A Goal Set- And Why Promotion is So Hard

It's good to have goals. Goals keep you moving forward, give you something to strive toward, and provide incentive to work harder. 

The Chicago Cubs made their goal of winning the World Series last year. I think I can give myself a kick and try and achieve something just for me. 

I've been rather lax on promoting my Birth of Saints series lately. It goes against the grain to beg people to read my books, as epic fantasy isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. (Though those who give it a try are pleasantly surprised.) I'm much more comfortable working for other folks and using my contests to try and match writers with agents, or reading and promoting for friends' books. Much easier to speak up for others than for myself. I've been told that's quite a common feeling.

Self-promotion seems like a mixture of bragging and being selfish and we've been trained since forever to put others first. By we, I mostly mean ladies. We're supposed to give, not receive. Take care of others and neglect ourselves. Not shout about our accomplishments from the roof tops. 

But hey, "I GOT AN EPIC FANTASY SERIES PUBLISHED BY A BIG 5 AND IT'S AMAZING!!" (Yes, that was hard to do.)

I'm setting my goal small and manageable in hopes it inspires me to keep going. I want to see if I can get 11 more ratings on Goodreads for GRUDGING by June. That will take the overall number to 100, which is a nice round number.

Just a small goal to help me work toward getting over my reluctance to promote.

Total bonus if the ratings include some honest reviews or get copied to Amazon or elsewhere. Even better if it results in some new fans. You never know, it might help me feel a little better about promoting my own writing. 

So deep breath. Here goes. I'll be checking back in with my progress. Here's the blurb and some links in case you want to help out. And if you have this same problem speaking out and self-promoting, I'd love to hear how you get over that feeling. 

A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything.

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power. And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.

Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

  

A Most Happy List of Books!

I call this a most happy list because it's a list of books that came through contests I helped host and got agents or just went straight to getting publishing deals! So for your inspiration for today, I wanted to show this list again and say, "Look! This stuff happens!"

Perhaps someday you'll have a book on this list! 

And here is the list I've called from Contest to Contract.  It has sixteen books and growing! So please do let me know if you've been in a contest and now have a book on Goodreads that I can add to the list.

In related happiness, I also created a list to showcase the books of our mentors. Some of them came from the contests, though the vast majority came from querying. Please take a look at this list also of Writers who Help Writers. If you see something that looks fun to read, you'll also be support a writer who supports you! 

Contest Goodreads Lists

More and more books are being published for entries that were once in one of my many contests. There's the adorable MG from last year's Sun vs Snow, Karma Khullar's Mustache. I just heard of a two book deal for an entry from last summer's Query Kombat. That one isn't even announced yet. It's getting hard to keep track. Isn't that wonderful!

So I made a handy-dandy list! If you were in Query Kombat, New Agent, Sun versus Snow, Nightmare on Query Street or Picture Book Party and now have a publishing deal for that book, please add your book to the Goodreads' list!

From Contest to Contract

You didn't have to get your agent from the contest. Maybe your agent came afterward from a query. But once a part of the family, always a part of the family! You also don't need to have been picked by me. If any of the other hosts picked your entry--this is for you also.

Please spread the word to your friends. I'm sure you have better memories than I do. I don't want to miss anyone!

And honor our former contestants by picking up copies of their books!

Bonus for the mentors and judges:

The mentors and judges work so hard to help out with the contests. They deserve a list too! If you were a judge or mentor for any of my contests, please add your books to this list. And you know what I'm asking next--help out the writers who give back by buying their books!

Writers Who Help Writers 

So don't be shy, add your books to our lists if you qualify! And join the contest fun so you might be the next person on the list!

UPDATE: I guess authors can't add their own books to lists anymore. Nudge me on twitter and I'll add your books. 

Goodreads Giveaway

To celebrate the upcoming paperback release of GRUDGING, my publisher is having a Goodreads giveaway of five copies. You can go here to sign up to win!

Keeping Track of Contest Friends

So as the years have gone by (three) since I started hosting contests, I've begun to lose track of things. In the beginning, I kept lists on index cards of who I picked for contests. Gradually I used a notebook as a more permanent way to keep track. When someone gets an agent, I can circle their entry and write AGENT in big letters with lots of !!!!

But Max Wirestone asked about book deals for entries that have been featured in a contest. I really had no idea. I mean, I remember some. Yet, other writers might not have let me know past getting an agent. 

So he came up with the idea of a Goodreads list for books that came through a contest where I was a co-host. I made one!

Having your book on a Goodreads list is exciting. But this list is the most joyous list ever! I had a tiny hand in helping to push all these books to the finish line! How awesome is that! 

And best of all, there are eight books already! With several more that aren't on Goodreads yet! Everyone who supported the contests helped with that!

I want to include my other co-hosts with this. A big thanks to Amy, Mike, Sharon, and SC for doing this journey with me. And especially to Mike for getting me started. Please claim a big part of this. 

