I bet that heading got your attention. Everyone loves a free book. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen my post about a giveaway to subscribers. The book is Jake: A Southern Crime Family Novel.
So you want to know how to win a copy. Send me an email to authorcarlaswafford @gmail.com (no spaces) and say Happy Holidays. And I will draw 8 names to win four paperbacks and four ebooks (one book per winner). Winners will be announced Christmas Day.
You may know that Jake has two brothers, Sen and Ethan. Their books were due out 2021 and 2022, but things happened that threw me off my schedule. So I’m hoping Sen will be out the end of next year and Ethan the following year if not sooner. Don’t worry, Jake’s book does not end on a cliff hanger. He solves his old man’s murder. But it does leave a couple questions unanswered. Sen’s and Ethan’s stories will happen in the same timeline as their older brother’s and will answer those questions. They have their own mysteries surrounding their father’s death and by the end of each they are solved.
He motioned his gun toward her, his face still in the shadows. “Strip.”
“What? Her whole body flushed with embarrassment and hunger.
“You heard me.”
“Is this how you get women in bed with you?”
Jake Whitfield and Angel Tally
Be sure to go and preorder Savage Champion. The ebook is ready for preorder. Only 99 cents from preorder to first week after published. Then the price will go up. If you prefer a paperback, it can be preordered in the next month or so, but it will be for $10.99.
“Then you understand this. I’ll not let him harm one hair on your head. Do you understand me? You’re mine.”
Ronan Michaels in Savage Champion
Just a little side story about my writing. Before my first book sold to HarperCollins, I had written 11 books. The first one they published was #10. They decided on the title Circle of Desire. I had called it Out of The Shadows. I was in the middle of writing the second book for them when my buying editor left the company. OH, NO! See, the editor who believed in you and your writing has left and you don’t have a cheerleader any more. Oh, well, after the third book, my new editor wanted a new series. I sent her a few ideas and we talked about them. She wanted something different. That’s the way the business goes. I’ll tell you another time about my experience with Random House.
Finally, I finished the first round of edits to my newest book. Remember, the one that’s a paranormal thriller. Vampires are the main focus, but there are serial killers (who are not vampires), mafia, witches, pixies, and a hot as hell private detective.
Next? I have a choice of three (possibly four) projects planned for next year. I would like to think I can release two books (or more) next year, but that’s me being hopeful.
Three newsletters ago, I added an interview with my characters Jake and Angel from the Southern Crime Family novel, Jake. Since then I’ve been thinking about what readers would like to know about my characters in all of my books. So I thought you might be interested in some background information about each book spread across the next few newsletters.
I guess I should start from the beginning. Circle of Desire was my debut book. It was actually the tenth book I wrote. I had finished eleven when I received “the email” from Avon Impulse (HarperCollins) wanting to publish it. The first book I had completed was a medieval romance. I still love knights, horses, and castles. Then I wrote a romantic suspense about a DEA agent who fell in love with the wrong guy. About the time I finished it, I fell in love with paranormal romances. Vampires, warlocks, and everything that went bump in the night. But after writing four paranormal romances without a successful interest, I decided to go back to romantic suspense and write a female assassin who was the main character. She wasn’t a good person, but she thought she was doing good. What a conundrum!
She squeezed the trigger. The jogger’s body continued straight ahead, propelled by the bullet’s trajectory, and he toppled off the edge of the pier and splashed into the water as his god-awful shoes tumbled across the boardwalk.
Circle of Desire
So I started it and realized I wanted the opening scene to be real as possible. At the time, my local writers group was having a couple come in and talk to us about guns. The husband was a former Special Forces guy, and they had a friend who had worked for a private military contractor (formerly called Blackwater). I asked him about the first scene in my book. He said it sounded feasible, but I needed to change two things. One I did, but then other I didn’t. What were they? One, the woman used a sniper rifle, and she took with her after the kill. He had said an assassin would leave the rifle. I wanted it used later in the book. So instead I had her break it down into several boxes and mail out separately to her Atlanta office. Two, he said the jogger wouldn’t fall in the water, but lie exactly in the spot he was shot. I needed him in the water. People would think he tripped and fell in. So they would be concerned in saving him, instead of looking for where the shot came from (silencer used). I asked the guy, if the target was jogging along a pier and about to turn back, would his body fall in then. He said it was possible. That was enough for me. It was fiction after all.
Giveaway
Three people will receive a ebook of their choice (only mine). Winners will be notified Thanksgiving Day (November 23). Click here and go to the bottom of the page. Use that form to email me. Be sure to let me know the title you’re interested in. It will be in Amazon’s format. [Updated December 1, 2023 – no one sent me an email. So none given out. I like to think everyone, who receives my newsletters, has all of my books.]
On April 20, I will present Save The Story: No More Sagging Middles at the North Shelby Library (anyone can come – romance writer or not) at 10 a.m., Saturday.
