How Do You Say Goodbye To A Series
November 5, 2024 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as Planning, series, The Good Girl Series, Tracy Reed, writing
I have been working hard to close out a series. It’s hard to believe my series The Good Girl started as a one off novella for a boxset. I had no idea this novella would turn into a six book series.
I am doing pre-edits on the six book and find myself in a position I’ve been dreading…saying goodbye…Au revoir to characters I love. Gabriella and Phillippe have had me on a roller coaster ride. Over the years this series has become classed as slow burn. As the story progressed so did my writing style.
Now I find myself in the position of a possible spin off. Although I tied up all of the lose ends, I left a few options for possible spin offs. If I do, I will find a way to include Gabriella and Phillippe because they are the main draw.
In addition to a maturation in my writing style, I also changed the original covers for the first two books. I opted for a more seductive style for the covers and steamy ads. Apparently, Facebook didn’t like the ad image and tag line and shut my account down. I completely freaked out. I did some modest begging and got my account reopened in time for the release date.
I also made the first book free as a way to draw people into the series. This move proved to be wise. The free book has been in the number one slot in a couple of categories several times. Has the read through been what I want? No, but I’m very grateful for the progress of the series.
Once some time has passed, I’ll look at the next ways to share these characters which will include audio, hard cover and special editions.
Here’s a question, How do you end a series?
The Good Girl Series
(Hover over the cover for buy buttons and click on the cover for more information.)
AUTHOR RECOVERY
January 5, 2021 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as Planning, promotion, series, tracy read, writing
Happy New Year. I hope you had a wonderful holiday.
This morning I woke up to a daunting historical fact. Five years ago, I made a rather strange decision or idea to publish a title a month for a year. I’ve spoken about this project several times over the past years. When I set out to do it, I had one main reason, to sell more books.
I heard the best way to gain readers and sell more books was to write more books. I also heard it was easier to do advertising with more than one book.
When 2016 started I had one full-length novel, a novella and a novelette. What I didn’t have was a completed series, or at least a duet. I now know that was a big mistake. If I were to ever do another challenge like that, it would center around one series.
I have learned a lot about writing and publishing books. I think I finally have a handle on my writing style and what my readers expect from me. I write books that aren’t necessarily written to market. In my books someone is always wrestling with their feelings, raging hormones and how they mix with their faith. I like to hook my reader with something a little sweet and sassy so they can get to know the characters. The heat levels grow as the series progresses. In my writing world, the characters need to read like real people. It should feel like you’re reading about someone the reader would actually know.
I have three series and two duets I need to tie up. I’m not saying I’m going to tie up all of these collections this year, but I’m going to try.
I’m also guilty of using cliffhangers…another thing I tried to sell books. I think it would have been successful if I’d immediately released the next book in the series.
Last year I didn’t release a book and my sales suffered as a result. What did I learn from this…no new book and a lack of marketing my backlist leads to no money. I did however, participate in some incredible free promotions which gave me awesome results. My book Unexpected Love was #1 in one of my categories on Amazon US and UK for three days. I was on the roof. Both of my other books peaked in the top ten of their categories.
These promotions yielded several thousand downloads and sales which I loved.
I take responsibility for my low sales, because I failed to do adequate marketing and advertising. I refuse to kick myself for not sticking to my production schedule. I was distracted by a little thing called COVID-19.
So what is my plan for this year? I’m not quite sure. I know I’ll be releasing a book in February. My goal is to release the next in that series approximately three months later. I’ll also be releasing new covers for my Alex series as well as another book.
The other thing on my list is the follow up to Unexpected Love. I have the cover, title and eleven thousand words. Seeing several free copies have been downloaded and it ends in a cliffhanger, I need to release the follow up asap.
Before I start any writing plan for 2021, I’m going to take a few days, clear my head and make a reachable and achievable plan.
So what’s your author plan for 2021?
