Publishing

3 Month Anniversary of DESCENT

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

My Facebook launch party is set and the date is special to me. BLAZE will be published on the 3 month anniversary of DESCENT.

When: October 25th, 2-4 PM EST

Where:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1630121803934943/

A special group of authors will be giving away their books. All you need to do is join the party, be the first to answer a trivia question correctly, and you win. I’ll announce the author list closer to the date… Can’t give you all the information at one, now could I?

If you want information on how to host your own Facebook launch party, click here. And if you do host one, be sure to let me know. I love attending them.

Early praise for BLAZE is just a thrilling to me as the early praise DESCENT received. The first I received was from Phyllis Smallman.

“Evil in a beautiful landscape—Blaze is an inferno of action and tension. ‪Its sizzling plot will keep you guessing until the end.” —Phyllis Smallman, award-winning author of the Sherri Travis murder mysteries

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00072]

If you’re looking for something to read and you haven’t read DESCENT yet, now is your chance before BLAZE comes out. Find it at: myBook.to/Descent

And if you have read DESCENT, I’d be very excited if you pre-ordered BLAZE.

Thanks for reading…

Call for Submissions: Voices From The Valleys

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Are you a writer or aspiring author who is living (or has lived) in British Columbia, Canada?

Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 7.33.47 AMWould you like to see your BC-based story or poem in print in a high-quality?

Cobalt Books is calling all writers and poets from the interior of BC (or who have spent time there), and surrounding valleys and the Kootenays, to submit a short fictional story, a short creative nonfiction piece (a fascinating true story, well told), or a poem for an anthology in which BC’s recent history, varied lifestyles, rugged landscapes, or stunning natural features play somewhat of a role.

Cobalt Books has enough submissions for the Okanagan Valley but is still looking for submissions from other areas of BC. You can find the full submission guidelines here. Submissions deadline: October 31, 2015.

Why am I promoting this one?

My short story Deirdre Hunting Season has been accepted for publication in this anthology, and I’d love to have other BC authors join me in this venture.

EXCERPT of Deirdre Hunting Season:

***

Due to the shortage of deer in the area, our community restricted deer hunting to bucks with four point antlers. The doe in the area needed more males. Well, so did I. I was forty years old, and my buck just married a doe half his age.

The hard part . . . In our small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, everyone knew everyone. I did the books for half a dozen businesses on Main Street and was known as the accountant with the cheating husband. That’s me. Failure at marriage extraordinaire. I’m a rule follower. I do good deeds. I volunteer. I’ve never even received a parking ticket. So what happened in my life surprised me.

The day mother nature blew the leaves off my tree, I came home unexpectedly. We’d hired a local company to clean our air ducts, and the guy doing the work was supposed to come the following day. He called and asked if I could meet him a day early. I rushed home, even though I was busy, unlocked the front door and headed toward the back of the house. I’d told him I’d leave the kitchen door open for him.

Fifteen years of marriage pin-holed to one moment. A naked woman standing in my kitchen, leaning against my sink, drinking water from my glass.

***

The full short story will be published in Voices From The Valleys later this year.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for something to read and you haven’t read DESCENT yet, now is your chance before BLAZE comes out. Find it at: myBook.to/Descent

And if you have read DESCENT, I’d be very excited if you pre-ordered BLAZE.

Thanks for reading…

Facebook Launch Party Today 1 PM EST by Kat Flannery

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

To entice you to join Kat Flannery’s FaceBook launch party for FERN, I’ll be giving away an eBook copy of DESCENT during the party.  For those of your wanting to host your own party, here’s another chance to participate and learn.

Click FERN  just in case you want to read a bit before the party. It is Saturday morning, and what else could be better?

If that doesn’t entice you, I’ve reblogged Kat’s post. Check out what else she’s giving away…

Reblogged from http://www.katflannerybooks.com

It’s Party Time!!!

 Join me for the Facebook Launch Party of

FERN (The Montgomery Sisters Book 1)

Saturday, September 19th at 1:00pm -3:00pm EST.

Screen Shot 2015-09-19 at 8.04.26 AMStop by Saturday for your chance to meet guest authors, win ebooks and
two grande prizes of $50.00 Amazon gift cards.
Cheers,
Kat

BLAZE Available for Pre-order (Stone Mountain Mystery #2)

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 7 Comments

Working with a modern publisher such as Imajin Books has advantages.

I counted on the Imajin Books website, and the company currently has 26 authors including me. This means each author gets individual attention and a fast track to publication.

So let me define fast. DESCENT was released July 25th, 2015.

BLAZE is now available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released October 25th, 2015.

Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.31.28 AMDoes this mean I wrote two books in one year?

No. I wrote four novels during the five years I lived on a sailboat. I’m currently working on the 5th. I think I needed to write four books to learn how to write a book. When I finished the fourth, I went back to the beginning of the series and rewrote all four novels. Only then, did I feel ready to submit to the first two.

It takes time to create fiction, but now that The Stone Mountain Mystery series is underway, I’m glad to be with Imajin Books and get the novels published quickly and professionally.

