The Dawning of Morning Glory

It's almost that time... DOOM.

The writing challenge, that is!

I signed up for DOOM (I'm going with "Determination Overcomes Our Muddling" as the acronym), which takes place March through April, with the goal of writing 50,000 words. (Kind of like NaNoWriMo, but over two months, which sounds nice!) You can check up my sign-up post HERE.

I actually did start writing the first scene of the book the other day, though, and yes, Myghal has made an appearance. ;) I'm sure you'll be hearing more about the story in the days ahead... I'll just have to find the right balance of giving you tantalizing teasers without giving too much away, right? I'm sort of a pantser, so the details will likely be a surprise to me, too. But I've been contemplating the plot a bit, and I have some impressions of the characters and the main challenges to guide me along. That's basically what I had when starting Bleeding Heart, although that story ended up taking some surprising turns... Already my planning has turned to some heavier themes. There is a bit of pressure, knowing that readers come to expect certain things of my books now.

Okay, I'm officially rambling! Let's just say you should be hearing more about Morning Glory, as well as Fairy Slippers, in this next month - and I hope to have some fun posts to go along with the two stories. Stay tuned!

Will you be participating in Speedbo or DOOM next month? What are you planning to work on in March?

Bellflower Sprouted Up on Smashwords!

Did you miss the free Bellflower offer for newsletter subscribers? No need to fret - the short story prequel to Forget Me Not is now available on Smashwords!

I decided to look into that option today, and found it rather easy to create a profile on Smashwords and get this short story up there. I really like this option because A) readers can download the story in whatever format they like, including .epub, .mobi, PDF, and more; B) this makes it really easy for readers to find the story without having to e-mail me; C) there's another place for readers to leave reviews besides Goodreads; D) new readers can discover me; and E) it's separate from my Amazon page. That last one is nice because I know short stories can get lower ratings due to their length (or lack thereof), and I also know Bellflower has a chance of getting lower ratings from people who know me as an inspirational author. Not that Bellflower has inappropriate content, but the nature of the story (the fact that it's set in a brothel and it's not overtly inspirational) might not make it as appealing to my target audience.

So now you know why I'm trying out Smashwords. If you're looking for a short read, a chance to learn more about the characters from Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart, and/or if you enjoy Western romance and sweet fairy-tale retellings, I hope you'll give Bellflower a try! You can download your free copy HERE.

If you've already read Bellflower, might you consider leaving a review there? That would be a tremendous help! And what are your thoughts on Smashwords? Do you use it as an author or visit there as a reader?

The Audiobook Question

In my last post I noted that making Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart into audiobooks might be a viable option - if I could see that it was something readers would be interested in. I sent out an e-mail to my influencer team, posted about it on several discussion boards on Goodreads, tweeted about it, shared it on Google +, and received a couple of responses here, as well. I thought I would share my findings with you all - so here you go!

***

Queries sent via:

• e-mail (41)
• Goodreads
• Google +
• Twitter
• Blogger

Responses received:

• 21 by e-mail
• 4 through Goodreads
• 3 through Google +
• 4 through Twitter
• 2 through Blogger

Total responses received: 34

***

Question: Do you listen to audiobooks?

• 8 Yes
• 8 Seldom
• 15 No
• 3 No response to this question

Number of people who mentioned they knew of others who listen to audiobooks:

• 12

Number of people who noted they would help spread the word in some way if "The Heart's Spring" was made into audiobooks:

• 13

***

Now, several things should be noted: some of the responses were from other authors sharing their thoughts or experiences; these are just the responses I received within the two days after most of the queries were sent; not everyone was asked about helping to spread the word; and I didn't specifically ask people if they knew of others who listened to audiobooks - that information was volunteered by some of the respondents.

And I also received some interesting comments from readers and authors alike. Here are some things I gleaned from them:

• Notes were made about getting audiobooks from the library, for free, or would consider purchasing if the price were reasonable.
• A couple of authors haven't had overly profitable experiences with audio endeavors.
• Narrator plays a big part in the success of an audiobook.
• One author believed it would be a worthwhile endeavor, stating that since the selection is smaller for audiobooks, readers would find me - and if I did a profit share with a narrator, I'd have nothing to lose.