I will show authors how to break down their story with beats. In turn, they will find the right starting point in their book, prevent sagging middles, and dragging storylines. The information is based on Blake Snyder‘s book, Save The Cat! and Michael Hauge’s Story Mastery. Attendees should be familiar with the movie Pretty Woman, but it’s not necessary.
Come and see me. You never know. I made be giving away books and along with autographing those you already have with you.
Heroine wants to save the man she loves, but not everyone is cut out to be a killer.
The last Bookbub I looked at was Tuesday’s. Today I caught up.
A few interested me, but not enough to buy. I’ve been wanting to cut back on my TBR pile. So the book has to interest me big time. Wednesday, nothing. Thursday, thought about one, but decided I’ve read too many like it and have been disappointed. Friday, interesting, but a no go.
Finally, Saturday’s has three I’m interested in. An erotic Romantic Suspense: Hero offers to pull heroine’s business out of debt if she obeys him in all ways for 30 days. Historical Romance: A Scottish warrior inherits an English earldom and an impoverished lady will teach him “proper” etiquette. Sci-Fi romance: Girl goes to war torn planet and meets two warriors.
I try to narrow my choices by looking at the full blurb on Amazon or iBooks. Sometimes it reveals the book isn’t what I really want. Maybe too heavy on history, or doesn’t really concentrate on the romance. And I’m not talking about sex. I like the one-on-one relationship building. I don’t mind a little arguing as long as it doesn’t get stupid. You know, arguing for argument sake.
Then if I’m still interested in the book, I read the sample. I can’t tell you how often I read the beginning and became SO bored. Then others are just not to my taste.
So far, I’ve bought the erotic Romantic Suspense. Passed on the Sci-Fi romance. The blurb did it. So not what I thought it would be. Maybe the author or editor messed up in telling the summary, but that’s the way it goes. Still thinking about the Historical Romance.
When it comes to To-Be-Read piles, mine is small. Around 10 e-books, and about the same in paperbacks.
I refuse to mistreat the authors who go out of their way to provide a deal that takes you years to read. When you finally read the book you bought 2-3 years ago, and it turns out to be great, and you go in search for the author, don’t be surprised if you can’t find another book from that author. Please understand. The author thought no one liked her books. You didn’t read it and review it, or tell your friends because you took so long to read it. For an author to make only $100 a year on her books isn’t enough to keep going.
And don’t get me started on selling a book that took months, if not a year to write for 99 cents. Someone told me recently that charging more than 99 cents for an e-book is horrible. She says the author doesn’t have to spend money on paper and printing. Like that’s the only reason a person reads a book. Maybe I’ll try to sell her a bunch of books with nothing printed inside. I bet she wouldn’t pay $7 dollars for each then. It’s the words inside that makes them valuable.
Think of it this way, I use a computer to write my books and often have to get a new one every two to four years. (Salesperson in the store said they aren’t made to last no more than two years. Bull crap!) When you write everyday in your spare time, they get overused and/or obsolete. My wage from a day job pays for it. Not my writing. Then I go to a writers conference to hear experts talk about how to make my manuscripts/books better, fresh, or more exciting. Again my day job helps pay for my airfare/gas, hotel, food, and the huge conference fee. Not my writing. Even if I go to a local college to take a class or two, I have to pay tuition. Not provided by my books. I giveaway book marks (readers still love them despite most read e-books), pens, t-shirts, and gift cards to readers. Day job, not writing. Let’s not even get into the costs of ads.
If I self-publish a book, there is the cover art that can range from $20 (if I do the design) to $400 (by a professional designer and you could pay even more if you want a unique design/cover). I can format the inside of the book through Draft2Digital free. Then there’s the editor. She receives $350 to $450 a book. Some editors charge a lot more. So I dare you to tell me again the book is worth less than a dollar.
You say, why do all of that? Just write a good book, they will come. Despite what the movie, Field of Dreams, make you believe, it doesn’t necessary work that way.
Even if you have a publishing house–I’ve had the biggest–behind your book advertising the hell out of it, you still need to help.
Book signings do little. They are more to stroke your ego. Actually, I say go for it. Authors need all the ego stroking they can get. It’s a rough, thankless job. Kind of like being a mom. At book signings, I’ve given away more books than I’ve sold just with the hope they will read the others.
Sure most publishers give the author books, but only one of the two large publishing houses I’ve been with gave me six. Yep. Six. And those I gave to relatives because they think you’re being cheap by not giving them a book. To cover everyone, I usually have to buy a few extra. The other publisher gave me zilch. My book was published in e-book only. I will say they provided the most advertising to readers and bloggers (that’s the one I mentioned above). Of course, the self-published copies were provided to my family at my cost. You know, I’m rich off all of those books. NOT!
As you can tell, authors deserve more for each book. No matter what, be sure to tell your family and friends about the latest book you enjoyed and write a review and share it everywhere! Thanks!
On April 20, I will present Save The Story: No More Sagging Middles at the 
