When SEO Works The Way It Should
December 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Denise M. Colby, Marketing for Authors, SEOI wanted to share a fun full circle moment. It has to do with the SEO I created in a 2019 blog post on my own website. And a current search in 2024. The SEO worked the way it should. Which is why I titled this blog post When SEO Works The Way It Should.
Here’s what happened.
My youngest son had been helping me search for Christmas stockings on his own computer. We want to find one to match our current style. What we have are all Disney themed and have a character head at the top.
My husband and I first got our Christmas stockings the year we were married, which was 1995. A few years later, after our first son was born, we were able to add to the original set. We decided to purchase all that we could find for future children. We have six stockings in the set, with one being used for the dog.
In 2019, I had written a blog post about my favorite decorations at Christmas time. I mention the history behind our stockings and included a picture of our stockings. I added alt text for the photo and named it before uploading it. Other decorations are mentioned in the blog post, but it’s the stockings that are relevant to today’s post.
Flash forward back to 2024. When my son and I were googling Mickey Christmas stockings 1995, my blog post from 2019 popped up. It was a full circle moment. And it shows that if you spend the time setting up your SEO well, people will find your blog posts. This means it’s important to use phrases for your alt text on your images people would search by.
Why is Denise talking about SEO?
Denise loves to share learnings about blog and website SEO. She teaches classes on SEO and author branding as well. One of her blog posts is titled Why SEO Should Matter to An Author. Sign up for her Marketing for Authors newsletter on her website.
Denise loves to share about her writing journey (see all her posts here), including her word of the year (this year it is GROW), her debut novel When Plans Go Awry, and all the things in between. You can visit her at her website and blog at www.denisemcolby.com or on her facebook or instagram. Please note: some links include Amazon Associate links where Denise can earn from qualifying purchases.
0 0 Read moreWhen Plans Go Awry: A Review by Veronica Jorge
July 22, 2024 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as book review, Denise M. Colby, new release, Veronica Jorge, When Plans Go Awry
WHEN PLANS GO AWRY by DENISE M. COLBY—A REVIEW BY VERONICA JORGE
WHEN PLANS GO AWRY
Best-Laid Plans Book One
DENISE M. COLBY
Scrivenings Press
2024
ISBN: 978-1-64917-391-1
A Review by Veronica Jorge
Olivia Carmichael couldn’t have wished for a better life. A beautiful home on her family’s estate. High society friends. And at age 19, the perfect fiancé. God is in His heaven smiling down at her and all is well.
Until tragedy strikes like a lightning bolt.
The sudden loss of Olivia’s parents is difficult enough to bear, but she can probably get through that with the help of her faith. But when her father’s fraudulent business dealings are discovered she loses the house, her status, her so-called-friends, and her fiancé. Where is God now she wonders.
Homeless and penniless, smeared with the shame of her father’s actions, and finding it impossible to continue living in her Cincinnati town that will never again accept her, Olivia answers an advertisement to move to California to become a teacher. She steels her heart to live an independent and loveless life because people cannot be trusted. And determines to make her own way in life without depending upon anyone…not even God.
Olivia prepares to fight to survive when she reaches Washton, California, but she is not prepared for the warm welcome she receives from the townspeople. Their kindness disarms her and she grows to care for the children she teaches. Add to the mix a certain young man who makes her heart leap with possibility and hope, emotions she promised herself never to feel again.
But can Olivia who vowed to stand alone learn to trust God with her life? And can she open her heart to love again?
When Plans Go Awry is a lovely debut novel about strength and resilience, the power of love, and the importance of faith in God.
And if you love an old fashioned love story, this is the book for you.
To learn more about Denise M. Colby and her writing connect with her at, www.denisemcolby.com.
Veronica Jorge
See you next time on August 22nd!
Other Books Reviewed by Veronica Jorge
A Month of Happily Ever After
July 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as debut novel, Denise M. Colby, romanceWriting a romance is all about the happy ever after. As a reader, I love the “ah” at the end when the two characters are finally together. Where they learned something new about themselves, opened their heart, and found the one that completes them.
That said, a happily ever after at the end of our novels doesn’t necessarily mean the hero and heroine get married at the end of the book. They could be newly engaged. The couple could decide they are now in a committed relationship. Or they could say I love you for the first time. There are so many options, that it really is the character journey that determines what fits best for our endings.
Personally this past month has been filled with happily ever afters. One fiction, one real life.
The Fiction Happily Every After
The first one was my debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, released in early June. Luke and Olivia’s story is not so much a will they/won’t they (although they didn’t know they would, we did). But the how were they going to figure it out and end up together.
I won’t give away what happens to them at the end, but it’s been so well received and I have found it so much fun to talk with readers about the characters and the town of Washton, like they were real people. Having these discussions has made me feel the happily ever after my characters feel, and that has been so motivating for me as a writer.
Here are several review statements. Also last month I shared information about the launch activities and launch party held in my honor.
The Real Happily Every After
The second example and the real life one, is that my middle son found his happily ever after and married his sweetheart the last weekend of June. A beautiful ceremony, beautiful couple, and a wonderful day filled with love, laughter, family, and friends. With lots of planning before hand, everything came together perfectly.
