Have you already subscribed, rated and reviewed to my podcast?
This truly helps! And takes only a few minutes. Thank you. 🙂
Don’t forget I have two giveaways
Giveaway 1: Do you want to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson?
BRIGHT by Ines Johnson: a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal.
If you’ve ever wished upon a star, if you’ve felt the glow of finding where you belong, if you know the brilliance of first love, then you’ll fall for Bright.
Would you like to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson? BRIGHT is a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal. Check out the giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc28/? #books #book #reading
Giveaway 2: Do you want to win a copy of HAND OVER HIS HEART (The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch Book 2) or a copy of SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson?
HAND OVER HIS HEART: A scholar reaching for her dreams. A hero living on borrowed time. Can she make them a permanent arrangement before his time runs out?
SWEET CAROL: Ariana Carol has the voice of a siren. But after an embarrassing incident on stage, she walked away with stage fright so severe that she barely speaks. So when she’s singing late one night to the crashing waves, she’s shocked to find that a handsome man hears her voice.
Win a copy of sweet romance novel HAND OVER HIS HEART by Shanae Johnson or a copy of sweet holiday romance novel SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson… All details here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc27/? #books #book #reading
“A Self-Published Author’s Diary” Podcast with @enowodazkij is now available on Stitcher and Amazon Music. Choose your favorite streaming platform: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij #WritingCommunity #writingpodcast #selfpublishing #indiewriter
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts. or Stitcher..
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
Today on the podcast and the blog, it’s all about selling my e-books and audiobooks directly to readers (got a lot of information from this post by The Creative Penn), using my backlist , talking about Kim’s Convenience (and storytelling), the happy revision feeling, time management and expectations and that happy “I got that one paragraph” feeling from revising #TheLeftoverBride.
I can’t believe it’s almost Friday! Well, when this article will be published, it will be Friday. So…Happy Friday! The Chemical Engineer and I have started watching a documentary about pirates on Netflix and we just started watching the 5th season of Kim’s Convenience. We really really enjoy this show and are disappointed there won’t be a 6th season. I know the actors really wanted a 6th season to happen and I’ve just read what Simu Liu (the actor who plays Jung) had to say about all of this and if you’re interested into the back story and the frustration of the cast and how their “writer’s room lacked both East Asian and female representation, and also lacked a pipeline to introduce diverse talents. Aside from Ins, there were no other Korean voices in the room.” He mentions that many in the casts were trained screewriters and tried to have more input…He also talks about their storylines and more. I also read a NYT article by Priya Krishna which was interesting on the symbol of food in Kim’s Convenience: Why ‘Kim’s Convenience’ Is ‘Quietly Revolutionary’: In not explaining every detail of Korean food culture, the award-winning Canadian sitcom speaks volumes. When watching Kim’s Convenience, I usually just watch it. Sometimes, I do try to see how they manage to convey the humor and the tenderness and the family bond…Always wondering about storytelling.
When I talked to Ines Johnson last week, she talked about what it means for her to have her books available widely. Here’s a reminder of what she said. If you haven’t listened to our chat, it’s the the episode right before this one.
And I’ve mentioned that I was thinking about moving some of my books to KU for three months to see how many new readers I may gain. And I still will do that. But I think I will do that for 3 months and then go back wide, because being wide also means that you can sell your books directly to readers.
And this is an avenue I’ve started considering. I am currently growing my mailing list with BookFunnel. On BookFunnel you can join “grow your newsletter” by joining other authors offering books for free and then every author sends the promo to their newsletters and readers can join to get the book they want. You can also join “sales” promo which is basically the same principle but instead of getting email addresses for books readers download, the links send then to a sales page on BookFunnel.
As I’m participating in “growing your newsletter” promos, I actually currently have that particular mailing list get a different automation when they sign up. Once, they’ve gone through the automation, I then move them to my mailing list with a tag that’s specific to the promo and book they signed up with.
