Writing and Marketing Insights by Jannine Gallant

I didn't have a single topic clamoring in my head to be discussed for this post. Instead, I felt more like Ginger watching squirrels running willy-nilly across the yard--they're fun to bark at but nearly impossible to capture. Except for that one time, but we won't go there... So here's what I pulled together.

Does anyone out there like those #SUDOKU puzzles? I used to think they were pure torture. I tried working on the one in our local paper a few times, guessing numbers to see if they worked, and then getting halfway finished only to discover my initial supposition was wrong. At that point, I simply gave up. More recently, I sat down with the paper and attacked the puzzle from a more logical standpoint. No guessing involved. I penciled in each possibility and went at it from a process of elimination. The strategy actually works! Now, I look forward to the puzzle in the Friday paper. Sure it distracts me from writing for an hour, but I feel like it's keeping my mind sharp. I also decided to extrapolate my strategy for SUDOKU to writing and marketing. I'm beginning to believe throwing out words without a plan and writing myself into an impasse might not be so smart. I also feel like floundering with marketing without a clear plan isn't productive. So, the following is what I've come up with.

My work in progress is moving rather slowly. I've had a lot of distractions lately. A good distraction has been my youngest home from college for a week and a half on spring break, which happened to include her birthday. It's been nice to have her around. But I can't seem to write productively when someone else is in the house. So, my word count has been hit and miss (mostly miss) and limited to when she's out with her friends. That got me to thinking about WHY I'm so easily distracted. I can edit like a champion with people around, but creating new content has been a challenge ever since I started this book. Basically, I've been moving forward like a turtle from one scene to the next, and when I finish the one I'm working on, I hope like heck it will suggest something new. I haven't written with an outline in quite a few books, but it may be time to rethink this strategy. Not a full-blown outline, mind you, but I need to sit my butt down and try to put together a coherent list of bullet points to see where this book is going. Then maybe I wouldn't have so much downtime between scenes while I ruminate over that ever important question, What happens next?

Then there's the whole promo thing to distract me. My latest plan is the Amazon Sponsored Products ad campaign I put together for one of my older self-published books. It actually was working pretty well. I was seeing a few sales and more borrows for WE'LL NEVER TELL. But the .99 cent sales price meant every click was seriously digging into my profits. Two things happened. I started getting sales on the other two books in the series. YAY! I wasn't sure exactly what the ad benefited until a reader reviewed all three SECRETS OF RAVENSWOOD books (the targeted series) on Goodreads, and then left a review for WILDE ONE, book one in a completely different series. So, yes, I'm getting crossover sales from the ad to all my suspense books. In the meantime, I'd done something incredibly stupid. I dropped my bid price from .25 cents to .20 cents, hoping to save a little money. I definitely saved because the clicks stopped completely, and impressions dropped tenfold. So, I just went back in to return my bid to .25 cents. We'll see if my momentum picks up again. Patience is a virtue with marketing. It takes a while for someone who buys the book to read it and then buy more books. Expecting too much too soon got me into trouble. You have to put in the time on a marketing strategy to see results. But, if your efforts continue to produce nothing, maybe it's time to make a change. Knowing when to draw the line and quit vs. changing tactics and sticking with it is a steep learning curve. I hope I'm making progress.

One final plug. Starting soon, WILDE ONE will be on sale for a limited time for .99 cents. If you haven't read it yet, now's a great time to start that series. Buy it on Kindle, Nook or Apple. Happy reading!

Revamping Covers...and Adding a Personal Touch ~ by Jannine Gallant

By now you probably all know Kensington is repackaging (their word) my BORN TO BE WILDE series. I'm still waiting for them to finish the final cover before all four will go live on retail sites. I posted here before about branding, and how they're ditching the couples on my covers to play up a more suspenseful background with a shadowy face. These books haven't sold nearly as well as my WHO'S WATCHING NOW series with their headless, hot men and rustic backgrounds. I have to wonder if the covers have anything to do with it. The books simply don't look like romantic suspense.

