I started writing TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT what seems like forever ago. And yet, I “only” started writing it in March 2018. I was still undergoing chemo for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma then. I was in my 5th month of chemo then. I’m still in treatment today.
MSKCC’s website explains: “Hodgkin lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease) is an uncommon form of lymphoma. It is distinguished by the presence of large abnormal tumor cells called Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells. Although Hodgkin lymphoma can occur in both children and adults, it is usually diagnosed in young adults between 20 and 34. ” As per the Leukemia & Lymphoma society, in 2019, there are expected to be 82,310 new cases of lymphoma diagnosed in the US (8,110 cases of HL, 74,200 cases of NHL). You can find some of the symptoms here.
So, yep, this book has been with me through quite a bit.
And since its release is on September 5th, during Lymphoma Awareness month, I decided to run a release month campaign to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
For every purchase of TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT during the month of September, I’ll donate $1 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Plus, when you order and fill out the form below, you’ll receive an exclusive epilogue and you’ll also be entered in a $25 gift card to your favorite bookstore giveaway.
You can pre-order the e-book before September 5th or you can purchase it starting September 5th and during the rest of the month, It is available on all e-retailers. And you can also get a paperback copy on Amazon.
To receive the exclusive epilogue from Lacey’s point-of-view and be entered in the giveaway, you can simply fill out this form.
If you’d like, you can also add it on Goodreads, BookBub, and request it on Overdrive (for your library)
How can I help spread the word?
You can share this post with your friends or on social media. You can share a picture of your order or of the book. I’ve prepared a tweet and a text you can use. And below there are the pictures of the giveaway in different sizes…but your own pictures of the book might actually work better 🙂
Spread the word on Twitter
Click on TweetThis to tweet the following text: Grab your copy of TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT now! For each purchase of the book in September, @enowodazkij will donate $1 to @LLSusa for #BloodCancerAwarenessMonth – Plus, there’s a giveaway and exclusive content. All details here: https://elodienowodazkij.com/tmtmn/
You can share those images (your own images of the book could work better :-)): You can download them (for IG, Twitter, Facebook here )
Thank you so much!
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Sometimes, you just need to enjoy a piece of cake (or whatever is your equivalent of a piece of cake).
Yesterday when I had that piece of cake it made me smile. Granted the company was also pretty good. Yesterday I cried (I didn’t take a picture of my crying face so cake picture it is not 😋). Yesterday, I was full of hope and my hope kind of got crushed a little. But hope is pretty resilient.
Yesterday I had a PET scan which was kind of mixed. On one side, it showed that the mediastinal lymph node I had before reduced in size & in SUV (activity level), which is wonderful news. On the other side, there are new areas of concern. I haven’t seen the full report yet but based on the discussion with my oncologist, it could actually be inflammation due to the immunotherapy.
I’m currently slated to have two more treatments & then undergo an autologous stem cell transplant (with my own stem cells). This has proven curative in Hodgkin’s. It’s better to have a so-called negative PET scan before undergoing said stem-cell, so I want to get another PET before the actual transplant. I might have to fight my insurance for it (again). I’m grateful cancer is no longer a pre-existing condition, because it would have the potential to make everything harder & honestly, I don’t need that.
Immunotherapy is pretty novel before transplant. It has shown to enhance chemo-sensitivity so crossing my fingers that this sequence helps me. I have to talk to my oncologist (again). I’m very thankful to feel like an integral part of the team. My oncologist listens & listens & listens.
I feel well. I’ve recorded several audiobooks. I work out. I got used to the neuropathy in my feet. I’m writing again and my goal is to ensure my next novel TRUST ME, TRUST ME NOT comes out as planned beginning of September (up for pre-order https://amzn.to/2SICKrf 😊)
Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotions. Today I feel better & calmer & happier.
Right now, I’m concentrating on this one step, making sure I’m in the best shape I can & in the best position possible. Right now, I’m thinking of the fun things ahead. Right now, I’m also enjoying the little things & the little moments.
And it’s easier when you get to eat cake 😊
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It’s my fifth publishing anniversary or The One With All The Thoughts…First: “The One…” is a reference to Friends’ episodes, I’m not trying to say I’m The One with all the thoughts. That would be a looooot of thoughts 😉 It was either going to be that or It’s my fifth publishing anniversary and I’ll write a blog post if I want to (imagine me singing…or not…you probably shouldn’t, I have a speaking voice :-))
It’s been five years since this picture was taken.
Wow. Five. Years. The Chemical Engineer and I were living in Mainz, in Germany with Peter The Cat. I was working at the European Central Bank as Press Officer. We now live in Maryland with Plato The Dog and Bobbie Voltaire the Cat, where after going back into teaching, I am now writing and narrating. A lot has happened in five years, both publishing and non-publishing wise.
