Sometimes it's real easy to say you support this or that, or maybe you post a whole series on it. That's all good and fine, but I want to do more for the causes I support.
This week I announce specific plans to support each of the issues I feel strongly about. Immediately below you will find the issue, and the level of my support. I am pledging support upfront with these causes. I'm not waiting until I've made X amount of money or sold Y amount of books. Something from each sale, not matter how large or small, will be contributed to these causes.
By making my plans known upfront, I allow my readers and followers to hold me accountable to these promises. As such, I ask that each of you share this with two or three of your friends. And have them share it with their friends.
Without further discussion, here goes:
LITERACY
A well read population is a better educated population. Many authors support this cause (literacy) and I do as well.
September is National Literacy Month. That makes September a perfect time to set aside some money for the promotion of literacy.
During the month of September, I pledge to give 20 cents from every book sold to help promote literacy, both here and abroad. I place no cap on this pledge. If I sell 1,000 books, $200 will be donated. If I sell 2,000 books, $400. You get the idea.
So far I've sold an average of 700 books a month. September will see the release of Book Two of my WWIV series. Thus, I anticipate higher numbers. As a base pledge, I will give $140 to literacy no matter how many books I sell.
So, it's up to my readers as to how much above that $140 mark I will give. Again, NO top end. Twenty cents on every book no matter how many books are sold.
I will spend the next six weeks vetting the best place for this donation. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact me via email at: ealake5@gmail.com.
ANTI-BULLYING
This is something that needs our attention now! Our children of all ages need to feel safe. They don't need the stress or concern or intimidation caused by bullying. As such, I will help.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month here in the US. That's a great time to focus on this cause. I really want to do something special here.
During the month of October, I will create a small novel (novella) of about 30,000 to 40,000 words that deal specifically with this topic. Now, it will be symbolic for the most part, and the bullying that occurs will be hid in a metaphor. But I think you are going to like it.
If I write it in October, it will be edited in November and ready for release on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, etc... before Christmas. I'm thinking this will sell for 99 cents on all outlets (to make it affordable). It will still be Dystopian in nature, but I have the perfect setting and storyline that will bring bullying to the forefront.
For as long as I'm alive, I pledge 75% of all net proceeds from the sale of this story towards various anti-bullying causes. If enough copies sell each year, this amount could be nice. At a minimum, I will give $250 to the cause each year - regardless of how many copies sell. I will try and announce each October how many copies sold in the last year and how much money was given.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
Another worthy cause. Bodily injuries, mental anguish, emotional distress - all harms that befall our young men and women who serve their country voluntarily. While Washington, and our taxes, do provide some help, more is still needed. And that's where I'll help out.
Next year (2015), I will be releasing Book One of a new series, The Smith Chronicles. This first book will be released under the title of Golden 5. There will be at least another three books in the series. Each of these books is almost twice as long as my current series. I'm planning on making them great reads, for my great readers.
While this series is more Dystopian, and not post-apocalyptic, than the WWIV series, there will be plenty of action and suspense. Chances are Golden 5 (and the subsequent books) will appeal to a wider audience than my first series. As such, these should be good sellers.
From this series, I pledge 25% of all net proceeds to be donated to causes that support our troops and veterans. As 2015, and the books release, draw closer - I will let you know what causes the money will go to. One will have to do with physical injuries - a charity similar to Wounded Warrior Project. Another will deal will emotional and physical problems - something like Soldiers to Summits. Still another will deal with PTSD, and a last will be a local California organization where MY Marine spent the first four years of his service.
If this series sells exceptionally well (and I have no idea what that means after being a published author for only 4 months) I will use some of the funds from these books to help equal out support for the first two causes mentioned above. If I make $10,000 from the sale of this series, I will be more than happy to give away in excess of $2,500. There is no limit to how much I feel I should give. I have already exceed my expectations (and wildest dreams) with the sales to date of WWIV - In The Beginning. I'd like to make a difference in this world; I'd like us all to make a difference. And together we can...we will!
Until next week, read a classic or a brand new author. You never know what's waiting for you in the world of books. And take a few minutes during your week to perform random acts of kindness.
lake
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Support Our Troops
No one hates war more than me. Okay, maybe I'm tied for first place in the disliking of war category with two billion others. But you get the point, I don't see much good coming from war. What was it that General George Patton said? "War is hell!"
If that's your motto, I've got a new one from you to try.
Hate the war, but love the warrior
I really, really believe in the above statement. And I passionately support it when it comes to our troops. I'm talking about the troops that represent The United States of America. The US Marines, the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard. All of them; as well as troops from whatever country you read this post in. Full-timers, reservists, volunteers, professionals...all of them. Each and every one of these men and women have my undying admiration, non-wavering support, and complete respect.
When I was younger, we were in the middle of the Vietnam War. You think protests and negative feelings of war are bad now? You haven't seen anything. The late 1960s were terrible times to be a soldier. "Baby Killers" is the label that always sticks in my mind. Here was a group of young men only doing what their country asked them to do. They came back home after their service was over, expecting a hero's welcome. Instead, they were greeted by angry mobs of young adults who, amongst other things, spit on these people. Yes, they actually spit of young men in uniform, young men who couldn't comprehend the other's actions.
Love the warrior
Nowadays, the young men and women that serve in our armed forces have predominantly volunteered. No one drafted them, no one forced them to join, no one put a gun to their head. Of their own free will, they joined. Now, perhaps they didn't quite realize just how dangerous their service might be, but they still came freely.