As part of my automation, I could definitely add a coupon for the second book in the series if readers buy the book directly to me.
Because of this seismic shift, Alexandra Nicolajsen, Director of Social Media and Digital Sales at Kensington Publishing, has been marketing books over a longer timespan — sometimes a year or longer — as opposed to focusing mainly on the first six or eight weeks after on-sale. She says it’s a different way of thinking about how a campaign is done; though she still aims to frontload her marketing budget and make a big splash on launch, she allocates her marketing budget over a longer timespan to maintain momentum long after the publication date and sustain sales well into the backlist period.
And it’s true for selfpubbed books as well, meaning that while we’re always advised (and it’s good advice) to make sure we write the next book, I don’t think we shouldn’t keep putting some time into marketing our older backlist. And that can be done in many different ways.
Let’s say one of your books in your backlist becomes an (exclusive) reader magnet – a book you offer for free for readers to join your mailing lists? You could then offer another book in the series, if it’s a series, if they buy it from you directly…Or maybe offer another book with the same trope? Or maybe survey them and ask them what they’re in the mood to read?
For me, offering it as a discount would be as thank you for reading and as a way to build my relationship with the readers receiving my emails and reading my emails.
Quick side-note: I went through my newsletter this week and am about to delete almost 100 subscribers who had not opened any of my last 10 emails. I know sometimes the “open rate” can be misleading so I did send the readers on that list a quick email, asking them to click a link if they wanted to keep on receiving emails from me. I think I’ve read this in Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi Labrecque.
That campaign had a open rate of about 6.5% and click-rate of 4.3% which is, as expected, way lower than my regular campaigns. In a few days, I’ll make sure you to delete the people who have not clicked on the “I want to stay” link in the email.
Between Mark Dawson’s class talking about focusing on the newsletter, Ines mentioning every single time she sends an email, she sells books and the books I’m currently reading on “superpowering” one’s newsletter, I am definitely re-vamping my newsletter.
The one thing I need to keep in mind is to make sure I divide each big tasks into smaller manageable tasks. Creating that store for the A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER audiobook and the ALWAYS SECOND BEST ebook for example doesn’t happened in one day.
And it didn’t happen in one day because I am still revising almost every day and I also had a deadline for my freelance part-time research job and other things on my to-do list.
So, why did I choose PayHip and how did I go about it?
Well, the BookFunnel blog mentioned PayHip and I noticed this is the site Ines used on her website…So, I did a bit more research and landed on this video and blog article by The Creative Penn: How To Sell Ebooks And Audiobooks Direct With Payhip And Bookfunnel – Really she has everything covered from how to set it up…and why…and things to keep in mind.
One of the things she mentions is that to remember that if readers buy directly from you, your books will not climb in the ranks.
What took me the longest wasn’t to get my store ready, it was to update Always Second Best before putting it up.
What is my goal? My goal with PayHip is to make an extra $10 a month within the first two months (so in June and July) and then make an extra $30 every month starting in August.
How will I go about it? What is my plan?
I’m going to update my website to ensure that it is clear people can buy books directly from me.
I will focus on Always Second Best as an on-boarding sequence for readers who join from BookFunnel with A Summer Like No Other as well as with readers who sign up to receive exclusive scenes from A Summer Like No Other. I’m clear on BookFunnel that A Summer Like No Other is also available for free at all e-retailers. And I know I need a reader magnet that’s exclusive and I’m going to work on it…but in addition I also have plenty of exclusive bonus scenes for my readers’ newsletter.
The first email from the on-boarding sequence will be the exclusive scenes + discount code to buy Always Second Best directly from me + a code for a discount for the A Summer Like No Other audiobook.
Current limitations / research I need to do
I currently cannot put my Gavert City series because it will be for 3 months in Kindle Unlimited.
