Last book of Gypsy is done!

I uploaded Gypsy's Secret to Kindle and Createspace this morning thanks to my intrepid formatter, Rik Hall, and equally wonderful cover designer, Viola Estrella! I'm very excited to have this final book of the Gypsy series on its way...and before Christmas!

I plan to offer a couple of .99 days for this book and maybe even one free day. If you like fantasy, time-travel, dragons, a fight between good and evil or a good love story you'll love this one!

Another update on IngramSpark. 'Just Another Desert Sunset' is supposedly published with them but I still order copies from createspace. Why this is, mystifies me. I spent $60 for promotion but have no idea what they did. I get invoices from time to time that make no sense. I also get lots of promotion material to sell in Poland and stuff like that, but when I try to follow up I can't get onto their site. I may just be an idiot but I still think their interface is really poor.

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, until something changes we as Indies are stuck with lousy distribution. What bothers me even more than that are the bookstores that do consignment but never even bother to turn the covers to face out so that a person can find them! My goal before Christmas is to drive around and speak with the places that carry my books and try to do some kind of Christmas promotion. What I have planned and have implemented in one store already is to tie a ribbon around the series and offer them at a discount. At least a bright ribbon might draw some attention--the spines along with a million other books just doesn't do the trick!

I have a few more places here in Tucson that I hope will carry my books but I just need to get in the car and go there! I've been so consumed with editing, formatting and uploading that I've neglected this part of the business--and yes, it is definitely a business.

For those of you on my newsletter list you'll be getting an update in the next few days--and if anyone would like to be included in this list, sign up on my blog or send me an e-mail. There will be opportunities for discounts and deals there!

Thank you for reading!!

and on to marketing...

I should be getting the (second) physical proof any day now--what am I doing to promote it? To myself I say, nothing, but that is not true. So here's the list so far:
1. I have a beautiful website where people can read about the book(s) and connect with Amazon to purchase--getting people to go there is an unanswered question, however...
2. I have a twitter acct. and I respond to others tweets as well as tweeting on various topics, NOT having to do with the book although I do link my blog to them-- a personal Facebook acct. as well as a page for "The Moonstone", two blogs and I belong to Goodreads where I will have an author page, and several other less known websites such as Women's Literary Cafe--http://womensliterarycafe.com/blog--where you can advertise your book and get reviews and/or read others work. Haven't perused all my options there yet.
3. I am in the process of getting a few reviews to post on Amazon once the book is up.
4. I am now talking to someone about doing two short video clips to put on Facebook, my blog etc...one would be a voiceover excerpt from the book with wolves running in the background and music. The second would be me talking about how I came to write the book and what it's about...not sure yet of all the possibilities for placing these...
5. My husband has ordered "52 ways to sell more books", recommended by a friend of his who has self-published, which should be arriving any day.
6. No launch party planned and I'm thinking of waiting until Book 2 is released in mid-June...
7. Once the book is up on Amazon I plan to contact everyone I know by e-mail, Facebook or phone--"be shameless!" a friend told me, and that's what I plan to be!
8. I have not contacted local book stores as yet but I plan to as soon as I have the book in hand.
9. I'm trying to stay focused on how I want to proceed--I know I have to push myself but I also need to listen to my inner voice.

 I am open to any and all suggestions and would love to hear about your experiences in this area!