After thinking about this for a while now, I reduced the price on my book, Eventually. The first reason for doing this, I wanted to make sure it was priced so more people would consider purchasing it. Secondly, I'm not a well-known, much published writer with a following of readers who will buy anything I write just because of my name. Lastly, I think this might help get my book noticed by several sites which promote ebooks that are 99 cents or less.
So, Eventually is now priced at $.99. I hope this entices a few more people to purchase my book and enjoy the story.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
My eBook is Online!
Eventually by Lea Zalas
My book is finished and I have uploaded it to Amazon (the link above) and Smashwords. I am so thrilled! Of course, since this is my first book, the whole process for this book probably took longer than it should have. There was a steep learning curve as I wrote, edited, and polished it.
As I went through the editing process, I thoroughly researched how to query, how to write a query, and how to vet literary agents. There were times when I thought I was drowning in information about agents and submitting.
Then I started hearing and learning about self-publishing, Print On Demand (POD), and ebooks. But I still held firm with both hands to the ideal of being traditionally published. Until I saw friends and relatives downloading ebooks from Amazon, Apple, Sony, Barnes & Noble, and others.
I joined a writers' group and learned that books which would almost always be rejected by traditional agents and publishers were selling very well as ebooks. Imagine, no longer being weeded out by first the agents, and then the publishers. Instead, it's the readers who determine what they want to read. And I started warming up to the notion that not all books need to be, or should be, traditionally printed and sold.
So now my book is available online from Amazon and Smashwords.com for just $2.99. Through Amazon, readers in England, France, and other countries can download my book. With Smashwords.com, my book will also be available through Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and many others. How great is that?
My book is finished and I have uploaded it to Amazon (the link above) and Smashwords. I am so thrilled! Of course, since this is my first book, the whole process for this book probably took longer than it should have. There was a steep learning curve as I wrote, edited, and polished it.
As I went through the editing process, I thoroughly researched how to query, how to write a query, and how to vet literary agents. There were times when I thought I was drowning in information about agents and submitting.
Then I started hearing and learning about self-publishing, Print On Demand (POD), and ebooks. But I still held firm with both hands to the ideal of being traditionally published. Until I saw friends and relatives downloading ebooks from Amazon, Apple, Sony, Barnes & Noble, and others.
I joined a writers' group and learned that books which would almost always be rejected by traditional agents and publishers were selling very well as ebooks. Imagine, no longer being weeded out by first the agents, and then the publishers. Instead, it's the readers who determine what they want to read. And I started warming up to the notion that not all books need to be, or should be, traditionally printed and sold.
So now my book is available online from Amazon and Smashwords.com for just $2.99. Through Amazon, readers in England, France, and other countries can download my book. With Smashwords.com, my book will also be available through Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and many others. How great is that?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Love Rainy Days!
It's raining and overcast, definitely cooler than the past few days. The perfect day to kick back and relax, especially after three weeks of non-stop remodeling of the living room.
I ground up Kona-blend coffee beans and using my old, old, old glass Flameware percolater, brewed the perfect batch of aromatic coffee. The perfect addition to a lazy, rainy day.
The only thing that could make this better? Our new living room furniture. Which won't be delivered till next week. The next rainy day we have, I will be able to curl up on our new leather sofa, enjoy the cozy feeling the newly-painted dark taupe walls impart to the room, drink my coffee while looking out the big windows and enjoy the scenery that living way out in the country gives us.
I ground up Kona-blend coffee beans and using my old, old, old glass Flameware percolater, brewed the perfect batch of aromatic coffee. The perfect addition to a lazy, rainy day.
The only thing that could make this better? Our new living room furniture. Which won't be delivered till next week. The next rainy day we have, I will be able to curl up on our new leather sofa, enjoy the cozy feeling the newly-painted dark taupe walls impart to the room, drink my coffee while looking out the big windows and enjoy the scenery that living way out in the country gives us.
Monday, January 17, 2011
First Book is Done!
After having written, written some more, edited, edited some more, making the newbie writer's mistake of thinking I was ready to query agents (boy, was I not!), letting it sit for a few weeks, rewriting and editing it well over 100 times (and in the middle of this, again thinking I was ready to query - not!), stripping out four whole chapters and portions of other chapters that added depth to the characters but added nothing to the story, letting it sit for three months, and then polishing and polishing and polishing it, I can honestly say - it is finally ready!
I mean truly, really ready. And I can say that, because I feel good when I say it. No matter how many other times I thought I was done, I never felt like I had finished it.
It hit home just how far I had come with this novel, when I went back and reread my very first draft. It was the same story, but it wasn't. The first 75 versions read more like what I would have been proud to turn in, in high school lit class. This final version reads like a book.
Now to begin earnestly looking for an agent.
The best part of all, my story block is gone. During the almost two years it took me to write, edit, and polish this book, bits of other stories would pop into my mind every now and then. I would hurry up and type them down so I wouldn't lose them, and then I would continue on with my work-in-progress. But one of these kept niggling at my brain and wouldn't let go. I ended up writing the first four chapters and then discovered it was a trilogy. So, I also began the first chapters of the next two books. But I could never get any farther in the story. Until now. Now I can see the plot of the first book unfolding.
I had hoped I wouldn't be a one-book writer. Turns out, I'm not.
I mean truly, really ready. And I can say that, because I feel good when I say it. No matter how many other times I thought I was done, I never felt like I had finished it.
It hit home just how far I had come with this novel, when I went back and reread my very first draft. It was the same story, but it wasn't. The first 75 versions read more like what I would have been proud to turn in, in high school lit class. This final version reads like a book.
Now to begin earnestly looking for an agent.