~Tracy
Books by Tracy Read
0 0 Read more
Spotlight on Celeste Barclay
June 2, 2019 by A Slice of Orange in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Spotlight tagged as Celeste Barclay, Historical Romance. Viking Romance, new release, series
Books by Celeste Barclay
0 0 Read more
A New Mystery by Linda O. Johnston
May 6, 2018 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Cozy mystery, dogs, mysteries, series
A New Mystery
The official availability of my new May release is in 2 days–May 8.
What is it? It’s, PICK AND CHEWS, the fourth in my Barkery & Biscuits Mystery Series for Midnight Ink.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have four books being published this year, one mystery and three romances.
PICK AND CHEWS is about Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, who buys a friend’s bakery and turns half into a barkery, where she sells healthy dog treats that she’s developed.
Does she have a romantic interest? Of course! Everything I write contains a romance, as well as elements of mystery or suspense or both. In this case, Carrie’s guy is a veterinarian at the vet clinic where she still works part-time, Dr. Reed Storme. Reed has been telling her to back off from helping to solve murders because it’s too dangerous for her. But… well, in PICK AND CHEWS he backs off from that position a bit because he’s the one who’s the main murder suspect.
So, what’s next this year? Well, as I mentioned before, the first in my K-9 Ranch Rescue miniseries for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, SECOND CHANCE SOLDIER, was published in March. Its sequel TRAINED TO PROTECT will be an October release.
And then, in November, my last Harlequin Nocturne, VISIONARY WOLF, will be published. It’s the ninth in my Alpha Force series about a covert military unit of shapeshifters—and the last, since the Nocturne line is ending this year.
So—yes. Three romances, plus one mystery, in 2018. I celebrate them all!
Linda
2 0 Read more
The Fun of a New Series by Linda O. Johnston
March 6, 2018 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Harlequin Romantic Suspense, K-9 Ranch Rescue, series, writing
A New Series
It’s March! That means my first new book of the year, SECOND CHANCE SOLDIER, is officially available. It became available in its e-format on March 1, and today, March 6, it is also officially available in print format. I’m delighted to say, though, that I’ve seen, and signed, a copy in a store already.
As I mentioned before, SECOND CHANCE SOLDIER is the first in my new K-9 Ranch Rescue miniseries for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. I’ve had several other HRS books published and enjoyed them all, but this one is special in a couple of ways. First, of course, is that it has dogs featured in it, along with the romance–and the suspense. And second, it’s also the first in a miniseries for HRS. The second book in the series, TRAINED TO PROTECT will be an October 2018 release. Will there be more? Too early to tell, but I hope so.
I always enjoy when a new book comes out, and it’s particularly fun when it’s the first in a new series. But I have fun with later books in a series, too.
Some authors plan out all the books in a series from the first. Not me. I never know for sure how many books there will be in a series, so I simply wait and see as the series goes forward. But while doing so, I get to know the characters and their backgrounds well, so it’s never a problem to keep the series going.
My last Harlequin Nocturne paranormal romance will be published later this year. It’s the last because the whole Harlequin series is being ended, and therefore so will my miniseries for the line, the Alpha Force stories about a covert military unit of shapeshifters. I hadn’t even considered the initial story to be the first in a series at all, let alone nine books. I’d had another Nocturne published and thought it might be the first of a series, but my Harlequin editors told me to go with Alpha Force—and I have, and definitely enjoyed it.
Anyway, right now I’m excited about my K-9 Ranch Rescue story and its upcoming sequel. SECOND CHANCE SOLDIER has a handsome and damaged hero, a strong heroine… and yes, dogs!
Nothing Found
Featured Books
BRUISED SPIRITS
It's 1924 and Daisy Gumm bands with friends to help Lily Bannister, whose abusive husband nearly killed her.
More info →
ONE TASTE TOO MANY
For culinary challenged Sarah Blair, there’s only one thing scarier than cooking from scratch—murder!
More info →
SEVERED RELATIONS
Detective Finn O'Brien catches the call: two kids and their nanny are dead behind the gates of Freemont Place.
More info →
