My Book Is Out...Now What? by Jannine Gallant

BURIED TRUTH is now available for the world to read!!

That's what I feel like I've been doing for the last day or so... shouting BUY MY BOOK. I swear, it seems like we wait forever for each new release to hit the shelves, virtual or otherwise. I've been talking about my latest baby for months now, until I fear everyone is sick to death of hearing about it. The big day finally arrives and I make the announcement on social media with as much hoopla as I can muster. My friends congratulate me, and I feel special... accomplished. Heck, my husband even suggested we go out to dinner to celebrate. Then what? Day two rolls around, and I'm feeling a little anticlimactic.

Part of the problem is nerves, wondering if my book will sell and if people will like it. As I stalk my rankings every hour or so on Amazon, hoping for a dip to indicate a sale, I feel like I should be doing more. More to get reviews. More to spread the word. More to generate those sales. Except I'm tired of shouting BUY MY BOOK. I feel like I've told everyone it's available, and now it's a waiting game to see what happens. I also feel like I know what doesn't work. Blog tours. Even my publisher has given up arranging them. They cost money and produce zero results, so why bother? I post here and on Just Romantic Suspense (my post will be up there tomorrow with a prize). They do get decent traffic, so I feel like that's enough blogging.

That leaves social media, and I feel like I've beaten that horse to death... at least for the moment. So, I'll try to give my friends on Facebook a short break. My plan is to sit back and take a breather to see what my publisher does to spark interest. BURIED TRUTH will be included in a Kensington roundup of suspense/thriller authors, most of whom are far better known than me, in February on their social media sites. I'll jump back on the bandwagon to do my part when they start promoting.

So, if you're an author, what do you do after a new book releases? Do you run around shouting BUY MY BOOK, or do you sit back and let nature take its course? Have you had success with a particular venue? If you're a reader, where do you find out about new releases? We want your insights!

In case you still haven't picked up your copy of BURIED TRUTH, here are the links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo. Or visit my WEBSITE. Happy reading!

How do you like your #Books? by Jannine Gallant

#Paperback or #eBook? That's the big question for authors. How do you most enjoy reading? I know a lot of people who prefer to hold a book in their hands. But someone is buying all those eBooks! Reports show far more digital books are sold than paperbacks in adult fiction. My guess is lower prices and convenience drive these sales.

Traditional publishers still make more off paperback sales than digital, although that percentage has shrunk in recent years. It's the indie authors pushing the eBook numbers over the top.

Paperback sales have increased in some markets, however. Just not in physical bookstore. Amazon increased their market share in print sales in 2016. Whether this trend will continue into 2018 remains to be seen. Read the article I linked above. It made my head spin with all the facts and figures.

How does all this effect me and other authors? Up to now, I've pushed my digital sales because that's where my profits were. No one but my mom was willing to pay $15 for a POD book. But with the release of BURIED TRUTH at the end of this month, I'll have my very first mass market paperback available. The price is an extremely reasonable $4.99 vs. the $3.99 price for a digital copy. For an extra buck, readers can hold it in their hands. I actually make far more off digital sales, but there's the potential to actually see my book on a bookstore shelf. That counts for something, right?

The thing is, I'm learning that mass market doesn't necessarily mean bookstore shelf space. Publishers produced more inventory each month than stores can carry. Individual stores actually have to order your book. BURIED TRUTH won't automatically go out to every Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble in the country. Stores tend to order books from big name authors because their goal is to actually sell those copies, not ship them back. I have a feeling I might not make the cut!

So, we're back to the question posed at the top...digital or paperback? How do you prefer to read? Would you spend $4.99 on a paperback in a genre you enjoy with a cool cover (I have that going for me!) from an author you aren't familiar with? What if you had to order that book from Amazon, not impulsively pick it up off the shelf while you're buying dog food and paper towels or browsing in B&N? Stats show that is happening. If you're shopping for books on Amazon, do you always go for the instant gratification of downloading it onto your Kindle or will you order the paperback version?