Some will say, "They chose this, they're paid for this; so they should have known what they were getting into." HOGWASH! As little as eighteen months ago, many of them were at their senior prom. Their toughest choice was who to take, or where to eat, or would Dad give them the good car for the night. People occasionally got hurt in their schools, usually out of stupidity. But all in all, life was simple.
Fast forward time: Some have been injured, seriously. Lost arms and legs, eyes. Horrific wounds cover some of their bodies. They will never be whole again. Yet they survive.
Some have internal wounds. Wounds we cannot see; wounds hiding under the surface. Sometimes our soldiers don't even know these wounds are harboring inside their heads. But they will come out; these wounds will rear their ugly head eventually. They always do!
These young men and women have seen things that will never go away. They watched as their friends and buddies died next to them. They witnessed people being blown to pieces by IEDs. They were shot at and missed - sometimes shot at and hit. We can try to understand what they have gone through, but make no mistake - we will never fully know know their plight.
Our warriors need our help
A number of years ago I was involved in a very serious car accident. I had very few external injuries, but the damage done to my back was permanent (as you would expect in a rear-end accident). About 18 months later I suddenly realized one day that my memory wasn't as sharp as it had once been. I misplaced my car keys (A LOT). I would enter a room and suddenly have no idea what I was there for. And one night I actually got lost on the way home from work. I mean really lost; like to the point where I was panicked, badly! I had a mild brain injury.
My injuries, both internal and external, are nothing compared to what has happened to some of our troops. I didn't lose a leg, or an arm, or an eye. I never saw anyone shot through the head by a sniper. I haven't watched as the vehicle in front of me exploded into the air after striking a roadside bomb. I understand, but I will never ever have a full knowledge of what they are going through.
I read this the other day:
There are 23 Military Suicides Daily
This, my friends, has to stop. We have to do something to stem the tide - before the problem takes care of itself, tragically, right in front of our eyes.
I began my first novel, Golden 5 (releasing next spring), because I had an idea to make people more aware of the problem of PTSD. Almost every day I see a news story about a young man who has given up hope and killed himself. Or I read on an online post from a young woman who is hanging on by her very last thread. Family members are being caught in the crossfire. Our young are dying because we don't have any idea of what to do.
They've served bravely, honorably
And now it's our turn. Perhaps you do hate war more than me. I just hope you love our warriors as much as I do. These are our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, the neighbor's kids, someone from your church. They've already survived the war - Let's make it so they can survive once they get home.
Next week I will tell you how I plan on helping.
Over the past three weeks now I've spoken about Literacy, Bullying, and Supporting our Troops. These are the causes which I proudly stand beside. I plan to help, not matter how large or small, to the best of my ability. I ask that you help support these deserving needs either by purchasing a particular book I will speak of next week or by direct contribution to the charity of your choice.
This is our world. These people in need are our family and friends. It makes no sense whatsoever to sit and watch, turning a blind eye when convenient. By making my plans public, at least I should be held accountable by my readers. And accountable I will be.
Until next week, keep reading - because that's what you're supposed to do during the summer!
lake
If that's your motto, I've got a new one from you to try.
Hate the war, but love the warrior
I really, really believe in the above statement. And I passionately support it when it comes to our troops. I'm talking about the troops that represent The United States of America. The US Marines, the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard. All of them; as well as troops from whatever country you read this post in. Full-timers, reservists, volunteers, professionals...all of them. Each and every one of these men and women have my undying admiration, non-wavering support, and complete respect.
When I was younger, we were in the middle of the Vietnam War. You think protests and negative feelings of war are bad now? You haven't seen anything. The late 1960s were terrible times to be a soldier. "Baby Killers" is the label that always sticks in my mind. Here was a group of young men only doing what their country asked them to do. They came back home after their service was over, expecting a hero's welcome. Instead, they were greeted by angry mobs of young adults who, amongst other things, spit on these people. Yes, they actually spit of young men in uniform, young men who couldn't comprehend the other's actions.
Love the warrior
Nowadays, the young men and women that serve in our armed forces have predominantly volunteered. No one drafted them, no one forced them to join, no one put a gun to their head. Of their own free will, they joined. Now, perhaps they didn't quite realize just how dangerous their service might be, but they still came freely.
Some will say, "They chose this, they're paid for this; so they should have known what they were getting into." HOGWASH! As little as eighteen months ago, many of them were at their senior prom. Their toughest choice was who to take, or where to eat, or would Dad give them the good car for the night. People occasionally got hurt in their schools, usually out of stupidity. But all in all, life was simple.
Fast forward time: Some have been injured, seriously. Lost arms and legs, eyes. Horrific wounds cover some of their bodies. They will never be whole again. Yet they survive.
Some have internal wounds. Wounds we cannot see; wounds hiding under the surface. Sometimes our soldiers don't even know these wounds are harboring inside their heads. But they will come out; these wounds will rear their ugly head eventually. They always do!
These young men and women have seen things that will never go away. They watched as their friends and buddies died next to them. They witnessed people being blown to pieces by IEDs. They were shot at and missed - sometimes shot at and hit. We can try to understand what they have gone through, but make no mistake - we will never fully know know their plight.
Our warriors need our help
A number of years ago I was involved in a very serious car accident. I had very few external injuries, but the damage done to my back was permanent (as you would expect in a rear-end accident). About 18 months later I suddenly realized one day that my memory wasn't as sharp as it had once been. I misplaced my car keys (A LOT). I would enter a room and suddenly have no idea what I was there for. And one night I actually got lost on the way home from work. I mean really lost; like to the point where I was panicked, badly! I had a mild brain injury.
