IWSG was created by the Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh. To visit the IWSG participants, please click here.In May 2014, I published my very first novel Reborn. From idea to publication, it took eight years, and I have three more stories to tell within The Fate Challenges and many more from the world of Amora.
Overall, I am pleased with the novel I published. I thought the month-long blog tour went well. Reborn has a 4.8 star rating (20 reviews) on Amazon and 4.43 star rating on Goodreads. Over 700 people have it on their to-read list on Goodreads. It was a 2015 Finalist in the Fantasy Category in the EPIC awards and is up for a 2015 RONE award.
That said, there are things I would do differently if I had the chance. I wish I had all the books in The Fate Challenges written and in some state of editing before publishing Reborn. At the rate I'm going, it'll take me to 2017 to finish the series and that might be too optimistic at the rate I'm writing these days. I wish I had broken Part I into a novella and expanded the current Part II at the woodwose section. If I had done that, then I could have the novella (current Part I) up for free to draw people toward the series. I also feel like I short-changed the woodwose part in Reborn. I do plan to make it up to them in the bonus material in The Fate Challenges Boxed Set, but it would have been nice to have known how to fix that before publishing. I also wish I had put more money into ads and put Reborn up for a low introductory price instead of publishing it right away for $2.99 to draw early sales. Lastly, I wish I had Reborn in KDP Select for at least the first 90 days. Kindle Unlimited (KU) came out a couple months after Reborn, and I noticed how sales screeched to a halt. If I had been in Select and KU, then Reborn might not have lost what little momentum it had.
Despite wishing I could do things differently, I love Reborn and The Fate Challenges and hope people will find the novel and give it a try for years to come.
As I mentioned above, Reborn is up for the 2015 RONE Awards in YA - Paranormal category. Voting will take place May 4-10 (now) on the InD'Tale Magazine website. InD'Tale Magazine had reviewed Reborn back in September and gave it four stars. You do have to log-in/sign-up to vote, but it's worth it. The site has a great monthly magazine featuring interviews, book reviews, and more. It's great for writers and readers.
Also, I received an email on Tuesday that the full covers of Reborn and People of Foxwick and Their Neighbors have been nominated on Cover Cafe in the Two-Image Cover category. Voting takes place May 5-May 25.
34 comments:
So awesome on your awards. I think we all wish we did things differently. It is good to reflect, so we can do things better in the future. I think you're doing pretty good here, and you're so productive.
It helps to have books come out more closely together, but some of us just don't write that way.
I voted over a RONE! Will go vote now on your covers.
My fingers are crossed for you with the awards! Things are usually clearer in retrospect. Reborn is an absolute amazing book and I can't wait to read more of the series.
Good luck with all of the awards!! I know it's hard not to think about all the things you would have done differently. Maybe just try to keep that mindset when looking forward, and not dwell too much on what's already happened.
Eight years to completion. Now I don't feel so bad. I'm up to six or seven years on my first story right now and I'm working hard to get it finished this year. Hindsight is always 20/20. Don't sweat the details. Everyone's journey is different. Good luck.
It is so hard to know how to do these things, isn't it? I think your assessment rings true though--indie published series need to be released somewhat close together and a free novella teaser is a great idea.
Good luck with the awards! I have experienced the same thing you have with taking a while to get through a series. I'm working on book 10, and I'm actually glad the first one hasn't been published yet. That way they can all come out fairly close to each other.
The first of anything is a learning experience. You could always re-publish with a different cover or something to make Reborn fresh and new. Those are good ratings too.
The things you'd do differently were also things I wished I had done before my first book. Not much either of us can do now, but keep writing.
Wow! I haven't been by your place in quite some time and there sure has been a lot going on over here. I have been living under a rock, so I only recently heard about 'REBORN' at AJC's blog. I'll go add it to my Kindle when I finish up here and I will head on over to give you another vote.
I do think that in retrospect we would all do things a little bit differently on just about every project. Life is a learning process and each new project should be getting better and better. I love the quote that says; 'Look in the mirror, that's your competition.' If you're learning something in every process you take on, it should be a good experience.
Best of luck. I look forward to delving into 'Reborn'.
Winning those awards would help keep momentum going for your books.
Kindle Unlimited has really messed with the sales for a lot of authors.
I loved Reborn. I don't think you should change it.
Just keep going.
I owe you a review for Foxwick. Loved it!
Just voted! Good luck, Cherie. Sounds like you've done well, so don't beat yourself up over regrets. You're getting a lot of experience!
Congrats on the year anniversary and the awards! I've always been wary about writing a series due to the issues you mentioned. I have no idea how I could feel comfortable with the first book if I didn't already know what was happening in the rest. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to try. :-)
I signed up for RONE and voted for Reborn, and I went to the Cover Cafe and voted on your cover (plus voted in 3 other categories so my votes counted). Good luck!
Congrats on your awards! And thanks for your thoughts on the release and how you might have done things differently. I'm still struggling with what I should do for marketing for my third book in The Champion Trilogy.
BTW - gave you a tiny shout-out again today - trying to help. :)
I think you did great with the promotion. I know several writers who had to push really hard to get there series completed. Two of them did three books in one year.
They were afraid of taking too long. I say don't worry about it. When I get into a series I'm okay with waiting for the next book. Chin up. :-)
Here's my link if you'd like to drop by :-)
Anna from Elements of Writing
I guess all you can do is learn from your past experiences how to do things better the next time you put out a series. You surely will write more!
Thanks for sharing your insights into how you could have done better. It helps the barnacles like me to maybe avoid some slip-ups in our publishing futures.
Congratulations! Being a finalist is a big deal! Good-luck!
Those are some great achievements! You should be proud of yourself and your book :)
I've been considering the Indie route, but I want to have more books "finished" or close to editing before making the plunge. I know I'm a slow writer, and I want a few already done so that my momentum won't be so spread apart. Especially if they're a series.
Congrats and good luck.
I'm a slow writer too and I hear and feel your pain. I read a few times how Kindle Unlimited has mess up author sales. :(
Congratulations on your awards. Its great.
You bring up some really interesting points. In particular, the pricing. The more I think about it, the more I think I should have also made my debut 99 cents to kickstart the series.
Congrats on all the nominations and awards!
Congrats and good luck with your awards. And the bonus material in the boxed set sounds like a great idea. Hope everything works out.
You've done very well... and those learnings will help you make the next book launches even more successful:)
I sometimes wish I had done things differently, but if I hadn't put myself out there in the first place, then I wouldn't be where I'm at now. We all have to learn in our journey.
I'm crossing my fingers with all the voting. :)
Awesome on the awards.
Very impressive numbers! Congratulations on your award nominations!!! I think we learn from each book release. Hopefully we have many, many more books released so we can refine what we've learned on the previous ones!
Congrats on the awards you are up for! How exciting!
I also appreciate you sharing with us your reflection on your books and what you wish you could do differently. It is really helpful information. It sounds like your books are doing very well. Wishing you all the best! :)
~Jess
I'm working on my A Woman Lost series, and I wish I had done some things differently with the first book. But can't change it now.
I voted! Hope you win.
That's always difficult. Right now, I'm trying to make the choices I feel are best for my series and hoping it all works out.
Great news! Congratulations on those awards. Fingers crossed. I voted.
I empathise on all your points. If I could, I'd have launched the The Supes Series entirely different. Book one wouldn't be available yet for a start. But you live and learn. :)
I already voted (I think, but I'll check) for the book, now I'll head over for the covers. :)
Best of luck. X
shahwharton.com
Congrats on being nominated for the covers!
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