So, last week I conducted a poll on Facebook to ask whether readers/authors preferred scenery only to couples on romantic suspense books. One hundred percent of those who responded said they preferred scenery. Alrighty then... If Kensington could repackage one of my series, why couldn't I revamp my self-published suspense series, SECRETS OF RAVENSWOOD, to get rid of the couples? As the idea took hold, I found myself spending way too much time searching iStock Photos for likely cover contenders when I should have been writing.

Determined to jump into this new project and end the hours of fruitless searching, I contacted our very own Alison Henderson, who had created the original covers. She was game. Yippee! We threw ideas back and forth, trying to find three images that conveyed the essence of the stories, had a suspenseful vibe, and also looked right together. The cover image I'd chosen for SHE'LL NEVER REST was very cool on it's own, but didn't mesh with the other two. None of the other graveyard images (this book has a bit of a ghost story in it) thrilled me. However, I'd taken a picture of a tiny, deserted graveyard in my old hometown of Gasquet a couple years ago. Why not use it for my book? Holding my breath, I sent it to Alison. She thought it would work. Double yippee! She had to do some editing on the lighting to get the right effect, but we were both pleased with the finished product.

I can't tell you how fun it is to have a place I've hiked to a gazillion times, one that brings back great childhood memories of riding my bike through the woods, as a cover for one of my books. For those of you who have creative license when it comes to book covers, you might consider using something with a personal connection.

And now...drum roll...check out the results of my hours of photo browsing and Alison's editing genius. I can't thank her enough for turning my wishy-washy vision into stunning, professional covers! I love them all!

Three girls witness a murder and vow never to tell what they saw. But when the body turns up years later, the killer may silence them…for good. Buy it now on Amazon.

When a genealogist is hired to research the Nash family tree, will she find love with her employer's grandson...or will the past come back to haunt them? Buy it now on Amazon.

Will two people with tragedy and secrets in their pasts find happiness...or will a threat neither anticipated jeopardize everything they hold dear? Buy it now on Amazon.

FYI, I've lowered the price on the first book in the series, WE'LL NEVER TELL, to .99 cents. These are novella length, standalone stories featuring three childhood friends, the men they love, and a mountain town filled with secrets. Both the romance and the suspense should keep you turning those pages!

So, what do you think? Did Alison and I do a great job? Do these covers shout romantic suspense?

Blogging as a Promotional Tool by Jannine Gallant

Blogging--does it help promote our books? Editors and agents tell us to get out there and blog our little hearts out. People pay good money for blog tours to promote their books. I've done blog hops for prizes, and I guest blog on occasion (i.e. when I have a new book out or a freebie or a sale). Once in a while I even slap something up on my own blog. (Yes, I'm the first to admit I'm a bad blogger. Bad. Bad. Blogger!) Except here at the Roses of Prose. Our lovely group blog. I never miss my days mainly because I try to plan and prepare my posts ahead of time. And I like to throw down my opinions on everyone else's posts.

So, back to the original question--is all this blogging successful? Or is it a time-sucking failure! I guess it all depends on how you look at it. Let's break it down by types.

Blog Tours: The last one I did, I had almost no comments from readers. Even the hostesses failed to chime in at several stops. I have a sneaking suspicion many authors sign up to be blog tour hosts, post the blogs they get, then forget all about them. In other words, they don't bother to advertise. Don't get me wrong, I think there are some hosts out there who really try. It's a mixed bag, and you just don't know what you'll get. Most authors favor the blog tours that include reviews. I'd love to hear opinions about this.

Blog Hops for Prizes: I did one of these not too long ago. I chipped in my share and got quite a few comments. You had to comment to be eligible to win. However, when all was said and done, I didn't sell one book. Most of the other authors had the same results. Frustrating.