There's a catch to the excitement of having a mass market contract. Sure, there's the potential my book could reach a whole new market and sell very well. That's what I'm hoping, of course. But if it doesn't sell well, this series will be the last one I have in print. My pub is waiting to see how BURIED TRUTH does before considering my next project. That's kind of scary, but I get that they're in the business to make money.

So, when BURIED TRUTH releases on January 30th, make my day by showing my publisher I'm a good risk. Buy my book if you see it on a bookstore shelf, or order a copy online. Pre-order your PRINT or DIGITAL copy now. Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment. How do you like your books?

Let's Talk Newsletters by Jannine Gallant

After listening to authors talk about their takeaways from various conventions, classes, etc., the one common theme I've noticed is everyone who's an authority on marketing recommends having a newsletter. Do I have one? Uh, no. I've failed miserably at this piece of the promo puzzle. However, that's all about to change. I'm taking the plunge.

Step One: The Mailing List. Here's what I do know...and it isn't a heck of a lot. You need to start with a mailing list. There are several online sites that allow you to collect addresses for free--up to a certain limit. I chose Mailchimp and created an account. Then I followed the helpful instructions they provided to set up the basic form to collect information, complete with double opt-out so you don't get into trouble for coercing people into signing up by mistake. I took the link they provided and added it to the front page of my website. Not so very hard, even for an old dog! I signed myself up, just to make sure it worked. Amazingly (at least to me), it did. I now had one person (me) on my mailing list. And as the weeks passed and I did nothing, that's the only address I did have. (sigh)

Step Two: How to get people to sign up for your newsletter. Obviously doing nothing has no effect...kind of like how your book doesn't sell itself. I decided to offer a reward to get people to sign up. I have a box of beautiful ARCs (advanced reader copies marketing teams send out to reviewers--not the final, final version, but pretty darn close) of BURIED TRUTH. This is the first book in my new series that will release on January 30, 2018. Marketing had leftovers, so my editor sent me a box. (I was thrilled!) Last week I posted on Facebook that I would draw one lucky winner from the pool of people who signed up for my newsletter, to receive an autographed copy. Proud of my cleverness, I sat back and waited for the signups to roll in. Let's just say I was underwhelmed by the results. I now have ten people on my list, and several are fellow Roses who were being nice! (double sigh) Alrighty, then. Obviously, my minimal efforts weren't producing results, so I contacted the marketing people at Kensington and asked them to spread the word through their social media channels about my bribe...er, I mean prize. They were happy to oblige, so maybe I'll get a little more interest. At any rate, now is your chance. Click on this LINK to sign up for my newsletter if you'd like to get into the drawing. As of now, your chances of winning that ARC are pretty darn good! Contest ends on Sunday, Oct. 22nd, and the winner will be notified by email on Monday, Oct. 23rd. Sorry, but you must live in the US to win since I don't do foreign postage. 😞

Step Three: What to put into the newsletter. So, let's assume I'll have a few interested readers eagerly awaiting my first newsletter. Or to be realistic, I'm hoping readers will at least be motivated to open it before chucking it into their cyber trash. That means exciting content to draw their interest. Obviously, I'll tell them about new releases, any books I might have on sale, and any contests my publisher is running. The basic stuff. (yawn) Since I'm a decent cook and make up my own recipes, I'll also be posting an original recipe or two in each letter. But what else? What do you like to see in newsletters? For those authors who already send one out, what do you do to catch your readers' interest? I'm open to suggestions, and I think this is a great forum to share information. Also, if you have some brilliant ideas to build mailing lists, please share. I know people have sign-up sheets at conventions and book signings, but what about online? Any helpful tips?

For more information on my books, check out my WEBSITE. Happy reading!

What Makes a Hero? by Mackenzie Crowne

Like many authors, I write what I know and I have solid ideas about what makes a hero. At the top of my list of hero characteristics is strength, or perhaps a better word would be toughness. Not that that trait doesn’t have its drawbacks. Believe me, it’s not always comfortable to be attracted to a tough guy. I know this because I will have been married to one for 34 years next week, but hey, tough guys do it for me. 