But first, a little or rather big shout-out to my parents who are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary today (June 26th,2019). Forty-five years! And let me just say, it makes my heart full of ❤
Dedication in ONE, TWO, THREE…
Now, when it comes to publishing. In those five years, there has been tears and laughter, total failures and resounding successes.
Some days, I feel like I still have no clue what I’m doing. Others, it feels like I have somewhat of an idea. Publishing has been a roller coaster of emotions. And let me make one thing clear, I am able to do it this way thanks to the Chemical Engineer. I definitely don’t make enough for us to live off my writing. And I’m very grateful he still believes in me after five years.
Five years ago, I published ONE, TWO, THREE…
When I published One, Two, Three, I thought it was going to be an instant bestseller.
You know the kind…even though I since realized that many (maybe most; I’m not sure since I don’t have any hard data) of the overnight successes had actually been in the making for decades.
Anyways, I believed I would wake up the morning of the launch and thousands of copies would have sold. I would be hitting all bestseller lists. Producers would be calling me, begging me to adapt the story for TV. Bookstores would ask me to stock it because people would be asking for it.
On the first day, it sold less than the number of my Facebook friends. Way less. Way way less. And nobody contacted me to adapt it for TV.
But I am still writing and I am still publishing and I am still selling copies of One, Two, Three today. And someone made fan art from the story!
Plus. the French translation got picked up as my option book with a French publisher.
Signing the contract for the French version of ONE, TWO, THREE 🙂
It was retitled VIVRE, AIMER, DANSER… I love that cover!
And I still receive emails from readers who tell me how Natalya’s story has moved them, and how it has helped them somehow, and how much they loved getting to know her and Antonio, and Becca, and James.
Since I published One, Two, Three, I published one novelette (One Dream Only – Natalya’s story 0.5), one novella (A Summer Like No Other – Em & Nick #1) and four novels (Always Second Best, Em & Nick #2, Love in B Minor, Fear Me Fear Me Not and See Me See Me Not).
And you can also recommend them on Overdrive for your library!
Including this one that is available for pre-order! Amazon – Kobo – B&N – iTunes
I published translations of all those books in many languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Dutch, Chinese…)
And I published bilingual copies of some for those learning languages.
And three of those French translations were picked up and published by a French publisher (available in French bookstores and grocery stores). I sold thousands of copies in France.
I went to writer’s retreats with talented writers and amazing human beings ❤
I participated in several authors’ events, and shared the stage with NYT bestseller authors and so many talented authors.
I signed a guitar!
I was featured in the Baltimore Sun.
Recently, I got my first BookBub promotion for FEAR ME, FEAR ME NOT. I’ve been trying for 5 years to get a BookBub 🙂 and I loved what they did for the promotion and how well it worked!
Some of my books are even available in audiobook! Like LOVE IN B MINOR which has been gathering wonderful reviews!
As well as other audiobooks for which I use a pen name…;-)
During that time, I also got diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (in October 2017). After finding out that I needed to change treatments, I also organized an auction to benefit non-profits who help young adults with cancer. I was blown away by the amount of support I received from the publishing community for the Let’s Do Something Good auction! I mean I even got a signed book from Jenna Fischer! And she retweeted me and tweeted me directly!
I am back in treatment now and it’s not necessarily easy (for many reasons) yet easier (in other ways), but let me tell you: the book I currently have on pre-order, TRUST ME TRUST ME NOT, means a lot to me.
I can’t tell if I love one of my books more than the other, but I can tell you that writing Lacey and Hunter has been cathartic in a lot of ways. Being able to write has been emotional and hard and easy at the same time. Writing always is, but having Lacey trying to move forward, not knowing if she really can has been hitting a spot.
During these past five years, I didn’t reach a point where both The Chemical Engineer and I and our four-legged friends (see pictures below because how cute are they :-)) could live from my income. I loss some (especially at the beginning), I gained some (I actually make profits from my writing now, whoop whoop!).
I still dream of getting contacted by a producer. So if you’re a producer reading this, don’t hesitate 😉
But most importantly, I am grateful I get to write those stories in my head. Writing helps keeping me balanced even when it’s hard and frustrating, I find that it helps me.
I am grateful to my family and friends and everyone who helps me and cheers me on along the way (my talented and generous writer friends, photographer, cover designers, translators, editors and more).
And I’m especially grateful to my wonderful husband (who did get a Best Husband Of The Year Award last year or was it two years ago? :-)). Sometimes I have the feeling that I should do more, try more ways to sell more books (and I do), but even when The Chemical Engineer asks me for Excel sheets for the business side (and full disclosure: we bicker ;-)), I know he believes in me. And that means the world.
Look! Graphs 🙂 Number of books I sold. Trackerbox gave me those – they do not reflect the sales with my French publisher nor some of the translations and do not show the free ebooks (like Bookbub)…So the sales from A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER for example are a lot of paperbacks 😉 since the ebook is currently free.