My injuries, both internal and external, are nothing compared to what has happened to some of our troops. I didn't lose a leg, or an arm, or an eye. I never saw anyone shot through the head by a sniper. I haven't watched as the vehicle in front of me exploded into the air after striking a roadside bomb. I understand, but I will never ever have a full knowledge of what they are going through.
I read this the other day:
There are 23 Military Suicides Daily
This, my friends, has to stop. We have to do something to stem the tide - before the problem takes care of itself, tragically, right in front of our eyes.
I began my first novel, Golden 5 (releasing next spring), because I had an idea to make people more aware of the problem of PTSD. Almost every day I see a news story about a young man who has given up hope and killed himself. Or I read on an online post from a young woman who is hanging on by her very last thread. Family members are being caught in the crossfire. Our young are dying because we don't have any idea of what to do.
They've served bravely, honorably
And now it's our turn. Perhaps you do hate war more than me. I just hope you love our warriors as much as I do. These are our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, the neighbor's kids, someone from your church. They've already survived the war - Let's make it so they can survive once they get home.
Next week I will tell you how I plan on helping.
Over the past three weeks now I've spoken about Literacy, Bullying, and Supporting our Troops. These are the causes which I proudly stand beside. I plan to help, not matter how large or small, to the best of my ability. I ask that you help support these deserving needs either by purchasing a particular book I will speak of next week or by direct contribution to the charity of your choice.
This is our world. These people in need are our family and friends. It makes no sense whatsoever to sit and watch, turning a blind eye when convenient. By making my plans public, at least I should be held accountable by my readers. And accountable I will be.
Until next week, keep reading - because that's what you're supposed to do during the summer!
lake
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Time to Put an End to Bullying
That's a pretty aggressive statement, I know. But haven't we had just about enough of this to last a lifetime? Isn't it time for all of us to work collectively at getting rid of bullying?
First a little history lesson.
Bullying has been going on FOREVER!
If not a little longer.
Once upon a time, bullies would call others out for a duel (or visa-versa). If their shooting prowess was at least a little better than their opponents, the bully prevailed. If not, end of that bully. Seemed simple enough. Dangerous, and lethal, but much more direct than we see nowadays.
In this world we find emotional bullies, physical bullies, physiological bullies, and cyber bullies. That's quite a variety, but make no mistake - a bully is a bully is a bully.
To me (and many, many others) all bullying is wrong. If I search my mind, I can't come up with a single instance where bullying is an appropriate action.
Let me first address any bullies that may be reading:
Stop it, Stop it right NOW!
You think you're cute, you think you're clever, you think you are innocently hurting no-one? WRONG! You are not cute, or clever, or innocent - you are hurtful, spiteful, mean and ignorant.
Chances are, if you are a bully, you've been bullied somewhere in your past. Or you may be in a relationship right now where you are the victim of this awful scourge. Humans as a whole are not wired to be mean to others. It's more of a learned behavior. Want to stop the vicious cycle? Keep Reading.
You want to meet someone's who really cute and clever and a whole lot tougher than you? Then I recommend joining the United States Marines. They have these folks called SDI (Senior Drill Instructors) who will show you a whole new level of cute and clever thoughts, and toughness. I guarantee that once you get through basic training, you'll never bully again.
Are you being Bullied at this Time?
Here's the best pieces of advice I can give to you if you are being bullied by someone.
First, remove yourself from the situation. Some big kid wants to take your lunch money? Avoid him or her. Someone wants to insult you and say hateful things to you? Turn away and don't give them a chance. Stand up for yourself. Leave the situation and even remind them that you are not going to waste your time listening to someone who has nothing nice to say. And then LEAVE!
Maybe it's a "friend" who's attacking you. Take my advice; you need (and deserve) better friends. Drop that person like a bad habit and never go back to them. You (all of us actually) deserve to be happy. Take charge of your personal happiness. You don't need friends that are not as nice to you as you are to them.
Are you being bullied in CyberSpace? Cut it off! I mean it. You don't like what people are saying about you on FaceBook? Delete your FB page. Twitter getting you down? Cut that one into cyber-pieces as well. You don't have to go out on the web and be attacked. Even though it's wrong of others to disparage you on the web, you don't need to take part. Again, take charge of your life and your personal happiness.
Tell adults and all your friends about your bullies
This is my second piece of advice for you - tell others. I know, you think this is embarrassing and personal, but it doesn't need to be. Your parents, teachers, and friends can (and WILL) help you. These people love and care about you. Really, they do. But they have to know what's wrong before they can help.
If it takes changing schools, so be it. Trust me; it's not the end of the world. Perhaps you'll have to make new friends. Hey, there are better ones out there. But you'll never know about these people until you actively seek them out.
But here's the bottom line: It's never worth hurting yourself over. NEVER! There are other (much better) alternatives. There are people who care about you very much and are waiting to help you. You deserve these people. So never be too ashamed or hurt or humiliated to seek them out.
Many, may people are on your side. You just can't see them right now through all the hurt and pain. I'm on your side. That's why I am dedicating myself, my blog and my writing to help put an end to this tragic problem. NEVER give up on yourself. NEVER stop trying.
In two weeks, I'll be making a special announcement regarding this subject. And it will be me in a VideoBlog, not just me writing all these words that at times may not be enough. Watch for my July 30th post!
Until next week (when we talk about Our Troops), make this a special day in your life!
lake
First a little history lesson.
Bullying has been going on FOREVER!