Guest Blogging: When I have something to promote, I'll frequently ask friends if I can guest on their blogs. Since they're my friends, they generally promote my appearance. I enjoy visiting them. My only issue is I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not reaching anyone new. Our writer community tends to move in circles--the same circles, reaching the same people. I've been told (repeatedly!) I should branch out to find new blogs with similar interests to mine and ask to guest. Not so easy since I'm not good at pushing myself on people I don't know. I need to work on this one!

My Personal Blog: (sigh) I gave this a real shot. I set it up with a theme. I like to cook, so I posted recipes weekly along with posts about books, etc. I kept at it...and at it...and at it...and then gave up. Everyone says you have to keep posting and eventually your blog will attract followers and grow. My question--how long is eventually? After a year of posting, I was averaging maybe 20 hits on days I posted and zero comments. Maybe patience isn't my strongest virtue, but I threw in the towel. Now, I use it once in a blue moon (sorry for all these cliches!) when I have a free or sale book to push. I know, pathetic! So, can anyone tell me how long eventually is? Did your personal blogs gain a strong following after a while?

Last But Not Least--Group Blogs: We have a wonderful group here. I only have to post twice a month. Everyone is friendly and supportive. We comment on each other's posts. We each bring different readers to the blog (I hope). Instead of my feeble 20 hits a day, here we get a couple of hundred. These are all good things. Do I sell more books on my days to post. Honestly, no. But since I like being part of a group, and I see value in cultivating supportive relationships and being available to readers on a regular basis, I feel our group blog is a success!

One final thing that makes most of us batty! Comments. Seems like the only people who leave comments are other authors. The number of comments never correlates to the number of daily hits. What does this mean? I think it means that there are actual readers out there who drop in occasionally or regularly to see what we have to say. Either they're shy and don't feel the need to comment, or they don't have blogger accounts. I think that's the key. If you aren't actively promoting, would you go to the trouble of creating an account? If it were me--I wouldn't. So, despite all this, I'll keep on blogging and hope someone out there is reading it!

If you've gotten this far, do I have a deal for you! WE'LL NEVER TELL is on sale for only .99 cents! Today is the last day of my Kindle Countdown Deal, so get a copy now. Click HERE.

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How Do HOT Covers Affect Free Promotion? by Jannine Gallant

There's been a lot of discussion about promoting books by offering them for free on a few of the various author loops. Some think it's a great idea. Some view it as cheapening something they worked hard to create. I'm actually for it since, over all, free has affected my sales in a positive manner. I see it as one more tool to get my book into the hands of readers who have never heard of me. But all my attempts at giving my books away for free have not had the same results. Being of an analytical frame of mind, I have to ask why.

To date, I've had three experiences with free books. Some were offered multiple times, but my figures reflect the best results for each. They vary widely, as you'll see. For each of these promotional efforts, I used the same tactics. I blogged all over the place. I plagued my Facebook friends and posted about my free book on various FB sites designed for this purpose. I tweeted my brains out and begged my author buddies in several support groups to do the same. Most importantly, I submitted my books to all the free listing sites out there. A lot of the results had to do with which books were featured, and that's kind of a crap shoot. However, I think there's one other important element. The cover.

All that squawking and shouting about your book drives initial downloads and moves you up in those oh so mysterious and important Amazon rankings. If you can tip your book into the top #100, you stand a chance of success. In this case, success being thousands of downloads. The key at that point is to stay in the top #100. By the time you get there, everyone on social media is tired of hearing from you. Basically, your book cover now has to do the work for you. Readers actually look at those free books in the top 100, and yours has to catch their eye for them to download it. I have to say, covers do matter. The hotter the better!

So, here are my results. My first attempt at Free was with Lonely Road To You. This was part of a group series, and 5 authors participated in the promotion effort. The result, almost 3,000 downloads. Follow up sales. Pathetic. My conclusion, 3000 downloads didn't make a blip in the market.

