[[Welcome to my weekly writer’s diary where I’ll share my “Woot Woot!” moments and the not so “woot woot” moments of my writing world. And, yes, I might even share the occasional musing or two about reading and writing, two of my favorite things!]]
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Dear Diary,
It’s Thursday ~ 09/13/12 ~ and…
I’ve had a major Woot Woot week. It more than made up for last week’s computer meltdown (my trauma is recorded in all its glory in my last Diary Drop-In if you happened to miss it). It was going to take me a looooong to get over that series of events…I thought. Who could have known I’d be riding the fantasy train into this week with three spectacular Amazon *free* days for SATIN PLEASURES!
I’ve had a couple of freebie giveaways since SATIN PLEASURES was released exclusively with Amazon in February, and I can’t complain about how they went. A number of readers were able to pick up Dan’s & Tess’s story both times, and I was thrilled. This book has lived in my heart…and my desk drawer…for years. I’ve been dying to share it with readers, it seems, forever. When I decided to sponsor one last giveaway before taking the book into other formats, I didn’t know what to expect. I couldn’t have planned for what actually happened.
As many of you know, my original book cover just wasn’t connecting with readers. So, with the help of a fabulously talented friend, I spiffed it up. This giveaway, which I launched on Thursday’s blog, officially debuted the new cover and it became clear, very quickly, how important book covers are to readers. The newly minted cover finally hit the mark, it fit my story, and I was happy to see the book start flying off the cyber shelves.
Then Pixels of Ink hit.
Can we say STUNNED? I was leaving my Just Write session with my critique partners that day when one of them stopped me to say she was reading about MY BOOK on that day’s Pixels of Ink highlights. Can we say STUNNED? After that, I could only stare at the numbers climb until SATIN PLEASURES hit #1 on Kindles Best Selling Free Sales for all fiction as well as romance. It stayed up there for two solid days. Can we say STUNNED?
Literally.
It was one of the weirdest, most awesome, freakiest, and spectacular experiences of my career. I wanted to shout my glee to the world, and I felt positively obnoxious doing so. I’d like to think I’m not the only one who straddles that fence. Writers tend to be introverts. Many of us don’t feel comfortable promoting our own work. Oh, we do what we need to do. It’s the business end of writing and can’t be ignored. I do enjoy tooting the horn for my fellow authors. But, personally? I’d rather sit in front of my computer and just write, make up my stories for my readers, and chat with my Facebook and Twitters friends about books and my favorite giggles of the day.
Things like this don’t happen often in a writer’s life so I’m grateful for the experience and, yes, I’m still feeling all warm and fuzzy inside knowing my story is on so many Kindles across the world. I’m aware the new cover was the biggest factor in reader downloads. It truly is a wonderful cover and catches the eye so readers will take a peek at what’s inside. With any luck, a number of my new readers will enjoy Dan’s and Tess’s story. I’m hopeful some will even post a review on Amazon and other venues. Even better, enjoy my writing enough to want to pick up my next story.
My writing life returned to some semblance of normal on Sunday when SATIN PLEASURES strutted off its freebie pedestal. It came off KDP Select (exclusivity) on Monday and I’m now preparing to make it available in other formats. I’ll announce those formats on Facebook and Twitter as they become available. Hopefully, before my next Diary Drop-In, I’ll have it up everywhere.
In the midst of all this broohaha, I also debuted the book cover for KILLING SECRETS, the first of my Thorne’s Thorns romantic suspense series. I’m working hard to finish the book for release within the month. If you happened to miss the cover, here’s another look. For peeks into the story as I write it check out my new Tuesday blog feature, Novel Gems. The book cover blurb is also up on my website at www.karendocter.com. I can’t wait to share Patrick and Rachel’s story with you!
Needless to say, my blast of writing demands I put the last corner of my office renovation on hold. Much as I want to get it finished…finally…I’d rather get KILLING SECRETS out to readers. I’m getting a number of requests to write faster. 🙂 It’s not like the paint is going anywhere and it’s been sitting here a while already. Right?
I’m also working hard preparing for a bookstore booksigning on September 29th and another at the Colorado Romance Writers Tea for readers and librarians in October. I’m scheduled to teach my 4-week plotting workshop, The “W” Plot…Or The Other White Meat For Plotters, next month too. I’ll talk about all of these events on my next diary entry.
See you next Thursday for another rousing entry in Karen’s Diary Drop-In….