If not a little longer.
Once upon a time, bullies would call others out for a duel (or visa-versa). If their shooting prowess was at least a little better than their opponents, the bully prevailed. If not, end of that bully. Seemed simple enough. Dangerous, and lethal, but much more direct than we see nowadays.
In this world we find emotional bullies, physical bullies, physiological bullies, and cyber bullies. That's quite a variety, but make no mistake - a bully is a bully is a bully.
To me (and many, many others) all bullying is wrong. If I search my mind, I can't come up with a single instance where bullying is an appropriate action.
Let me first address any bullies that may be reading:
Stop it, Stop it right NOW!
You think you're cute, you think you're clever, you think you are innocently hurting no-one? WRONG! You are not cute, or clever, or innocent - you are hurtful, spiteful, mean and ignorant.
Chances are, if you are a bully, you've been bullied somewhere in your past. Or you may be in a relationship right now where you are the victim of this awful scourge. Humans as a whole are not wired to be mean to others. It's more of a learned behavior. Want to stop the vicious cycle? Keep Reading.
You want to meet someone's who really cute and clever and a whole lot tougher than you? Then I recommend joining the United States Marines. They have these folks called SDI (Senior Drill Instructors) who will show you a whole new level of cute and clever thoughts, and toughness. I guarantee that once you get through basic training, you'll never bully again.
Are you being Bullied at this Time?
Here's the best pieces of advice I can give to you if you are being bullied by someone.
First, remove yourself from the situation. Some big kid wants to take your lunch money? Avoid him or her. Someone wants to insult you and say hateful things to you? Turn away and don't give them a chance. Stand up for yourself. Leave the situation and even remind them that you are not going to waste your time listening to someone who has nothing nice to say. And then LEAVE!
Maybe it's a "friend" who's attacking you. Take my advice; you need (and deserve) better friends. Drop that person like a bad habit and never go back to them. You (all of us actually) deserve to be happy. Take charge of your personal happiness. You don't need friends that are not as nice to you as you are to them.
Are you being bullied in CyberSpace? Cut it off! I mean it. You don't like what people are saying about you on FaceBook? Delete your FB page. Twitter getting you down? Cut that one into cyber-pieces as well. You don't have to go out on the web and be attacked. Even though it's wrong of others to disparage you on the web, you don't need to take part. Again, take charge of your life and your personal happiness.
Tell adults and all your friends about your bullies
This is my second piece of advice for you - tell others. I know, you think this is embarrassing and personal, but it doesn't need to be. Your parents, teachers, and friends can (and WILL) help you. These people love and care about you. Really, they do. But they have to know what's wrong before they can help.
If it takes changing schools, so be it. Trust me; it's not the end of the world. Perhaps you'll have to make new friends. Hey, there are better ones out there. But you'll never know about these people until you actively seek them out.
But here's the bottom line: It's never worth hurting yourself over. NEVER! There are other (much better) alternatives. There are people who care about you very much and are waiting to help you. You deserve these people. So never be too ashamed or hurt or humiliated to seek them out.
Many, may people are on your side. You just can't see them right now through all the hurt and pain. I'm on your side. That's why I am dedicating myself, my blog and my writing to help put an end to this tragic problem. NEVER give up on yourself. NEVER stop trying.
In two weeks, I'll be making a special announcement regarding this subject. And it will be me in a VideoBlog, not just me writing all these words that at times may not be enough. Watch for my July 30th post!
Until next week (when we talk about Our Troops), make this a special day in your life!
lake
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
What did the Lion need?
I got the eye of the tiger, a
fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re
gonna hear me roar
I don’t care who you are, what your station may be in life,
or whatever situation you may be facing. The words above are absolutely
inspiring. Do you recognize them? I’ll give you a hint; they’re from a popular
song. And a pretty decent music video as well.
Still don’t know? Well this may surprise you, but these
words come to us by way of Katy Perry. They’re from her hit Roar. If you haven’t ever listened to
the song or watched the video, here’s a link to it. I don’t think Katy will
mind me sharing it with you.
So, what’s my point here? Aside from introducing you
to an extremely popular song and person of course. You have to admit, it’s a pretty encouraging
song. And quite a catchy chorus. Almost enough to give a person hope, inspiration – courage. And
that’s what we are talking about today – courage!
I used to bite my tongue and hold my
breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
Whether it’s finding a new job, leaving an abusive spouse,
standing up to a bully, or even something as simple as writing a novel – we all
need courage. In the past year I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat alone,
late at night, wondering exactly what I was doing. Using up valuable sleeping
time, both morning and night, creating something that maybe a dozen people
would ever read.
I was a coward, so many times. You see it’s easier to give
up than it is to put yourself out there and face possible (read that likely) rejection. So I delayed. And
did I ever have the reasons for the delays. I wanted it perfect (yeah, right), I
needed to check the POV for the 700th time (a great stall technique
that muggles don’t really understand), I needed to give Brit a sharper edge, Bill a
more realistic back-story. The list goes on.
I poured eight and a half months into this 70,000+ word
novel. That was enough time. Tolsty probably published War and Peace in that same time frame. Why couldn’t I hit the
publish button? One simple word. I lacked courage.
You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
We are told every day that we can’t do something. If you leave here, you’ll never find another
job. You are such a loser, who else will ever hire you? Whether it’s your
boss, or a co-worker, you may have heard something like this before. You can’t stand up to me, I’m bigger and
stronger. Bullies stand over our cowering children, and as adults we do so
little. You can’t leave me, no one will
ever want a person like you. We
allow others to define who we are. You can’t
write (or publish) a novel. You don’t know the first thing about it. In my
case, this was true – very true. But the voice badgering me came from inside my
own head. Self-doubt, self-loathing, self-shame. We need to give ourselves a
break, the benefit of the doubt. We can
do anything we put our minds to.
