How Important Is Name Recognition?

How important is name recognition? This question is pretty easy to answer. I can do so by illustration. The current #1 bestseller on the fiction list is THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by former president Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson. Needless to say, they are both famous. A literary agent put them together to produce this blockbuster thriller. The July issue of AARP features an “exclusive” interview plus excerpt. Like most people, I was very interested in reading the article. It was the first thing I turned to in the magazine.

Realistically, we can’t all be that famous. Most of us who write aren’t well-known at all. So we have to look for other ways to get readers acquainted with us because hopefully once they do, they’ll become fans of our writing. So let’s discuss some basic ways in which we can build our brand:

1.   Create a website that represents the image you want people to see. If you’re an expert in a particular field, make that clear through both photos and words.

2.   Create a blog in which you discuss matters relevant to your area of expertise. Interview others in your field. Try to blog at least several times a month to build a following. Once a week would be even better.

3.   Do interviews on other blogs.

4.   Use social media to create connections. We’re talking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. to get your message across. You can also join writer groups both in person and via the internet.

5.   Write articles for many types of media both in print and online to establish expertise in your particular field. TV is the best, but radio isn’t bad either. Personal appearances are always great. Meet and greet!

6.   Do library talks where you can show your books.

7.   If you’re lucky enough to have a local bookstore, see if you can present there and if they will display and sell your books in return.

It has been observed that personal branding is one of the keys to success in today’s world. As such it takes time and effort. However, by branding yourself you are demonstrating who you are and the expertise you have to offer.

There’s been a lot of discussion among writers as to whether it benefits authors to be branded--by that I mean that writers want to market themselves by promoting their name, associating their name with a particular type, genre or style of writing. The premise? This is the best way to build a readership. For example, when we see the name Nora Roberts we immediately think of romantic suspense. The name Stephen King is immediately associated with horror. But these writers have also chosen to write under other pseudonyms as well. Jayne Ann Krentz, for example, writes her contemporary romances under that name, her sci-fi’s under Jayne Castle and her historical romances under Amanda Quick. The advantage is that her fans know exactly what to expect.

Many writers choose to use pen names. They write in a variety of genres and assume a different nom de plume for each. The theory is that it will confuse readers if writers use the same name for different types of work. There is also a tendency for publishers to try to place writers in neat categories or pigeon holes. It’s more convenient to connect a name to a particular format.

But what if you resist branding? Are you destroying your chance to be taken seriously as a writer or build a readership? I don’t have the answer to that question. I can only admit that I don’t limit myself to one particular format or genre. My latest adult romantic mystery from Encircle, DEATH PROMISE, is a sequel to DEATH LEGACY which was critically well-received.

My most recent young adult novel, WITCH WISH, is now published both in print and all e-book formats by Black Opal Books. It follows STACY’S SONG and THE DEVIL AND DANNA WEBSTER.

Several months back, Annorlunda published my literary novella

THE BURNING under “J. P. Seewald”.

 I suppose if you were to ask me to elaborate on my “brand” I’d have to answer I really don’t have one. To paraphrase Shakespeare’s description of Cleopatra, I am a writer of infinite variety. Is it possible to build a readership without a definitive brand?

Your thoughts, opinions and comments are most welcome.

People Who Are Rich by Saralyn Richard

My guest blogger today is mystery and children’s book author, Saralyn Richard, a writer who teaches on the side. Some of her poems and essays have won awards and contests from the time she was in high school. Her children’s picture book, Naughty Nana, has reached thousands of children worldwide.

“There are people who have money and people who are rich.”

–Coco Chanel

Like most people, I’ve always had a certain fascination with the rich and famous. Not all of the rich and famous. Just the ultra-rich and ultra-famous. When I was younger and more naive, I lumped all people with money into a single group, like people of a certain race, religion, or philosophical bent.

            Later I realized all people with money didn’t necessarily consider themselves rich, and they really didn’t consider themselves happy. How much money did it take to be rich, to be happy? And what about the source of the money? Was it better to inherit it, marry into it, earn it, or acquire it by nefarious means, as long as one wasn’t caught?

            Some years ago I attended a birthday party that was a weekend retreat at a country mansion in horse country. As I partook of the elaborate meals, the rich music, the refined atmosphere, I imagined what might happen if one of the party guests turned up dead. How would everyone behave, and which ones might be suspects?