While the PayHip store is available in many languages and thus, I could try to do the same with my French books: for example, I could offer the French version of A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER as a reader magnet and then do an on-boarding sequence for the French version of ALWAYS SECOND BEST, Bookfunnel isn’t available in French. One of the positive aspect of using BookFunnel is that they also deal with the technical aspect of delivery…I need to check if there’s another service that might do it in another language.
I think the main struggle this week was feeling sometimes like I didn’t accomplish enough or didn’t organize myself well enough, even though as I explained I did accomplish a lot of things. But, I didn’t finish my revision. And I only added one book and one audiobook to my store on PayHip and via BookFunnel. Sometimes, I feel like I need to do everything all the time. Quick and efficiently and accomplish everything. And honestly, because you know this is a diary, part of this relationship with time may be due to all the treatments I have received and when getting diagnosed feeling like the rug was swept from under my feet…Something I need to talk to my therapist about a bit more probably. (So much more about that in the podcast).
I did smile revising. I stayed in the moment as I made the following sentences (and more) shine. My two critique partners and I are exchanging snippets of our stories in Google Chat to encourage each other and also have accountability partners. 🙂 And I may have sent them three or four version of the sentences below. I’ll do a post and maybe a video soon about the transformation of these sentences.
Ryan Sawyer and I together are like those designs I think will be absolutely perfect, but I can’t seem to get right… I spend hours adding a line here, erasing a line there, hoping that by one magic stroke of my favorite pencil I might make them work.
But more often than not, no matter how much time I spend and no matter how I can still picture them in my mind, I can’t fix them on paper.
And no matter how much I love them, I put them away because that’s what best for me.
But no one ever said that was easy. Letting those designs go? Nothing compared to Ryan Sawyer skating away all those years ago, leaving me behind and stretching the thin but resilient fabric of my heart until it tore apart. I put a patch over it by moving forward, but I’m not sure I ever stitched it back together.
Source: #TheLeftoverBride – available for pre-order for only $0.99 on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo and you can add it on Goodreads.
And I guess here would be a good reminder that #TheLeftoverBride (my holiday rom-com that I’m describing as a sexier Hallmark movie) is available for pre-order for only $0.99 at all e-retailers (Amazon, iTunes, Kobo) and you can add it on Goodreads.
A Self-Published Author’s Diary is on YouTube and Instagram!
Giveaway 1: Do you want to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson?
BRIGHT by Ines Johnson: a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal.
If you’ve ever wished upon a star, if you’ve felt the glow of finding where you belong, if you know the brilliance of first love, then you’ll fall for Bright.
Would you like to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson? BRIGHT is a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal. Check out the giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc28/? #books #book #reading
Giveaway 2: Do you want to win a copy of HAND OVER HIS HEART (The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch Book 2) or a copy of SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson?
HAND OVER HIS HEART: A scholar reaching for her dreams. A hero living on borrowed time. Can she make them a permanent arrangement before his time runs out?
SWEET CAROL: Ariana Carol has the voice of a siren. But after an embarrassing incident on stage, she walked away with stage fright so severe that she barely speaks. So when she’s singing late one night to the crashing waves, she’s shocked to find that a handsome man hears her voice.
Win a copy of sweet romance novel HAND OVER HIS HEART by Shanae Johnson or a copy of sweet holiday romance novel SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson… All details here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc27/? #books #book #reading
Have you ever wondered about selling your ebooks and audiobooks directly to your readers? I’m going to try and report back. Oh and talking about the revision process and using my backlist on “A Self-Published Author’s Diary” podcast with @enowodazkij https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij #WritingCommunity
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts. or Stitcher..
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
Today, I am very happy to welcome Ines Johnson, who is a self-published author who has published 65 books under 2 pen names. A couple of weeks ago, I read on BookBub an article Ines wrote entitled: How I Make Six Figures as a Self-Published Author. By the way if you want to receive the BookBub latest book marketing tips and insights delivered to your inbox each week, you can click on the article and then on the right you can add your email. 🙂 And voilà…
So, in that article, Ines described how she learned from her mistakes and turned them around.