Forest fires are a hot topic this year in North America, and I’ve brought it close to home for Kalin Thompson…

Instead of exchanging vows, Kalin Thompson spends her wedding day running from a forest fire near Stone Mountain Resort, and the pregnant friend trapped with her has just gone into labor. Meanwhile, Kalin’s fiancé, Ben Timlin, hangs from the rafters of a burning building, fighting for his life. Can the situation get any hotter?

When the fire is declared as arson, finding the firebug responsible becomes Kalin’s personal mission. In the course of her investigation as Director of Security, she discovers that some people will go to extreme measures to keep her from exposing their secrets.

If you haven’t read DESCENT yet, now is your chance before BLAZE comes out. Find it at: myBook.to/Descent

And if you have read DESCENT, I’d be very excited if you pre-ordered BLAZE.

Thanks for reading…

Announcing BLAZE: A Stone Mountain Mystery #2

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00071]New Release: October 25th, 2015 by Imajin Books.

QUESTION: What’s more exciting than announcing the release of your first book?

ANSWER: Announcing the release of your second book.

I wrote DESCENT and BLAZE while I was sailing in the Bahamas, and my lovely publisher (Imajin Books) decided to release both novels this year. These are the first two novels in the Stone Mountain Mystery series…with more to come of course.

BLAZE: shortlisted for the 2014 Crime Writers’ Association

Debut Dagger.

Instead of exchanging vows, Kalin Thompson spends her wedding day running from a forest fire near Stone Mountain Resort, and the pregnant friend trapped with her has just gone into labor. Meanwhile, Kalin’s fiancé, Ben Timlin, hangs from the rafters of a burning building, fighting for his life. Can the situation get any hotter?

When the fire is declared as arson, finding the firebug responsible becomes Kalin’s personal mission. In the course of her investigation as Director of Security, she discovers that some people will go to extreme measures to keep her from exposing their secrets.

Early Praise for BLAZE

“Filled with entertaining characters and as fast-paced as the conflagration that gives Blaze its title.” —Joan Barfoot, Scotia Giller Prize and Trillium Book Award shortlisted author

“Evil in a beautiful landscape—Blaze is an inferno of action and tension. ‪Its sizzling plot will keep you guessing until the end.” —Phyllis Smallman, award-winning author of the Sherri Travis murder mysteries

“Kristina Stanley’s latest novel, Blaze, is a fast-paced, hang-on-to-your-seat kind of mystery that will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning.” —R. J. Harlick, author of the Meg Harris Mysteries

“Gripping action scenes and an engaging heroine make BLAZE a terrific read. Great insight into the risks and dangers of outdoor life by an author who’s been there. The forest fire fighting scenes are especially vivid. Don’t miss this!” —M. H. Callway, Arthur Ellis Finalist, Best First Novel

“Stanley captures the unrelenting brutality of a fire’s ruthless nature. The action and suspense doesn’t end with the blaze.” −Billy Stewart, Professional Firefighter.

If you haven’t read DESCENT yet, now is your chance before BLAZE comes out. Find it at: myBook.to/Descent

Thanks for reading…

How to get FREE Advertising for your Novel

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 7 Comments

Besides the obvious guest blogging, tweeting, Facebook etc. there are ways to get exposure for your novel without having to spend cash. We all know it’s hard to make money in this business – okay not all of us – but maybe the newbies, so here is a list of places and methods that worked for me.

Try online magazines that cover your genre. The following showcased DESCENT in the mystery genre.

The Readers Gazette

OMNIMYSTERY News

Crime Fiction Lover 

If you belong to a writing organization such as Crime Writers of Canada, ask for placement on their advertising. This type of organization exists to help you.

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 8.00.14 AM

Share your screen shots from Amazon or other sites. Let the big companies do the work for you. For example on July 26, 2015 DESCENT made #8 and one behind Lee Child in Amazon’s hot new releases in Mystery. Use these moments to be excited about your novel.

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 7.49.38 AM

Share your success with your friends and thank them for buying your novel. The post below was shared throughout Facebook helping me with visibility in a crowded marketplace. Friends are amazing people who love to help you. Just let them know you need their support to spread the word.

Screen Shot 2015-08-19 at 7.58.43 AM

Another author told me, “If you’re not excited about your book release, why would anyone else be?” So don’t be shy about sharing your news. We all want to hear about it and be happy for you.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have other ideas for free advertising. There have to other places…

If you’re interested, you can buy or download a sample of DESCENT at:  myBook.to/Descent

Thanks for reading…

How to Get Support From Your Local Community

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 30 Comments

As an artist, getting support from your local community is easy. Just ask.

I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to ask people for favours, but here’s what I discovered. My community loves to help locals. Last Friday, my local newspaper, The Columbia Valley Pioneer, published an article about me.

I’d sent them an email, explaining who I am (a local author), what my credentials are and that DESCENT had just been published. They responded within the hour saying they’d love to interview me. I’d procrastinated for days before I sent the email, and nowKristina at Library I wish I hadn’t hesitated.