If my father were still alive, he’d tell you he always knew I’d marry one. I know this because he told me so as we waited in the vestibule of that church 34 years ago just before Dad walked me down the isle. He wasn't a tough guy by anyone's standards, but he was a strong man, witnessed by the day he picked up a baseball bat and attempted to track down the guy who attacked me in a town park when I was thirteen. Thank God we didn't find him that day, because I have no doubt my fun-loving father, who never lifted a violent hand, would have crushed the cretin’s skull for preying on his little girl if we had.

That’s what strong men do. They act when action is required and they fight for those they love. It’s in their genes. Some women like their men that way. It’s in their genes. I’m one of them. As a strong woman who knows her worth, I need a strong man who won’t crumble beneath my confidence. I appreciate a man who sees my feminine confidence as a strength rather than a symptom of PMS. And I like a man who is willing to go after something he wants, especially when that something is me. I like a man who is willing to stand up for what he believes. A man who speaks his mind and is willing to die for me, even if I don’t deserve it.

The man I’m describing has faults, as do I. He gets angry, like me, but when the dust settles, he apologizes if he’s in the wrong. Sure, he has definite beliefs and isn’t afraid to voice them, but he also listens. He’s a guy. He’s quite often wrong, but he’ll never let you down when you really need him. That’s the man I married. Not perfect, certainly, but dependable as a Timex. I’d trust him with my life, and do.

I write what I know and because I want my heroines as happy as I have been all these years, I give them similar heroes. Unfortunately, an occasional reviewer disagrees. I recall one who trashed one of my heroes as a scary violent guy because he was pissed at the heroine and said so. Mind you, I don’t do violence in my romances, so I can't help wondering what this particular reviewer’s perfect hero looks like. For that matter, what type of men is she dealing with in her life? Are they so perfect, or docile, they never have a moment of anger? If so, she should probably watch out. Either they’re in love with their sister, haven’t come out of the closet yet, or they’re conning her royally. I have yet to meet a man, or woman for that matter, who doesn’t lash out in anger in times of conflict, and if you’re reading a romance…hello, conflict is essential.

The truth is, as in real life, no hero or heroine is perfect, but we all have our tastes. What qualities are necessary in your perfect hero and are there ever deal-breaker traits that make you toss the book aside, or worse, trash the book in a review?

When Mac isn’t hissing at stupid reviewers, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her tough guy heroes and their ladies, like Wyatt and Piper, the hero and heroine of To Win Her Smile, the last in her Players series from Kensington releasing 7/18/17 

Is There Anything Like a First Kiss? by Mackenzie Crowne

There are many firsts in life; that first thrilling, solo ride on a bicycle, or that breathtaking view of the ocean, and the nerve wracking experience of sitting behind the wheel of a car. But of all the memorable firsts in one’s life, who can forget their first kiss? Whether a heart pounding realization of a dream with that boy you've been crushing on for weeks or the lousy ending to an interminable blind date your girlfriend set up, there is nothing like a first kiss.

Hollywood is obsessed with them, both in TV and movies, and thank God they are. Audiences waited with bated breath while Sam and Diane (of Cheers fame) circled each other in a lustful dance for an entire season. The episode when they finally locked lips was one of the funniest TV moments I can remember.

The first kiss was taken to a whole new level in 50 First Dates. Because of Lucy's short term memory loss from a head injury, Henry spends each day wooing the woman he loves back into his arms. If you've never seen Lucy and Henry's hilarious romance, you're missing out.

And has there ever been a better movie moment than Rhett and Scarlett's first embrace in Gone With the Wind? As a girl I thought my heart would burst in my chest as Scarlett hung in Rhett's arms, their lips a breath apart. *Sigh* That moment birthed the romance writer in me.

As a reader of romance, the first kiss is all important to whether or not a book remains in my heart or gets tossed into the 'what a waste of time' pile. The moment sets the tone of the characters' ultimate happily ever after, at least for me. A first kiss can be dramatic, lustful, or even funny, but whether the author offers a shy brushing of lips, a shocking, melt your bones devouring, or a nose-bumping calamity, if that first kiss doesn't grab me, chances are the rest of the book won't either.