And I’m grateful to YOU, dear reader, for taking a chance on my books…and for loving the characters as much as I do ❤
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I cannot believe this! FEAR ME, FEAR ME NOT is out in the world.
I love love love Dimitri and Erin. I love their story. I cried and I laughed while writing it. And I hope you enjoy their story too. You can get it in e-book and paperback here.
Oh and there’s a book trailer 🙂 It’s the first time I use a book trailer 🙂
Let me know what you think!
Releasing a story in the world is still this incredible mix of exciting and anxiety. On Tuesday, I woke up at 2 a.m. to finalize a few things…and it seemed surreal knowing that Dimi and Erin would soon be in your hands. 🙂 Surreal and amazing.
Thank for your reading! I’m very grateful for all of you!
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Reviews are so important for authors, being on Twitter, on Goodreads, on blogs and especially on online retailers for many reasons – here are just a few:
Before a release, it amps the anticipation, might bring a buzz.
it really helps the visibility of books on online retailers. There are algorithms that are used on Amazon for example which could make your book show up in their ‘also recommended’.
Reviews can drive sales (and not only good reviews…)
Readers might be more inclined to read a book if they know people have already read it.
Certain advertising or reviewing sites are only considering books with a certain number of reviews.
Thank you, thank you so much for everyone who’s taken the time to review my books. THANK YOU ❤
Join me tomorrow for S…
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Q is for…Quote (motivational quote) or in this case quotes…:) I just finished drafting and revising my NA thriller YOU ARE MINE and it is both exhilarating and super scary. That also means I need to go back to other projects, including an overhaul of another thriller and finish drafting a companion novel.
That’s where the quote from Stephen King comes in…
And then, there’s this one because I think sometimes we don’t necessarily see the amount of work people with lots of success or lots of luck or both have put in or are putting in. We get distracted by the “what ifs” or the “why not me” and this quote captures how I feel about this.
Join me tomorrow for R…
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P could really also be for Peter The Cat and Plato The Dog. Those two are the cutest, even though Peter the Cat whom we rescued 3 years ago from a shelter is not taking kindly to Plato The Dog whom we adopted from a rescue three months ago. They’re fine when they’re sleeping 🙂
But again, I’m here to talk about Platform. I think if you’re self-publishing, you do need to have an author platform. At least a website with your books and your bio. It helps to give some credibility and to spread the word easier. And you do need to interact with potential readers somehow, but the key is to do what you like, to be genuine. I love all the interactions I have through this blog, my Twitter, Instagram and my FB page. But I haven’t gotten onto Tumblr because I’m afraid I’d spend too much time on it 😛 I don’t only talk about my books but about my life: my hubby, my writing, my reading, my dog and my cat, sometimes about the European Union. And I’m having fun interacting with people there. And I made some great friends thanks to those social media.
Once more as is needed in the self-publishing world, It’s also important to keep informed about the new
Join me on Monday for Q…
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ONE TWO THREE is the first book I self-published and the inspiration for all those posts.
I queried this book, received amazing feedback and close calls from agents but never a “yes”. My beta and critique partners loved the book. Other readers also loved it, even remembering it a year after reading it. That’s when I decided to choose my own magic. I also wrote a post on how I understand why agents didn’t sign me at the time. I have no regrets, I am learning and I can’t wait to publish the companion novels of ONE TWO THREE, my new NA series and the translation of ONE TWO THREE in French and German.
Here’s more about ONE TWO THREE (it’s currently on sale at $0.99 on amazon)
PERFECT CHEMISTRY meets SAVE THE LAST DANCE in this story of tragedy and hope, anger and forgiveness.
Last year, seventeen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.
But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.
At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present. Keeping him an arabesque away proves to be a challenge for Natalya and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell. When upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.
Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?
Join me tomorrow for P…Platform
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N is for…Nook Press and other distribution channels .
When you decide to self-publish, and you go through your business plan, you need to decide what approach you’re going to take when it comes to paperback and e-books. Are you publishing both? Are you releasing both at ones? Are you going to enroll your books in Kindle Select (which means exclusively to Kindle) or are you going to branch out?
Are you going to upload each book to each site manually (create an account on B&N, Kobo, iTunes for example) or are you going to use Draft2Digital, or Smashwords or…or…?
Again this is a lot of questions.
I personally have used Draft2Digital in the past. I love that they also distribute to foreign retailers (especially as I’m looking into translating my books into French & German) on top of B&N, iTunes, Kobo and so on. I also have a separate account for Amazon. I had issues with KDP Select in the past but having the book in unlimited is sometimes appealing. Google Play is not as user-friendly I find but I did have a few sales there too.
When it comes to future books, I think I will keep on using CreateSpace, Draft2Digital, GooglePlay and Amazon.
Elodie Nowodazkij 