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Showing posts from May, 2012

Learning From Reviews

I'll be honest. I've really enjoyed reading reviews on my debut Love On The Range . Many authors don't read reviews and I'm sure someday I won't either. But because this book was written so long ago, and been through so many revisions, I feel very objective toward it now. Reviews from friends and fellow bloggers are amazing to read. Thank you to everyone who posted one for me!! It was much appreciated. Reviews from people I don't know are exciting. Someone I don't know read my book and cared enough to write about it and/or rate it. Wow! So I read these reviews and I learn. What worked for people, what didn't. Some reviews touched on things I knew I wouldn't be able to change in the future with my books, though I might refine my way of writing it. Other reviews hit on things that I know I'll be keeping in mind for future books: Things like pacing and head hopping (yes, I'm a natural head hopper and am working at curbing that tendency *

Sweet Summer

Summer is almost here, and I can hardly wait! No more six o'clock alarm blasting me from my comfy bed. :-) I plan to finish the WIP I've been playing with for five months and submit it to LIH. Maybe in the fall I'll have another contract? I'm also thinking of going to the American Christian Fiction Writer's conference this year too. What are your summer plans? What do you look forward to in summer?

Rolling in the Royalties

In case you don't all ready know...most authors don't roll in much. I'm blessed that my fellow authors established a loop where newbie authors like me can ask questions and get great answers from more veteran writers. Royalties seems to be something that comes up every so often. It sounds like I'll be paid twice a year, and that the second royalty check will have more in it. But no one really knows for sure. There are bunches of factors involved with how much I'll earn, like what month the book released in relation to when the royalties are calculated, if the book made it into the book club (in my case), and how much the publisher holds back in reserves. It's pretty fascinating and a little scary. Here are some good links. Agent Rachelle Gardner gets detailed about royalty rates Author Rebecca Brandewyne on royalties Sabrina Jeffries' Money Chart Brenda Hiatt's amazing list of average advances How much do you hope you'll make someday w

Post-Publication: The LowDown

So it's over. My book (that huge cover on the right sidebar) is officially off the shelves. There's so much to share that I think it might take a couple of blog posts. First thing: Love On The Range is a category romance, published by Harlequin, who puts out different sets of book every month. It's a book club thing. That's why mine is off the shelves. Its month was April. Secondly: Now that the book is off the shelves, it feels like a dream that happened. I feel like I'm starting over. Thirdly: Reviews are both nail-biting and exhilarating, especially when they're from someone you don't know. Fourth: AuthorCentral is a cool Amazon site that logs your sales. It shares all sorts of info, like where your book has been selling in the US (with a map and everything). So whew. April was awesome and tiring. How was your April? Do you read category romances? Did you know about AuthorCentral?

Welcome Jeanette Levellie, Humorous Devotional Author (Giveaway!!)

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Two Scoops of Grace With Chuckles On Top What do drive-by diaper stores and God have in common? When is blabbing an acceptable habit? Why should you beware of moths and sligs? In her entertaining, uplifting style, award-winning author and humorist Jeanette Levellie weaves 72 amusing stories with affirming Biblical truths. These soul-nourishing examples of God’s favor and grace will help you: •Laugh when you find cow patties in your field instead of daisies •Discover the bottomless heart of God •Grow in your acceptance of yourself and others Welcome a vacation from stress as you discover the sweetness of Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top. You can buy the book here . A spunky pastor’s wife of thirty-plus years, Jeanette Levellie authors a bi-weekly humor/inspirational column, God is Bigger, a popular feature in the Paris Beacon News since 2001. She has published stories in Guideposts anthologies, stories in Love is a Verb Devotional with Gary Chapman, articles in C