I write romantic fiction and that first kiss is always a struggle for me. I'd love to say I draw on the memory of my own for inspiration, but I'd be lying. A game of spin the bottle granted me my first lip lock, and while the memory makes me smile, it wasn't exactly the stuff of fantasies.

I’ve included an excerpt below from TO WIN HER BACK, book 4 of my Players series releasing in January 2017. V and Sam’s story is a second chance romance, so their kiss isn’t technically the first. It is, however the first after eighteen years and a bit contentious.

Enjoy and then tell us…How important is the first kiss in the books you read, and what's the story behind your own?

“There was a time you included me in the list of things you wanted.”

The claim hit V like a physical blow and it took all her concentration not to flinch. Denying she’d wanted him wasn’t something she could do with any conviction and they both knew it. Running her gaze down his big body, she hid her dismay beneath pure bluster. “You’re a fine-looking man, Sam. Wanting you was never the problem.”

“I’m glad to hear you still feel that way. That’ll make things easier.”

The fine hair on the back of her neck prickled when he suddenly dropped his hands to his sides and stalked toward her. “Wait. What are talking about?”

“It’s simple.” He closed the distance and she stumbled backward. Stiff-arming him did no good. He gripped both her arms and held her there when she would have scooted clear of him. “You claim you walked away from me to get what you wanted. If that’s true, as far as I’m concerned, I dodged a bullet fifteen years ago. I’m perfectly happy to let that be the end of it.”

Some of the tension eased from her clenched muscles. He may have his doubts but, thankfully, he wasn’t going to press her on them.

“But, it appears providence has other plans.” Her tension returned tenfold as he released one of her arms to slip his hand around her waist. Calculation darkened the blue of his eyes. “Because of our past, my position with the Marauders is shaky when it shouldn’t be.” He slid his hand down her spine and tugged her against him until her breasts smashed flat against the solid muscle of his chest. “Caroline made it clear she expects us to put our personal differences behind us. What better way to convince her we have than to return to Manhattan as a couple?”

She opened her mouth to blast him with a shocked denial, but only succeeded in aiding him as he lowered his head and crushed his mouth to hers. His tongue slid into her mouth with practiced ease. Familiar and irresistible, his woodsy scent and spicy flavor wrapped around her, seeping into her taste buds and absorbing into her skin like a well-remembered balm.

Her knees went loose and, though she struggled to keep her feet beneath her, it was no use. She hung in his embrace, off balance and unable to care, and curled into him as if returning home. His guttural groan was a rumbling vibration against her breasts and she reveled in the knowledge she wasn’t alone in her madness.

He shifted his head, taking the kiss deeper, and time retreated. Mistakes, secrets, and years of regret vanished until only pleasure and heat existed. Desperate for more, she fought her arms free to slide her hands up over his chest and neck, and plunged her fingers into the thick pelt of his hair. She was rewarded by the quick thrust of his hips and cried out at the delicious friction of his erection pressed against her lower belly and mound.  

When Mac isn’t dreaming of that perfect first kiss, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like V and Sam. Their second chance love story, TO WIN HER BACK, book 4 in Mac’s Players series from Kensington Books, releases in January 2017 and is currently available on NetGalley for those of you who are members.

A Long Time Coming by Jannine Gallant

I want to share my news here, where I feel the love and support of my fellow authors who are on the same journey. So, something good happened, something I've waited for and dreamed about since I put pen to paper (literally) the summer I graduated from high school and decided I wanted to write romance books when I grew up. Thirty-six years later, I finally got the call I had stopped believing would ever come. Apparently, I'm a slow maturer! Now mind you, I've been published for six years. I was thrilled when that first digital contract was offered, and the first box of print on demand books was delivered to my door. Nothing is quite as wonderful for an author as the emotional connection to holding a book with your name on the cover. But I never lost the desire to see my books on a shelf in an actual bookstore.

I think we've all been there.

I've felt the frustration, convinced it was all about luck. Thinking that no matter how hard I worked or how good my books were, having my babies brush shoulders with Nora's on a shelf in an actual store wasn't ever going to happen. Turns out, it isn't a total crap-shoot, after all. Apparently we can make our own luck. I hope my story will inspire every author out there who is tempted to give up on their dream.

