Norwescon 45 & The Bastard Sorceress News!

 

I'll BE AT NORWESCON 45!

This year I will be hanging out with my publisher at the TANSTAAFL Press trable in the dealer's room on Saturday, April 8. Feel free to drop by! I am happy to answer author questions & signh books. Hope to see you there/

NORWESCON@

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport

18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

THE BASTARD SORCERESS NEWS!

The Bastard Sorceress Free Book Promo Offer 

So much news to unpack. First, TANSTAAFL Press is offering  a special free book promo for The Bastard Sorceress free until April 2nd. Take advantage of this book promo and get The Bastard Sorceress today!   Amazon https://amzn.to/3fvHOio

This kindle book is free on Amazon March 29-April 2. Enjoy the magic.

The Bastard Sorceress reaches bestseller status on Amazon!

I'm thrilled to share that my novel, The Bastard Sorceress, reached bestseller status on Amazon Kindle. I feel grateful because of the promo,my publisher offered, it encouraged curious readers to get my novel. Yeah! So on March 30th, The Bastard Sorceress reached #3 in children's sword & sorcery fantasy books. I never knew this categpory existed. I was also #14 in Epic Fantasy and #15 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy E-books. I can now officially call myself a best selling author.

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Have a great weekend and I will be scribbling another blog soon. Until the, read more fantasy & support small press publishers!

    Verna McKinnon

 

Baby dragons, March word battle, & writer wisdom on marketing

 

Baby Dragons

Who doesn't love magical animals? I use them a great deal in my books & stories. Rory, the baby pukis dragon, is one of the stars in The Bastard Sorceress. I find animal characters to be relatable and fun. With dragons, unicorns, perytons, gryphons, and animal famliars of all kinds, I will never run out of story ideas. Rory (pictured above thanks to my publisher, Tom Gondolfi of TANSTAAFL Press) has his very own promo ad where he tells his side of the story. You can buy The Bastard Sorceress on Amazon @ https://amzn.to/3DPq77p

March Word Battle 

How many words am I writing a day? The word battle can make you crazy. War Poet is flowing. The novel is entering the danger phase for my characters. I mean, there have been challenges. It would be dull without threats to my precious characters. New kingdoms to explore. The Siabur, Fallon Gansis, is closing in on our heroine, Rose Greenleaf. Why does he want her rhapsode' magic? The Goblin War is taking a toll in the eastern realms. A mad king wars on his people. A captive prince needs rescue. Rose and Culain face their hidden emotions as Meg Sparrow faces her painful past. Lots of trauma and action. Lots of magic & secrets. Let's see how I survive March.

Marketing for Small Press & Indie Writers

This is a touchy subject for some. It is for me, but I need to share what I have learned over the years being with a small press. We don't have it so easy, do we? Who can find us in the massive well of Amazon book section as we drown among the other unseen novelists? Who knows us? How can we spread the word? There are many online book marketing companies. Many. Are they worth it? Many are not. Maybe some are, I just haven't found one. I have paid a little and more than a litte for a marketing campaign. Their websites have dozens of testimonials on how great they are. I have never seen any sales upswing, not even a decent example of a promo. It's like some of them just download a picture of the cover and link, but do little else. Many just take your money and run, so beware. They do not even design a good promo image. They do not add your reviews to the promo ads. Beware. If it sounds to good to be true, it is.  I have taken to learning how to do my own. They are not perefect, but better than what I paid for with these marketing geniuses that fib as they take your money. Learn to do your own promos. Canva is great and I use the free version. 

My dragon is calling me back to work and word counts. Enjoy the day and read more fantasy!

Cheers,

Verna McKinnon