***

Conclusion

So...while this wasn't a scientific study by any means, nor will it necessarily be overly helpful to other authors (as I think a lot depends on genre, popularity, etc.), I feel like this was very helpful for me! It showed me several things:

1. The readers who play the biggest part in spreading the word about my books online aren't overly interested in audiobooks. Yes, they might know of others who listen to audiobooks, and they might still be willing to spread the word - but there's no clamor and little interest for this. If it's already a challenge to spread the word about my e-books and paperbacks, imagine how much bigger the struggle would be for a format that no one's really asking for. 
2. Some of the readers who actually do listen to audiobooks on occasion tend to get them from the library. Or those who might be interested in purchasing audiobooks would prefer for them to be affordable. So...that doesn't really sound promising for making sales.
3. Other authors aren't necessarily seeing a lot of sales from audiobooks or other audio-type endeavors. Granted, I've only talked to a couple! But as a newbie author, if "audio land" is a hard place for other authors to succeed, it's probably not be for me - at least not right now.

I think it's exciting that the possibility of making audiobooks is available and doable! I could make it work by sharing royalties with a narrator...but only if there was faith in the salability of the product(s). And right now, I don't think my audience is large enough, diverse enough, and eager enough for this sort of endeavor. So I'll file this away under "Someday" ideas, as something that could be pursued after I have more books released and if I gain more attention as an author. For now, I'll stick with my e-books and paperbacks, both of which I'm quite fond of anyway. ;)

Contemplating Audio...

A fellow self-published author is preparing to produce a couple of her books in audiobook format, and one of my editing/publicity clients has already taken that step with two of hers. I really didn't think it would be an option for me at this point, but I'm learning of ways that I could possibly make this work via ACX - to get Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart made into audiobooks. I have to admit, I'm excited at the thought! An author's dream come true. :)

The thing is, I need to have an idea beforehand that readers would be interested - that there would be a place for my audiobooks and a certain level of demand for them.

So here are my quick questions of the day:

• Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, which types of stories are your favorite in that format?
• Would you like to see "The Heart's Spring" series in audiobook format? 
• If Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart were made into audiobooks, would you buy them for yourself or a friend, or help spread the word about them in some way?

Thank you in advance for any feedback!

Busy as a Bee in the Garden

I'm keeping busy trying to tend all these "flowers" (AKA my books)! I was hoping to share a post this week with some insider info on Forget Me Not - some changes the story underwent, fun facts, etc. But I think I'll save that for another time after the blog tour...

 

Yes, as I'm sure most of you know, the Forget Me Not tour is well underway! You can find direct links to each post (once they're up) on the Forget Me Not blog tour page on my personal blog. There are interviews where you can learn about my dream date, my advice to the next generation, and lots of bookish tidbits...guest posts featuring Virginia City and Bonanza, my writing journey, and the handsome hero of The Journey of Natty Gann...and plenty of thoughtful and lovely reviews. And there's a tour-wide giveaway for my U.S. readers, where you can win a signed copy of Forget Me Not (when it's available), The Journey of Natty Gann on DVD, and a CD by The Civil Wars!

As you can well imagine, my forget-me-not is getting the most attention in this "garden"... But the other flowers aren't being completely neglected!

• Bleeding Heart - the sequel to Forget Me Not - is on sale for $.99! Don't miss this Kindle Countdown Deal, which concludes at the end of the day on Friday!

• E-mails are still trickling in from newsletter subscribers, requesting free copies of Bellflower (the short story prequel to Forget Me Not). Have you claimed yours yet? You can learn more HERE. And check out Abbi's review of the short story on Christian Novels!

• Since Fairy Slippers (the short story companion to Bleeding Heart, featuring Zachary Taylor the cook) wasn't one of the winners of the Five Glass Slippers contest, I now have the rights back. It's possible I'll do something like I did with Bellflower - offering it for free to newsletter subscribers, or maybe blog followers? - but either way, I hope to share it with you all this May! You can add it now on Goodreads and catch a glimpse of the story on Pinterest.

• And finally, Morning Glory... This poor flower has been waiting for some nurturing in the back corner of my garden. I found out about a 2-month writing challenge along the lines of NaNoWriMo, but on a smaller scale and taking place in the months of March and April. It's great timing, and I do so hope that it will motivate me to get Myghal and Felicity's story on paper! I'm sure you'll be hearing updates here on the blog in the weeks and months to come. :) 

What flowers/stories have been growing in your writerly garden?