My second foray was with the first book in my indie series. We'll Never Tell came in at just under 12,000 downloads. The results were an upsurge in sales for the whole series that lasted well into the month. I was pretty darned happy about this one!

And finally, Asking For Trouble, which had it's free day a week ago. Downloads almost hit the 17,000 mark! I was pretty impressed. The results have been steady sales but not what I'd hoped for in the way of numbers. This book has a prequel, and it has also had some new traffic. My conclusion is book #1 in a series will generate the most sales over all after the free days are over.

But what about that hot factor? Check out my covers. Lonely Road To You is pleasant but not spectacular. We'll Never Tell is eye catching but not really hot. I wasn't quite ready to go bare-chested with that one. Asking For Trouble has a hot cowboy splashed across the front.  What do you think? 5,000 more downloads for Mr. Sexy. I have a feeling there may be more bare chested covers in my future!

Find out more about me and my books on my Website. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

What's More Scary than Camping in a Graveyard? by Jannine Gallant

October is all about being scared. I'll admit, I like to write my characters into scary situations. There's something about a little heart-pumping fear that keeps you turning the pages. Not too much mind you, but enough to send a shiver through you. My Secrets of Ravenswood trilogy gives each of my heroine's more than a little to be afraid of. And it begins for them when they're just young girls, witnessing something they never should have seen... Don't worry, I swear there's a happy ending. The first book in the series, We'll Never Tell, is currently free. So, enjoy my shivery opening scene and then download the book. Today is the last free day, so get it while it's hot!

Chapter One

“My mom will kill me if she finds out about this, Sam. Camping in a graveyard is just asking for trouble.”

Samantha Beaumont ducked beneath the low limb of a fir tree before glancing over her shoulder at her friend. Moonlight filtered through the forest, casting shadows across the tense set of Darby Kincade’s shoulders.

“Your mom won’t know if you don’t tell her. And, hey, if she does kill you, at least you’ll be in the right place.”

“Ha, ha, you’re a riot.”

“How come you’re so grumpy? Are you afraid of ghosts?”

“Who cares about ghosts? I’m more afraid we’ll get eaten by a bear.” Juliette Shaw’s voice quavered, and she edged closer to Sam. “They won’t even know where to look for our bodies.”

“Don’t be a chicken. Bears are more scared of us than we are of them.”

“Doubtful, seriously doubtful.” Darby slapped at a mosquito.

Sam rolled her eyes and plunged through the thimbleberry bushes. They’d lost the trail a half mile back, but she knew where she was going. The abandoned graveyard—if you could call a handful of toppled headstones a graveyard—was directly below Prophet Point. Even at night, the peak was visible, a dark shadow looming over the town of Ravenswood, nestled high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

“We could have simply camped in your backyard if you’re so in love with the idea of sleeping with bugs,” Juliette said. “You didn’t have to drag us all the way up here.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Summer’s been a major bore since school let out. Anyway, Wyatt dared me.”

Darby stopped walking and fisted her hands on her hips. “I should have known there was a reason for this. Your brother’s an idiot.”

“Yep, a complete moron, but you have to admit this is more exciting than a sleepover at one of our houses.” Sam hesitated at a thick stand of pine trees. Maybe they needed to head a little more to the north.

“If you call getting eaten by mosquitoes fun.” Juliette waved her hands in front of her face.

“I have repellent in my backpack.”

“Can we put some on? I don’t want to get covered in bites.”

Sam slid the pack off her shoulders. It hit the ground with a thump. “Good idea. We should have sprayed down before we left the house.”

“What was that?” Darby asked in loud whisper.

Sam’s head snapped up, and her hand clenched around the can of bug repellent. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Shhh, it sounded like voices.”

“I bet it’s Wyatt, trying to scare us,” Juliette whispered.

“Well, it’s working,” Darby whispered back.

A female voice echoed through the night, speaking rapidly like the tinny squawk of a blue jay, rising in pitch. A lower voice answered, more controlled, but something about it sent a shiver down Sam’s spine.