Because of the article, the Invermere Public Library asked me if they could put a copy of DESCENT on their shelves.

So…DESCENT in now available at the Invermere Public Library.

One little email led to two great opportunities, and each day a new milestone moment creates a little happiness in my life.

The questions becomes: what else should I ask for?

If you’re interested, you can buy or download a sample of DESCENT at:  myBook.to/Descent

Thanks for reading…

Tips For Hosting A Facebook Launch Party

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 49 Comments

Exhausted, that’s how I felt when my Facebook launch party ended. Three hours of  chatting online, asking trivia questions, keeping track of winners, and answering questions.

This is the story of how I created and hosted my first launch party.

Preparation for the event.

  • Create a banner to announce your event. I used Canva.com. It’s free.

Release  Day Party

  • Set up event on Facebook. Remember to make the event public or only your friends can see it.
  • Put the back description of your novel at the top of the page with a link to where your book is sold. You can use booklinker.net to create a link that will take the person to the amazon site of their home country.
  • Invite all your friends and ask them to share your post.
  • Send a reminder the day before and the morning of the event.
  • Have something to give away. I had 14 books donated by other authors. My publisher recommended not to give away DESCENT as it is a new release. I limited each winner to two books.
  • Create trivia questions. My questions were all related to the books being given away by other authors, but you ask anything really. I created questions  from the Amazon site for the books donated so people could look up the answers and there would be no confusion about the correct answer.
  • Have winners direct message you with their email address. I only gave away eBooks to make the process easy and less costly for donating authors. People could attend your event from different countries and mailing a paperback could get expensive.
  • If books are being given away, take a screen shot of the book cover from Amazon and post it with the trivia question. Don’t add the link to Amazon as the answer to your question might show up too.
  • Keep the trivia questions and answers in a word document so you can cut and paste them instead of having to type them as you go. Things move fast in a launch.
  • Create a list of pre-posts in word in case things get slow. I only used a couple of the ones I created. This could be a question about reading, your books or anything your guests might be interested in.
Here are a couple of sample threads you can post about 10 minutes before the event starts.
Pin the first thread to the top, otherwise people won’t be able to follows what’s going on.
Welcome Guests (other than authors giving away books): Please check in here. Tell us your name, where you’re from and how you know me ☺ This is our main chat thread.
Have a thread where authors can sign in.
Authors check in: Can donating authors please check in here. Tell us your name, location and the name of the title you are donating. Thank you.
After the launch:
  • send an email to donating authors with email of person who won their book. The donating author will send their book directly to the winner.
  • Watch the site in the days following the launch. Sometimes people come on later just to comment or ask a question.
  • Update your Facebook banner to remove the banner announcing the launch and replace with new banner.

FB Cover

  • Once you add the updated banner, remember to add the shop now button. Again I used the Booklinker.net link so the reader could be taken to their relevant amazon site.
You can see an example of my event (held July 25th, 2015) at: https://www.facebook.com/events/459737280862514/ Feel free to copy any of the threads to use for your event.
If you’re interested, you can buy or download a sample of DESCENT at:  myBook.to/Descent
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or suggestions to improve a Facebook launch party.
Thanks for reading…

Tools for Tracking Novel Sales

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 14 Comments

DESCENT was published July 25th, 2015, and I’d like to share some of the tools I’ve discovered since the launch.

Novelrank is free software that keeps track of Amazon sales for you. I don’t know how accurate it is, but it does give an idea of how your book is doing.

Booklinker is free service that will create a link for you book, but here’s the magic. Instead of having to create one link for each Amazon site your book is on, it creates one link and when a user clicks on the link, they are taken to that Amazon of their county. Book linker also shows you how many times the link was clicked for each country. Here is the link for DESCENT:  myBook.to/Descent

Bitly is another way to create links. In one email campaign I used, I sent a specific link to each person using the amazon of their country. Bitly has a useful stats page that will tell you how many times the link is clicked and what day it was clicked on.  Here is an example of the country specific clicks. This doesn’t tell you anything about sales, but it does let you know if people are clicking the link and hence is your campaign working.

Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 12.56.05 PM

The other way to get an idea of how your book is doing is watch amazon rankings and bestseller lists. Your publisher may also publish a bestseller list. Imajin Books showcases their bestselling authors each month and you can see DESCENT did well in both paperback and eBook.

Screen Shot 2015-08-04 at 2.41.53 PM

If you know of any other useful tools out there, please comment below and let me know.

Thanks for reading…

DESCENT: ‘My stomach knotted…’

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

Reblogged from Magic of The Muses

DESCENT: ‘My stomach knotted…’.

Welcome to Kristina Stanley, author of the brand new thriller DECENT. 

Let’s find out if  doing the final edit on a novel is as terrifying as murder on the slopes…  Read more at Magic of The Muses

***

Thanks to Eileen Schuh for hosting me on her blog.

Eileen’s books:

Eileen's Novels