I’m Ines Johnson, author of paranormal romance with lots of kissing. I also write sweet western romances under the pen name Shanae Johnson. There’s kissing in those books too. Lots of authors who come on this blog are a pretty big deal. Me? I’m a pretty big failure. Funny thing is, that was the key to my success!
I failed. A lot. But each stumble taught me something and brought me closer toward the eventual path to success: I now make six figures as a self-published author. In this post, I’ll outline the top lessons I learned from these failures, so you can learn from my mistakes and get a leg up on your leap to six figures.
Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), Ines Johnson not only shares her insights about the work behind her self-publishing success (goals and planning and advertising and brand and choosing to be wide and more), we also chat about her writing process that is influenced by her experience writing screenplays, why she’s not really on social media, how she rewards herself and so much more.
Here are just three excerpts from our almost hour long discussion.
Giveaway 1: Do you want to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson?
BRIGHT by Ines Johnson: a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal.
If you’ve ever wished upon a star, if you’ve felt the glow of finding where you belong, if you know the brilliance of first love, then you’ll fall for Bright.
Would you like to win a copy of BRIGHT by Ines Johnson? BRIGHT is a new adult romance touched by fantasy, mixed with science fiction, and a dash of the paranormal. Check out the giveaway here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc28/? #books #book #reading
Giveaway 2: Do you want to win a copy of HAND OVER HIS HEART (The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch Book 2) or a copy of SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson?
HAND OVER HIS HEART: A scholar reaching for her dreams. A hero living on borrowed time. Can she make them a permanent arrangement before his time runs out?
SWEET CAROL: Ariana Carol has the voice of a siren. But after an embarrassing incident on stage, she walked away with stage fright so severe that she barely speaks. So when she’s singing late one night to the crashing waves, she’s shocked to find that a handsome man hears her voice.
Win a copy of sweet romance novel HAND OVER HIS HEART by Shanae Johnson or a copy of sweet holiday romance novel SWEET CAROL by Shanae Johnson… All details here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc27/? #books #book #reading
New feature, maybe? The things I struggled with this week in regards self-publishing…Hmmm. The time it took me to update In Diesem Einen Sommer (A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER in German), including updating the keywords. I used PublisherRocket again and discovered a few keywords that I really needed to change. There was again one that had 0 dollars in revenue and a very low number of searches. And yes, granted the searches are just an approximation but still..
Smiling? Quite a few reasons. I wrote a plan to get this revision done and basically, this is really a result of listening to L. Penelope’s podcast who every week talks about her plan for the week and also talking with Ines Johnson in this week’s chat. 🙂 And I made quite a bit of progress in my revision.
Receiving emails from readers, including my first readers from Austria, I think about my bilingual books and an email from a reader who fell in love with Em & Nick’s story in A SUMMER LIKE ANOTHER. Annnnd attenting the Maryland Romance Writers’ online meeting which this week was: “May MRW Chapter Meeting: Happy Holidays! with Stacey Agdern & Janice Lynn.” Happy Holidays! Stacey Agdern, author of “Miracles and Menorahs”, and Hallmark and multi-published author, Janice Lynn discuss the magic of Holiday-themed books and what it takes to make them special, even when your deadline lands in sunblock and sandal season.
And that meeting prompted me to add a few more Christmas-y details in the first few chapters of #TheLeftoverBride which takes place during the holiday season. It already has the holiday vibe but I added some details at the beginning and it made me smile as I wrote them…so yay!
And I did a major revision, I change “that he’s good at” to “that he excels at”, which may seem small but I don’t know, it gave me that happy revision-makes-my-book-stronger feeling so definitely a reason to smile.
Another reason? This talk with Ines Johnson.
Do you have a question for me about self-publishing or writing?
