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As of today I'll using Substack for my newsletter, posting Random Ramblings every month. You can read that Awkward First Post here and sign up for the free newsletter now. You can also upgrade to a paid subscription which will get you extra posts each month with longer articles about writing, novel extracts and even short stories.
I've decided to bring this release forward 2 months, and release books 2 and 3 in eBook together on May 30th. It seemed like a very long time to wait, and it gives people more time to read all three books before the fourth is out in November.
The paperbacks will still release on September 27th.
After a lot of work, the covers have now been locked in. As you can see there are quite a few changes from the previous version.
We also added our publishing company logo and website, which is now active.
I'm really pleased with how these look, and in creating them have now streamlined the process making it easier to replicate, meaning future books in the series will match. I know that sounds like it should be obvious, but noting the steps are followed exactly the same each time is harder than you'd think.
The joys of being an independant author and publisher!
Working on the CUT AND SHUT cover was the hardest, as the original sub-heading needed to be erased from the saved image-file, a process that took the best part of 4 hours as it had to be done pixel by pixel. Once done, the new sub-heading could be placed.
The soft relaunch of books 1-3 continues, and the next stage is getting review copies out there. As I'm doing this around my day job, I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to sourcing reviewers so I'm using a site called Book Sprout.
You can head to the site now (click the image above) and request a digital review copy on the condition that once you have read the book you will leave a review on one of the sites where the book can be bought. Kobo is my preferred, but you could do it on Amazon, GoodReads or several other sites.
I'm also starting to slowly build awareness of the soft launch of the series, sending out the following to book bloggers, reviewers and such.
The plan is to slowly build momentum so that by the time book four launches in November, there is more awareness out there. But we'll see how it goes.
With the digital files for the first three books all uploaded, and with Dirty Little Secret now available to buy for the special price of £1.99, I've been working on the new paperback covers with the plan of releasing all three in September.
It's a learning curve, but I'm pretty pleased with where I'm at so far after just a few weeks of work.
Still some neatening up to do before I lock them in, but the basic layout is done and the various elements decided on (font, colour, spacing etc). I think the back cover image needs to be a bit more lighter so that will mean the text needs darkening - I'll see when I get the first proof copies back shortly.
I've got the fourth cover nearly done as well, though will have to wait till the book is finished before I can set spine sizes, and have already started work on the fifth well in advance.
Doing all this myself is exhausting, but also a great deal of fun, learning new skills and being creative in entirely new ways. I think these will be the best covers the books have had so far, certainly for Dirty Little Secret:
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| (L): Crime Publishing Network 2021 / (R): Hobeck Books 2022 |
How surprised I was when the next day, trying to log into the account I was met with the warning that my account had been disabled due to breaking Community Standards. No details, no specifics. I appealed and less than 20 mins later had a message that the original decision was upheld and there were no more appeals.
My plans to join some book groups and start to get the word out on Facebook about the Louise Miller books getting a new lease of life were instantly scuppered. To be honest though, I'm not overly bothered.
Facebook is a cesspit of distraction and avoidance full of drama. I can lose hours in tabletop gaming groups, which then leads me to checking out online stores for new models or paints. Stuff that gets in the way of writing. I become obsessed with posting where to buy the books instead of just getting on with the next one.
So I'm actually rather glad that the Zuckersphere has grown as gatekeeper/authoritarian as I suspected it would. I don't need it. I don't need social media, just like Lindsey Davis, Zadie Smith or Cal Newport don't need it either.
Word of mouth. Book store readings/signings and other events. That's how I'll get the word out. Let it happen naturally. Organically. Like this website/blog. I've not told anyone about it but it has had over a couple of hundred views in the few weeks it has been active.
So if you did briefly find me on Facebook and wondered where I vanished again, hopefully that explains it a little. I couldn't tell you why FB deemed it neccessary to give me the boot, trying to talk to an actual person is impossible. But like I said... I don't really care.
Get the first in the Louise Miller series, DIRTY LITTLE SECRET, for the special price of £1.99.
"Without a doubt, this is a five-star book! I was thrown right in, and hooked throughout."
"This was well written, pacey, the plot was solid and the ending left you quite stunned and ready for more."
Special offer ends 30th May, release day for book 2: FROM SORROW'S HOLD (available to pre order).