Happy New Year! I can still say that. According to what Mom used to tell me, I have two weeks into the New Year before wishing happiness becomes passé. I don’t know where she learned her rule but I’ve always lived by it. So, Happy New Year! And in keeping with the traditions of a new year, I’m going to look back at 2016 and remind us both what a great year it was for me as an author.

Last year marked the first year that I could say I was more visible online than ever before. Here is a brief review of the year’s premium events:

Jan – Guest panelist on an Author/Publisher panel sponsored by local library

Feb – Attended Book ‘Em NC Conference as signing author and guest panelist

Mar – Interviewed twice with blog talk radio’s La Femme de Prose, part of Focus on Women Magazine

Apr – Guest author for Poetry and Pastry at the local library// Guest speaker and presenter at Robeson Community College’s Annual Poetry and Prose Awards

May – Featured author in the May/Jun issue of Focus on Women Magazine

**Decided to hire a Personal Author Assistant, Terri Wilson. Best decision ever. ***

Jul – Guest blogger on KerryAdrienne.com // guest at #carolinareads // on blog talk radio with La Femme de Prose

            Published new book, The Book of Now (nonfiction poetry)

Aug – Guest on Yvonne Mason’s Off The Chain podcast/radio show

            Held a Book Launch for The Book of Now in a local wine bar – sold lots of books

Sep – sponsored a hole during a local golf tournament (sold two books online from it)

interview appeared in Don Massenzio’s blog

Oct – Panelist at local library for National Indie Author Day

Nov – article published in Southern Writers Magazine on NaNoWriMo

            Published new book, Breaking the Glass Slipper (fictional memoir)

Dec – on the air with Off The Chain

Awards won in 2016

Global Ebook Bronze Award in Fiction for Midnight Assassin
Global Ebook Honorable Mention Award in Cover Design for Midnight Assassin

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Whew. That was a monumental year! Published two books, received awards, appeared in print magazines, online blogs, and on the radio several times! Something happened every month. I’m very proud of the year.

A quick reality check. Most successful authors would tell you that my year was just okay. Yup, successful authors find much more massive sales due to much more massive amounts of publicity. Makes you sigh, doesn’t it? It does for me.

In an effort to improve publicity and visibility online and in local areas, I started my own street team in May – Sherry’s Team Phoenix. Membership is small right now but I fully expect that to improve this year. (You can read about it via a link under Press, News and Events tab. We’d love to have you join us)

So let’s just take a moment to reflect. You should look back over your year too, and take note of the GOOD things you accomplished. This isn’t the moment to see failure or polish regret. This is the moment to say, “Good job, you made progress and worked hard.” Go ahead pat yourself on the back. Even if you only did one new thing, do it. It is one more thing than you had before and that’s progress!

All right, now I challenge us to do more this year. I have to confess I don’t have a major plan yet. I have two conferences upcoming and I hope to have two books this year (working on it).  I’m entering my two newest books in some awards. But I don’t have a publicity plan yet but I will. Time enough to say what I didn’t do or did incorrectly. For now, what a year 2016 was. And thank YOU for being such a huge part of it. My success is largely due to the support I get from you, the readers. I am grateful.

Good job on last year and Happy 2017! Let’s make this one our best yet, together. I’ll have links to the radio shows coming on the Press/Media page. Look there soon.

I’ll be back later this week to discuss jealousy. Did you know it could be good for you while being bad TO you? Get your green eyes ready for an eye opening revelation.

Until then, I remain Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry

Happy New Year and welcome 2017!

First, allow me to apologize for letting this blog slide for so long. I have been busy writing, just not here. This is my first resolution to change and what I want to discuss with you.

Every new year folks come up with all manner of promises and resolutions. Many last a few months, but most only last about two or three weeks. I’ve been bad at follow through, I confess. I promise and then life distracts, writing distracts, people divert and pretty soon I have forgotten and dust collects. I always resolve to do better and no,I don’t expect anyone to believe me at this juncture. But I’ve changed. Attitudes, plans, style…and only showing you will demonstrate!

Change is what the future is all about and why we try to make resolutions. But sometimes the future is change enough all by itself. The past holds us down (or in place), but the future is fluid, changeable, unwritten, unknown, overflowing with possibilities and promises. The future brings all and we don’t actually need to exert promises because the very nature of “the future” is going to do that for us. We are just too untrusting and impatient to believe in it, so we fill the air and our hearts with wishes and expectations. Most of the time this leads to letdowns. I’m not going to do that to myself or to you.

I believe in the future, despite the heartaches of the past, the disappointments, the trials, the deaths, the hate and fear, the sense of loss and confusion. I believe in it so much that I came back here with determination and hope because I believe in the future. You’ll see soon enough. The future promises that you’ll see more of me and often. Just wait and see. I’m excited!

Right now, please allow me to thank you for supporting me over the past year. I published two books – two!  – The Book of Now (nonfiction poetry), and Breaking the Glass Slipper (fictional memoir). I hope you’ll choose to read one of them and let me know what you think. In the future, I’m going to be talking about the how and whys of each book and maybe inspire you to write your own.

As for the future of 2017 — look forward to books about vampires! Yes the Evening Bower Saga begins this year! You’ll see more of our friend Drahomira as well as Rhea, Jean-Louis, Destin, and so many others!

So we’re looking to the future now. It will bring changes. Stay tuned to see how those unfold. And I will promise you one thing — you’ll like what you discover!  Keep an eye to the Press and Media page for information on upcoming signings, along with links to radio interviews and guest blogging (I’m working on updates now and will have them up in a day or two).

