren plus additional new stories, under the title, Through the Eyes of Innocence. This was followed in 2012 by the comedy short, The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom. This was followed in 2015 by the 5-star-awarded romantic fiction drama, Willow’s Walk. In 2017, I following that novel with the second in the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, entitled, Derwood Returns. The early titles, Feelings, Young Minds, and the two-part Passion in Paris: Connections and Directions respectfully, are no longer available.
The rest can be obtained at all Amazons, as well as other fine online bookstores, and brick and mortar order desks everywhere. The Perils of Autumn and Derwood Goes Caribbean are soon to be released. I hope everyone will watch for them, as well as check out the available titles I mentioned.
<<<< What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Perils of Autumn.I have always adored horses and admired nurses. I find the horse a most intelligent animal – if not the most intelligent, at least in my opinion – and I always loved to watch them, speak with them, and applaud their wonderful movements. I loved to ride in my youth, even had my own pony as a girl, however, I never rode professionally, or entered show competitions, but I would take in as many as I could. I have always held immense respect for nurses, and the dedication they possess when it comes to healing those who are ailing, recuperating from surgery or an accident, and it is all done with expert care and compassion. Because of the admiration for these two subjects, I decided to combine them in a story that centers around both.
<<<<< Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not exactly sure what ‘unusual’ means in this question. However, I do like to scribble ideas and dialogue in a notebook that I keep for ideas for future projects. My desk is always littered with small notes pertaining to whatever I’m working on at the moment. I used to write in the evening often well into the night, but since retiring from my business I now apply, and have for a while now, the day hours that I once worked to my writing. However, it can often be distracting and annoying when the phone rings, a dog continually barks outside, or the usual noise throughout the house as well as outside that carries in.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have great appreciation and respect for a few authors who are primarily known as authors of children’s books, and they are Canadian authoress, Lucy Maude Montgomery ( Anne of Green Gables, plus the Emily of New Moon series and more) British author Anna Sewell (Black Beauty) and American author Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie series of books). I also enjoy the workings of Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, both classics). Fav authors of adult works are Nora Roberts, Kathryn Stockett (The Help), Stephen King ( numerous horror & psychological thrillers) and British authoress, Emile Bronte (Wuthering Heights). I also enjoy the work of fellow Niagara author, Gina IaFrate. There are many talented, self-published, local authors in your area; check them out, and give them a read. You might find yourself pleasantly entertained.
What are you working on now?
I am currently finishing the third installment of my Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, entitled, Derwood Goes Caribbean. Each book in this series takes the bumbling, retired London England City Hall Official, on another eccentric adventure, where he is sure to tickle your funny-bone with his hysterical antics. In the latest, he, and his best friend, Scotsman Robert McEwen, board The Travelling Minstrel as it sets course for the Caribbean with a ship full of singles looking for a good time.
I have also begun work on the follow-up novel to The Perils of Autumn, entitled, Return to Autumn.This second part of the ongoing story introduces readers to a few new characters, solves a deep secret and brings it out into the open, and carries the reader to the end of this touching, and not-soon-forgotten story.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use all social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, Authors.com, as well as my official website http://www.rusty-blackwood.com, where readers may find assorted information about me, my work, my titles, and keep caught up with me through my Journal/Blog. I also write a monthly, end of month Newsletter that carries my news of the month, whatever that may be. It’s a great way to keep engaged with readers on my contact list, and them with me.
I have worked with my stellar marketing rep & publicist, Don McCauley, since 2011, who looks after me well and also keeps my name before the public eye. That is most important, for if you are out of sight, you are out of mind. I also work with Joe Crawford, of the Niagara based The Joe Show on the TJSN Network, and I have recently begun working with author and writer, Catherine Townsend-Lyon of Lyon Media Services, beginning with the promotion of the soon to be released, Readers Favorite 5-star-award-winning, romantic fiction drama, The Perils of Autumn.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you know. There is nothing more discouraging or upsetting than to undertake a subject in written words that you know little about and make it entertaining and legible to the reader. Often writers draw from life experiences, I do, for there is no better research than what you have experienced first hand. But when you are very young, you have yet to have much experience to draw from, therefore research everything thoroughly. I believe this suggestion could be taken by any writer, seasoned or not, but if you write about things you know about, you will find your finished piece a polished, fine offering for the eyes of any reader that chooses your title.
Critique is a large portion of writing; it is not always kind, and you must learn to take what you can from that and apply it to your craft. Do not expect that your first, even second or third title will be an instant success. It may or may not happen, but if you love to write, have a passion to write, then you will find a way to stick with it. It can be a very long, drawn-out process. Finally, do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. Only you know the muse inside you, so let it speak to you, and have fun.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Pretty much what I said in the above prior question. Things take time, they rarely happen overnight, and if you go into this field with expectations that you put out a book and you are an instant celebrity with gold untold, then you may be badly disappointed. It may happen, there is nothing saying it won’t, but keep an open mind, and approach realistically.
What are you reading now?
Bestowed With Love And Splendor by Niagara author, Gina IaFrate. It is a wonderful story of a degraded-by-her-husband woman who finds herself in a heartbreaking, mentally abusive marriage. The heroine, an agent for a Niagara travel agency, is sent to the Island of Sardinia to assist their associate agency in setting up new programs for tourists. While there, she encounters the possibility of a life she could only dream about should she choose to remain in her present, loveless marriage and proceeds to struggle with a life that could be hers for the taking.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently working on the 3rd installment of the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, Derwood Goes Caribbean, and I will also be doing the 4th installment in the series, possibly the last, but that is still not decided, and I have started the follow-up novel to The Perils of Autumn, entitled Return to Autumn. This novel will carry readers to the end of this intense story. I am also planning a final poetry collection. I have written a huge array of contemporary and traditional poetry over the years, and I hope to compile them in a final collection.
I have also started a historical account of my family’s country music band, The Midnight Ramblers, entitled Ramblin’ Years: The Midnight Ramblers: A Biographical Account. I joined this band in 1963 at age 13 as a vocalist. I also learned to play acoustic guitar, and bass guitar, which I played from 1970 until the group ended in the mid-seventies.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring? Gone With the Wind, a map of the area, The Bible, and a photograph album of my family.
And then you’re reminded why you ventured into the wild, wacky, unpredictable world of publishing. An e-mail here — “You brought…
"CAT'S BOOK LIBRARY 4 READERS" 