self-promotion – pamelascanepa

The Author’s Trail Part Deux #indiewriter

LocalAuthor17308860_1868921530017819_1030597615583708958_n (2) Made for Me by Pamela Schloesser Canepa.

I did it! I got my self-published book, Made for Me, a sci-fi romance, on the bookshelf at a local independent bookstore! It is pictured with the manager, well, his arm. He said I could post the photo on Facebook, but I didn’t tell him it would be all over the web. So I’ve cropped this one. At any rate, I thought it would get tiring just posting photos of myself with my book and I’m trying to catch various other people with it. But, I digress.

Made for Me is now on the Local Author shelf at The Book Nook in Jacksonville, Florida, Lakewood area! Next stop, well I’m working on that, and I need to do more research on our other indie bookstores and maybe even Barnes and Noble. However, this is a step up and it took some nerve to market myself, make that call, and just go in there. Yet, I did it! The manager was very nice and friendly and explained their consignment process. So, this is a first in many other steps I will take as an author.

The sci-fi romance, Made for Me, is also available for order at Amazon at the link https://www.amazon.com/Made-Me-Its-chemistry-isnt/dp/1520250215. It sells for $6.99. You get a deal if you spend $25 or more on books there so you won’t have to pay shipping costs. That’s how I do it, anyway.

In other news, I have been able to get the video of my author presentation mentioned in a preview post. It was taken on my mother’s phone and she doesn’t have a Youtube account. Yet. I’m working on that! I had to take some time and sign in to my Youtube account from her phone, load it, wait, then edit. I was waiting for a day off and finally found the time. Here it is if you’d like to see it and/or have about seven minutes to spare.

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The Author’s Trail #indiewriter

She breezes through town, agent by her side, dazzling us with her witty words, leaving all spellbound with her talent and clamoring to purchase and devour her material. That’s how the dream goes, anyhow.

Then, she is off to the next destination, a new group, new venue, ready to rock the crowd. Wait, that would be a rock star’s job. Well, I did tell you it was a fantasy, right? That anyone would hail an indie author in such a way is truly the stuff of folk tales.

My author’s trail is more like a slow trek on the Oregon Trail. Luckily I still have my day job, or someone might be starting to starve. I should probably add that being employed full-time forces me to do a balancing act and sometimes shuffle the writing and self-promotion to the bottom of my to-do list. 😦 However, I am learning the benefits and reaping the rewards of speaking to groups about my books.

Mind you, I have only spoken to groups of people that know me personally.Once at my own church Artist’s/Talent Fair, and recently at my mother’s church, where I knew at least 80% of the audience. I had an invite to go to a high school during their Literacy Week, but a family mishap forced me to cancel. Still, I’ll take two out of three and have faith there will be more, along with the gumption to make it happen.

First presentation ever! April, 2016. Amateurish, I know. Don’t judge! 🙂

For my second presentation, the crowd consisted of people from my mother’s church who have known me since my twenties, but most haven’t yet read my book. Why? Some people don’t read on Kindle. But three months ago I got my first book, Made for Me, a sci-fi romance novella, published in paperback through Amazon’s Direct Publishing program. I also brought a few extra paperbacks to the presentation, you know, just in case. Like magic, five people are now reading my book who haven’t before. You may think, “Five? Big deal.” Every reader is a reward to me as an indie author, even if they are people that know me. It’s one more chance at word of mouth. Every review is another reward. Count every small step forward as a victory. On top of that, it was just touching to see many people that I haven’t seen in years. I also got some great feedback about my presentation and some interesting questions were asked. Yes, I carried an outline for my speech. It helps. 🙂

I know my next steps, I know who I need to contact. My next goal is to speak at public libraries. However, I can’t tell you when. I am working on writing and editing another book, working full-time, and parenting, and I’m sure there’s something else. But it will happen! I won’t put it off too long. Sometimes I want to make it happen all at once, but it won’t. At any rate, I may be feeling older, but I am still young. I’m going to do this, and perhaps the plan is where it all starts?

Here are two of my biggest supporters! Mom’s reading my paperback, Made for Me. Bixby has sat beside me many times as I wrote this book and others. If you’re interested, Made for Me is available in Kindle edition or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Made-Me-Its-chemistry-isnt/dp/1520250215 I’ll soon be working on converting the second book in the series to paperback as well.

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The Book Trailer Journey! #selfpublishing #newrelease

pamelascanepa_cover — “Seeing Through Sampson’s Eyes,” sci-fi

My second Kindle ebook is now live for download at Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GNNCHHQ Downloadable for 2.99, or free in Kindle Unlimited! I feel like it is more action-packed and suspenseful than the first. This is less romance, and more coming of age, sci-fi, in a technologically advanced future, though it is somewhat of a sequel to my first book. A twenty year old searches for her identity. And flirts with danger. (Didn’t we all)? Here, I am documenting my humorous, albeit frustrating journey to get a book trailer out on social media beforehand to promote it….

6/06: 7:48 a.m. Facebook post: Finished a cool book trailer video for my sequel, and my laptop ate it….or maybe The Cloud ate it? It’s gone. Next time, I’ll feed it cookies first. ‪#‎backtostepone‬ ‪#‎learnbytrialanderror‬

Evening of 6/06, Inner monologue: Okay, I have the bare bones outline still saved from 5 days ago. I’ll just add to that. Have to change Dr. Parington’s photo. Add my book cover at the start and end of the video. Edit captions, make font bigger. Add music. Slow down 3rd and 5th frames. Add Amazon link (Now live) for the Kindle book. Save. Double check saving. (Can’t lose again, please, not again.) This music is perfect. Now, upload to Youtube. Why is the little red-haired girl the main visual (thumbnail, that’s what they call it)? She’s too cute. This video conveys suspense. Oh, I can change the thumbnail. (Sees only two other options, neither are any more representative of the tone I want to communicate. Uggg!) Okay, I’ll abandon the idea of changing the thumbnail. Maybe I’ll figure that out someday.

*Saves again. Crashes, way past bedtime.*

6/07: 8:01 a.m. So, I need to use some wording that conveys that this is not a cutesie little story, despite the thumbnail, but rather, that it is more suspenseful and intense. Got it.

Facebook post: “Book trailer finished! The cute redhead will now lead you through the rabbit hole: ‪#‎KindleEbooks‬ ‪#‎Newrelease‬ ‪#‎indiewriter‬ ‪#‎scifi‬ https://youtu.be/PQuKD6LUZGY This is a sequel, but could be read alone. Thank you for watching!” *I think I better hurry and log off so I can get to work!*

After all that trouble, I’ve had many compliments on my book trailer! All because I did not give up. And I won’t. Ever.

It was referred to as “intense” and “the best I’ve seen.” Now it has been viewed 43 times. This is one way to spread the word about my book! Now, please, go watch the trailer! http://youtu.be/PQuKD6LUZGY And maybe, just maybe, download and read the book!

*Photo courtesy of canva.com