:yawn: Jeez, I’m tired.

The Allure Authors site is finally up. It’s a work in process, but it’s getting there.

I’ll blog more in the morning. I’m just done in.

oh, update on the review thing. They were awesome about it. Retracting and revising. The old review had gone out to a mailing list already, but I still appreciate the effort made.

So what’s up with my writing life? Well, in between writing my next Brava, editing my e-book releases, and promoting said e-book releases, I’m working on promoting Bad Boys Ahoy! This is a time-sucking, money-draining process that I personally feel is absolutely necessary.

Other, far more experienced authors than I, would say one or a combination of the following:

1.) Do as much as you can afford (both time-wise and money-wise.)

2.) Do as much as you enjoy.

3.) It doesn’t help, don’t do it.

I’ll be honest and say that I think the number one thing I’ve done to help sell BBA is to sell e-books. With every book that releases, I pick up new readers. The promotion and loop discussions about my stories have increased my visibility. Will all of those e-book fans crossover? Nah, not with BBA being historical and my e-books being contemporary, futuristic, and paranormals. But I’m certainly farther ahead of the game than I would have been without.

However, I feel as if I remain an unknown author and this will hurt my print sales. I am surprised by how often I am complimented by other writers on how well I’ve promoted myself. Have I? :think: I don’t know. The only thing I know for sure is that any reader who isn’t online has never heard of me. Will they walk into a bookstore and pick up my book? The Brava name helps, the Bad Boys franchise helps, but I’ve had friends who released books with well-known publishers and franchises, and their newbie status negatively affected their sales.

My unknown author status affects my profile on the bookseller’s websites, too. Go to BN.com and look at their Coming Soon page. BBA is not on there. So if a reader who has never heard of me went to BN.com and was surfing for something they might want to buy, they won’t find me at all. Unless you search my name or the book title (which a person who’s never heard of me wouldn’t do), BBA doesn’t exist.

What’s the big deal with BBA? Why put so much effort into it? Well, it’s the first of three scheduled print releases next year, and I’m fairly positive about a fourth (anthology) release. I also have this third Brava I’m presently working on. (If it goes over well. Ya never know… Just because it’s contracted doesn’t mean it’s going to be accepted.) So kicking off strong will help the sales of those other books.

AND any other contracts that may come my way will be based heavily on the orders of BBA. Those all-important numbers. They really are all-important.

So I do what I can afford, but not as little as I’d enjoy doing. I envy those authors who have reached the point where they are beyond personal promo. The authors who have such strong support from their fans and publishers.

I do have some fun promo to share news to share with you that didn’t cost me anything. Brava excerpts upcoming releases in the backs of their books and BBA is excerpted in the back of Valentine’s Day is Killing Me, which features MaryJanice Davidson, LA Banks, and Susanna Carr. Susanna emailed me the exciting news last night and is sending me an ARC so I can hop up and down and do the :yay: It’s getting closer… Soon I’ll be holding BBA in my hands. And if I do everything I could possibly do to promo BBA, there will some peace of mind in that. I’d hate to hear about crappy sales and think, “I should have done [insert whatever] Maybe, it would have helped.”

Today I received two reviews for two different stories and both contained spoilers that gave away nearly everything about the plots. I sat here stunned, wondering WHY the reviewer felt the need to tell the entire story in their review. :scratch:

Both reviews were excellent, both reviewers loved the stories, but in the end I wrote to one of the review coordinators with highlights showing the spoilers and asked to have them removed. I’m still debating on the other one… :think:

I’m getting caught up this weekend. :whip: I am. I am. I am.

In the meantime, here’s some great reading from a really awesome gal!

Touch Me by Lucy Monroe
1st in Sensual Regency Historical Trilogy
ISBN 0-4252-0531-2
Berkley Sensation

In her newest love story, bestselling author Lucy Monroe invites you into a world of dazzling beauty, daring adventure, and sensual delight…

Outspoken, opinionated Thea Selwyn is no ordinary lady. Raised in the exotic West Indies, she has none of the starchy propriety Pierson Drake is accustomed to—rather, there is a lush sensuality about this impulsive beauty that tempts him unmercifully. Her delectable curves and wide, innocent eyes are enticing enough, but her breathless response to his touch is a lure he can’t resist.

On a voyage that takes them from tropical paradise to the glittering ballrooms of London, Thea and Drake are pulled into a firestorm of illicit passion. Thea knows that once they reach England, the secrets she’s been keeping will kill whatever Drake feels for her. But Drake’s own history has taught him the value of acceptance and the desolation of loss. Thea is the one women Drake has ever trusted with his heart, and he has no intention of losing her— not to the ghosts of the past or the threats of the present. But can he convince Thea to forget the hard lesson she’s learned and take a chance on love?