Listen to Ines Johnson talk about the work behind her self-publishing success, her writing process, planning and so much more on “A Self-Published Author’s Diary” podcast with @enowodazkij https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij #WritingCommunity
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Megan is a London-based actor from Kansas City, USA. She received her MA in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She also holds a BA in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago, with minors in Musical Theatre, Dance, and Shakespeare Studies.
With her strong musical theatre and dance background, Megan especially loves theatre that is highly physical and that involves lots of movement and stage combat. She is passionate about bringing classical works to contemporary audiences in a way that allows people to feel like they have a place in the story and a way to connect to it.
When not working, Megan enjoys reading, running, and practicing yoga. She loves a good road trip, and has been on one hundred and one roller coasters.
Talking with Megan Carter on how acting may influence her writing, the similarities between acting and publishing and roller coasters…
Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), Megan Carter and I talk on how acting may influence Megan’s writing, about the similarities between publishing and acting and roller coasters. We also talk about her current project (which sounds amazing), finding critique partners, how to know when a book is done and how to not let yourself get bogged down by self-deprecating thoughts. Oh and we may spend a few minutes on the Greek myth of Medea. 🙂
When it comes to my self-publishing and writing update: I am thinking about re-branding the Gavert City series…I will talk more about this on an upcoming episode. So…stay tuned 🙂
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
I’ve also been sharing little snippets with everyone who has left a comment on my Facebook Author Page and/or Facebook readers’ group. I will also do the same with my readers’ mailing list and Instagram.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
Today, I am very happy to wlecome my long-time critique partner (who I’m also very lucky to call friend) YA author Katy Upperman. And I’m also very happy to run a giveaway for one of Katy’s books…if you’re in the US you could even win a signed copy!
Katy Upperman is a military spouse and mama to two sweet girls, as well as two spoiled kitties and the cutest German Wirehaired Pointer around. Katy is an author, reader, baker, and wanderer. She writes novels for teens and teens at heart. She’s a Washington State University alum (go Cougs!), a country music fanatic, and a makeup enthusiast. She loves the ocean, pedicures, sunshine, Instagram, Dirty Dancing and The Princess Bride, Jelly Bellies, houseplants, true crime documentaries, and Friday Night Lights.
Before diving into our chat, let me give you a short update on my writing, and self-publishing.
Last week, I started by saying I really needed to leave the reviews for two books I really enjoyed: CINDERELLA IS DEAD (Girls team up to overthrow the kingdom in this unique and powerful retelling of Cinderella from a stunning new voice that’s perfect for fans of Dhonielle Clayton and Melissa Albert) and for PRETTY LITTLE WIFE (Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: Shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?) … And I did. Well, I did because I just re-read my blog post while writing this one and it reminded me I needed to do it.
I had not written it on my to-do list. My to-do list right now is basically: catch up on my freelance work. I may have mentioned it but I work as a freelance researcher and audiobook narrator, in addition to my writing. And I have upcoming deadlines. So, in terms of self-publishing, in the past week I’ve made sure to keep up with my newsletter and to put up the final manuscript of EINE ZWEITE CHANCE (Always Second Best in German) on Amazon.
In my newsletter, I sent behind-the-scenes on #TheLeftoverBride which was really fun to write about and following L. Penelope’s example in her welcome email, I also recorded a video of that newsletter so if people wanted to listen or watch a video instead of reading my newsletter, then they could. 🙂 In the podcast I share a tiny excerpt of the video…
Talking about being vulnerable in our writing, her love for the revision process and her dream projects
Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), YA contemporary romance author Katy Upperman (author of KISSING MAX HOLDEN, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US & HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN) talks about being vulnerable in our writing, her love for the revision process and her dream projects. We also talk about her life list, how she pushes through difficult times in her writing and/or publishing and whether or not she thought about self-publishing. Oh and we may spend a few minutes on true crime documentaries. 🙂
When it comes to my self-publishing and writing update: Another busy week with my freelance projects. I work as a freelance researcher and an audiobook narrator. And this hasn’t left me a whole lot of time to get actual writing done on the page. However, I use every moment possible to think and organize my thoughts about certain scenes I still need to revise.
