New Book Covers

My new book covers arrived this week and I’m more than thrilled with them! At the Joanna Penn seminar recently ( she’ s a successful self published author) , one piece of advice she gave was to choose different covers, to add a new dimension, thus new readers and sales. I wanted to go with a more edgy contemporary look, and I’m pleased with the final result.

I used Canva to search for the right image. They have hundreds, nay thousands of images you can use.

Next, to find a cover for my next book! The Tourmaline Bracelet is set for release August 2017 📚

Womankind

I have found, to my delight, a new magazine at my local bookstore; Womankind. I’ts packed with interesting articles, quotes and current affairs stories pertaining to women. It’ s for women, about women, and should be read by women !

A particular article drew my attention, and I had to share. It’s called Daydreaming and Creativity and has a fab quote as a tagline:

“It is the daydreamers of this world who will create something great”

This line resonated do much with me! As a child, I was told (by teachers and my parents alike) that my head was always ‘in the clouds,’ that I ‘never paid attention’ in class, and I was a ‘daydreamer.’

As a writer, my life is made of tales and stories in my head; of daydreaming at odd moments of the day, and of seemingly ‘vague and uninterested’ when an idea for my character/plot/ event in one of my books is formulating.

So, to all those who feel they are daydreamers, I say – dream on !

Have a lovely weekend, fellow bloggers 😊📚

Why a bad protagonist is actually quite good #writing #amwriting

A Man Called Ove: A Review

Mary Clark, Writer

In A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman writes about people who are at odds with modern rules, and he does so by ignoring, even flaunting, modern rules of writing. And it was glorious! Wonderful! He portrays people who don’t fit into society as it is presently constructed, so it makes sense he tears up the rules when writing about them. In this way he can tell the story of the old-fashioned Ove, for whom the rules are an undue burden, and the immigrant Parveneh, who recognizes the rules but for whom reality is a very flexible thing.

What are these rules of writing? Let me name a few. First, there’s the prohibition against using similes and metaphors. How did this start? From what I can tell, George Orwell said, don’t use similes. Now this has become orthodoxy. Backman deals with this by exchanging the word “like” with “as…

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New book cover Elen A Celtic Trilogy

In order to boost my new book The Tourmaline Bracelet,  the third book of A Celtic Trilogy, I’ve decided to change my book covers. This is due mainly to a writing seminar I attended recently,  that had heaps of self publishing tips (some of which I ‘ve shared here and will continue to do so!). 

I’ m really pleased with this cover of Elen as I think it adds to the mood of the time, set as it is during the British convict era. The book has themes of hardships, loss, death, poverty, hope and survival, particularly of my main character Elen Williams. 

It’s available on Amazon :

#books📚 #historicalfiction #Elen #aceltictrilogy #amazon #amazonkindle 

5 tips to get you tweeting like a pro!

 

I have recently discovered the Tweeting world (or Twitter, I should say). This form of social media has eluded me thus far, as I prefer Facebook and Instagram. However, in order to promote my books (now numbering 3 books on Amazon, and one to be released in August 2017), I thought I’d sign up.

I’m not sure if I have the complete angle on it yet, but I have put up a profile picture, done some tweeting and also retweeted other tweets. So far, I have 150+ followers; not bad going for a novice!

Anyway, I have read some advice on the art of tweeting, namely from a fellow blogger Nicholas Rossis, who has kindly shared his tips on promoting your books – and I’ll share them here.

Happy tweeting everyone!  🙂

1.Remember – people love a bargain! The results speak for themselves –

Discounts & Proms – 94%

FREE STUFF – 88%

Fun & Entertainment – 87%

Updates on Sales – 79%

Access to exclusive content – 79%

The most popular tweets are the ones that promote free books, ensuring traffic to your site!

2. Ask a Question.

When writing your tweet, arrange it in a question format. This will ‘pique’ interest in your tweet, but not enough to give the whole game away!

i.e. – Why is it important to always….? What is the one thing….? Why should you never….?

3. #Ensure Retweets.

Others can promote your tweets, by retweeting.

Tweets that ask for a retweet receive 12x more than those that don’t!

Tweets that include a link receive 86% more Retweets!

4. Use the right hashtag.

Not too many though, 3+ is quite enough!

Here are the most popular tweets relating to books:

#author #iamreading #deal #fantasy #reading #romance #book #Amazon #read #kindle

5. An example of a Great Response Tweet!

Taken from a tweet, which garnered a good response:

“Get Horror collection ‘A Sinister Six’ for just 99p when you order before June 14th! Get it from Amazon (add the link)”

• starts with the offer
• creates a sense of urgency (timescale)
• ends with a call to action (Amazon and the link)

*

 

 

 

 

Book covers: Elen A Celtic Trilogy

 

 

 

Elen A Celtic Trilogy

 

Elen A Celtic Trilogy

In preparation for my new book, The Tourmaline Bracelet A Celtic Trilogy,  which is the third of the family saga that follows the same family, transcends time and deals with themes such as loss, love, hope, anxiety, and retribution. I am playing about (and enjoying!) new book covers. The image above is my chosen one for the first book Elen. It gives the story an extra edge, a feeling of loss and anxiety in my main character that I wanted to convey.

As an indie writer, a good book cover is as important as the story itself – for why would a reader pick up your book unless its cover captured you?

Along with the plot, characters, editing, proof reading and editing again, the book cover is essential. What better way to market your book?

What do other bloggers think?

#books 📚 #bookcovers #bookart #colours #historicalfiction #fiction # ElenA Celtic Trilogy😊

Book signing; Monica McInerney

I took my friend along to a book signing on the weekend. Any chance to learn from an author and I’m there, first in the queue.

The event was held at my local library.📚 Its a very modern looking building and Ms McInerney was quick to point out that it seemed huge, ‘a castle.’ Well there ain’t any castles in Australia (apart from the touristy type ones) so that gave us a clue to the author’ s heritage. She writes books set in Ireland. And the name – McInerney – she’s Irish, right? 

Wrong. 

She very charmingly told us that she’s from the heart of the Clare Valley in south Australia and while she has lived in Ireland for several years, she has a very distinctive Aussie drawl!

The event lasted a couple of hours and Ms McInerney signed autographs, sat for photographs and shared some snippets of her writing and personal life, including her unique writing style and quirkyness.

Has anyone else been to an author event? Was it anyone that they admired for their stories?

Share away fellow bloggers! 😊

#monicamcinerney #lola’ssecret #thealphabetsisters #thetripofalifetime #australian/irishfiction #life 💛 

Book covers: Elen A Celtic Trilogy

 

 

 

Elen A Celtic Trilogy

 

Elen A Celtic Trilogy

In preparation for my new book, The Tourmaline Bracelet A Celtic Trilogy,  which is the third of the family saga that follows the same family, transcends time and deals with themes such as loss, love, hope, anxiety, and retribution. I am playing about (and enjoying!) new book covers. The image above is my chosen one for the first book Elen. It gives the story an extra edge, a feeling of loss and anxiety in my main character that I wanted to convey.

As an indie writer, a good book cover is as important as the story itself – for why would a reader pick up your book unless its cover captured you?

Along with the plot, characters, editing, proof reading and editing again, the book cover is essential. What better way to market your book?

What do other bloggers think?

#books 📚 #bookcovers #bookart #colours #historicalfiction #fiction # ElenA Celtic Trilogy😊