What My Author Blog is For

I’ve been remiss about posting to this site. I first started it in 2011 mainly because I read that all authors should have a web presence, which at the time meant a blog, Twitter, and Facebook. I had none of these, and I had no idea what to do with them once I did. I figured they were for promoting my books.

Unfortunately, I don’t like selling any more than I like being sold to, so I initially used my blog for reviews of other people’s books. That just never seemed right to me, though. As a writer, I felt uncomfortable reviewing the works of other writers on my web page. I no longer do it, except for an occasional review of a nonfiction book, and I’ll stop posting those here as well. There’s a better place for reviews, anyway: Goodreads, which recently notified me that I’m in the top 1% of reviewers. I assume that’s a good thing, although I have no idea how they determine the ranking.

I also tried dabbling with posts about what I was learning as an indie writer, but I was hardly qualified to do that, having not yet published much. That has changed. My next novel will be my eighth, but I still don’t feel comfortable giving advice. I’ve learned a few things, but I’m far from an expert, and none of my books has made anyone’s bestseller lists. The only claim to success I can make is that copies of my eBooks are downloaded almost every day now. Many of these are freebies. I haven’t seen many reviews, but the few that have been posted are predominately quite nice. All of my books are rated between 4 and 5 stars on both Amazon and Goodreads. If you wrote one of those reviews or simply posted a rating, thanks!

So I’m now effectively between books, with just a final check of The Brane of the Space Pirates needed before it’s released next month. (A paperback galley proof should be in the mail today.) I have only a very rough idea about the book I’ll be writing after that. I stare at the planning worksheet for it every morning, though, hoping a stray inspiration particle will strike me. In the meantime, this seems like a fine opportunity to revise my blogs.

I’ve already made a few small changes to this one, including some different headers and revised menus. In the future, I’ll be using this site as an open, online journal devoted to the types of things most people use their blogs for: writing about what they’ve been up to. In my case, that will probably mean short posts about reading and writing. I doubt anyone wants to read about my exciting adventures to the grocery store, my never-ending battle with slugs in my garden, what my pets have done, or about what I’m having for lunch…although apparently many people do write about that. Some even post pictures.

If I have a new book release, promotion, or something along those lines, the news will be posted on my publisher site, Fuzzy Android. I also have a site for nonfiction reviews, opinions, and observations, mainly about science, culture, philosophy, history…. If you like that kind of thing, check out The Avery Slom Philosophical Laboratory. It’s only been up a short time, but it already has a few followers.

For now, though, I need to stare at the worksheet for my next project a bit longer. I’m sure something will come to me.

A Cheap Adventure

Do you have a Kindle or some other e-reader? Are you giving one to someone else? Why not load it with a fun epic adventure? In celebration of the upcoming holidays, prices on the digital versions of the first two books set in the Warden’s World have been lowered. Now you can get The Warden Threat and The Warden War for only $1.99 each! This is a full dollar off the regular low price of $2.99.

 

For even a more savings, you can get both books together in one convenient download exclusively for Kindle. The Kindle edition of Defying Fate, which includes both of these novels, is now priced at just $2.99, a full $2.00 off the normal price of $4.99 and almost $1.00 less than the cost of buying them separately. These discounts will be in effect through the end of the year, so take advantage of them while they last.

 

 Due to the cost of production, similar discounts cannot be offered on the paperback editions. If, however, paper is what you prefer, The Warden Threat and The Warden War are both available as trade paperbacks from Amazon for the low price of $9.99 each.

 Links for the U.S. (Amazon.com)
The Warden Threat
The Warden War
Defying Fate

Links for those in the U.K. (Amazon.co.uk)
The Warden Threat
The Warden War
Defying Fate

Other e-book formats are available from Smashwords
The Warden Threat
The Warden War

Liebster Blog Award

Kate Policani has done me the great honor of awarding me a Liebster Blog Award for providing “great information and feedback written in a clear and engaging way.” I am suitably humbled. I have no idea of the origins of this award. A quick internet search suggests it is a fairly recent thing but I had no luck finding out how or where it began. Still, it seems like a fine thing to pass along so I shall.

The Award: The Liebster Blog Award is given to up coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest,dearest, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog
4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.
5. Let them know you choose them by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my awardees: (note – I saw one post that said the maximum number of followers is 300 and I’m going with that in the case of Ms. Marchessi who already has over 200.)

Website: http://violantewrites.wordpress.com/
Maria Violante provided the first “professional” review of my first book and I am very grateful for that. Her site provides outstanding reviews of indie books and interviews with their authors.

Website: http://sarahnicolas.com/
Sara is a Young Adult writer and was the Organizer of the OrlandoScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meetup group when I joined. She is very involved in book groups and reviews. I got a lot of good advice from her, much of which I actually followed.

Website:http://shelbyandshaunakitt.blogspot.com/
P.H.C. Marchessi is a self published Young Adult, Science Fiction & Fantasy writer. I have not yet read her book Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes but I have purchased a copy (a bargain at 99¢) and I’ll get to it soon. Her blog provides musings on literary and other subjects.

Website: http://crunchydragon.wordpress.com/
This is where Stephanie, a recent college grad who is just starting a new career in book publishing in NY, blogs about “dragons, magic, elves, and the occasional foray into slightly less geeky realms of pop culture.” She earns the reward for commenting on my blog. 🙂

Website: http://www.thehopefullibrarian.com/
Jen Moore is a voracious reader and provides reviews on what she reads here and is active on Twitter. She was one of the first visitors to my new blog and was kind enough to leave a comment.