Eva Pasco's Blog - Posts Tagged "success"

Since launching my novel in the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction—AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE, late September, I’ve had more gains than setbacks along my journey as an Indie author. I did recover from that Facebook lockout mentioned in “The Horror of Realization!”

Every single day I strive to accomplish a goal toward achieving more exposure for my book. Thus far, I can’t believe my good fortune. Pinch me!

Social media has enabled me to make meaningful connections with fellow Indies, participate in author events, and discover promising leads I doubt I’d have stumbled across on my own:

Thanks to supportive family members and friends who cast their votes:

UBR (Underground Book Reviews) congratulates Eva Pasco, author of our latest Pitch Perfect Pick winner AN ENLIGHTENING QUICHE:

http://ow.ly/DPW2305IZRM

Rocking Friends & PA Indie Book Awards:

Nominee - Favorite Contemporary Women’s Fiction Author: http://tinyurl.com/hrkforp

Nomination - Favorite Contemporary Women’s Fiction Book: http://tinyurl.com/jbgrgs6

I’m taking off to find the sky via my cyber taxi throughout the month of November: Pump Up Your Book “Book Blast Tour” with a different blog stop each day. Heading my way? ----->

http://tinyurl.com/jdgqfnb

Sending out press releases and/or cold calling on the local level netted these results:

A full-feature story about my novel and me appearing in the “East Bay Life” section of every East Bay area newspaper in Rhode Island (October 20, 2016).

Due to this article, I received a librarian’s invitation to speak and sign at the Barrington Public Library on January 18th, 7:00 PM.

Encouraged, I pursued and landed another solo signing event at North Providence Public Library for January 7th, 10:00 AM – 1:00PM.

I will be joining other authors for a signing event at Cumberland Public Library in February, and at Barnes & Noble in Smithfield come April.

I’ve plenty more wild geese to chase in my pursuit to spread the word about my book and sell a copy or two here and there. To me there’s nothing more rewarding for an author than flourishing a pen to address a reader by name and inscribe heartfelt phrases to the person who will forever treasure the story you’ve told.

Is it all a dream? Pinch me!

“More Guts than Glory”—the Indie Author Story!

Will I become a best seller?

Will I get rich?

Que será, sera

Whatever will be, will be

The future's not mine to see

(My spoof of “Que Sera Sera,” a song first published in 1956, written by the songwriting team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans; sung by Doris Day)

With electronic self-publishing, it’s become easier to be an author. This has made it harder than ever to sell a book. While it takes guts to write and publish a novel, it takes even more guts to strategize a marketing plan in the hope of enticing potential readers to purchase an eBook generally retailing from $.99 - $4.99. For the time being, a sporadic sale here and there may feel glorious, but I aspire to more. So, I pound the cyber pavement on social media every single day in my quest for glory.

While there’s no substitute for determination and guts to gain a foothold in this vast arena, opposing forces place obstacles along an Indie’s untrodden path to glory:

Facebook changes in displaying content mean that fewer people are seeing organic posts. As pay-per-click ads become more expensive, most Indies won’t have the means to compete. Therefore, it behooves Indies to rethink 2018: author groups and genre co-ops.

Despite setbacks, I’ve got the guts to persevere. Besides my inner drive, I credit my close-knit, author support group—the Indie Fabs, for their unwavering support and encouragement (Aliya DalRae, R.M. Gauthier, JB Richards, Lyra Shanti, and Joanne VanLeerdam).

I also take to heart stories of former struggling authors whose guts helped them attain glory (“The Writer’s Odds of Success” by William Dietrich, published by 'The Huffington Post' and updated May 4, 2013):

Stephen King’s first big novel, 'Carrie,' was rejected 30 times. He tossed it in the wastebasket, but his wife fished it out.

John Grisham’s first novel, 'A Time to Kill,' was rejected 12 times, and he unsuccessfully tried to sell copies from the trunk of his car.

Judy Blume, who has sold 80 million books, got nothing but rejections for two straight years.

J.K. Rowling, the first author billionaire, had 'Harry Potter' rejected by a dozen British publishing houses, and reportedly got into print, for a £1,500 advance, only after the eight-year-old daughter of a publisher pleaded for it.

“No guts, no glory!”

What would you title your life story?