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Monday, January 25, 2010

Writing Goals and Promotion

Okay, I've been given a lot to think about this evening. I was checking out Cobblestone's Main Street Forum, and there was a great workshop on promotion that Sable Grey gave (which, I unfortunately missed, but I recommend reading the archives.)

After reading some of the posts in the various archives, I decided to do a quick search of the bestsellers from various e-book sellers. (You can find a list of commercial distributors here: http://users.california.com/~parvin/ebooks.html#commercial)

It seems that M/M, and menage erotica (M/F/M) are big sellers, but so are sexy historicals. (Who said historicals were dead? I saw several of them on the bestseller lists.) Paranormals are still selling well. (Especially paranormal menage; it seems anything with two guys getting it on--with or without a female participant--is almost guaranteed a good run.) Books with some form of bondage or light BDSM also seem to sell well.

Does that mean your sweet, straight, one-woman man, cowboy romance is not going to go anywhere? Not necessarily. I noticed that Bookstrand seems to sell a lot of westerns (though again, the hotter the better.) Of course, this was based on my thumbnail sketch and not any in -depth research. Yet even with that quick glance, I could see the trends.

Feeling a little discouraged since I don't write gay erotica, I remembered this interesting blog by Leslie Richardson that I read the other day. (I particularly like points # 3 and # 19 as encouragement for e-book pubs) She has a no-nonsense, take no prisoners approach to writing for a living that I really liked. (There is also a worth reading, follow up to her earlier blog here.)

Anyhoodles... all this has made me realize that A.) I need to get busy and get back to those WIPs languishing over there on my side bar (poor little things... so neglected) and B.) I need to give more thought to promoting the book I do have coming out. In self-defense, I haven't done it yet because I'm still waiting for the release date, but I haven't even said what the story is about. Sheesh.

So... in case you were wondering.... MANAGING MAGGIE is about taming the cougar. :)

Jason and Maggie are business partners, but he wants to carry their partnership into the bedroom and beyond. At thirteen years his senior, Maggie believes she's old enough to know better than to get involved with a younger man -- no matter how sexy he is.

But Jason is determined to prove he's man enough to handle a woman like Maggie. He'll overcome her objections -- even if he has to tie her down to make her listen.


So... I'm resolving to do more writing and promoting in the next 6 months and try to have at least 3 more novellas and one novel out for publication this year. What are your goals?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The 23rd Anniversary of My 23rd Birthday Has Been Postponed

Stay tuned for further details...

Thanks to all of you who have blogged, emailed, twittered, my spaced, facebooked, etc. to wish me a happy birthday. However, I want to tell you that due to lack of preparation on my part, I've decided to put my birthday on hold indefinitely. I just simply wasn't ready this year. I mean, I haven't finished that novel, haven't lost 60 pounds, haven't won a major lottery - I'm just not there yet.

You understand, don't you? No hard feelings or anything?

Thanks. :)

Saturday, January 02, 2010

More on Cats and Writing

I know there are a few of you who will appreciate this. :)