I've written and published or contracted a total of 18 books over the last six years. I've gone from small publisher to self publishing to a search for an agent to the digital imprint of a large publisher. I think I can say with confidence that my writing has continued to improve. I've worked hard and put out two or more titles per year. I kept producing, even when sales were awful and I felt like a complete failure. Still, I had confidence in my work and kept at it. And little by little the sales improved, and my publisher took notice and began promoting my books. Their efforts grew my audience. As my latest series, Born To Be Wilde, gets ready to launch into cyberspace at the end of this month, my editor told me my pub wanted to consider something new from me. I came up with the premise and blurbs for a three book romantic suspense series, per their request, then wrote a synopsis and the first three chapters of the first book. Then I waited...and waited...and waited.

The phone call finally came. But it wasn't from Marci, my editor at Lyrical, the digital imprint of Kensington. It was from Martin, who is much higher up the food chain. And he made the offer I'd hoped for but never really believed I'd get. He told me my books had attracted notice, that my readership was growing, and that the team at Kensington felt I was ready for print. Would I be interested in a 3 book contract with their new Lyrical mass market paperback line, which would launch in 2018?

Uh, hell yeah I'd be interested! So, in March and July and December of 2018, I'll have books with my name on them on shelves in actual brick and mortar stores. Okay, maybe I won't rub shoulders with Nora since she's an R and I'm a G, but I think I can live with that!

The moral of this admittedly long post is...Don't give up! Keep writing and improving your craft. Keep putting out those books until you grow a following. It took me 36 years and 18 books, but it happened. Perseverance won! Now all I have to do is write these next three books to the best of my ability and promote the ones I have coming out, and hope all the planets line up in the galaxy in 2018 and those babies sell!

If I can do it, you can do it, too!

So, while we're waiting for 2018 to roll around or even for Wilde One to launch at the end of the month, marketing is pushing my old series. Every Move She Makes is on sale for 99 cents for the entire month of September, and Every Step She Takes is selling for 99 cents for two more days. Get them while they're hot at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Apple iBooks! Visit my website for info on all my books, and happy reading!

My Favorite Romances are Full of Curves by Mackenzie Crowne

As a reader, I love that moment when I first open a book, having no idea where I’m headed, but anxious to enjoy the ride. Let’s face it, in fiction, the unknown is an irresistible force. If you’re like me, you are full of anticipation as you turn that first page, settling in to discover the unexpected curves in whatever road the author has placed her characters on.

In real life, I can think of a few scenarios where unexpected curves could turn out to be a nightmare. Like all of you, I’ve rounded a few and thankfully, most have sent me on inconsequential detours; side trips on my daily drive that brought small changes to my existence, but eventually dumped me right back onto my familiar, comfortable course.

Like the day I answered the door to find a neighbor holding the cutest little ball of fur and a wagging tail. Explaining the toy Pomeranian was a stray and had wandered into his yard, the neighbor asked if I would keep the itsy bitsy cutie until his “people” were found—because the little guy was terrorizing his poodle. I snorted in disbelief. I’d seen bigger squirrels for crying out loud.

His "people" never did show up (personally, I think they hit the road for Canada the moment the door shut behind him) and I wasn't in the market for a dog, but I’m a sucker for bulging eyes and fluffy tails, and my neighbor knew it. So, I found myself on an unexpected detour with an annoying little yapper who never missed a chance to hump my blind cat, but it didn’t take long for the little demon to become part of the family.   

Then there are the curves that are less detour and more re-route. These curves leave you gripping the steering wheel and wondering if you’ve blown a tire. The most notable re-route for me happened on the day I learned I had become a grandmother—seven months earlier. Yeah, that’s not a typo. I found out about my granddaughter when she was seven months old. What can I say? My son rocks at keeping secrets. Either that or I’d taken a wrong turn and gotten lost in Peyton Place. Seriously, I thought this kind of thing only happened in soap operas… Or romance novels. Boy, was I wrong. But ultimately, the road straightened out and soon I was whipping along on a re-routed path. These days, my fabulous G’girl rides shotgun as we head down the road on our girl trip adventures.

