Category: ebooks

Faythe Reclaimed COVER REVEAL!

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I’m beyond proud to be doing a cover reveal for Lisa Sanchez’s Faythe Reclaimed. She’s an amazing writer, what-would-I-do-without-her critique partner and great friend.

Her two books in the Hanaford Park series (EVE OF SAMHAIN and PLEASURES UNTOLD) are smoking hot and kept me on pins and needles, waiting for a third in the series.

Here (FINALLY–I’m so excited for this one to come out!!) is FAYTHE RECLAIMED, Book #3 in the Hanaford Park Series:

Isn’t is absolutely, drop dead gorgeous?!? I’m thrilled. THRILLED. For you to get your hands on this copy and read about Gabriel and Taylor. I have to admit (and I haven’t even told Lisa this yet) that Gabriel is my fav hero she’s written to date. 😉

Read on to find out why…

Blurb:

Running through a strange forest with a bloodthirsty demon hot on her heels wasn’t Taylor’s idea of a rockin’ evening. Then again, neither was soaring backward through time and space. Time travel chafed and left a rank, nasty aftertaste. So, when she finds herself floundering amidst a sea of Commandment-loving holy rollers who fling accusations of witchcraft and bedevilment like hotcakes in a diner, finding her way home jumps to the top of her to do list. Too bad she can’t remember who she is or where she came from. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Taylor realizes she’s fallen for Gabriel, the mysterious Latin warlock who came to her rescue.

Battling an identity crisis and lost in a time that’s not her own, Taylor is determined to find her way back to twenty-first century Hanaford Park. But first, she and Gabriel must work together to uncover the dark scourge lurking in the shadows of Salem Village, and in doing so, save their lives, and the lives of countless innocents from a lethal date with the hangman’s noose.

To find out more about Lisa’s other titles go here:

Author website: http://www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.com
Tulipe Noire Press: http://www.tulipenoirepress.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13552986-faythe-reclaimed

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New Nook Commercial: Read Forever

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I love absolutely everything about this video. But I mostly love the focus…reading…from whatever device moves you. Whether you love the eBook or the traditional print book, just read. Read forever.

I’m reading Gena Showalter’s Heart of the Dragon right now. It’s paperback and happens to be the last book I bought from my local Borders before it closed down. What about you?

In which I admit, Yes, *duck and cover* I’m very shy…

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I wrote my last post in a wild and giddy flurry of excitement. I mean, google has been BLOWING UP with news about Avon’s new ebook line, Avon Impulse (Did you see where it mentioned my two book deal???) and I barely pulled myself away from the buzzing internet search to toss up a post about the press release.

But I think I forgot something very important…I wonder what it could’ve been…

Did I forget to mention how downright THRILLED I am about the TWO BOOK DEAL I signed with Avon Impulse? (HOLYHORSESHOESHOWDIDTHISHAPPEN?)

Did I forget to mention how humbled I am to be picked up by such a well-established publishing house who is on the cutting edge of the e-pub revolution?

Did I forget to mention how uber-supportive my family, friends, and writing peers have been through this whole crazy roller-coaster of a process?

Did I forget to mention how unbelievably lucky I am (BLESSED is more like it) that I get to work with Amazing Agent Nalini Akolekar? (That’s her superwoman name, but don’t mention it off of this blog–it’s top secret. She’s got crazy-good powers of publishing behind her.) Now, as if I wasn’t blessed enough already, I also get to work with Esi Sogah from Avon’s star-studded line-up of editors!

Did I forget to mention how my phone is vibrating constantly from the congratulatory emails and I’m sure my terrier, Bailey, thinks it’s possessed as it shimmies across the living room end table. (You should see the quizzical looks he’s throwing around.)

Last, but not least, did I mention that today has truly been a dream come true?

I didn’t mention *any* of that?

Huh.

Avon Introduces New Digital Imprint: Avon Impulse

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Give in to Impulse:
Avon Books Introduces Digital Publishing Imprint
Avon Impulse Launches March 2011 with e-Original Romances

NEW YORK, NY, March 7, 2011 – Today, Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announces the debut of Avon Impulse, a new imprint dedicated to digital publishing. The new imprint will feature e-books and print-to-order novels and novellas by existing Avon authors, and will seek new talent to nurture in an e-book marketplace that finds Romance experiencing expansive growth. “Romance readers have been among the first to embrace books digitally,” says Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President and Publisher of William Morrow and Avon Books. “Their passion has encouraged us to introduce a line of romance e-books, which empowers Avon to publish more quickly, with an eye to what’s trending in fiction.” The new imprint is looking to publish multiple titles each month, eventually releasing new content on a weekly basis. The Avon Impulse brand has grown organically from Avon’s existing publishing program and offers authors all the strengths of Avon’s widely respected team. Books will be acquired by Avon editors, and will benefit by targeted marketing and publicity plans, as well as powerful sales platforms.