“That isn’t Wyatt,” she said.

“Let’s get out of here.” In the moonlight, Juliette’s eyes were dark pools in her pale face. “I’m scared.”

Sam squared her shoulders. Even if she was a little nervous, she certainly wouldn’t admit it to her best friends. “The lady sounds upset. Maybe they’re lost or something. They’re probably just dumb tourists. There’s a million of them around since summer started.”

“Not our problem,” Darby hissed.

“Let’s take a quick peek to make sure they aren’t in trouble. What if one of them is hurt?”

“I don’t know…”

Ignoring Juliette’s protest, Sam turned and pushed through the underbrush, her heart beating fast. The other girls fell in behind, so close they brushed against her with each step. Through the thinning trees ahead, the flickering flames of a campfire illuminated a tiny clearing. A woman faced in their direction, arms crossed over the chest of a bright pink jacket, hair glowing like a bronze halo in the firelight. A tall man stood with his back to them, wearing a navy blue parka and a knit ski hat. His hands were fisted at his sides. Sam edged behind a big cedar tree and held her breath.

“You waited until we were here, in one of my favorite places, to tell me? You couldn’t have said something before we left home?” The man’s words cracked like a gunshot in the still air.

“I tried, but you wouldn’t listen. You were so excited about this camping trip…” She hunched one shoulder. “Maybe waiting was a mistake.”

“You think?” He kicked a rock, sending it ricocheting off the big stones circling the fire. “Are you going to tell me why you’re dumping me?”

Darby tugged on the back of Sam’s sweatshirt. “Let’s go,” she whispered.

Sam shook her head and pressed her finger to her lips. The drama unfolding at the campfire was better than the soap operas Mrs. Dennison watched while she was folding laundry.

The woman dashed a hand across her eyes, leaving a smear of mascara on her pale cheek. “Our relationship just isn’t working.”

He took a step toward her. “Is there someone else? Is that it?” His voice took on a menacing edge as it rose.

Sam shrunk back against her friends, and Juliette let out a tiny whimper.

“No! I swear I wouldn’t cheat on you.”

“Is it that long haired pussy boy from your study group? He’s always around. I thought he was gay, or I would have—”

The woman choked on a sob. “There isn’t anyone. You have to believe me.”

The man moved forward, his steps slow and purposeful. When he grabbed her arm, she let out a cry.

Blood roared in Sam’s ears. She stepped out from behind the tree.

“Let go of me,” the woman screamed.

“Bitch,” he shouted, giving her a shove.

She fell backward and tripped, arms flailing. Her head hit one of the rocks circling the fire with a sickening thud.

Sam’s stomach rolled.

“Oh God, oh no.” The man knelt at the woman’s side and touched her face. Slowly he stood and backed away. “Shit, shit, shit!”

Juliette was crying, gasping sobs muffled by her hands. Sam stared into her friend’s petrified eyes and opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She tried again, her voice a horse rasp. “Run.”

Did I hook you? If so, click HERE to get your copy of the story FREE today only. Information on all my books can be found on my website. Follow be on Facebook and Twitter!

Have a spooktacular day!

How To Write A Series 101 and a Free Book by Jannine Gallant

What's hot in books? I'd have to say the answer to that question is a series. Even if you haven't planned on writing a series, readers frequently ask about secondary characters in a book. And if there's one thing I know about resurrecting a setting and characters after a couple of years, it's that you forget all the little details. That's what I'm doing with my current WIP, and I'm constantly having to go back to the original book (published 3 years ago) to verify facts. It's a complete pain in the butt!

So, here's Jannine's #1 tip for writing a series and not making yourself crazy in the process. PLAN AHEAD! Last spring it occurred to me that some authors were doing very well with series, so I decided to write one. Being a fairly organized person, I created a strategy.