Reviews:

Lucy Monroe has once again captured the essence of love and put that into a book that will keep you glued to your seat. Touch Me is the perfect title for this tender romance. 5 Stars ~ A Romance Review

TOUCH ME is the quintessential historical romance with exceptionally drawn characters and a unique, absorbing plot. ~ Carolyn Crisher, Romance Reviews Today

Before I forget, Renee Luke and I will chatting together at Fallen Angels tonight. 9PM EST

Somebody stop me. I keep checking my Amazon sales ranking, even though it makes absolutely no sense to me. :doh: It’s an illness.

Also Amazon says they’re shipping Bad Boys Ahoy! starting Jan. 3rd. This is a few weeks before the actual “on sale” date. There are a few other sites that say they’re shipping starting the 3rd, too.

Then you have shamalamadingdong selling my book on eBay for $7.49. Uh, hello?? Is this legal? I am so new at this, I don’t know. But also on sale is Alison Kent’s Goes Down Easy for $1. A DOLLAR. Do we make money off of this? :pirate: Must e-mail Alison and pick her brain…

That’s me. And every once in awhile I think about how lucky I am to know the people I do and to have the opportunities I have. Like my cp, Annette, who just rocks. She’s an all-around great person to begin with, but she’s also a fabulous writer and she keeps me on track. You have no idea how clueless I am when it comes to writing, or how many times I’ll email her and despair that I have no idea what I’m doing. And yet she’ll write back an email that says, Sure you do. You’ve done this and this and this. The story is totally on track. And I’ll sit here and go, How come I didn’t see that? :scratch: She just knows wwwwaaaayyyy more about writing than me. There’s actually a method to this madness. Explanations for what makes things work. Basically, there’s an instruction manual and Annette was smart enough to read it before putting the darn thing together. I just looked at the parts and slapped them where they looked like they fit, but have no idea why they fit.

Basically, I don’t know what I’d do without her. I’d just flounder and :eek:, I think.

And somehow, during the last eleven months since I got the call from Kate Duffy, I’ve met the most wonderful authors. Just great people. And when I join them in endeavors I think, How the heck did I end up hanging with these awesome women? You all have seen the 2B Read Blog now. And the Allure Authors and I are waiting for our site to go up, and then there’s the Your Virtual Book Bag where me and some fun authors talk about our latest books.

One of the totally fabulous Book Bag authors is Teresa Bodwell, who is a lucky girl, too, for many reasons, one of them being because she keeps getting these awesome covers!!

All About Me

Three screen names that you’ve had: syl207, sylday, sylverleaf

Three things you like about yourself: fun-loving, hard-working, loyal

Three things you don’t like about yourself: Shy, I hold a grudge, sometimes people really irritate me.

Three parts of your heritage: Japanese, Irish, Dutch

Three things that scare you: walking in the dark, bugs, horror movies

Three of your everyday essentials: caffeine, caffeine, caffeine

Three things you are wearing right now: purple robe, purple slippers, black VS bra

Three of your favorite songs: Against All Odds by Phil Collins, The Reason by Hoobastank, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson (really)

Three things you want in a relationship: passion, humor, lust

Two truths and a lie: I have a lead foot, I love chocolate, my house is spotless

Three things you can’t live without: my kids, my writing, my coffee

Three places you want to go on vacation: Jamaica (again), Japan (again), Italy

Three things you just can’t do: draw, sing, get jokes

Three kids’ names: Gareth, Jack, Shanna

Three things you want to do before you die: scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, go on a month-long vacation, write a bestseller

Three celeb crushes: Dean Cain (really), Jason Lewis, Dwayne (The Rock)

Three of your favourite musicians: I’ll have to think about this one

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you: smile, ass, height

Three of your favourite hobbies: reading

Three things you really want to do badly right now: find my muse, finish this story, eat a really yummy dessert

Three careers you’re considering/you’ve considered: romance novelist, dolphin trainer, pharmacist

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy: I don’t want you to tell me how to fix it, I don’t like to “talk about things”, I don’t like shopping or the phone. I hate the phone.

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl: ugh, I have no idea. I like to dress up. I expect doors to be opened and chairs pulled.

I tag: Mandy, Alyssa, and Lisa.

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In other news — over the next few weeks, three of my stories will be releasing:

Snaring The Huntress — AQP — Nov. 18-20

Kiss of the Night — EC — Nov. 23

Wish List — EC — Dec. ? (It’s a Christmas story, and it will release any day in Dec. except for Christmas Day.) And guess what? It’s a straight contemporary. Are you shocked? I am. *g*