“What sets Avon Impulse apart,” affirms Stehlik, “is that authors are signing to work alongside the Avon team, and will benefit from the same platforms that Avon authors have always enjoyed.”

As part of the imprint’s publishing strategy, each Avon Impulse e-book will benefit from a dedicated “five-point” marketing and publicity platform, helping build awareness in the competitive marketplace. Plans include cross promotion, digital marketing and publicity, social media outreach, interactive assets and coaching, as well as targeted online retail placement strategies.

“Without traditional printing constraints, we can edit, market and release e-books more quickly, allowing unprecedented speed to market,” says Carrie Feron, Morrow/Avon Vice President and Editorial Director. “The Avon Impulse imprint also allows us greater flexibility in the length of books we can publish – from novella to full-length fiction, and enables us to explore new themes in romance.”

“There is so much opportunity right now within the romance genre,” Stehlik says. “Readers have found a rich array of fresh content using digital and e-reading devices. It’s crystal clear that we can nurture great talent via Avon Impulse’s e-book publishing platform – and that there is already a very dedicated fan base of savvy digital readers.”

The line launches with A LADY’S WISH, an original e-novella by Katharine Ashe; on-sale 3/15/11; and then features ROYAL WEDDING, a historical romance short fiction anthology by Stephanie Laurens, Gaelen Foley and Loretta Chase, timed to coincide with the nuptials of Britain’s most beloved young couple. Later in the season bring four releases from Lavinia Kent and a prelude to Karina Cooper’s Avon debut, Blood of the Wicked. Jaime Rush launches a brand new series with a digital short; and a full-length paranormal romance novel by author Kristin Miller will be released in the summer.

Avon Impulse is currently in the acquisition and production process for e-books to be published in 2011 and 2012. “We are actively looking to acquire for Avon Impulse,” says Feron. Authors looking to submit to Avon Impulse can find guidelines and an online submission portal at http://www.avonimpulse.com. “We are looking for quality submissions across every romance subgenre,” says Feron.
Avon Impulse e-books will be made available at all online retailers, everywhere in the world where English-language e-books are sold. For those seeking a hard copy of individual Avon Impulse titles, print-to-order books will be available from online book retailers.

For more information on Avon Impulse, and a detailed FAQ, visit www.avonimpulse.com.

ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS

HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at http://www.harpercollins.com.

**Did you all catch that?!? My Crimson Bay Series will kick off this summer! I’m so excited and can’t wait for you all to dip into my paranormal world!

Things, they are a-changin’

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Borders are closing across the country. Some of the Big 6 publishers are letting retailers like Amazon determine a book’s listing price once they purchase it from them. Other big-wigs are putting a cap on how many times an ebook can be circulated in libraries.

All this ebook madness makes a debut author wonder how these changes effect the publishing process. Is “breaking in” the same as it was five years ago? How ’bout last year?

An internet presence used to be non-essential. You could write book after book on the mid-list, build your career through buzz of readership and never send a Tweet. Now, though, I feel the pressure to Tweet, Facebook, Blog, Blog Tour, Guest Blog, Interview, etc, etc, etc, to build my internet presence as forcefully as I can. The publishing houses take a risk each time they sign a debut author. These risks are becoming even “riskier” with the shaky economy. So building a platform (visa-vie internet presence) becomes that much more important.

But what about all the time spent building the platform and gaining the followers? Couldn’t that time be better spent honing the craft and polishing that manuscript? Couldn’t that time be spent networking in person? Couldn’t I start the new book or edit the last? I’ve heard a few established authors say all the internet hoopla is a “time-suck”. I’ve heard authors say “Write your book, find an agent, and if it’s good enough and marketable enough an editor will pick it up.”

Things are changing.

Authors are spreading themselves thin trying to keep up with the demands of “breaking in”. Writing a kick-ass novel doesn’t seem good enough anymore. As a debut author, I think you have to come with more than a kick-ass novel to the table. Sure, there are those best-selling, right-out-the-gate smash hits…but I think as the publishing industry spins on its top, waiting to find out when things are going to stop spinning and how things will be when we finally land, those are going to be few and far-between as well.

Ebooks aren’t going anywhere. The internet isn’t going anywhere. CDs and VHS tapes are old-news. Although print books will take longer to phase out (God, please let them take longer to phase out), I don’t think anyone in the industry can deny ebooks have caused a literary revolution.

It’s not enough to write your book, find an agent, then find an editor.