            How far would privilege and power go to protect a person from being investigated for murder? How would greed play with grief during a murder investigation?

            I decided there was an intriguing story there, and that became the basis for Murder in the One Percent. The mystery pulls back the curtain on how the wealthy live, love, and treat one another.

            Clothes, furs, jewelry, furnishings, artwork, horses, cars, private airplanes, and other material possessions serve as important details of the setting, as well as constant reminders of just how far outside the norm these characters are.

 It would take a perceptive detective to brush the dazzle from his eyes enough to investigate and solve a murder in this milieu. Especially when the suspects appear to close ranks on him, and even more especially when the former President of the United States applies pressure.

            What happens when a billionaire dies? Is his funeral any grander? Are his mourners any louder? Is his absence felt any more because of his great wealth?

            Whether you’re in, whether you aspire to, or whether you’re just plain curious about the top one percent, you’ll gain insights from Murder in the One Percent. I know I did.

Murder in the One Percent, ©2018 Black Opal Books, pulls back the curtain on the privileged and powerful rich. Set on a gentleman’s farm in Pennsylvania and in the tony areas of New York, the book shows what happens when someone comes to a party with murder in his heart and poison in his pocket.

A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn is writing the sequel to Murder in the One Percent. Her website is www.saralynrichard.com.

Purchase links are:
Amazon, ebook:
 https://www.amazon.com/Murder-One-Percent-Saralyn-Richard-ebook/dp/B077SJG8XS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1518811697&sr=8-1&dpID=51tM7dz8DzL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

Barnes & Noble print book:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-the-one-percent-saralyn-richard/1127890200?ean=9781626947719

Black Opal print book:
 https://black-opal-books.myshopify.com/products/murder-in-the-one-percent

Autographed print book:
www.saralynrichard.com/bookstore/ 

Comments welcome! 

Cover Reveal: Witch Wish

My new YA novel WITCH WISH carries the publication date 
 July 7, 2018. July being my birth month, I look on it as a birthday present.

I had a choice of two covers from the publisher, Black Opal Books. The editor asked for my input. The truth is I liked both covers.

I chose the one my husband preferred. He felt it was more striking and would catch the reader’s attention, which as we all know is important. Here are the two covers:

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Every publisher and author wants a book cover that will draw reviewers and readers. As readers, do you initially judge a book by its cover? It stands to reason that writers want to create an appealing cover that draws the eye. Cover art can make or break a book, especially if the author isn’t well-known. What kind of front cover will grab the reader’s attention? What kind of cover art should a book display?  A lot depends on the genre of the book itself. The cover should be appropriate to the type of book. 

Paperbacks need simplicity in covers. The artwork should also support the title and the genre. E-book covers shouldn’t be too fussy or busy either. The old saying “less is more” works best for a book cover that’s displayed online. A short title with a large, easily readable font and bright contrasting colors shows up well on the computer screen. Publishers want to avoid covers that are complicated and hard to read. Plain, simple graphics are preferable.

The bottom line for good book covers is that they make you want to read what's between them.

What are your feelings regarding cover art? What draws or attracts you to a novel? What do you dislike or prefer not to see?

Which one of the covers for WITCH WISH would you prefer and why? To see the one that was chosen, go here:

https://black-opal-books.myshopify.com/products/witch-wish

Interview with Publishers of Smoking Pen Press

Smoking Pen Press is an independent publishing company started four years ago by Catherine Valenti and Laurie Gienapp.  For now, they mostly publish short story anthologies. Two of my short stories are published in their anthologies and they are a pleasure to work with—highly professional.  For more information, check out their website at: http://smokingpenpress.com/

Question: How did you come up with the name Smoking Pen Press?  Is there some meaning behind that?

Answer:  We met online in the Nanowrimo forums, and the chatroom we met in was called The Smoking Pen. We liked the name, as well as the image it evokes of an author writing at such a pace that their pen smokes.

Question: You mostly publish anthologies, how did that come about?

Answer: It wasn’t always the plan to publish anthologies… in fact we’ve published one novel, and have several others in the works. Where we both have full-time jobs in addition to running Smoking Pen Press, time is at a premium, and we thought a short story anthology would be a good use of our time. Then we discovered that we really enjoyed the process of culling through the submissions, and working with the different authors throughout the editing process. 