I got the eye of the tiger, a
fighter, dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Who says you can’t start anew? Who says you’re a loser and
that’s all you’ll ever be? Who says you’re a rotten person, incapable of love?
Who says you’re not good enough to do anything? Those cretins that surround you
every day with their negativity? No, don’t listen to them. Maybe it’s a
co-worker or your spouse. Break the mold. Aspire to be a better person … and
then do it. Become that person; the one you dream about becoming every single
day. Go For It! You deserve it.
But let’s be honest. Many times we are our own worst enemy.
It’s what’s rolling around in our own heads that stop us and hold us back. You
can change that. It’s hard, but you can win. And you deserve it.
Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and exhale. Now, repeat after me:
I can and will become the person I want to be. I
will be fearless and tenacious in obtaining my goals. Nothing will stand in my
way. Nothing will stop me.
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me
roar.
As always, I wish you the best of everything. Go out and live your dreams.
(And thank you Katy Perry for the inspiring words shown in bold above).
(And thank you Katy Perry for the inspiring words shown in bold above).
lake
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
An Author's Life: Two Months In
On March 28, 2014 I published my debut novel, WWIV - In The Beginning. Within six weeks my second novel will be available, WWIV - Kids at War. So, how have I done so far? My highs? My lows? Is this everything I expected? Today, I plan to let you know the answers to these and other questions.
Question 1 - What were my goals and how have I succeeded this far in meeting those goals?
Initially I felt if I could sell one book a day for the first 30 days I'd been in good shape. For the second month I hoped for two or three books a days. Thus, my 60 day goal was somewhere in the range of 150 to 200 books, but I would have been please with 100 in total.
How have I done? I can't think of a way to say this without it sounding self-congratulatory, but I'll try. As of May 31 my total sales and borrows were just south of 1,600 books. And that's on Amazon (Kindle version) alone. Somewhere near the end of June, book one of the series (In the Beginning) will be available on Barnes and Noble, as well as other outlets, and in paperback. But to get back to my answer, I've been blessed and have sold far more copies of this initial novel than I could have ever dreamt.
Question 2 - What have been your highs and lows thus far?
Immediately after hitting the publish button I read a story on another blog, by a reputable source, that selling books wasn't easy. To be more precise, most indie authors sold less than 250 books a year. And, in a lot of cases, some books never sell a single copy.
My heart froze; what had I gotten myself into? Why did I ever think I could become a published author? How would I ever find readers for my novel? I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself I didn't get into this author gig to make money, or sell books, or become a famous writer. I did it because I wanted to; I wanted to tell my stories. Regardless of how well they may, or may not, be received. This was the low point in my journey thus far. The first, and only, instance of self doubt.
Then came the good stuff.
I sold exactly zero books the first day on Amazon. That was to be expected. Day two brought my first sale. Euphoric is the only way I can describe how I felt that day. Sunday, day three, brought me two additional sales. I was on top of the world. But Monday brought me back to earth – zero sales again. Oh well, at least I sold three copies. I was happy.
That seems like years ago now. Since then I did a small blog tour and experienced several days over 40 sales and even a day at 56. Not bad for a rookie. I knew the dreaded sales cliff may be fast approaching, so I held my breath. I've slumped some, but not much. I've only had one day of less than 20 sales in the past five weeks, and that was 19. I recent did a two-day Kindle Countdown Deal and sold more than 200 copies in 50 hours.
Question 3 - What is your current status on Amazon?
During the first few weeks I stayed in the 50,000 to 70,000 range of ranked books. I had a dream one night that I was in the top 20,000. I woke up excited and check my spot: still somewhere around 48,000. Oh well, it was a nice dream.
Then came the sales spike with the Book Blog Tour. I cracked the top 10,000 and got as high as 3,990. We need to remember something here: there are about 2.5 million Kindle Books. #4,000 puts you in the top 0.15% of the rankings. But you still haven't made it as a full-time author. Unless you can live on less than $30K a year.
With my recent KCD I rose into the mid 1,400 range. Since then I've settled in somewhere between 2,500 and 3,500 – a nice spot in my mind.
Question 4 - How have you achieved this success? Any secrets?
I'm still not 100% sure why this book has caught a nice wave, and other novels by much better indie authors than myself haven't. But I can speculate.
First, I am fairly certain it has something to do with the awesome readers and fans in my chosen genre – Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic. These are great people and I appreciate their support so very very much. So, choose your genre carefully when putting your novel on Amazon.
Next, and I am very sure of these points, comes what everyone tells you to do to make a good book.
Question 1 - What were my goals and how have I succeeded this far in meeting those goals?
Initially I felt if I could sell one book a day for the first 30 days I'd been in good shape. For the second month I hoped for two or three books a days. Thus, my 60 day goal was somewhere in the range of 150 to 200 books, but I would have been please with 100 in total.
How have I done? I can't think of a way to say this without it sounding self-congratulatory, but I'll try. As of May 31 my total sales and borrows were just south of 1,600 books. And that's on Amazon (Kindle version) alone. Somewhere near the end of June, book one of the series (In the Beginning) will be available on Barnes and Noble, as well as other outlets, and in paperback. But to get back to my answer, I've been blessed and have sold far more copies of this initial novel than I could have ever dreamt.