The best part of all, my story block is gone. During the almost two years it took me to write, edit, and polish this book, bits of other stories would pop into my mind every now and then. I would hurry up and type them down so I wouldn't lose them, and then I would continue on with my work-in-progress. But one of these kept niggling at my brain and wouldn't let go. I ended up writing the first four chapters and then discovered it was a trilogy. So, I also began the first chapters of the next two books. But I could never get any farther in the story. Until now. Now I can see the plot of the first book unfolding.
I had hoped I wouldn't be a one-book writer. Turns out, I'm not.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
From Random Quotes
I love this one!
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
Mark Twain
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
Mark Twain
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
US Airways Arrogance
If I were the type to throw a temper tantrum, I would have thrown my coffee cup across the room to smash against the opposite wall. Nor will I demean myself by swearing or cussing out people over the phone. So instead of actively venting my rage, I'm sitting here shaking with anger.
My husband is in the Merchant Marines. His company can't get him or his crew mates off the ship today because the weather in the Gulf is so bad they can't send a boat or helicopter.
I immediately called US Airways to see about changing his ticket. They said I would have to pay the difference in ticket prices (which I expected) AND pay a $150 ticket change fee! I can understand a small fee but this amount is obscene.The customer service rep I initally spoke with tried very hard to discourage me from talking to a supervisor. Then she actually refused by saying that a supervisor wouldn't be able to help me either. Only after I strongly insisted did she put me through. But, as the service rep had warned me, her supervisor refused to budge an inch. Completely stonewalled me. I replied, "Fine. Then I'll eat the price for the ticket and buy him another ticket for the flight home. This way, he'll still have his ticket for his return flight." That's when the supervisor told me if I didn't change his ticket and he couldn't make his flight today, then his return ticket would also be cancelled! So, they cancelled out his ticket and issued me a credit. But I can't ever use it unless I also pay the $150 fee.
End result: my hubby will never fly US Airways again.
I never had this problem with Air Tran. There was one time I had my husband booked with them when he couldn't get off the ship, and they worked with me. I still had to pay the difference in price for the tickets, which was fair, but they waived their $75 ticket change fee. They were also more understanding and didn't act like automatons who could only repeat their company's mantra.
At a time when airlines are increasing their prices, you would think they would compensate their disgruntled passengers by providing better service. I'm specifically recommending not to fly US Airways to everyone I know. It was nice having my husband fly into Fayetteville and it justified the slightly higher prices US Airways charged. He's just going to have to deal with flying into Raleigh from now on, and the cheaper air fares with Air Tran will make up for the little extra it costs me in gas.
April 22, 2011 Added note: I was so incensed at the time I wrote this that I forgot about the other airlines who also fly into little 'ole Fayetteville. Hubby can still fly into an airport closer to home. Happy ending for us after all. Sad ending for US Airways - they've permanently lost a 24-trips a year passenger.
My husband is in the Merchant Marines. His company can't get him or his crew mates off the ship today because the weather in the Gulf is so bad they can't send a boat or helicopter.
I immediately called US Airways to see about changing his ticket. They said I would have to pay the difference in ticket prices (which I expected) AND pay a $150 ticket change fee! I can understand a small fee but this amount is obscene.The customer service rep I initally spoke with tried very hard to discourage me from talking to a supervisor. Then she actually refused by saying that a supervisor wouldn't be able to help me either. Only after I strongly insisted did she put me through. But, as the service rep had warned me, her supervisor refused to budge an inch. Completely stonewalled me. I replied, "Fine. Then I'll eat the price for the ticket and buy him another ticket for the flight home. This way, he'll still have his ticket for his return flight." That's when the supervisor told me if I didn't change his ticket and he couldn't make his flight today, then his return ticket would also be cancelled! So, they cancelled out his ticket and issued me a credit. But I can't ever use it unless I also pay the $150 fee.
End result: my hubby will never fly US Airways again.
I never had this problem with Air Tran. There was one time I had my husband booked with them when he couldn't get off the ship, and they worked with me. I still had to pay the difference in price for the tickets, which was fair, but they waived their $75 ticket change fee. They were also more understanding and didn't act like automatons who could only repeat their company's mantra.
At a time when airlines are increasing their prices, you would think they would compensate their disgruntled passengers by providing better service. I'm specifically recommending not to fly US Airways to everyone I know. It was nice having my husband fly into Fayetteville and it justified the slightly higher prices US Airways charged. He's just going to have to deal with flying into Raleigh from now on, and the cheaper air fares with Air Tran will make up for the little extra it costs me in gas.
April 22, 2011 Added note: I was so incensed at the time I wrote this that I forgot about the other airlines who also fly into little 'ole Fayetteville. Hubby can still fly into an airport closer to home. Happy ending for us after all. Sad ending for US Airways - they've permanently lost a 24-trips a year passenger.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Time to Daydream Again
Well, I'm stuck. I've been working on my YA SFF trilogy and have managed to complete the first four chapters of the first book. I've also written out the beginnings of the second and third books, so I know where each will start.
I just don't have the foggiest idea of how to get from chapter five to the end of the first book - which will actually be the beginning of the second book.
Which means it's time for me to go back to daydreaming. It's how I've come up with the bare bones of all my works-in-progress. Hasn't failed me yet.
So I wonder, how many of you also get ideas for your books from daydreaming?
But for now, good night all!
I just don't have the foggiest idea of how to get from chapter five to the end of the first book - which will actually be the beginning of the second book.
Which means it's time for me to go back to daydreaming. It's how I've come up with the bare bones of all my works-in-progress. Hasn't failed me yet.
So I wonder, how many of you also get ideas for your books from daydreaming?
But for now, good night all!
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