Question:  Can you tell us about some of your published books?

Answer:  We have four titles in our Read on the Run series. The idea is that each story in the Read on the Run series of anthologies is short, “to suit your busy lifestyle”.  We started with A Step Outside of Normal, followed by A Bit of a Twist, Uncommon Pet Tales, and we’ve just put out the first romance—A Wink and a Smile.

We also have an anthology of longer short stories, The Ancient, which has variations on the Aladdin’s lamp theme. And we’ve published a novel—The Weatherman.

Question:   What are you working on now?

Answer:  We’re working on a few titles at the moment.  We’ve got a longer short story anthology of romances in the works, as well as three novels – a romance, a suspense and a sequel to The Weatherman.

Question:   What made you start publishing?

Answer: We knew there were a lot of good authors out there looking for a legitimate small publisher who would provide good editing and cover design services. We thought we could provide that, and compensate the authors, and still have a viable business.

Question:   What advice would you offer to those who are currently writing?

Answer: Don’t stop.  Or perhaps more importantly – Start!  In order to be published, you need a well-edited piece of work. And you can’t edit what you haven’t written.

Question:  Where and when will readers be able to obtain your book(s)?

Answer:  All titles are currently available at Amazon and other retailers, in both digital and paperback format. 

Links to Amazon: 

The Ancient -  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BCUD3BO

The Weatherman - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BYQ7TQ6

A Step Outside of Normal - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N31C3GR

A Bit of a Twist - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2UB8O7

Uncommon Pet Tales - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078Z49ZBP

A Wink and a Smile - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D921TQB

For links to other retailers, see our website - http://smokingpenpress.com/books

Catherine and Laurie, thanks so much for coming here. 

For those who are interested, they are available to respond to comments and questions. But the best way to learn about what they publish is by buying one of their books and reading it.

Eight Tips on Getting Your Book Successfully Published

First, I must observe there has been a huge increase in the number of self-published books in recent years. I know there are many writers who claim to do well self-publishing. I applaud and commend them for their efforts. However, be aware that this involves a great deal of intensive work on the part of the writer and often requires a costly lay-out of expenses for professional services such as cover art and editing if the writer wants to present a quality product.

Tip #1: If you decide to self-publish, hire a professional editor and cover artist. Do not rush to publish work that is not ready. It will make you look amateurish and turn off readers.

Tip #2: Before you self-publish your writing, consider trying traditional publishing.

Let’s assume you have written a unique book, whether fiction or nonfiction. You have made certain that there are no obvious typos or grammatical errors. Take the necessary time to explore all possibilities for publication.

Tip #3: Create a query letter that will catch the attention of agents.

Google for suggestions. There are many detailed articles on this topic available for free on the internet. Generally, query letters which you send to agents must be relatively short. Agents are busy people and these days they have shorter attention spans than ever. So you want your letter to sound as interesting and professional as possible. Describe the genre of your book, the length, and give a brief, intriguing blurb in your first paragraph.

Second paragraph, offer your expertise for writing this particular book. Give any background info that might impress the agent. What have you previously had published?

Any awards for writing in this subject area?

Tip #4: Now that you have put together a general query letter, start examining the various agents. Check out WRITER’S MARKET. Get listings that tell you what the agents are interested in representing. For instance, you don’t want to send a query for a romance novel to an agent who only represents nonfiction.  

Do some research. Start with the better known agents in your genre. You can always work your way down. Pay close attention to the directions for querying and follow them exactly. Should agents responds affirmatively, submit what they request in the prescribed manner. Whenever possible, use the correct name of the agent you’re querying. Don’t start off with “Dear Agent.”

Tip #5: The top agents work with the big publishers who in turn pay advances, get your novel reviewed by influential review publications as well as providing PR people who help provide publicity and promotion. Most of all, the big publishing houses have distribution. This is vitally important if your book is going to sell and be read by the public.

Tip #6: You want a publisher that will offer you an advance against royalties which is non-refundable. I call this “good faith.” If a publisher isn’t willing to provide an advance, even a small one, it implies that publisher will do little to promote your book.

Tip #7: Contracts are negotiable. If you don’t understand the terms, ask your agent to explain and possibly work to improve the terms. You can also pay an attorney to go over the contract with you.

Tip #8: Once you sign a contract, you are bound by it. So make certain the terms are fair to you. As the old saying goes: act in haste, repent in leisure.