Question 2 - What have been your highs and lows thus far?
Immediately after hitting the publish button I read a story on another blog, by a reputable source, that selling books wasn't easy. To be more precise, most indie authors sold less than 250 books a year. And, in a lot of cases, some books never sell a single copy.
My heart froze; what had I gotten myself into? Why did I ever think I could become a published author? How would I ever find readers for my novel? I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself I didn't get into this author gig to make money, or sell books, or become a famous writer. I did it because I wanted to; I wanted to tell my stories. Regardless of how well they may, or may not, be received. This was the low point in my journey thus far. The first, and only, instance of self doubt.
Then came the good stuff.
I sold exactly zero books the first day on Amazon. That was to be expected. Day two brought my first sale. Euphoric is the only way I can describe how I felt that day. Sunday, day three, brought me two additional sales. I was on top of the world. But Monday brought me back to earth – zero sales again. Oh well, at least I sold three copies. I was happy.
That seems like years ago now. Since then I did a small blog tour and experienced several days over 40 sales and even a day at 56. Not bad for a rookie. I knew the dreaded sales cliff may be fast approaching, so I held my breath. I've slumped some, but not much. I've only had one day of less than 20 sales in the past five weeks, and that was 19. I recent did a two-day Kindle Countdown Deal and sold more than 200 copies in 50 hours.
Question 3 - What is your current status on Amazon?
During the first few weeks I stayed in the 50,000 to 70,000 range of ranked books. I had a dream one night that I was in the top 20,000. I woke up excited and check my spot: still somewhere around 48,000. Oh well, it was a nice dream.
Then came the sales spike with the Book Blog Tour. I cracked the top 10,000 and got as high as 3,990. We need to remember something here: there are about 2.5 million Kindle Books. #4,000 puts you in the top 0.15% of the rankings. But you still haven't made it as a full-time author. Unless you can live on less than $30K a year.
With my recent KCD I rose into the mid 1,400 range. Since then I've settled in somewhere between 2,500 and 3,500 – a nice spot in my mind.
Question 4 - How have you achieved this success? Any secrets?
I'm still not 100% sure why this book has caught a nice wave, and other novels by much better indie authors than myself haven't. But I can speculate.
First, I am fairly certain it has something to do with the awesome readers and fans in my chosen genre – Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic. These are great people and I appreciate their support so very very much. So, choose your genre carefully when putting your novel on Amazon.
Next, and I am very sure of these points, comes what everyone tells you to do to make a good book.
- Write a good original story
- Have it professionally edited
- Have your cover professionally designed
- Create a great title that fits the book
That's my secret; I followed the advice of many well published authors before me. I paid some money upfront and it has paid dividends that I could have never imagined.
Okay, here's a couple other things I have done to help the process move forward. I have a blog, I have a website, a FaceBook page. I Tweet regularly and post to G+ as often as I can. I am a member of Goodreads and try to beta read at least one indie author a month. Other than that, I work a regular job and pay attention to my wonderful family. I wish I had a top secret plan I could give you for my success (albeit limited thus far), but there isn't one.
Plans for the future? Keep reading, keep writing, publish three novels a year and never, ever sit back pridefully being full of myself. Never! Like most things in life, I'm most likely only as good as my next book. So I continue to work hard at making the next book better than the last.
I've been honest with my numbers and feeling above. Perhaps too honest for some. Please remember, I'm only giving you a glimpse into what I've accomplished to let everyone out there, who may be struggling, know that whatever you dream is, it's achievable. You have to believe you can do it. Whatever IT is. If I had sold just one book so far, I'd be content. Because that meant that at least one person was willing to give up their hard earned money to read something I created. If that doesn't make a writer happy, I'm not sure what will.
Until next time – read, read, read. June is a great time to start a lengthy classic novel like War and Peace. Consider a classic for your summertime list.
lake
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Slapping Together Another Novel
First off, if my title today seems somewhat informal – I apologize. By no means am I attempted to downplay all of the hard work that many, many independent authors put into their novels. But if they were honest with you, I'll try to be honest at least, at times it seems like there's a lot more going on than just writing the next Great American Novel.
I have discovered that writing a novel (or a manuscript as it is called before it is actually published) is the best part of the job. I wouldn't go as far to say as it's the easiest step, but if you know where your book is headed, it writes itself. If you want to know what a tough step looks like, consider rewrites.
After you complete your 400 page pile of festering feces, you're going to need to go through and fix all the spelling errors, all of the grammar errors, make sure everything is in its proper tense, fill plot holes, correct names, locations and time lines. Are you bored yet? No? Great.
Because then you need to have someone besides yourself actually read your slightly improved third or fourth version. Trust me, I speak from five rough draft experiences, you won't rewrite just once before you hand this drivel out. I've made as many as four versions before I gave it to my first outside reader. Now this reader, my family in my case, will find a whole bunch of errors and glaring mistakes. I don't mean one or two, or even ten. Dozens, if not hundreds of errors that need fixing. And wait, it gets worse. Your beloved may even tell you they can't get into one of your characters, or a certain plot twist. Dang, and you were almost ready to hit the publish button on one of those DIY sites.
Okay, you get everything fixed; ready to publish? Not if you want to be taken seriously. You need to run it by an editor first. There are five or six choices of editors; enough for a separate post itself. Let's just say they will bring new light to your works. At some point you will begin to question your sanity. Why would a person ever want to get into this game? Because it's fun, right? Remember how you always dreamt of becoming an author? Yeah, this is what you bargained for.