On behalf of my vampires who are anxious to come out and play, I wish you a VERY Happy New Year. Now lean in…my vampires want a New Year’s Kiss….

And I remain, as always,
Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry

Today I continue the commentary I began yesterday, exploring the author behaviors that you should and should not do in your everyday life.

Remember that every action you take as an author is a reflection of you, the businessperson. It is a measure of your character, your integrity and your reputation.

Today I’m looking at Newsletters, Caveat Amplexus, Giveaways and Promotions, and that One Important Thing.

So now, let’s finish off the bakers dozen of 13 Author Do’s and Don’ts in Everyday Dealings.

PART II 

NEWLETTERS

1. Are you one to send out a newsletter? I confess I started one and I have been uneven about using it. But I discovered several other authors have them and you know how they get subscribers? They steal them. Yes, by signing people up when they don’t ask for it. So here it is, DON’T sign people up to your newsletter without their permission/knowledge. EVER. That is rude. It assumes more than I can put into words. Such an act makes me furious. Not only will I immediately unsubscribe from you but also I probably won’t buy your books on principle either. DO ask people to sign up for your newsletter at signings and through your blog or website. DON’T sign people up to your newsletter if they simply comment on a post or buy your book. DO ask people who buy your book if they would like to sign up for your newsletter. See what is happening here? DON’T ASSUME people want to be in contact with you simply because they liked something you wrote, a Facebook post or because they downloaded your eBook. Bad business folks. I have badmouthed several authors for doing it. Puts a very bad taste in my mouth when I am signed up for things that I did not agree to. How about you?
2. Now I’m going to tell you to do as I say and not as I have done, here. If you have a newsletter, DO use it. I’ve been bad about that. I’m about to change my ways. DON’T keep people waiting on word from you. Once you have clients signed up, DO give them something to appreciate you and stay engaged in. DON’T be like me, or, as I was.

CAVEAT AMPLEXUS – Beware the (free) embrace

1. Caveat Amplexus, or beware of the embrace, is what I use to warn people away from “freebies.” This is a tougher one to explain. When you have friends who know you write books, friends who work in various places that might be of a benefit to you, it is sometimes tempting to want to “lean” on them. In other words, you want to embrace your friends with warmth in the hopes that they will offer you freebies. DON’T expect your friends, because they are your friends, to give you what you would expect strangers to pay for. Example: You have a friend who has a friend who oversees a venue that would be a great place for a book signing or a launch party. So you decide to hint that it would be great to do but you wish you could afford it. This is pulling on your friend’s affections to see if they can come through for you. Now you begin negotiating for a freebie. Suddenly that friendship without strings now has them. The friendship seems used. DON’T do this to your friends. DON’T ever expect to get something for free that strangers would have to pay for. If you should be offered a deal that’s wonderful! By all means, take it. But again DON’T ASSUME and put your friends in awkward positions. Don’t make your friends whisper “Caveat Amplexus!”
2. The other side of that coin works, too. Never expect less from your contacts than you do from perfect strangers. DON’T let your contacts work you in ways that you wouldn’t accept from people you don’t know. I understand that we want to do for others but if you are guilty of buying acceptance or selling yourself just make friends (or sell books) then you lose yourself and your professional self takes a huge hit. DO keep professional standards at all times, especially with your personal contacts and friends. You want to keep their respect once earned. DON’T ever cheapen it.

GIVEAWAYS AND PROMOTIONS

1. Love contests and giveaways, don’t you? DO have them. They expand your readership and winners help you spread the word on your work. Want to know what frosts me? When I win a contest and it takes weeks to get my prize. I don’t enter so many raffles or giveaways that I don’t know what I’m getting. Rule of thumb, advertise when you will announce winners and when the winners’ books (or gifts) will be mailed. DO keep your word. I know when I win I start figuring out when I will get my goodies. I won a contest once and after sending several requests for mail out dates, I finally got my gifts a month later. I was not impressed. DON’T take your winners’ patience or enthusiasm for granted. DO keep your word and DO mail out within 72 hours of winning. That is the longest you should wait before mail outs. In fact, you should already have your boxes or mailers ready to go, unsealed so you can sign the books before they go. And DO personalize whenever you can!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

Finally, and perhaps most important of all things, DON’T lie. DO protect and build your professional self by expecting and maintaining the highest possible standard. Demand only the best out of your work, whether it is your writing, your book design, your phone calls, your newsletters, your face-to-face contacts. DON’T drop your standards for anyone. Ever. That means the truth is your guide and your word is your reputation. Once you lie and you break trust, you may never get it back again. Be the standard. Sadly I must say, DO expect and demand the same of others, even when they don’t want to give it. Never back down.

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With this baker’s dozen of unwritten, everyday rules for authors and writers, I think you will be well on your way to a sterling professional career, whatever path it takes! Good luck!

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ONE QUICK BIT OF NEWS:

COVER REVEAL FOR THE BOOK OF NOW COMING SOON!

Thanks for stopping by!
I remain yours between the lines,
Sherry

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****The following items will always appear to keep you posted on activities.*****

WIP (Works in Progress): –  Writer’s Workbook – Learning to Write Everyday – Beginners Volume

– first novel in the Evening Bower series, about vampires and other supernatural creatures
– fictional memoir – November 2016!
– four-part fairy story (part one complete)

On the Desk: (next reading): TBD

Off the Desk (book just finished): League of Dragons – Naomi Novik

Coming Soon:  Interview with new folks and more about upcoming projects. Plus meet my assistant (yes, you want details!)