Note: For those who might be interested, my latest novel, DEATH PROMISE, was released on May 2^nd.

You can check out the description of the new novel at:

http://encirclepub.com/product/death-promise/

DEATH PROMISE is now available from:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079VWPTVF

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-promise-jacqueline-seewald/1127590013?ean=9781893035942

and many other booksellers.

From editorial reviews:

Library Journal: 

 "Romantic suspense with an interesting plot...the plot kept this reviewer turning the pages."

*****

 Mel Jacob at Gumshoe Mystery Review:

“The romance between Daniel and Michelle is incendiary with plenty of heat. Nonetheless, they work well together to catch a killer. She struggles with wanting love and not wanting to give up her dangerous work.”

*****

“This is a nice blend of suspense and romance with lots of action 

to keep the pages turning.”

Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books, May 2018 

*****

Good luck to you in getting your book well-published! Wishing you great success and recognition in your field of expertise.  If I’ve left anything out or you have questions, please write them in the comments section and they will be addressed.

Celebrating Mother’s Day

You probably aren’t surprised that more people eat at restaurants on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year—followed by Valentine’s Day.

If you enjoy historical research as much as I do, you might want to know more about this holiday. So here’s the real deal regarding Mother’s Day.

The idea of an official celebration of Mother’s Day in America was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872.  She became famous with her Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Anna Jarvis is actually recognized as the Founder of Mother’s Day in the United States. She never married or had children herself. However, she got the inspiration for celebrating Mother’s Day from her own mother Mrs. Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis, an activist and social worker. Mrs. Jarvis expressed a desire to have a day set aside to honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. 

 By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union, and on May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.  Mother’s Day is now celebrated in several countries including the US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. Sadly, Anna Jarvis became disillusioned by the commercialization of the holiday.

Today mothers are honored with many kinds of gifts: cards, perfume, jewelry, candy, flowers, plants. If a mother is a reader, books are great Mother’s Day gifts, either print or digital.

But what many of us who are mothers appreciate most is simply spending time with our children. Sharing a meal like a brunch or dinner together is one way of making the day special. If children live and work too far away to visit, a phone call is always appreciated.

My gift to other mothers this year is a free read--since this is International Short Story Month as well.

For a Mother’s Day story try “The Art of Listening.”

http://litbreak.com/the-art-of-listening/

I wrote the story in memory of my own mother and it’s more fact than fiction.

 BEYOND THE BO TREE is a collection of ten romantic short stories of all types and lengths. Amazon offers the first one, “The Phone Call,” as a free read:

https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Bo-Tree-Tales-Romance-ebook/dp/B00DTV0750

For a humorous flash fiction story, take a look at “Bacon Bits” in SAINT RED:

https://stred.squarespace.com/magazine-archives-volume-3/2015/12/18/bacon-bits

What are your thoughts regarding Mother’s Day? How do you think this holiday should be spent? My intention is to spend time with my children and grandchildren.

Backstory: How Much? How Little?

One of the ways we make a character come alive and seem real is to provide that character with a backstory—a history or background. What we don’t want to do is drop too much of the backstory on the reader at any given time and most particularly at the beginning. Too much too soon bores the reader and trivializes the story. Dropping tantalizing bits and pieces whets the appetite of the reader.

One thing to recognize is that you don’t have to be writing mystery fiction for a bit of mystery to be worked into the story. You do want to weave backstory in a subtle manner so you keep your reader’s interest and attention. Backstory also provides motivation as well as sympathy for the character.

It’s crucial for the writer to really know the character completely. For this reason, I always write a character bible which includes all the key characters’ descriptions and details of their lives. Only significant parts of this information will appear in the actual story.

For example, in my latest novel, DEATH PROMISE, we learn the real reason why Michelle Hallam refuses to commit to Daniel Reiner and why Daniel decided to become a psychiatrist. Their personalities have much to do with their unique backgrounds.

            https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079VWPTVF

Backstory is only one aspect of character development, but it can be used successfully to connect the reader with the character on an emotional level. I’ll end with the following:

According to Writers Digest, “including too much of it (backstory) too soon can halt your story’s momentum. A good storyteller has no trouble thinking up rich histories for his or her characters. But a good novelist holds these details back, revealing them only at the time that best serves the story.”

Your opinion and comments most welcome!