From the editor your manuscript goes through one more round of beat-readers and you make final corrections. Now you just need to format this baby and you'll be all ready. But wait a second there Tex. You got a cover for your darling? A professional cover that is? Two things will make you look like an amateur faster than white socks at a black tie affair. Not using a professional editor and not having a professionally designed cover. Skimp everywhere else you want. Just be sure to pay for these two items. For Book One of my WWIV series, I believe I paid less than $500 combined. And just so you know, the novel is doing just fine on Amazon.
I mention all of this because I am about to make the big push to get Book Two (Kids at War) ready for the reading world. I have a fourth version of my rough draft that has been read aloud between my wife and myself. Virginia is 20+ hours from the Twin Cities. We just couldn't sleep the whole time while the other drove.
There are several timeline issues I need to deal with before I can do my last series of rewrites. Between the timeline analysis and the following rewrites, I have about two weeks of work I figure. Then it gets read again by my wife. If it's in the spot I am shooting for, the manuscript (and some of my hard earned money) will be shipped off to the editor. Now he'll use up approximately four more weeks helping me get it just right. His input is invaluable to giving the final product a polished image.
After editing, we move onto a round of beta-readers who will undoubtedly find a few more errors and perhaps have a question or two on plot. While it's being beta'd, I will work with my pal Laura and get the cover finished up. If I'm lucky, two months from today (approximately July 1) I will have everything in hand ready for formatting. If I stay at it faithfully, I can get everything formatted in about a day. That's all of the ebook files, and the paperback version.
At some point soon after the 4th of July, I will hit the "publish" button and Book Two will be ready for public consumption. With any luck, it will quickly climb the charts and post acceptable sales figures, comparable with those of Book One.
But I won't have time to enjoy much of any newfound success. By August I'll be on vacation doing research for Book Three and wrapping up rewrites on Book Four. (Yes, Book Four is already down on paper. The books are sequential according to time only. You can read Book Four before Three. They'll be published that way at least). The process never actually ends folks. You just keep getting back on the spinning wheel each time you want to start again. And that my friends, is part of what it takes to get your ideas from your head and into your reader's hands. And I LOVE IT!
'Til next time, help someone in need – they're out there.
lake
I have discovered that writing a novel (or a manuscript as it is called before it is actually published) is the best part of the job. I wouldn't go as far to say as it's the easiest step, but if you know where your book is headed, it writes itself. If you want to know what a tough step looks like, consider rewrites.
After you complete your 400 page pile of festering feces, you're going to need to go through and fix all the spelling errors, all of the grammar errors, make sure everything is in its proper tense, fill plot holes, correct names, locations and time lines. Are you bored yet? No? Great.
Because then you need to have someone besides yourself actually read your slightly improved third or fourth version. Trust me, I speak from five rough draft experiences, you won't rewrite just once before you hand this drivel out. I've made as many as four versions before I gave it to my first outside reader. Now this reader, my family in my case, will find a whole bunch of errors and glaring mistakes. I don't mean one or two, or even ten. Dozens, if not hundreds of errors that need fixing. And wait, it gets worse. Your beloved may even tell you they can't get into one of your characters, or a certain plot twist. Dang, and you were almost ready to hit the publish button on one of those DIY sites.
Okay, you get everything fixed; ready to publish? Not if you want to be taken seriously. You need to run it by an editor first. There are five or six choices of editors; enough for a separate post itself. Let's just say they will bring new light to your works. At some point you will begin to question your sanity. Why would a person ever want to get into this game? Because it's fun, right? Remember how you always dreamt of becoming an author? Yeah, this is what you bargained for.
From the editor your manuscript goes through one more round of beat-readers and you make final corrections. Now you just need to format this baby and you'll be all ready. But wait a second there Tex. You got a cover for your darling? A professional cover that is? Two things will make you look like an amateur faster than white socks at a black tie affair. Not using a professional editor and not having a professionally designed cover. Skimp everywhere else you want. Just be sure to pay for these two items. For Book One of my WWIV series, I believe I paid less than $500 combined. And just so you know, the novel is doing just fine on Amazon.
I mention all of this because I am about to make the big push to get Book Two (Kids at War) ready for the reading world. I have a fourth version of my rough draft that has been read aloud between my wife and myself. Virginia is 20+ hours from the Twin Cities. We just couldn't sleep the whole time while the other drove.
There are several timeline issues I need to deal with before I can do my last series of rewrites. Between the timeline analysis and the following rewrites, I have about two weeks of work I figure. Then it gets read again by my wife. If it's in the spot I am shooting for, the manuscript (and some of my hard earned money) will be shipped off to the editor. Now he'll use up approximately four more weeks helping me get it just right. His input is invaluable to giving the final product a polished image.
After editing, we move onto a round of beta-readers who will undoubtedly find a few more errors and perhaps have a question or two on plot. While it's being beta'd, I will work with my pal Laura and get the cover finished up. If I'm lucky, two months from today (approximately July 1) I will have everything in hand ready for formatting. If I stay at it faithfully, I can get everything formatted in about a day. That's all of the ebook files, and the paperback version.
At some point soon after the 4th of July, I will hit the "publish" button and Book Two will be ready for public consumption. With any luck, it will quickly climb the charts and post acceptable sales figures, comparable with those of Book One.
