Category: #openbook

5 Marketing Tips for Newbie and Experienced Published Authors

#openbook

Most of us (or maybe all of us) struggle with marketing. What are your top 3 marketing tips?

New authors are often stunned to discover that in addition to writing a book, they will have to know must endeavor to get as many people as possible to learn about their story and want to buy it. Book marketing can be one of the most challenging things for any author who wants to get books to readers. The different platforms and demands for authors to know what to say and appeal to their audience may be daunting. Add the task of getting your work in front of as many eyeballs as possible, and you have a full-time job!

Marketing is an important aspect of being a successful author, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With a little effort and creativity, you can get your books into the hands of readers who will love them!

Here are my top five marketing tips for newbies and experienced published authors.

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Back To Pizza Basics

#openbook

What toppings do you put on your pizza? Is pineapple a real pizza topping?
click here to buy

I was raised in a large family of four kids, so needless to say (but I’m going to anyway), the battle over pizza toppings remained a stable part of Friday night eating. My mother’s children had an expanse of tastes that made it necessary for her to have each of us take weekly turns to decide what would go on top of the tomato and cheesy goodness. When it was my turn, my brothers and sister groaned and complained to Ma that she was wasting a chance to have something new and different on pizza night.

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Cracking Open A Metaphor To Add Meaning To A Story

#openbook #bloghop #contemporaryromance #bestfriendsister #lawyerromance #interracial #ambw #bwam 

Write about a metaphor you used in one of your books. What does it represent?

Metaphors can be a valuable literary device to integrate symbolism in their works that will activate readers’ imaginations and offer them a different way. By directly comparing two different things, authors can give qualities to the first thing through the use of the second. In this way, writers can “show” instead of “tell” important aspects of a story or character as well as convey an underlying message through the thematic use of a metaphor throughout the plot.

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Writing Foundations Important To My Process

What is your process for writing? Plot, then write? Edit as you go or not until you've reached the end of the story? Figure out your characters first? Something else?

Questions like this week’s #openbook blog hop prompt usually excite me. Asking a writer about their process gives them a chance to relfect on how they get a story from idea to book, allowing them to analyze the different steps they may take to hone their plots and chracters into a narrative they want to share with readers.

I’ve published 8 novels and novellas and contributed to multiple-author anthologies, including short stories and novels. It’s been my experience that each story requires a unique writing process, wherein I use specific tools (I’ll write a post with the software I use another time) and methods to organize my thoughts about inspiration, plot, characters and editing. 

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Authors and Pen Name Options

Hey, romance addicts, it is your friendly stoker of flame.  I’ve been very busy writing for the wonderful Savage Bloodline mafia romance collection, the Voyage of the Heart Sydney collection, and the fourth book in the Brothers in Law series, Drowning in Shallow Waters. I decided to take a break from story writing so that I could post on this week’s open-book blog hop. Let’s look at this week’s question. 

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Diverse Books Battle -5 Tips To Writing Inclusive Stories

Hey, romance addicts. Another week, another thought-provoking blog hop post. Let’s take a look at what we have this week. 

Do you write diverse characters? If so, how do you avoid cultural insensitivity?

It’s interesting that this week’s blog hop question asks about diversity in writing. I spent the weekend fielding questions on social media, from white authors about including diverse characters in their books. It’s also ironic that the blog hop posing the question is not very diverse. As far as I know, I am the only contributing blogger who is identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). No, Italians and the Irish do not count. Let’s not go there. Anyway, onto my answer.

Of course, I write diverse books. just look at my covers.

As an author who identifies with multiple marginalized social intersections, I write to purposefully highlight a range of backgrounds and experiences in my characters. I think diversity is a stable part of literary expression for many BIPOC authors and that the main group challenged to understand the importance of diversity—and how to integrate into their work—is white authors.

Attempts to expand diversity in literature seem to present as a challenge and threat for authors who need to develop a greater appreciation for diverse literature and resist the cultural messaging that centers on whiteness.

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Unlimited Anything Creates Imaginary and Real Problems

Hey, romance addicts. I hope everyone is having a fabulous week and is geared up for the weekend! I am geared up for this week’s Open Book blog hop post. Let’s check it out. 

What do you wish you had an unlimited supply of?

Hmm. 

A nice, theoretical question is the perfect way to end the week. We live in a world filled with limitations. Our world is shaped by boundaries, which ensure that there is a constant balance of imbalance. I could not think of one thing of which I would not like unlimited anything, because it would only exacerbate my inability to escape the constraints of my existence. I don’t want to seem pessimistic–well, maybe a little–but bear with me.

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My Favorite Literature: The Best Books I’ve Read

Do you have a favorite piece of literature? What is it and why is it your favorite?

Hey, romance addicts. I know it’s been a while since I’ve written a blog hop post, but I couldn’t get in front of the camera to do a video. So, I’m getting back to basics and doing what I do best, writing. Let’s do this!

I don’t have one favorite piece of literature. The literary world is far too expansive to settle on one text. However, some books that influenced and inspired me come to mind.

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Character Journal – Waiting For An Author to Write

#openbook

Dear Diary. Write a diary entry or a letter from your character's point of view.

Hah! I love it. Baaz, you’re up!

Okay, Lyndell. Hi, romance addicts. I am Baaz Hamdi, the main character in Lyndell’s crime romance, Sealed by Love, Trapped in Sin, soon-to-be-released by After Hours Publications.

I’m not thrilled about opening up my personal thoughts to the world, but Lyndell is the boss. So, here we go.

Journal Entry Date: 5/16/2021

It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to reflect and write down my thoughts and experiences. My author was sidetracked again and had me stuck in a love scene for almost a week.

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Literature Beyond 26 Letters

#Openbook

Hey, romance addicts. I have another blog hop post for you guys!

Discuss: It never fails to amaze me that ALL the books ever written are made up of just twenty six letters.
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#openbook -Writing Pets in Romance

#openbook

Do pets (or other animals) play an important part in your books? Tell us about them.

Hey, romance addicts. I am back with a new blog hop post. Pets in romance? Many authors who consistently write pets and animals in their books. Find out if I do and why!

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Writing in Different Genres

#openbook

Is there a genre you would never try to write? Why?

Hey, romance addicts. I a new Monday, a new blog hop question. This week, it’s about exploring different genres to write. While authors should not feel compelled to extend beyond their selected genre, some may want to venture into new ones.

I recently dipped my “quill” into the BDSM Romance subgenre with the release of my new book, A Stroke at Midnight. Writing something different and the above question had me wondering if I ever wanted to write outside of romance.

Check out my answer in the video my latest video.

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When Characters Take Over (Video)

#openbook Blog Hop - Who’s the boss, you or the story?

Each new story draft comes with a list of decisions to make a book publishable. While writing, many authors will choose to lean on their outlined plot or characters to flesh out their story. If they don’t, no worries, the plot or characters will do it for them, dictating the trajectory of the prose.

In this video, I talk about my tenacious characters and their obstinance in making sure I write them and the plot to suit them.

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