And I now have a daughter in the family. It’s been so fun to have a front row seat watching them grow and bond as a couple and plan their future life together.
The Magic of Cinderella
As a little girl the story of Cinderella was my favorite. She has a fairy Godmother, she finds her prince (or the prince finds her), and they all live happily ever after. I now know that life is not as simple as that and that those endings are a moment in time where the couple is happy together. But they are still my favorite stories to read.
A story has to end somewhere, why not have it end happy. We all want that hope, love, and joyful feeling when we realize we are in a committed relationship and someone loves us just as much as we love them.
There’s something about escaping in a story where the ending is just that. And that is what I love to read and love to write.
Here’s to many more stories of happily ever afters in our lives. Both fiction and real life.
2 2 Read moreMy Debut Novel, When Plans Go Awry, Released This Week
June 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as book launch, Debut Author, Denise M. Colby, new releaseMy very first book release happened last week (June 4, 2024). I have had so much fun launching my debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, into the world. From putting marketing plans in place to seeing them be implemented, I have enjoyed every single step. And learned a lot.
When Plans Go Awry, my book baby, is now available at Amazon in paperback, eBook, and on Kindle Unlimited. The paperback is also available on Barnes and Noble’s website. Already great reviews have been posted. I’m just so thankful for the positive response so far. It can be quite a nerve-racking experience releasing a debut novel.
Other Debut Novel Excitement
I’ve been busy creating author and book accounts at Amazon, Fictionfinder, GoodReads, and BookBub, so if you are on any of these, please follow me! And if you haven’t yet signed up for my newsletter, please do so to stay informed of future book events and books.
I’ve created a logo, with the help of my son, who drew the schoolhouse.
And a variation with my tagline.
And a graphic of my rooster character, Bert, drawn by my son!
Almost every reader has shared that they love Bert. I love that he makes people laugh out loud with his antics and I’m happy he’s been so well received.
And my son’s drawings have now been made into buttons and stickers.
It’s been great to have some fun with this character for my debut novel.
Other Firsts
I’ve had my first author blog interview, and my first author podcast interview, and my first book blog tour that just finished on June 10. And I’ve received my first red rose from the OCRW writers group.
For those that have been around a long time, you know that OCC gives out different color roses for published work. Twelve years ago I watched others receive a red rose for a traditionally published novel and I set a goal for myself. Here I am twelve years later receiving my first red rose! Finally!
Debut Book Launch and Signing Party
I’ve also had my first book signing party. This past weekend my friends threw me a debut novel book launch and signing party at my home. It was so much fun to celebrate the release with friends and family and several of my launch team members. I’m so thankful I stuck with it over the past twelve years (which in itself was something to celebrate). And now my house smells like a flower shop this week!
Here are some pictures from the event
I’m just so grateful Luke and Olivia’s story can be read and enjoyed by everyone. Happy Book Launch, Happy Release Day, Happy Debut Novel Launch, and Happy Book Birthday to When Plans Go Awry.
Thank you to this writing community for your support. If you are interested in reading When Plans Go Awry, I hope it makes you laugh as well. And if you feel led to leave a review after reading it, that would be so appreciated.
Blessings, Denise
Denise’s most recent posts are related to her book launch and include details about the events leading up to her book launch and a debut author checklist she created.
0 0 Read moreMy Debut Novel When Plans Go Awry Releases June 4, 2024
May 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Debut Author, debut novel, Denise M. Colby, new release, When Plans Go AwryThe time is finally here! I’m so excited to announce my debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, launches on Tuesday June 4, 2024. I have a pre-order link on Amazon for the digital version. If you are interested in an actual book, Amazon does not allow pre-orders (which I find absolutely frustrating). Anyway, you’ll be able to snag it for the special pre-order price of $3.99, if you order now. Click on the book cover to take a peek.
Debut Novel and Author Things
As I mentioned in my Debut Author Book Launch Checklist post, I’m learning all the variety of things needed to launch oneself as a debut author (and for a any new book debut). I’ve been busy creating author and book accounts at Amazon, Fictionfinder and GoodReads, building a new logo, and getting everything ready for my launch team.
For my logo’s, I wanted to focus on the one-room schoolhouse theme, since that’s the setting for my books. I seem to use this word a lot, but it’s so true. Excited for how these came out.
I have loved partnering with my family to launch my debut novel. My son, Kyle, drew the one-room schoolhouse. He also drew the map I included in my book. My husband drew the journal shown at the beginning of each chapter.
For so long I was building my platform without a book to promote. I’m finding it so fun to finally have a book cover to include in all my author accounts. Here’s my new Facebook author cover.
Also for my debut novel, I’m partnering with Silver Dagger Book Tours and she created this lovely blog banner from my book cover. If anyone runs a book blog and is interested, I’ve included the link here where she is taking signups still to participate.
Launch team for When Plans Go Awry
My launch team fun for my debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, begins this next week. I’m so looking forward to this. It’s not too late to join us. Click on this link to signup. When Plans Go Awry Launch Team Application.
Thank you
I just want to say thank you to all my author friends for their support. I have been on this unpublished journey for over twelve years. If not for my writer friends, I wouldn’t have stuck it out and made it to see the day I could say I have a debut novel!
Yippee!
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