#1 THE CONNECTION: I planned all three books in the series using a trio of friends introduced in the first book. Each of the three girls would be the heroine in her own story.

#2 THE SETTING: I mapped out my fictional town of Ravenswood, adding businesses, neighborhoods, street names, and landmarks as they were used in each story.

#3 CHARACTER LIST: Every time I used a character, no matter how minor, I put them on the list. Who knew that the first grade teacher Sam waved at on the street in book #1 would pop up at a party in book #2. Certainly not me, but when she did, I had her name and a brief description on hand.

#4 HOOKS AND CONCLUSIONS: This is key. Based on other blogs I've read, it seems readers really don't like it when you end a story but don't really end it. They feel they have to buy the sequel to find out what happens, and it makes them mad. So, each of my stories has a plot with a conclusion guaranteed to satisfy. I've had several reviews where the reader thanks me for this. The hook is the next friend in the series getting one scene with a snippet of her upcoming situation. Just a hint to make the reader curious about what is going to happen to this character, but not enough to make them frustrated that it isn't wrapped up in the current book. No one has complained yet, so I'd have to say this is a good technique.

There you have it -- Jannine's hot tips to writing a series. If you're planning one, I hope they help. Even if you aren't, implementing steps #2 and #3 is an excellent idea. You never know when readers will take to a secondary character and ask for his or her story, and these simple steps will save you huge headaches down the road!

Since you've patiently read through my whole post, I have a reward for you! Book #1 of my Secrets Of Ravenswood trilogy is FREE on Amazon today and tomorrow only. Please download We'll Never Tell by clicking HERE. Enjoy, and tell all your friends. That's my Hot August Tip of the Day!

Visit my website for information on all my books.

Extreme Multitasking or How to Survive as an Author by Jannine Gallant

We all know that mothers are the world's best multitaskers. As a mom, I can arrange next week's ballet car pool via phone, fold laundry, jot items on a grocery list, and yell at my daughter to put down her iPod and do her homework, all at the same time and without even thinking twice. As a writer, I can do the above plus add work out the latest plot twist in my WIP and the subject for my next blog post to the list. No, I'm not Wonder Woman. I'm an author, and as such, I've learned lesson #1. Prepare to become an efficient multitasker or lose your mind.

For those of you who picture a writer, hard at work in his or her garret, cranking out the next Great American Novel with no distractions, I must chuckle politely at your naivete. In reality, that writer is performing a juggling act. More than likely she (I'll use she since most of my author friends are female and I'm not at all sure males are capable of multitasking. LOL) is working on her current manuscript, editing the one she recently finished, and promoting the novel that just released. Sometimes my head spins, just trying to keep the characters straight. So, here's my author tip for the day. MODERATION

We can't do everything well (or even competently) if we don't learn moderation. When working on the first draft, learn to let go of that search for the perfect word and move on. It'll come to you later, probably waking you from a deep sleep, so keep a note pad handy. When working on the second or third draft, accept that it probably isn't perfect yet and hand it over to your critique partner or agent or editor. These wise souls will point out exactly what is wrong with it, and then you can make those final changes and repairs. When in the midst of final, final edits - don't drive yourself crazy reading it over and over, changing one word here or there. You could do this until those proverbial cows come home and never be 100% satisfied. And finally, there's the promotion.

Promoting can be a complete time suck. It's necessary, but you need to learn to use your time wisely. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know what generally doesn't work.

1) Too much blogging. I've seen authors set up 20 blog stops in the first two weeks after their book releases. Who has time to write all those blogs and monitor them? Not me said the busy mother/author. Also, even your best writer buddies get sick of seeing you post on Facebook about yet another blog stop on your endless tour. I believe a few fun, informative posts that aren't strictly shouts of BUY MY NEW BOOK are more effective in the long run.

