What Kind of Swag?

Readers, what type of swag do you like? What kind would you like to have if you had the chance to ask and receive?

Authors, what type of swag do you prefer to give away? If you've gone to a convention or book signing, what kind did you prefer?

How Frequent is Too Frequent?

With the advent of e-publishing, readers no longer have to wait months on end for the next new release from an author. This is also a major plus for authors, who no longer have to wait a year or more for their next book to go public. While, in the meantime, they keep writing and are accumulating a stockpile of finished works like a squirrel gathers nuts in the fall. Unless they have more than one publisher, and can have several new books premiere within several months.

E-publishing has helped authors tremendously. But at what point does frequent become too frequent?

I've seen authors comment that a self-publisher (of which I'm one) should space their new books out. How far apart, I ask. A month? Every other month? Every third month?

Say an author has been proliferate, and has managed to write three books within a span of a summer. Should she sit on those books (while she continues writing) because she already have 2-3 other novels releasing between now and the end of the year? Or should she go ahead and put them up for sale after they've been edited and formatted?

Authors and readers, I'd like your opinions.

There's Nothing Like Being Embarrassed By Your Own Book

Is it me?

Here I am, listening to each chapter of my audio book as it's being read, completed, and uploaded for my inspection. And we've gotten to the "juicy" parts. The lovemaking. The sealing of two bodies into one.

And I'm dying of embarrassment.

Why?

Is it because I'm now hearing the words I wrote being spoken aloud? And with emphasis?

Is it because I'm hearing them from a whole new perspective?  Because a stranger is acting out my story into an audio format?

Or is it because the person reading my book aloud is a man? (Would having a woman read it make any difference?)

There's nothing like being embarrassed by your own book.

Are Kill Fees Necessary?

I've read several blogs that warn authors that if a publisher's contract mentions kill fees, to walk away from the contract.

My publishers have kill fees, but I didn't walk away.  I might get reamed out for this comment, but I believe they're necessary.

Let's say a publisher has a book edited and a cover designed.  Then at the last second, the author pulls out and no longer wants their book published (for whatever reason.)  That publisher is out edits and a cover they still have to pay for.  And let's say the author takes their freshly edited book and self-pubs it.  Of course, they can't use the pretty cover already made for them, but what's to stop them from using the edits?

I have no problems with a publisher establishing kill fees to protect them against authors who do this.  But what bothers me is when I hear about unrealistic and sky-high charges being billed to them by the publisher. 

To me, if an author is going to be charged a kill fee, then it needs to be equal to what the publisher is out.  That way the author still has to pay to get out of his/her contract, but the editor is paid, the cover artist is paid, and the publisher is not out any expenses.

Is Your Contract Valid?

Several authors on a loop I'm on have been discussing this issue, and frankly I'm just as confused.

Because of an electronics act by Congress, typing in your "signature" on an emailed contract is considered valid.

But if your publisher does not sign it, and does not snail mail you back a signed paper copy, is the contract valid?

Good Question: How Will Book Signings Fare?

I don’t see brighter days ahead for dead tree publishing at the moment.


I heart Teddy Pig.

Traditional publishing is changing, even though New York is fighting tooth and nail.  We saw this same battle occur when LPs, cassettes, and CDs had to make way for individual song purchases off iTunes.  Remember the olden days when you were forced to buy an LP for one song, only to discover the rest of the album was garbage?  Which meant you essentially paid all that $$ for one song.

But if print books are slowly fading in the west (I honestly don't think they'll fully disappear.), and brick and mortar bookstores are having difficulty remaining solvent, what will happen to book signings?

Since you can't sign an ebook, would people be happy with a signed postcard or bookmark? Doesn't seem the same, IMO.

Is There an Untried Shape Left to Shift?

Dragon shifter books seem to be coming back, although wolf shifters still seem to be popular.

Which makes me wonder if there's a beast left that someone hasn't written about as a shifter?

I've seen all sorts of feline shifters, including ocelots, tigers, and leopards.  And I've read of odd shapes like snakes and ducks.

But I can't help but scratch my head and try to figure out the next creature of choice.

Hmm...hamster shifters, anyone?

My Summer Vacation Plans

Every other year or so I go on a private vacation - by myself.  Yep, just me, myself, and I.  I've been to Maine twice, to Vermont, and most recently to Massachusetts.  Other than the ability to go to sleep when I'm ready, get up when I'm ready, eat when I'm hungry, and shop when and where I want to, these few days on my own recharge my batteries.  And many times I'm able to use what I encounter and incorporate that information in my books (and that makes the vacations a tax write-off!)

I'd love to go to New Mexico this year.  Rather than take a plane and rent a car, I'd planned on driving my own vehicle, take in Carlsbad and Santa Fe, and generally take up a week for the whole trip.

Unfortunately, with the way gas prices are rising, I'm wondering if I should drop my plans.  Looking further, if I don't go this summer, will it cost more to go a later year?

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose

On Twitter, a friend I follow was bemoaning the fact that a book just came out on Fictionwise with the same title as the WIP she was working on.  That same day, Irene Watson did an editorial about Naming Your Book: Is it Okay to Have the Same Title as Others?  http://www.readerviews.com/Newsletters/2010.10/18.html

I've also had that happen to me. In fact, I just saw the same title pop up on ARe that's the same as my upcoming book due for release in March.


As authors, we all know the problems than can occur if someone knows your title but can't remember your name, and goes looking to buy a copy but finds more than one book with that title.  Of course, I've had a couple of authors tell me that more and more readers are "author savvy", and one told me that a recommendation by another usually included an idea of what the book is about.  That way she has a title and some content to help her.


One of my newly contracted books has a "similar" sounding title as some other books, but it has a different slant to it.  Still my publisher is wanting to change the title, and I'm going out on a limb and assuming it's because of that "similarity".

But do similiar or identical titles matter?  Especially if the covers, authors, and content are all different?  I can understand how nearly identical covers can throw some people off (we've all seen that happen.)

Yes, I do a little research to see if there are any other books with the same title if I feel there might be a conflict.  But I don't really see anything majorly wrong with it. 

Aren't most books bought because of the author name or content, anyway?

Why is it...

...books that I think are going to do well don't, and books that I think are decent (but not spectacular) sell a ka-jillion copies?

I Heart Blog Talk Radio. Which Gives Me an Idea...

I'm thinking about having a half-hour, once-a-week show where all I'll do is read from one of my books.  People can listen in, or call in to discuss the book, the plot, the characters, my motivation for writing the book, etc.  I'll also read excerpts from the book releasing that week.

What do y'all think?  Sink or swim?

Deadlines

Do you find you write better if there's a deadline hanging over your head? Or would you rather work without one?