Unfortunately, there are those rare curves that are not only hair raising, but potentially deadly. A stage III breast cancer diagnosis is like having all four tires blow out, in a blizzard, on a sheet of ice, on a hairpin curve, on the top of a mountain beside a five thousand foot drop off. That type of curve doesn’t lead to a detour or even a re-route. It’s a game changer. The game changer curve shoots you into the unknown on two wheels while you cling to the steering wheel with white knuckles. I highly recommend avoiding this type of curve at all cost. Then again, as with many traumatic experiences, travelling the game changer curve strips a soul down to the bare basics, allowing them to see what’s truly important in life without all the distractions that hold us back from achieving true happiness. 

They say life is stranger than fiction and as someone who has spent time in Peyton Place, I wholly agree, but I also understand it’s the curves that give life zest. The same goes for fiction. All good romances contain curves. Some are detours, some are re-routes, but the best stories include a game changer curve as the catalyst to a character’s growth.

I love a good game changer romance, don’t you? My most recent favorite is WRECKED by Sarah Grimm. Seriously intense. I highly recommend it. So, what’s yours? Come on, please share.

When Mac isn’t busy maneuvering her own curves, she spends her time weaving HEAs for her characters, like those in her Players series from KensingtonBooks.

What the heck do headlights, trains, and little girls have to do with romance? by Mackenzie Crowne

One of the most commonly asked questions a writer receives is, Where do you get the ideas for your stories? The quick answer is, Everywhere. That’s because life provides the seed for every story, whether it be a song lyric that hits your ears at just the right time, a news headline, a funny comment overheard…

Photo © Adobe Stock 

Or something as simple as an elderly man holding a small valise and a bouquet of flowers as he waits for a train.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend the RWA convention in Manhattan. With thousands of romance authors roaming the city, I found myself grinning as I imagined how many romance seeds were planted that weekend. I did a little HEA farming myself, in Penn Station, no less. As I stood waiting for my train, my gaze was drawn to an elderly man waiting several feet away.

I smiled at the colorful flowers clutched in his thin hand and couldn’t help wondering, where are you going? Who are the flowers for? He looked adorable and quite dapper in his button down suit, complete with bow tie, a fedora tugged low on his brow. Of course, he must be meeting a woman. Who was she? And would she be charmed by his interest, or would she break his heart?

I write romance, and my characters are typically in their early thirties, so of course, my mind quickly slipped a young heroine into the picture. She’d sit next to the old man on the train and…

The possibilities are endless.

On the road to the compound

For me, at least, those seeds normally sprout sideways, never taking me where I first thought they would. Like the idea that came from the flash of headlights, believe it or not. My husband and I have a getaway cabin on the side of Mt. Graham east of Tucson. We call it our compound...long story. We were headed to the property late one night. It’s pretty rough terrain, with lots of sharp dips and steep climbs on the dirt road leading in. With no moon to guide us that night, the sky was pitch black. As we topped a rise, far off in the distance on another peak, a bright beam of light suddenly appeared, shooting straight into the sky.

Now, I live in Phoenix, and many here in the southwest would have immediately thought ALIENS! Because, you know. It’s the desert. That’s where the aliens always hang out. Seriously. Roswell isn’t far away. Anyway, I didn’t go the alien route. For whatever reason, I imagined the beam more like the light shining through a door that had suddenly been opened. A portal of sorts. One that could transport someone from one spot to another, anywhere in the world, and maybe, any time in the world. Oh, the possibilities...

You’re probably thinking, ah, Mac found the seed for a sci-fi time-travel romance set in the mountains of southern Arizona, but you’d be wrong. In the end, that seed bloomed into a contemporary fantasy romance set in Ireland. Yeah, I know. The odd path the story took threw me a little too, but that flash of headlights was the birth of my first published book.