If your book was in one of my contests (even if I didn't pick you for my team and even if your agent didn't directly result from the contest) please add your book to the FROM CONTEST TO CONTRACT list. This includes all my picture book friends! I've added a few titles, but I'm sure there may be more.

Also, this is a such a great idea, that I decided the mentors and judges who help out in the contests need one, too! So I made another list just for you! Please enter your books in the WRITERS WHO HELP WRITERS list. Then in all my future contest, I can direct people to your books! Isn't that fabulous!

There have been so many mentors and judges that I won't be able to track down your books to put on this list. I'll have to rely on you doing it for me. Please don't be shy. Go at it!

I'll need your help to spread the word. Please poke your friends and former mentors and judges. Let everyone who might have a book know.

What do you think? I hope this grows and grows and becomes a huge deal. Of all the friendships and fun to come from contests, this might just be the very best thing of all! 

Help Out a Writing Contest Veteran: INCONCEIVABLE

I'm starting a new series of posts as we wait for Query Kombat time to arrive. They are called Help Out a Veteran, because all the authors will be veterans of one of my contests!

I think everyone who enters Query Kombat or any contest becomes part of the writing community, almost like a giant family. And we should support each other. Do what we can for each other. It's what families do! Thus this series.

If you have participated in one of my contests and have a book coming out or already published, please get in contact. I'd love to host you for one of these posts! You don't need a cover yet, or any links to Amazon. All you need is a Goodreads page for your upcoming book. 

Missy Belote and her Women's Fiction INCONCEIVABLE was a pick on my Pitchslam team of October, 2014. See her entry here. Soon after it got picked up by Curiosity Quills.  

INCONCEIVABLE

(Cover coming)

A popular, young royal couple can't produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be a one-off, but a force stronger than fate—her newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. She and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them.

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

Coming from Curiosity Thrills
Goodreads Page

Now it's time for your part. Head over to Goodreads and add this to your want to read list. Follow Missy on twitter. 

Support a contest veteran and writer like yourself! Someday it could be you in this spot.

--------------------

Missy Shelton Belote is ready to write regardless of where life takes her, whether it’s a hillside farm in Poland, a stationary bike at the local gym, or a Trans-Pacific flight. She primarily writes romance, women’s fiction, poetry, and the occasional short story using as inspiration the places she’s visited, the people she’s met, and the cultures she’s encountered. Her travel adventures took her overseas to adopt her three children–one each from Vietnam, Ethiopia, and China. Missy and her husband, Brad, joyfully chose adoption after experiencing the heartache of infertility.

As a fiction writer, Missy loves the freedom that comes with creating characters and weaving together their narratives. Food ends up playing a role in many of Missy’s stories. With an eclectic taste that ranges from ostrich steak to Pirate’s Booty, Missy is a foodie extraordinaire. She enjoys a local greasy spoon or roadside restaurant in Thailand as much as fine restaurants in Europe.

Missy is delighted to have her debut novel, INCONCEIVABLE, included in the starting line-up for Curiosity Thrills, the new romance imprint from Curiosity Quills Press. @Missyin10ec| Blog

Help Out a Writing Contest Veteran: THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS

I'm starting a new series of posts as we wait for Query Kombat time to arrive. They are called Help Out a Veteran, because all the authors will be veterans of one of my contests!

I think everyone who enters Query Kombat or any contest becomes part of the writing community, almost like a giant family. And we should support each other. Do what we can for each other. It's what families do! Thus this series.

If you have participated in one of my contests and have a book coming out or already published, please get in contact. I'd love to host you for one of these posts! You don't need a cover yet, or any links to Amazon. All you need is a Goodreads page for your upcoming book. 

The first victim is Max Wirestone, who was the NA Grand Champion from last year's Query Kombat! 

THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS

For fans of The Guild, New Girl, Scott Pilgrim, Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars, or anyone who has ever geeked out about something.


The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

October 20, 2015 from Redhook.

Goodreads page

Now it's time for your part. Head over to Goodreads and add this to your want to read list. Follow Max on twitter. 

Support a contest veteran and writer like yourself! Someday it could be you in this spot.

----------------------------

Max Wirestone is a librarian in a small New Hampshire town.  His first book, the geek-themed mystery THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS will be published in hardcover  (and audio) in October.  He is a currently at work on his second Dahlia book, a fantasy inspired by IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, a "parenting noir" novella, and a machine that will somehow create more hours in his day.

He can be found at @maxwires on twitter, or at maxwirestone.com

Blog Tour for Kindar

If you're looking for something for your blog for the first week of February, a wonderful Goodreads group is doing a Blog Tour for Kindar's Cure. You can leave a comment on the Making Meaning discussion page to join the tour.

Thanks to Shannon and Making Meaning for hosting me and to anyone who offers a spot.