2) Too much Tweeting and too many Facebook blasts. Personally, I never bother to read tweets, so I could care less if the people on Twitter scream about their books day and night. But, I've been told it irritates those who actually do monitor their twitter stream. Same with Facebook, which  I do spend time perusing. Maybe post about the entertaining subject matter of those blogs you're writing along with the news that you have a new release. Yes, let everyone know, but don't make your Facebook and Twitter friends crazy.

So, to keep those balls in the air and become a multitasking diva, practice moderation in all aspects of your writing habits. And now, to my bit of promotion...

The final book in my Secrets of Ravenswood trilogy has just released. Go, me! You can pick up a copy of He'll Never Know at Amazon. Just click here.  Also, the first book in the series, We'll Never Tell is free today only. So, if you haven't read it yet, click here to download. These are fast paced, romantic suspense stories set in small towns with plenty of action and a few surprising twists. If you enjoy that sort of book, I hope you'll give them a try.

For more information, please visit my website. Last but not least, if you have any tips that will help us all become better multitaskers, leave them in comments and have a great day!

A Haunted House and an Old Murder - the Possibilities are Endless! by Jannine Gallant

Do you believe in ghosts? I've always loved reading about them - my interest in the past showing through, I suppose. When I planned my Secrets of Ravenswood series, book one was easy - solving an old murder. Book two gave me pause - until I decided to try my hand at writing a ghost story. I have to say, it was entertaining and challenging as I fought against dragging out all the old cliches. Okay, so the house is big and creaky and dripping in gingerbread trim, but the spirit haunting it has a unique story... Hopefully, I've piqued your curiosity. She'll Never Rest is available now on Amazon.

She’ll Never Rest

Darby Kincade is a genealogist—not a ghost hunter. But when she’s hired to research the Nash family tree, her job description blurs. Discovering the identity of the spirit who lingers in the ancestral home promises to be both challenging and fun—despite her client’s skeptical grandson.

Logan Nash doesn’t believe in ghosts, but Darby’s wit and tenacity intrigue him. Though his practical side objects, he’s drawn to both her and the old mystery. As their feelings for each other deepen, and they grow closer to uncovering the truth, someone is determined to keep long dead secrets buried.

Will Darby and Logan find love—or will the past come back to haunt them?

I hope you'll enjoy Darby and Logan's story, and if you missed the first book in the trilogy, We'll Never Tell, today is your lucky day. It's FREE on Amazon for a limited time. Can't beat that price!

We’ll Never Tell

Three young girls witness a murder—and make a pact never to tell what they saw. But when the woman’s body is uncovered seventeen years later, the killer’s faith in their promise is shaken. A few deadly reminders may be in order…

Samantha Beaumont knows it’s time to reveal the truth about what happened in the woods all those years ago—until the accidents begin. Fear that the killer will shut them up permanently leads Sam on a quest to protect her friends and expose the murderer’s identity. No one, certainly not the man she spent one memorable night with, will stop her.

Ethan Thorne has no reason to believe Sam is any more interested in a commitment now than when she ran from him five years before. Still, he can’t resist trying one more time… When he realizes her life is in danger, he’ll risk everything for a chance at love.

So, do you believe in ghosts? Or do you at least like reading about them?

Get We'll Never Tell for free here.

Buy She'll Never Rest here.

Visit me at my website and blog for information on all my books. Stay tuned - book three will be coming soon.

The Madness of Self-Publishing by Jannine Gallant

It's done - my first indie book, We'll Never Tell, is alive and well and newly available on Amazon. A touch of March Madness - or am I just crazy? Who knew how much was involved in this endeavor? Certainly not me when I oh so cavalierly decided to self publish a series of three novellas. So, for those of you contemplating this journey, here's my step by step guide from start to completion.

1)  A little research into current trends. No, I don't mean I suddenly turned to vampires and werewolves (not that there's anything wrong with that!) I spent some time checking out what successful indie authors were writing. My conclusion - they write series. I think a big reason this works, especially with Amazon's KDP Select program, is the judicious use of free days. You get 5 free days per quarter. But, you don't want to just give away your book; you want people to actually buy something. If you give away Book #1 in your series for 2 or 3 days at the same time Book #2 is released, people who download and read the free book may be inspired to see what comes next in the series. Voila, a sale is made, and the Secrets of Ravenswood was born!

