Every year or so
I like to go through all of my ads for my books and update them. This year I worked on making them cleaner and with better descriptions. Putting the premise of a 70,000-word novel into a couple of sentences can be challenging. It isn't easy, but if you are not careful, you can either reveal too much or not enough of what the novel is about.
I remember when Pandemic Dawn Book Three: Day of Abomination was released years ago. I got an advanced copy to look over and realized the back cover description revealed a plot twist from the previous novel. I could not believe this slipped past me before going to print.
Now you may tell yourself that if they are getting book three, they already know what happened in book two. However, this is not always the case. Many times at book signings, I sell multiple copies of the Pandemic Dawn Series at one time, and those purchasing them have not even read book one yet.
If selling a series in a set, you have to watch for this. As I have mentioned many times before, I cannot stand spoilers. Never could. To think I allowed one on the back of my novel was crazy.
I fixed the slip-up and sent another author preview copy for approval. Since then, I have tried very hard to watch what I say about novels that belong in a series. I spent the day creating new ads for my books, and three Kindle Vella serialized stories I write. I feel they look fresh, and I love the copy on them.
I completely overhauled my company
Little Hoof, LLC., in preparation for 2023. In addition, I updated my author website, www.BruceShields.us, and my Author Facebook Page and Group, and I completed editing all other author pages I have, from Amazon Author Central to Goodreads. It took a few weeks, but it was well worth keeping everything updated and current.
All of January 2023 was dedicated to releasing my eighth novel, Losing Dani Strumm. I used advertising companies for the first time. Though the sales still took Losing Dani Strumm to number one in three categories on Amazon, the overall sales were not what I expected for the cost of the advertising.
Sometimes it is true what they say. However, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
One of the ad companies stood out from the rest
I was delighted with their results and planned to use them again when I relaunch my 2010 novel, Pandemic Dawn Book One. The reason for the relaunch this year is I am writing the fifth book in the Pandemic Dawn Series and want to get everyone up to speed by its release.
I will have a sale in a few months, and the Kindle version of Pandemic Dawn Book One will be free for five days, giving my new readers a chance to get into the story.
Members of my newsletter and official website will have the heads up and know the exact dates.
I am hard at work on the story arc for book five and will release a title and cover a few weeks before its release. I will also have an Advanced Review Copy for trusted reviewers and an early bird special for signed copies.
With February coming to a close, my ninth book, Drowning in Milk: A Guide to Spiritual Maturity, will be released. It is my third book on faith. My other two, Heaven & Hell and The House of Faith Church Minister's Manual, are available on Amazon.
So here are the latest ads for my books and stories. Enjoy!