Bellflower and Beauty & the Beast

After publishing Bleeding Heart last summer, one reviewer surprised me with her interest in Zachary Taylor, a secondary character who works as a cook in a lumber town. When others seemed to like his character, too (although I believe Myghal is the general favorite), I decided to feature him in a short story I wanted to write for the Five Glass Slippers contest hosted by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Actually, the inspiration was sort of a combination of the two - the writing contest paved the way for giving Zachary his own little story. And I had a blast weaving elements of the Cinderella fairy tale through a short but sweet Western romance. So much so, that it later hit me: I could do this again with other fairy tales!

At some point this winter, the thought of having several more companion short stories came to life for me, and my proofreader can attest to my eagerness to explore these options. While I'm not sure yet if I'll pursue more, I did follow through on writing a Beauty & the Beast retelling... It was after I had proofread Forget Me Not a few weeks ago, with a couple of secondary characters fresh on my mind, that I started to write Bellflower. The 6,000-word short story came together in three days (not counting the proofreading and finalizing after that, of course)! 

Anyway, since Bellflower is out now in readers' hands, I thought I'd share some of the connections between Bellflower and the fairy tale it loosely follows. Please note that there are SPOILERS to follow!

Bellflower and Beauty & the Beast

• The heroine's name. I wrote Bellflower long after I finished the first draft of Forget Me Not, so that wasn't actually planned... But it worked out perfectly to have a character named Annabelle be the heroine of this Beauty & the Beast retelling.

• Annabelle's beauty. Like Belle, Annabelle is attractive. Unlike Belle, Annabelle is very aware of her looks, using them to her advantage.

• Annabelle's love of books. Both Belle and Annabelle read to escape from their reality. Instead of living a "provincial life" that lacks adventure, though, Annabelle lives a harsh life that lacks the sweetness and innocence of heroines she reads about, such as Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey. Annabelle also considers sticking her nose in a book to hide from stares, whereas Belle does the same while mainly unaware/uncaring of the stares.

• Jacob's shadowy entrance. You may have picked up by now that most of my familiarity with Beauty & the Beast comes from the Disney version. ;) So, like the Beast in the Disney version, Jacob makes his entrance by stepping out from the shadows and into the light. Although Jacob is hardly as...different....and intimidating as the Beast, Annabelle is still impressed by him and his obvious authority.

• Rufus's introduction in town. Rufus O'Daniel first shows up in the story in the middle of looking at his reflection in a store window, fixing his hair and preening. Gaston does the same thing in the "Little Town" song (albeit with a pot instead of a window). If you're interested in watching the sequence, here's a YouTube link: Belle (Little Town) - Beauty and the Beast (1991) Rufus also shares Gaston's interest in beautiful women...

• The walk to Annabelle's new room. Jacob's in a "beastly" business, but he's determined to treat Annabelle well. Like the Beast, he leads the way through dark parts of his building to a decent room. The setting is very different, but there's a similar atmosphere in the scene.

• Jacob's dinner request. Jacob asks Annabelle to join him for dinner, and then gets frustrated when she refuses. Unlike the Beast in the Disney movie, he doesn't exactly throw a temper tantrum. ;) But he is very determined to get what he wants, or at least figure out why Annabelle would refuse him. Annabelle responds by slamming the door in his face and cutting off the conversation.

• Jacob's "girls." Three soiled doves are mentioned by name in the story - an echo of the three blondes who act like "Gaston groupies" in the movie.

• Annabelle's confinement. Annabelle and Jacob have a different agreement than Belle and the Beast - but the result is similar. Annabelle is supposed to stay in her room and follow Jacob's instructions.

• Jacob's books. Jacob doesn't have a library the size of the Beast's, but he does have enough books of his own to share with Annabelle.

• Joe. While Joe isn't under a spell or directly affected by Jacob's second business, he knows about Jacob's "beastly" side and still offers his friendship, like Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere (although I doubt Joe would appreciate being compared to Mrs. Potts, LOL).

• The yellow dress. Annabelle wears one, too, though it's not as gorgeous and decent as Belle's, unfortunately.

• While this isn't a direct connection to Beauty & the Beast, according to A Handful of Flowers by Catherine Lee, the bellflower symbolizes "gratitude." Annabelle shows signs of feeling such when Jacob tries to protect her from Rufus (perhaps Gaston is a type of wolf?). [Jacob] couldn't tell whether the emotion suddenly glinting within her gaze was amusement or gratitude.
• Annabelle's imaginings. While Belle attended a real ball with the Beast (albeit it was just the two of them), Annabelle only pretends she's entering a ball as she descends the stairs. 