Just over a year ago, a pair of twin girls I saw one day while shopping became the seed for what eventually morphed into Players, my sports romance series. Don’t ask me how I went from those cute little girls to an MMA champion finding his HEA with country music’s “It Girl” in book #3 in the series, To Win Her Heart. Even I can’t explain how my imagination works, but these days, I’m not fazed in the least when the seeds grow sideways. Instead, I embrace the possibilities and remember…they’re endless.

In order to protect her, they’ll both have to let their guards down…

Country music’s It Girl Jessi Tucker is fed up with her family’s stifling security measures. The threat of a dangerous stalker has gotten the men in her life—including her football star cousin, Tuck Tucker—monitoring her every move. To get the freedom she yearns for, Jessi hatches a plan to recruit Max Grayson, Tuck’s sexy brawler best friend, to play the role of her new boyfriend. But if her scheme works, will she be forced to hide her true romantic feelings for the sake of her independence? Or will she finally steal the heart of her dream man?...

Max has been pining for Jessi for years and would do anything to protect her, but a professional cage fighter with too many skeletons in his closet has no business being with one of America’s sweethearts. Yet while Max does his best to keep Jessi at arm’s length, the Tucker family persuades him to accept her offer.

Max believes he can keep Jessi safe from danger, but can he shelter her from his own dark secrets, the media’s unforgiving spotlight—and a mutual desire that’s harder to resist each day…

Players Series titles available in all formats at Kensington Publishing

Mackenzie Crowne writes contemporary romance with a side of sass. 

Her friends call her Mac. She hopes you will too. 

Visit her website at mackenziecrowne.com, find her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter twitter.com/MacCrowne.

BookBub Results and Exciting News! by Jannine Gallant

So, last month I mentioned EVERY MOVE SHE MAKES would be featured on BookBub. I figured my fellow writers might be interested in the results. I can sum them up in one word: WOW! Impressive doesn't begin to cover it. All I can say is BookBub was worth every penny my publisher paid--and it definitely isn't cheap! Okay, I'll quit gushing and get to the stats.

My book was listed on sale for 99 cents in the Romantic Suspense category. The cost for this is $380 and your listing goes out to 1,210,00+ readers. Granted at 99 cents (after the retail sites and my publisher and my agent get their cut) I think I was making 7 cents per book. If I did the math right! Still, the fallout was extraordinary. I got down as low as  #1 for Romantic Suspense and #34 over all at Barnes &Noble. Results were similar at KOBO. On Amazon, my lowest ranking was around #145 overall. Of course these numbers didn't last long. Slowly they began to rise. The sale price on MOVE remained for two weeks until EVERY STEP SHE TAKES released on July 7th.

At that time, my Amazon ranking for MOVE was back up to about 20,000. This is when I got super excited. A lot of those readers who downloaded the first book on sale started buying the second one. STEP's numbers dropped pretty fast. Then, even better, MOVE's number started going back down. I was stunned and thrilled. For over a week now, both books have been hovering in the 3,000 to 6,000 ranking range. I'm actually selling books for the full price. (Me, throwing confetti and cheering!) And get this, the third book, EVERY VOW SHE BREAKS, due out in March of 2016 started to get pre-orders. No blurb. No cover even. But people were ordering it! The publisher scrambled to put up the cover on the retail sites. Pre-orders got even better. Right now (or at least a couple of day ago when I was writing this post) that book is hanging in the 20,000 to 30,000 range. Amazing! Check out the cover below. I like it, and apparently readers do, too!

So, what do you know. All those people who say you have to spend money to make money are actually right. Had my pub not gotten my book on BookBub, all those readers who downloaded it on sale would not have known I existed. They would never have picked up the second book. So, a combination of high exposure and having a good product (if I do say so myself!) and having the second book ready to go really produced results. How long will these sales last? I don't know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they'll hang in there for a while at least.

Now, on to my news... I just signed a four book deal for a new series with Kensington's Lyrical Press line. I asked for a mass-market paperback deal from their paperback division. They said I'm not ready yet. They hope after one more digital series, I'll have enough name recognition to be ready for paperback in the future. After these results, maybe they're right! At any rate, I'm happy to say I signed on the dotted line. The new romantic suspense series, BORN TO BE WILDE, will debut in the fall of 2016. The first book is written. The second is almost finished. Now I have deadlines for the final two books to meet. I gave myself six months per book. Wish me luck!