But I won't have time to enjoy much of any newfound success. By August I'll be on vacation doing research for Book Three and wrapping up rewrites on Book Four. (Yes, Book Four is already down on paper. The books are sequential according to time only. You can read Book Four before Three. They'll be published that way at least). The process never actually ends folks. You just keep getting back on the spinning wheel each time you want to start again. And that my friends, is part of what it takes to get your ideas from your head and into your reader's hands. And I LOVE IT!
'Til next time, help someone in need – they're out there.
lake
Monday, February 17, 2014
Lovers in Dystopia Lands
Recently, I have read a number of dystopian novels. If you check out my reading list at http://ealake.com/musings/reading-list-2014/ you will notice I spend many nights in this genre. What can I say - I read what I am.
One thing about some of these books has been bothering me lately, greatly bothering me. While I love the general tales these books tell, I don't buy into their versions of couples and love. Please allow me to expound on that thought, so I'm not thought of as a heartless curmudgeon.
Going back to Orwell's 1984, we see Winston Smith hooking up with his own antagonist, Julia, in mid-book. She hands him a note one day, no words have ever been exchanged between the two before now, that simply states "I love you." Okay, not overly romantic, I'm still with it. Winston and Julia go on to have a sexual relationship without a lot of emotional entrapments. I'm still with it. When Winston and Julia are busted by the Thought Police, he turns on her easily. Okay, now I love it.
The idea of romantic love in an oppressive (and depressed) world is fanciful in my mind. People will be looking to survive, exist. If they do pair up, it will be for protections sake and possible reproduction. Thus, Orwell's emotionless romance of the lovers was perfect for Oceania.
In three novels I have read recently (excellent examples of the Dystopian genre), love has come quickly, far too quickly for my tastes. Further, it's true pure romantic love. The kind that makes a third grade boy screw up his face and give you a big fat "EW!!!!"
And as extra insight to my thoughts, I wasn't a fan of the Katniss-Gale-Peeta love triangle much either. Loved the books though.
Wait - before someone takes me wrong, let me defend myself. I'm a normal human being with the same wants and needs of most normal people. Without being to personal, I have three grown children of my own. I like hugging and kissing as much as the next guy. Just not so much in my literature.
I will admit to introducing the idea of love in one of my series that will begin later this year. The Smith Chronicle, http://ealake.com/books/the-smith-chronicles/, has a somewhat one-sided love affair as part of its storyline. However, the love in that series comes late in the first book, like two-thirds of the way into it. And, it is very one-sided. To be more precise, without giving away too much, it remains one-sided well into the second book. And even then the male protagonist is still somewhat 'love neutral'.
If we're worried about our next meal, or living another day, or sleeping out in the cold tonight - we really won't have much time for romantic love I'm afraid. At least in the dystopia I create, that will be the case. In these novels, we create a story environment that feels gray at best, sometimes dark as night. People will tell you, "he's just not a romantic". Well, some of that may be true, some not so true. I'm not a cynic towards love, I think of myself as more of a realist.
There's room for romance everywhere in our world. Heck, the Romance genre is one of the largest out there. So who am I to second guess people. I just prefer to keep it to a minimum and as dark as the concept of WWIV.
Until we meet again, always keep filling your mind with greats books,
lake
One thing about some of these books has been bothering me lately, greatly bothering me. While I love the general tales these books tell, I don't buy into their versions of couples and love. Please allow me to expound on that thought, so I'm not thought of as a heartless curmudgeon.
Going back to Orwell's 1984, we see Winston Smith hooking up with his own antagonist, Julia, in mid-book. She hands him a note one day, no words have ever been exchanged between the two before now, that simply states "I love you." Okay, not overly romantic, I'm still with it. Winston and Julia go on to have a sexual relationship without a lot of emotional entrapments. I'm still with it. When Winston and Julia are busted by the Thought Police, he turns on her easily. Okay, now I love it.
The idea of romantic love in an oppressive (and depressed) world is fanciful in my mind. People will be looking to survive, exist. If they do pair up, it will be for protections sake and possible reproduction. Thus, Orwell's emotionless romance of the lovers was perfect for Oceania.
In three novels I have read recently (excellent examples of the Dystopian genre), love has come quickly, far too quickly for my tastes. Further, it's true pure romantic love. The kind that makes a third grade boy screw up his face and give you a big fat "EW!!!!"
And as extra insight to my thoughts, I wasn't a fan of the Katniss-Gale-Peeta love triangle much either. Loved the books though.
Wait - before someone takes me wrong, let me defend myself. I'm a normal human being with the same wants and needs of most normal people. Without being to personal, I have three grown children of my own. I like hugging and kissing as much as the next guy. Just not so much in my literature.
I will admit to introducing the idea of love in one of my series that will begin later this year. The Smith Chronicle, http://ealake.com/books/the-smith-chronicles/, has a somewhat one-sided love affair as part of its storyline. However, the love in that series comes late in the first book, like two-thirds of the way into it. And, it is very one-sided. To be more precise, without giving away too much, it remains one-sided well into the second book. And even then the male protagonist is still somewhat 'love neutral'.
If we're worried about our next meal, or living another day, or sleeping out in the cold tonight - we really won't have much time for romantic love I'm afraid. At least in the dystopia I create, that will be the case. In these novels, we create a story environment that feels gray at best, sometimes dark as night. People will tell you, "he's just not a romantic". Well, some of that may be true, some not so true. I'm not a cynic towards love, I think of myself as more of a realist.
There's room for romance everywhere in our world. Heck, the Romance genre is one of the largest out there. So who am I to second guess people. I just prefer to keep it to a minimum and as dark as the concept of WWIV.
Until we meet again, always keep filling your mind with greats books,
lake
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