Changes in Publishing: Who Will Survive?

November 10, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 4 Comments

Another great one from Nancy Cohen! Enjoy. (And perhaps follow Nancy’s blog while you’re there.)

Hugh Howey: The Publishing World is Changing. How Can You Keep Up?
Novelists, Inc. Conference Day 2, St. Pete Beach Oct. 2014

Hugh Howey began his presentation by showing slides on “A history of storytelling.” The order goes this way:

Oral tradition
Written tradition
The first cubicle workers, i.e. monks transcribing by hand
Movable type
Offset and digital in 1990
Electronic publishing 2007

He recommends reading “The Storytelling Animal.”

Bar codes revolutionized sales in that data could be tracked. This led to massive discounting. In 1995, Amazon went live. In 2014, indie bookstores see a 20% growth in openings since 2007.

Book selling is like the game: scissors, paper, rock. You have the big-box chains, online retailers, and indie bookstores. Amazon beats the chains. Indies beat Amazon on their location, curation, and community. Publisher profits have risen, but digital is subsidizing print. Business costs and author royalties for digital are…

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What Are You Reading?

November 9, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 2 Comments

Bookin' It

It’s not Friday…I missed that, sadly…but I figure it’s never too late to let you know what I’m reading, especially when it’s something really, really good. So, here it is. This week, I’m reading Jen Rasmussen’s Ghost in the Canteen, and it’s brilliant! Jen’s writing is strong, sharp, funny, and engaging. And great goobley-oobley! This story is scary! Horror fans will love it, for sure, and anyone who likes ghost stories, tales of the supernatural, and unique world building will, as well. Plus, you might learn a thing or two you didn’t know before. Like…what is a switchel ring? In fact, what is switchel? Do you know? I didn’t. But now I do!

Ghost in the Canteenis so good, I’m going to recommend you go right ahead and buy your copy today, even before my full review comes out next week. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.

Now…

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Please Send A Prayer or Some Positive Thoughts

November 7, 2014November 7, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 9 Comments

This blog is very new, but I already feel like we are becoming a family, so I wanted to let you know of some folks who could use your kindest thoughts today. Those of you who follow Ned Hickson’s blog may have already seen his post, but for those who don’t, two young high school friends of Ned’s son were killed this morning on their drive to school. It has hit their small community hard, and Ned & his family are feeling a lot of pain today. It is a stark reminder that we are all here on loan, and may be called at any time, even as young as these kids were. Hold your family close and count your blessings, every single day.

If you’d like to read Ned’s very poignant post, it’s here. He has a way of making you remember what’s really important in this world.

Ned, our thoughts, prayers, best wishes, and love go out to you, your family, your community, and most especially, to the families of these children.

BookBub Explained

November 6, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 2 Comments

Loads of info here for those of you considering promoting your books through BookBub.

Nancy's Notes From Florida

BookBub is a popular reader subscriber service where you can promote your book for a fee. They have four million subscribers. Its readers are 84% women, the majority over 40 years old. 37% are retired. 58% are empty-nesters. 59% read four or more books per month. The devices they read on? 49% Kindle, 26% Apple, 15% Nook, 10% Android. Most use tablets, then e-readers, and then cell phones. 29% read non-genre material. 32% read mysteries and thrillers; 25% read romance; 14% read science fiction and fantasy. 95% of readers have purchased a book from an unknown author because of an e-book promotion. 63% have gone on to order more books by an author due to a price promotion.

When a book goes from $.99 to $2.99, there is a 50% drop in sales. But 77% of subscribers will purchase full price books.

Why feature a book on BookBub? Readers get…

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Wake-Robins & Other Thoughts

November 6, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 6 Comments

Wake-Robin (Trillium erecta)

Several people have asked me about the flower on the cover of A Boy Named Rabbit and Wake-Robin Ridge. I thought you might like to see a photo or two. Aren’t they beautiful? The more common white trilliums of spring are lovely, too, but the wake-robin has captured my heart.

Trillium grandiflora

When I think of my springtime trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains, trillium and dainty bluebells are what come to my mind. And if you haven’t ever been to that part of the Appalachian chain (the oldest mountains in the world), you really owe it to yourself to go someday. Beautiful at any time of year, of course, but absolutely breathtaking in the autumn. Why…someone ought to write a book…or two…set there! 😉

If you have any photos that inspired a book you’ve written, or are writing, please feel free to share them with us. I know I’m always interested in what sparks a writer’s imagination, and I’m sure others would be, as well.

Have a great day, folks. It’s Thor’s Day, and if you’ve ever visited Bookin’ It, you know what that means! Jokes will be appearing over there shortly.

A Boy Named Rabbit Cover Reveal!

November 5, 2014November 5, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 18 Comments

Woohoo! I’m so excited to share the cover of my next book in the Wake-Robin Ridge series, A Boy Named Rabbit. As always, my cover GODDESS, Nicki Forde, has done exactly what I wanted with this one. All I had to do was say “waterfall” and “silhouette,” and she nailed it.

For those who aren’t familiar with Book 1 in this series, Wake-Robin Ridge, here’s a shot of that one, so you can see our intent with the series is to keep the same basic layout, and just change the middle image to something appropriate for each book. And thus, a bit of branding occurs. Hopefully. So what do you think? Do you like the new cover? Are we on the right track when you see the old one? (Oh, and for those who aren’t familiar with North Carolina wildflowers, a wake-robin is the red trillium on the cover, and the springtime bloom for which the ridge is named.)

Writers Wanted!

November 4, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 2 Comments

Bookin' It

Are you a writer? Would you like a few more people to find out about you and your books…for FREE? I’d love to interview you for my Wednesday Author Interview series. Just email me at mmeara@cfl.rr.com, and I’ll give you the full details. It’s easy and fun, and you might pick up a few more readers, too. And I have an opening tomorrow! Act fast and it could be YOURS.

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Help With Mailing Lists

November 2, 2014 / Marcia Meara / 14 Comments

I know a Mail List is an important part of marketing tactics, but for the life of me, I can’t get Mail Chimp set up on my WordPress blog. Does anyone have any ideas that might help? Do you use Mail Chimp with WordPress? How?? Have you found another service that is easier to set up with WordPress? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.