You have to ask the question: How do you make yourself marketable?

With the way things are changing, I’m gonna make some bold statements here: Publish an ebook with a reputable company. Network. Market the hell out of it. Write the next smash-book. And the next. When your sales begin to climb and you build an e-readership, you make yourself sellable to the bigger publishers.

Or you could blog until your little fingers fall off. Build up your followers and unique hit count until you reach a million. (I’ve heard 20+ comments per post is the benchmark for success.) If people are reading your blog, chances are they’ll read your work, right? (I’ve also heard for every 10 hits, there’s one sale. Do the math on your own blog and see what you come up with.)

I guess what I’m getting at is, for the mid-lister wanting to break-in, it’s not so much about your book anymore. It’s about you. What can you do to sell your book? If they publishing houses are risking thousands of dollars on your career, what are you doing to make YOU worth the risk?

Whatcha think? Am I off-base? On target? I’d love to hear insight from both unpublished and published authors on how you think “breaking in” is changing.

Kindle!

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Webster’s Dictionary defines “kindle” as this:

kindle–verb (used with object)
1. to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to begin burning.
2. to set fire to or ignite (fuel or any combustible matter).
3. to excite; stir up or set going; animate; rouse; inflame: He kindled their hopes of victory.
4. to light up, illuminate, or make bright: Happiness kindled her eyes.

I define kindle as this:

Ain’t it purdy?

I can’t believe I actually have one–Thank you Coolest Mother Ever. I was hesitant, I have to admit. Way hesitant. I didn’t know if reading the printed page would be the same as reading the Kindle screen–It is! It really is! There are books on my shelves that haven’t gotten hand-time and are extremely jealous right now.

But at this point, I don’t care. (Sorry, sad little Sudden Death. Don’t look so glum. Your Death came *rather Suddenly* before the Kindle graced my fingers. I started Carnal Sin, the second in Allison Brennan’s Seven Deadly Sins series, and am now hooked beyond repair–Sudden Death is waiting until the other five in the series are written and published. Get to it, Brennan! *wink)

The rest can sit for awhile longer. At least until I’ve finished a book or two on the New and Interesting. They should understand the excitement and wonder. I’ve got a bright and shiny new Kindle 3 with 3G for crying out loud! (Thank you again Coolest Mother Ever! Wasn’t that the perfect gift for getting an e-pub contract? An e-reader to e-read my e-book? Heh.)

I’m excited. Stirred up. Roused. Inflamed. Illuminated with joy. The true definition of kindle.

But don’t worry books on my shelves, I won’t set fire or ignite you. You won’t become kindle. Not until I download you, anyway.

Brave New World

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Everyone has his or her own opinion about where the publishing industry is headed. Many worry books in print will fade much like cassette tapes and CDs. Bookstores like Barnes and Noble, Borders, and your local Indie store may soon start closing their doors like the many movie distributors in your town. It’s not a secret that Blockbusters and Hollywood videos are being shoved out of business by the invisible yet convenient workings of Netflix. I can’t see bookstores closing yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s not right around the corner. Especially when news like this is released and spread across the internet like wildfire:

According to Entertainment Weekly via Amazon, there are more ebooks being sold on Amazon.com than trade paperback or hardcover.

The debate about ereaders and ebooks goes on and on. I understand the benefits of Kindle or iPad, I do. Sometimes I wish I could instantly order a book with the touch of my finger. As my bookshelf grows I understand that I’m going to need to get rid of some of my favorite stories. I’ll need to let go of those heroes and heroines that have captured my heart. There simply isn’t enough room to keep them all. And, yes, I have to admit when vacations roll around it’s a pain to lug around all the books I plan on reading.

But another part of me is sad that someday soon ebooks will become the vast majority. There is nothing more exciting for me than walking through a book store, ogling all the beautiful covers, skimming over backcovers, replacing some contenders, then finally plucking the one special read that captures my interest. When I bend back the binding I’m whisked away to a different place by the crisp smell of new glue and paper. Ebooks, with their convenience and cost-efficiency, have nothing on the experience of reading a new book. It’s like the whole reading experience changes when your hands touch the paper and your fingers flick the pages.

I feel like it’s just me in this lightning-speed publishing industry.

Change is inevitable–I get it. We’re heading into uncharted territory where even the price of ebooks is up for debate right now. But everyone knows where the exploration is headed. We know that the techno-savvy generation behind us isn’t going to value the written word like we do. What’s uncharted for us will be second-nature for them. And, sadly, this brave new world is going to miss some things. Or maybe I’m going to miss some things.

Am I the only one desperately holding onto the books on my shelf, refusing to buy an ereader?