For the business side of self-publishing, I have sent several newsletters – including a Behind-The-Scenes for #TheLeftoverBride with a video (following L. Penelope’s example). On the podcast, I also talk a bit about social media and author branding…
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
I’ve also been sharing little snippets with everyone who has left a comment on my Facebook Author Page and/or Facebook readers’ group. I will also do the same with my readers’ mailing list and Instagram.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
So many books came out this week. Which ones did you get? Or request from your libraries? I need to write two raving reviews for CINDERELLA IS DEAD and for PRETTY LITTLE WIFE. Hold me to it. Next week, I need to start with “I wrote the reviews.” Yes, next week on Friday. I am not planning on releasing an episode this Tuesday. In terms of schedule, I will release episodes every Friday and every two weeks on Tuesdays. Don’t worry I’ll continue discussing my self-publishing adventures. Today, after the chat, I’ll quickly talk about time…
I am just about to start reading WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES by Denny S. Bryce. What are you currently reading? Leave me a message. I’ll select a few to read on the podcast. And don’t forget you have any questions to either leave a comment on my blog, send me an email or leave a voice message. 🙂
Before starting today’s chat: have you seen the Books For Hope auction? The KidLit Community is coming together to raise money for the Covid crisis in India! Bid on Signed Books, Book Swag, Editor and Agent Critiques and more and help raise money for the Unicef USA India Covid Relief Effort! The organizers are US-based children’s book authors with roots in the Indian subcontinent. And there are a lot, a lot of items to bid on. All for a good cause!https://www.booksforhope.org The auction takes place on May 7th to May 9th.
Today for Feature Friday, I am so so happy to welcome Mona Shroff. Per her bio on Harlequin and Mona is obsessed with everything romantic, so she writes romantic stories by night, even though she’s an optometrist by day. If she’s not writing, she’s making chocolate truffles, riding her bike, or reading, and is just as likely to be drinking wine or gin & tonic with friends and family. She’s blessed with an amazing daughter and loving son who have both gone to college. Mona lives in Maryland with her romance-loving husband. She’s the author of: THEN, NOW, ALWAYS and THEN THERE WAS YOU. You can find Mona on Instagram.
Giveaway time!
Do you want to win one of Mona Shroff’s books? Just hop on to my giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/35c42cc23/?
Writing romance, a baking contest and receiving “the” calls…
Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), contemporary romance author Mona Shroff (author of THEN, NOW, ALWAYS & THEN THERE WAS YOU) about the time she met Martha Stewart (and almost met Matthew McConaughey), her writing process, receiving the calls from her agent and book deal and how falling in love isn’t the solution for all our characters’ issues.
When it comes to my self-publishing and writing update: This has been a pretty busy week on my side…and while I made progress on my revision, I haven’t made as much progress as I wanted to. I think we all have these weeks, right? Contemporary romance author Mona Shroff who is on the podcast today shared on Instagram today a repost from Emily Duvall which said, “Respect your writing time.” And that’s something we had discussed with L. Penelope last week on planning that writing time…I’ve been doing Pomodoros. 25 minutes and then a short break and I think that if I start talking in Pomodoros instead of saying I will do something for an hour then it works better. I am going to carve some writing time this weekend…
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
I’ve also been sharing little snippets with everyone who has left a comment on my Facebook Author Page and/or Facebook readers’ group. I will also do the same with my readers’ mailing list and Instagram.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
I’m so happy to have L. Penelope on the podcast today. Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Her book Song of Blood & Stone was selected as one of TIME’s Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Visit her website: https://lpenelope.com/
Publishing, patience, perseverance and cheesecake…
Today on the podcast (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more), Leslye and I talk self-publishing, publishing, patience, perseverance, hybrid, description and writing processes, how hard writing is sometimes and moments that make us smile and so much more!