• References to royalty. The bellflower's pointed petals are compared to a crown, and Rufus thinks Annabelle has a royal air about her while wearing her purple dress. Of course, in the fairy tale, the Beast is the one who was once royal. But "the Beast" encompasses both Annabelle and Jacob in this story...and Belle becomes royal in the end by marrying the Beast, in any event.

• Rufus's determination to have Annabelle. Rufus thinks Annabelle should be his and doesn't appreciate Jacob's interference, like Gaston with Belle and the Beast. While Jacob isn't badly injured like the Beast, he and Rufus do get into a bit of a fight.

• The agreement's end. Time runs out for Jacob like it runs out for the Beast, but both had fallen in love and received love in return, so that time is no longer an issue.

• Annabelle's tear and her song. Annabelle cries in Jacob's arms, like Belle does with the Beast when he "dies." And the song Annabelle sings is simply referred to as an "old" one, like a "Tale as Old as Time."

Obviously, with the different setting and characters, and the fact that this short story is a companion to its own series, Bellflower doesn't follow the story of Beauty & the Beast exactly. But I hope you enjoyed discovering some of the similarities between the two, and I hope the differences/twists stood out all the more to you - like the ambiguity of who is actually a "beast," the hopeful but not necessarily happily-ever-after ending, and the fact that the only thing that dies is the distance between Jacob and Annabelle.

One of the main reasons I wanted to offer this to newsletter subscribers instead of putting it up on Amazon or some other site right away is that the story is very much dependent on the rest of the series - meaning that it doesn't stand very well apart from the rest of the story. Annabelle and Jacob's story continues in Forget Me Not, so this is not "The End" for them (thankfully!). There's also some very critical foreshadowing in Bellflower to events in Bleeding Heart involving Rufus and Joe. I didn't really see that coming, until suddenly Rufus said what he did after the fight, and it hit me how events might have been set off and how consequences can be so incredibly far-reaching.

While reading Bellflower isn't necessary in order to understand and enjoy Forget Me Not and Bleeding Heart, writing the short story tied some important elements together for me and helped me care about Jacob and Annabelle even more. The ending of Forget Me Not is even more tender because of it, in my mind.

Well, I've rambled on long enough! Don't forget that you can still request your free copy of Bellflower (in either .mobi or .epub format) by signing up for my newsletter (link below header) and sending me an e-mail. And if you'd like to see some visual connections between Bellflower and Beauty & the Beast, be sure to check out the Pinterest board!

Which Comes First?

Nope, I'm not addressing the age-old question about the chicken or the egg. ;) One of my newsletter subscribers asked me whether she should read Bellflower or Forget Me Not first - and since it was such a good question (and others might be wondering the same thing), I thought I'd address it here!

There are two paths before you... Both have their benefits and their disadvantages. Choose wisely. ;)

Reading Bellflower first: Bellflower is indeed the prequel to Forget Me Not, so if you're a stickler for reading books in chronological order (not that I gave you much choice with Bleeding Heart and Forget Me Not, but that's beside the point!), then start with Bellflower. However, please note that learning about these two secondary characters from Forget Me Not (who star in Bellflower) will reveal a plot twist in Forget Me Not. You might have already picked up on it if you've read Bleeding Heart, though, and I think/hope it's enjoyable to put all the puzzle pieces together no matter which piece you start with.

Reading Forget Me Not first: I wrote Forget Me Not before Bellflower, so I only discovered some of the back story, myself, after the fact. One of the benefits of reading Forget Me Not first is that you're already familiar with the main characters, and the story of how they met (as told in Bellflower) will hopefully be even more meaningful to you because of that.

I do believe that Bellflower will be most enjoyed by fans of the series - those who care about the characters and are used to my writing style and story material. Hence the reason I'm offering it to newsletter subscribers first. :) But it is my fervent hope that no matter what order you read the series in, the act of peeling back the layers of the characters' stories will touch your heart and bless you in some way.

Stay tuned for a post on the connections between Bellflower and Beauty & the Beast!

P.S. If you missed my first author newsletter, you can find it HERE! However, I do ask that you please subscribe to the newsletter (see link below header) before requesting a copy of Bellflower. Thank you!