Source: Google Images

The Heat Is On

OMG…summer is definitely HERE. Mid-90s to high 90s, then on up to triple digits (108 the other day), then back down to 90-ish today. No better time to catch up on some summer reading (indoors where the A/C is, of course). I’m currently digging into a Steve Berry spy novel and just finished devouring the latest in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series (one of my all-time faves). Summer reading is a nice respite from both work (if you have a day job) and writing. The heat can sometimes ‘gunk up the works,’ leaving imaginations stalled. Summertime reading can reignite that engine. So pick up a few good books at your local library or bookstore, grab a large lemonade with ice, a nice lawn chair, and you’re good to go.

What are you reading right now? Some people like to save certain books for summer reading – are you one of those? I’d love to hear what titles people are reading; who knows, you might hook me on one of your fave authors.

Posting On Book Ad Sites – Are They Worth It?

I got this idea from an email newsletter I subscribe to and decided to check out the four options they listed. You know how you ‘just know’ when a website, due to its layout style (too busy, not busy enough, asymmetrical, etc.) turns you off? That’s how I felt when I visited the some of the sites. Nothing impressive and they seemed already full of a lot of books I’ve not heard of – then again, I’m not exactly worldly when it comes to global writers and authors. They just didn’t feel right to me. Suggestions on some good sites for posting book ads are welcome.

Bookswifi.com and creativedesignwriters.com are two paid sites that seem decent enough. Books Wifi offers four options: Premium, Featured, Standard, and Basic and the prices are reasonable. How many hits you’ll get on your book, I have no idea. You can decide whether it’s a worthy expense.

Source: bookswifi.com

Creative Design Writers (.com) is definitely international; there are classifieds, company ads (realty) and fan pages (do people really look at these?); one even reads like a resume/dating site ad. There are ads in other languages, too. Something for everyone, I suppose.

Source: creativedesignerswriters.com

Also offered are SM marketing ($100 USD/month) and SEO ($150 USD/month) but I prefer to work with people I know and who live in my area. Not sure how safe some of these international sites are or who’s running them.

The Dark Side of Writing

A good place to learn about the shadowy world of writing is Writer Beware®, a brilliant website where writing and literary scams are tracked by a team of writers. The current article is on vanity publishers – you know, the companies that make you pay up front for marketing, printing, and other expenditures, only to not receive royalty payments, inaccurate accounting of sales, refusal to print more books, etc. The complaints have been rolling in on these vanity publishers and you should do your due diligence in checking out the site on a regular basis. This is one of the recent articles on vanity publishers that is a MUST-READ:

https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2019/07/from-writer-bewares-files-seven-most.html

Once upon a time, back in the early days of self-publishing, I almost fell for a vanity publisher called Tate Publishing (a Christian-based company, which I was unaware of until I read the heavy Christian verbiage in the publishing contract and changed my mind), now touting itself as Christian Faith Publishing , and is connected to another vanity publisher, Page Publishing. Lots of five-star BBB ratings to go with the numerous complaints, but the good does not outweigh the bad in these cases.

Basically, these vanity publishers take your money because that’s how they make theirs. They don’t follow through on their promises of sales, royalties and book exposure. If you’re new to self-publishing, DO YOUR RESEARCH and AVOID VANITY PUBLISHERS. These days, it’s fairly easy to get your book out there as long as you spend some money on a professional editor, book layout, and book cover design.

“The secret of these vanities is that they present themselves as publishers. Their target customer doesn’t want to self-publish…what they see is the validation of being chosen by a publisher, and because they don’t realize that reputable publishers don’t charge fees, they are vulnerable to this kind of deceptive advertising.” Victoria Strauss, Writer Beware®

Summer is a busy time for writers, readers, and booksellers. Take the time to enjoy a good read and don’t fall for literary predators!