Thank you so much to everyone who has listened and subscribed to my podcast. Don’t hesitate to leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or Google Podcasts…
And thank you to everyone who’s already added #THELEFTOVERBRIDE on Goodreads and those of you who already pre-ordered it (on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo).
I’ve also been sharing little snippets with everyone who has left a comment on my Facebook Author Page and/or Facebook readers’ group. I will also do the same with my readers’ mailing list and Instagram.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
(2) A newsletter for my readers: full of bonus scenes, updates on my books, shows I’m watching, books I’m reading, exclusive giveaways and more…
Click on this link and just add your email and you’ll receive access to a page full of exclusive content! Plus my emails include pictures of my cat and my dog…and they’re pretty adorable…:-)
Today, I explain why I won't be posting new episodes regularly, share great new about my latest biopsy (no signs of recurrence, YAY!), an update about the month of December (so many things: Vella, writing immersive videos and more) as well as three newsletters for writers. Oh and I have a new book up for pre-order # Most Eligible Scrooge (how awesome is that title?)
Mentioned in the episode:
Three newsletters for writers I recommend:
– Leslye Penelope – Footnotes: Inspiration & actionable ideas to help you master your craft, overcome your stumbling blocks, and grow as a writer: https://read.lpenelope.com/footnotes
– Roni Loren's Academy – 30 days romance prompt challenge: https://www.fearlessromancewriting.com/news/30-days-of-romance-writing-prompts
– Better-Faster Newsletter: Join the Better-Faster Newsletter to get the “Dear Becca” coaching column! Every day, Becca gets new emails or comments asking “what happens if I…” And while she might answer a question in one place, not everyone sees it. So “Dear Becca” was created to answer some of the coaching questions Becca gets publically, in order to help everyone. It’s live coaching! Only available through the Better-Faster Newsletter. https://betterfasteracademy.com/newsletter/
Abbie Emmons Immersive Writing Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV6pMftb_QTlF4zMNj42GE3A84o4PZOnP
As always:
Ask me a question (per email: authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com or by leaving me a voicemail: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message)
Follow A Self-Published Author's Diary on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aselfpublishedauthorsdiary
Visit my website: http://www.elodienowodazkij.com
I'm on TikTok: @elodienowodazkij and the podcast too: @aselfpubbedauthorsdiary
—
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/message
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/elodie-nowodazkij/support
My new book, a YA romantic suspense novel FEAR ME, FEAR ME NOT has been in the making for several years. I could say I wrote it in 3 months, but it’s actually taken me 3 years to get the story where I wanted it to be. It will be published on September 27th, 2016 and you can already pre-order it here.
While browsing the pre-made covers of Najla Qambers , I came across one I fell in love with for a book about another character. The photographer was Lindee Robinson, so I reached out to her to see if I could see more pictures of different couples and I found Erin and Dimitri 🙂
Thank you so much Najla and Lindee!
SCREAM meets FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS in this new young adult romantic suspense novel by Elodie Nowodazkij.
Fear is power. They fear me. They don’t fear me enough. Every year a girl disappears in Gavert County, Texas. Their bodies are found days, sometimes months, later with an angel wing carved on their face. They call me “the Angel Killer” and I’m on the hunt again. But this time, it’s personal.
Seventeen-year-old cheerleader Erin Hortz has been warned about the Angel Killer all her life. She never walks alone in the dark. She doesn’t talk to strangers. She doesn’t accept drinks at parties. All she wants is to finish her senior year with a win at the Miss Junior Queen of Hearts pageant, capture the perfect light over the lake with her new camera, and finally catch the attention of her best friend Nadia’s brother—former football star Dimitri Kuklev. Since his injury, they’ve been spending a lot of time together. And getting to know the real Dimitri—not the one she put on a pedestal in her diary is better than she could ever have imagined. And she’s falling hard.