So, the moral of this story is good things can happen for all of us if we just keep at it!

For more info on my books check out my website or purchase my books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, KOBO or iTunes.

Finding Your Way in Publishing by Jannine Gallant

She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails. ~ Elizabeth Edwards

Seems like this quote perfectly describes most writers' journeys through the world of publishing. At least it describes mine to a T. It's been five years since my first book was published by a small press. Five years of "adjusting my sails" to find my place in this industry. Of course the actual writing began many, many years before that. Clear back in high school when I sat down to work on my first novel. I had no clue what was in store for me...

Signing with a small press five years ago realized my dream of becoming a published author. I'll be forever grateful The Wild Rose Press gave a newbie author a shot and got me started. I wrote several more books with them, learning and growing as an author, before it occurred to me that being published wasn't enough. I actually wanted to sell books, and that didn't seem to be happening.

So, I adjusted my sails and went the self-pub route. I found it rewarding to control every aspect of the process from edits to covers to formatting. Challenging but rewarding. And I also had a little more success with sales. Better, but not what I really wanted.

So I made another adjustment to those danged sails and signed with an agent who landed me a contract for a three book series with the digital imprint of a major publisher~Kensington. Ironically, the first book in the series was that very first book I published with the small press. I had taken my rights back and done some major rewrites then changed the title. There were characters in that book who needed to have their own stories told. I got the chance with this series, Who's Watching Now. Every Move She Makes releases on March 31 and is currently available for pre-order. The second book in the series, Every Step She Takes, will be out in July.

So, is my sail adjusting over? Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see how sales go with this series. I have my sights set on a print contract. Seeing my books in bookstores was my original goal all those years ago when I put pen to paper (literally) back in high school. I expect I'll have to navigate some choppy waters to reach it. And if that doesn't happen...well, I'll adjust my sails and set a new course. You never know where it might lead!

Pre-order Every Move She Makes from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE OR KOBO.

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Start Something New by Jannine Gallant

And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings. ~ Meister Eckhart

It's a new year and a new beginning. Are you starting something new? Are you expanding your horizons or sticking with the tried and true?

Sometimes I think the same old, same old is easier. Especially as we get older. But I'm taking the leap into the 21st century. Yes, I, Jannine Gallant, actually got my very first cell phone. Laugh if you will. I think I was the final hold-out in my generation. And, not only did I get a cell phone--I got an iPhone. Every time I want to do ANYTHING on it, I have to ask my daughters. So, my first New Year's Resolution is to learn how to use it! Wish me luck.

I'm also beginning a new book. Okay, I started it before the holidays, but I got nowhere fast. Now it's time to get back to business and write. A new book is fun. Getting to know your characters, sending them out into the world and throwing obstacles in their paths. Discovering all the ways your plot isn't working the way you thought it would...okay, that's not so fun. Still, the beginning of a book is my favorite part, when everything is fresh and exciting.

This is the second book in a new series. I finished the first one before the holidays and expect I'll be immersed in edits by the time you read this, as Margo (my CP) is probably closing in on finishing her critique. I bet you all think she's a sweet, lovely woman. I do, too--until I start reading the comments in the margins... Kidding, people! I ask for and appreciate every bit of her advice. After I edit that baby into shape, I'll have to decide what to do with it next.

Which brings me to another new beginning. In the past, I've published with small presses. I've self-published. In March, my first book with a big publisher (Kensington) releases. Every Move She Makes is currently available for pre-order. I can't wait to see how my baby does out there in the big, bad world of publishing. I'm hoping for great things but have learned to be cautious in my optimism. So, I think I'll hold off on doing anything with my new series until I see how sales go. Maybe sticking with the familiar will be the right path...or maybe I'll take a risk and trust the magic of new beginnings...

I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you're an author, what's your favorite part of a book to write? Are you going to take a leap into something new in the publishing world this year?

To pre-order Every Move She Makes click HERE. To keep abreast of my writing news in 2015, check out my website. Happy New Year!