2) Keeping it consistent. After I decided to write a series, I didn't rush into finishing and publishing Book #1. Nope, I wrote all three. Do you know how hard it is to keep all those little details straight? Something I thought would work for a secondary character in Book #1 (who became the heroine of Book #3) didn't work at all when I dug into her story. So, I had to go back and fix the inconsistencies with this character in the first book. You don't want to lock yourself into a story line that can't be changed by publishing before you've thought the whole series through.

3) Edit, edit, edit. If you don't have a critique partner with strong editing skills, I suggest you find one. The other alternative is paying for editing. You may think your baby is near perfect, but trust me, it isn't. I write clean. For my books more traditionally published, I've never had a lot of edits requested. But there is always something! If you don't have someone edit your book, you'll live to regret it. Some reader is going to see those mistakes you made and point them out in a bad review. Not something you want. So, since I have little money to pay for my publishing adventure, but I do have decent editing skills, I made a swap. My CP edits for me. I edit for her. But don't stop there. Once you've made those changes, have someone Beta read your book. Yep, they're going to catch a few more errors this time through, as well.

4) An attention grabbing cover. Again, I faced the issue of money. Covers can be expensive. After practicing with a free program, I realized anything I made myself was going to look like crap! So, I turned to an author friend who wanted to start her own cover design and editing business. What better place to practice than on me! Alison did a beautiful job. And the best part - we worked together, exchanging ideas, and getting the covers to look the way we both wanted them to through trial and error. Again, I used barter instead of hard, cold cash. Alison is working on an indie release, and when it's ready, I'll sharpen up my editing pencil and get to work!

5) Formatting is a PITA! Here we go with more whining about lack of funds. Plenty of folks out there will format your book for publication. But, I'm not completely without brainpower, and this is something I was determined to conquer. I downloaded the guides. I followed the steps. I had one problem after the other. I asked for advice from those who'd gone before me through the formatting frontier. In the end, I kept working at it until I got it right. Book #1 is formatted, complete with a functioning table of contents and front matter that appears professional to my critical eye. How long did this take me, you ask? About 3 days, but I'm technically challenged. I hope Book#2 and Book #3 will go a little smoother. LOL

6) Promo time! So, my little indie baby is out on the market. Check it out. Tell me what you think. I'd love some reviews. I don't expect big numbers out of the gate, but I'm hoping when I release Book #2 on April 1st and start my judicious use of free days (refer to item #1 LOL) I'll see a positive trend in sales. If you decide to take the plunge into indie publishing, I hope my journey will be a helpful inspiration.

And now, a little about my book.

Secrets of Ravenswood

For three lifelong friends, will past tragedies haunt their futures—or open the door to love…

We’ll Never Tell

Three young girls witness a murder—and make a pact never to tell what they saw. But when the woman’s body is uncovered seventeen years later, the killer’s faith in their promise is shaken. A few deadly reminders may be in order…

Samantha Beaumont knows it’s time to reveal the truth about what happened in the woods all those years ago—until the accidents begin. Fear that the killer will shut them up permanently leads Sam on a quest to protect her friends and expose the murderer’s identity. No one, certainly not the man she spent one memorable night with, will stop her.

Ethan Thorne has no reason to believe Sam is any more interested in a commitment now than when she ran from him five years before. Still, he can’t resist giving her one more chance… When he realizes her life is in danger, he’ll risk everything for a chance at love.

Buy We'll Never Tell at Amazon.

Special thanks to my critique partner, Margo Hoornstra, who did an awesome job editing my books for this series. And kudos to Alison Henderson, who designed the covers. Thank you for all your help!

For more about my other books, please visit my website.