Today, I’m starting season 2 by talking about writing more than 10000 words a week, by doing sprints for a couple of hours per day (not every day), leaning into my process, writing two stories at the same time and more.
Wishing you happiness, health, laughter and lots of love! And the magic of books to read and maybe write for when you want or need to get lost or found or understood (or maybe gain an unterstanding) in a story…
Before diving right into my yearly review as an indie author: if you’re struggling or know someone who is struggling (or maybe even just mention it or post it or share this resource with people in your life): https://www.crisistextline.org/ Text HOME to 741741 to reach a volunteer Crisis Counselor.
Today, on the podcast, I talk about the highs and lows of my self-publishing career in 2021.
Some of my lows included:
Dealing with my own career expectations and the reality,
What it means to not be using a pen name,
Feeling like I’m letting down some of my collaborators in royalty-share agreements…
Some of my highs included:
Having the French version of #TheLeftoverBride reach the #9 on Apple Books Chart
Having the French version of #TheLeftoverBride sit next to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne on the charts…
Reading wonderful emails from readers around the globe
And more…
Do you have any questions about self-publishing/writing?
I’m in the mood for psychological thrillers and I think those three books will definitely fulfill that craving. Is that weird to say “craving” when it comes to psychological thrillers? Hmmm. I might either read or listen to them. If you’d like to read them, at the time of this post, both WHITE SMOKE and LOCAL WOMAN MISSING are on sale for $2.99… THE REPLACEMENT WIFE came out on Tuesday. 🙂
Oh and if you’re thinking about trying Audible to listen to them, you can click here be aware not all titles are in the Plus catalogue – the Chemical Engineer and I figured that out after signing up – but you do get one credit or two credits as well which is cheaper with the membership than without). You can, also, of course get the audiobooks from your library! Many libraries have an audiobook service.
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
People don’t just disappear without a trace…
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…
The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!
Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.
The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.
But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?
As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.
The #1 International bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife returns with another thrilling domestic suspense novel that asks, how many wives and girlfriends need to disappear before your family notices?
Elisa Wright is a mom and wife, living a nice, quiet life in a nice, quiet town. She’s also convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer. Josh has one dead wife and one missing fiancée, and though he grieved for them he starts dating someone new. Elisa fears for that woman’s safety, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her friend, Josh’s missing fiancée.
Searching for clues means investigating her own family. And she doesn’t like what she finds. A laptop filled with incriminating information. Other women.
But when Elisa becomes friends with Josh’s new girlfriend and starts to question things she thinks are true, Elisa wonders if the memories of a horrible incident a year ago have finally pushed her over the edge and Josh is really innocent. With so much at stake, Elisa fights off panic attacks and a strange illness. Is it a breakdown or something more? The race is on to get to the truth before another disappearance because there’s a killer in the family…or is there?
Today, I talk about five things I’ve learned about self-publishing in 2021 (such as the importance of my newsletter and how sending emails more often does help me, Netgalley and more…) and one thing I learned about writing.
Today, I talk about the release of #TheLeftoverBride French edition and breaking the top 100 in Apple Books (my book was hanging out right next to Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game! :-)).
I share five things I’ve learned about podcasting as an author in 2021 and five things I want to do next year (podcast-related).
I also gush about Cape Cod in December and Isaiah Jones Bed & Breakfast…
Do you want to listen to FEAR ME, FEAR ME NOT & SEE ME, SEE ME NOT? Audible is running a promo right now and in the $5.95 per month for three months plan, you’ll get one audiobook per month plus the unlimited catalogue already available. And since this is an affiliate link, I get a little commission when you subscribe that way….
Happy reading! Oh and if you’re a writer as well as a reader, there are a lot of Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals right now for software and courses and more…Here are a few links if you’re interested: Kindlepreneur has a a list of offers, Depositphotos (for all your stock photos needs), Writer’s Craft Stack 3.0 …
Today, I talk about keeping track of indie author conferences as I completely missed the Romance Author Mastermind conference. it does require an invitation but I only saw talks about it after it happened (or while it was happening) so making sure I’m adding the link to it to my favorites. I also mention the 20booksto50k conference and Inkers Con.
During the week, I also updated my author newsletter landing pages to make them less convoluted and I’m currently experiencing the very fun writing high of starting to write a story I’ve been thinking about for several months now.
Today, I share some good news: I had a PET scan on Wednesday and then we saw my oncologist. And no signs of malignancy. I’ll see him again in three months but as I’m now two years out of transplant, no more scheduled scans 🙂
I also talk about using Netgalley as an indie author: what my goals are in terms of reviews and reaching more readers and why I decided to put #TheLeftoverBride on Netgalley.
As a self-published author, I use Victory Editing co-op (for one title and one month) and have already received hundreds of request for review.
Also mentioned in this episode: TikTok, Instagram as an author and not knowing why some videos take off as well as IN DIESEM EINEN SOMMER (A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER in German) getting hundreds (now probably at least a thousand) free downloads without me doing anything (I’m not sure why either).
Don’t hesitate to ask me a question per email or record a question…
Today, on the podcast: another lesson learned in my self-publishing career or how I may have slightly panicked on Wednesday when it comes to the French translation (should be fine now but this was stressful) of my next novel and how I’m learning from my mistakes, getting back into a writing routine, putting #TheLeftoverBride on Netgalley, not doing NaNoWriMo… and more.