Nineteen-year-old Dimitri’s injury brought him from football superstar with universities from all around the country knocking at his door to not knowing what he wants to do with his life. Taking classes at the local community college is supposed to get him back on track, but all he wants is to be on the field again. The only person who seems to understand him is the one he swore to keep in the friend zone: Erin. His sister Nadia’s best friend and the reason why he can’t keep a girlfriend. Between their early morning jogs, their time spent at the lake laughing, and their late night conversations, he’s having a hard time remembering why it’s such a bad idea.
But when Nadia doesn’t come home after a party, Dimitri and Erin know they must find her before it’s too late—even if that means risking their own lives and everything Erin’s ever known.
Because the main suspect is Erin’s father.
Annnnnd you could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card by participating in The Cover Reveal Giveaway…
THANK YOU 🙂
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The day is here. I woke up this morning singing “It’s release day”…I’m super nervous about Love In B Minor being out in the world. I want to hug my story one more time. I want to tell my characters they’ll be okay. I want to reassure my book that it’s going to be a crazy ride but a fun one.
And then yesterday, I got this picture by Books & Tea and this made me oh so happy. Paris plays such a big part in this story.
No promises. No fake tomorrows. That was the plan.
New city. New life. At least, that’s what nineteen-year-old Jen Harrison believes. On the surface, she’s living her dream: dancing in a prestigious dance company in Paris. But her sister’s death and the mistakes she’s tried to bury haunt her. She’s become a pro at hiding who she truly is, and she definitely doesn’t want a guy to derail her, but a one night-stand she can do. Nothing more. She definitely doesn’t plan to see the sexy stranger who made her laugh for the first time in years ever again.
Girls don’t walk away from Lucas Wills. Bad boy turned rock star, he’s got his share of groupies. Always upfront, he doesn’t promise fake tomorrows because love can destroy everything. Been there, done that. His ex not only lied to him, she stomped on his heart, used him to become famous, and almost ruined him. So, waking up alone after a night beyond his wildest imagination with a girl he just met shouldn’t upset him, shouldn’t inspire one of the saddest songs he’s ever written, shouldn’t make him want to chase after her.
When Jen, the one-night stand who got away, auditions to be a dancer in Lucas’ next music video, they can’t stop their growing attraction. But Jen’s secrets and his ex could shatter the careers they tried so hard to build and their hearts…they will have to decide what’s more important and if love is worth the fight.
Love in B Minor is the third standalone novel in Elodie Nowodazkij’s Broken Dreams series.
GIVEAWAY TIME
You could win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, signed paperback copies of A Summer Like No Other & Always Second Best or an e-copy of One Dream Only & One Two Three.
Click on the image to enter…
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH ❤
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She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all.
They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.
Sixteen-year-old Emilia Moretti’s goal for the summer is simple: forget her brother’s best friend—Nick Grawsky—ever existed. It should be easy: He’s spending his summer in the Hamptons, adding girls in tiny bikinis to his list of broken hearts. Guarantee he won’t be telling them they’re like his little sisters. This summer, Emilia won’t stay awake at night thinking about him. She’ll need flawless ballet movements to have a shot at next year’s showcase, and she’s finally ready to search for her birth parents. But when Nick decides to stay in the city, Emilia’s resolve disappears in a pirouette. Maybe it’s the spin they needed to be together. As long as she doesn’t get stuck believing in happily ever after…
Nick is tired of pretending to be the happy, let’s-have-fun guy. His father wants him to change his career from professional dancer to…lawyer. He needs to put all of his focus on dancing to prove to Daddy Dearest he’s good enough to make it big. And he may have a case of the bluest balls in history courtesy of Emilia. She’s off-limits: The bro code with Roberto even forbids the dirty thoughts he has about her. Besides, he’s not boyfriend material. He only has time for flings, for girls who don’t expect much, for girls he doesn’t want to kiss goodnight. He knows he should resist her, but he’s not sure he wants to…
No promises. No fake tomorrows. That was the plan. 
Elodie Nowodazkij 