by Joanne Wadsworth | Feb 8, 2013 | Author Blog, Protector
HEARTBREAKERS. Yeah, we romance writers love these bad boys. There’s nothing quite like taming the wild one, and we grin just thinking about how we’re going to turn him into a heartthrob and the man our heroine needs him to be.
I’d love to hear if you have a heartthrob in your life? Or are you still looking for him? Perhaps you’re a romance writer and you dream of turning your heartbreaker into the best hero ever? Hey, and maybe you’re even one of these heartthrobs? because guys, I haven’t forgotten about you.
Flex those muscles, and if you leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS you can go into the draw for a chance to win an ebook copy of PROTECTOR. The winner will be announced on 12th February 2013, and I’ll contact you by email to organise your prize.
But that’s not all… Your comment also drops you into the grand prize draw of the hop (prizes are featured below–and they are amazzzing), so make sure you don’t miss out. It just takes one comment on this post WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS to get you into BOTH DRAWS. 🙂
PROTECTOR
To love and protect…across worlds.
Eighteen-year-old Faith Stryker is prepared to leap out into the unknown world beyond her home shores of New Zealand to experience life. Only she never expected to encounter Magio, a planet with two warring countries, where its people reach adulthood at eighteen by coming into their strength and prophetic abilities. Only after Faith discovers she’s a Halfling–thanks to her warrior father she’s never met–does her own skill of forethought develop.
Peacio’s Prince Davio Loveria is sent to the young Faith Stryker by his grandfather, but not all goes as planned. Davio discovers Faith isn’t just a Halfling, she’s also his soul-bound mate–an intense relationship he cannot, nor will not, give up.
With two wars now waging…one of land and the other of the heart…can the young lovers find their place in the world?
BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
NOW WHAT ARE THOSE PRIZES?
We have THREE grand prizes. Almost 300 authors are sharing Heartbreaker themed blogs, and you as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter almost 300 times!
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (International)
2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card (International)
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more! (US Only) And here’s the cool pic of the actual swag.
Keep hopping–You can find the complete list of participating authors right HERE.
Also, and only if you wish to, please consider “liking” my Facebook author page. For your convenience the link is just over on the right-hand sidebar. 🙂
If you’d like to add Protector to your TBR list, here’s the link for Goodreads. Or it’s on the sidebar as well.
And for those keen on checking out Protector’s trailer on YouTube, it’s–> here.
Thank you so much for dropping by, and I wish you and yours a wonderful week.
by Joanne Wadsworth | Feb 3, 2013 | Author Blog
Puppies, they are too darn cute. 🙂
Hey, everyone. Last week I was asked by a friend and a fellow author a question which surprised me. But what shocked me more, was a best-selling author got in touch with me and asked me the same direct question only a few days later. Then would you believe, two more followed in quick succession.
I’m not kidding you. In a matter of seven days four authors had asked me the same identical question. Well, I scratched my head, because it was as if I had a secret they wanted to know. So here we go, here’s their question.
Joanne, how on earth have you managed to gain 85,000 followers on twitter?
Okay, so my number of followers is up there, but it was still a question which surprised me, because there’s no secret to how I did it at all. For us authors, twitter is one of our social media platforms. It’s where we can reach out and let people know what we’re doing, what we’re blogging about, and so much more.
Before I answer the question though, here’s what happened to me a couple of days ago, because twitter can be a magical place, and surprises jump out around every corner.
So there I was, about to hop onto twitter when my puppy started barking like crazy in the laundry room which is right next door to my office. Off I went to check on him, only to discover him tearing into a beach towel lying on the floor. Yes, you heard me right, he was tearing into a defenceless beach towel. I’d like to point out the beach towel, to my knowledge, did not begin the fight. 🙂 It was just sitting there, doing nothing but being a beach towel. Now, after I rescued the towel, I tweeted about it, and a really cool lady who has a bulldog said that was nothing. Her dog goes all crazy just barking at the wind. Well, I’m glad my puppy doesn’t do that, but it’s amazing what can start a conversation, and where it can lead. We swapped photos of our adorable dogs, and then she visited my facebook page and tweeted that she gave me a “like.” How cool! Love that! And Daveda, if you’re reading this, thank you very much. Every “like” an author gets makes us smile, and this one I’ll never forget just how it came about.
Okay, so next I got a tweet from an actor in the UK who had a Kiwi flatmate. He’d seen my name mentioned on the “who to follow twitter list” (which I’ll explain later in the post), and checked out my bio picture with the fabulous New Zealand beach on it. He tweeted it was cool and showed it to his flatmate. His flatmate joined the tweet stream and told me he was all teary-eyed at seeing the picture since he missed home. He said it was freezing cold in England and he’d never experienced such a thing. My fellow Kiwi asked me to tell him about the weather, and his actor friend tweeted an urgent, “NO, PLEASE DON’T, I’m already trying to console him about living half a world away.” I laughed, and then squinted as I peered out the window and into the dazzling sunshine. Yeah, NZ is in the middle of its summer and it’s a gorgeously warm 90 degrees. And would you believe, for the first time ever, I was stuck for words.
After meeting the UK actor and Kiwi, I put out a tweet asking if anyone lived close to where my sponsor child was. I’ve been worried for a couple of weeks since my sponsor child’s village was recently flooded. Thankfully a lovely lady from the Philippines responded. Ahh, the beauty of twitter! She lives in the city of Manila, about two hours’ drive away and she happily updated me on the area I asked about. Later that day she got in touch with me again, and gave me a wonderful surprise. She told me she was a book reviewer and after tweeting with me, looked for my ebook on Amazon and bought it. Woo-hoo. Now for any author, that’s pretty cool.
Wow, what a day. My dog got to go for an unexpected trip to the beach because I began to actually wonder if he was barking at the beach towel for a reason. I made a fellow Kiwi cry (sorry mate,) discovered my sponsor child’s village is all good and thriving again, and met a major reviewer which still has me smiling.
Ahh, but after all that, let’s get back to the main question of this post.
How did I manage to gain 85,000 followers? It was simple ->I FOLLOW THEM BACK. Yes, I do! (Now, not everyone will want this many followers, but for me it just happened.) So, if this is something that appeals to you, I began by using www.justunfollow.com. They have a free option where you can follow/unfollow 50 people per day, or for a small fee, you can pay the $4.99 per annum and follow/unfollow 1000 per day. I’m sure there are many other websites which have similar features, because with twitter itself you can’t actually see at a glance who follows you in return. With websites like the one I’ve mentioned, you can. And that’s the way to grow your numbers.
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN SOME STATS, HERE THEY ARE:
In the beginning I gained around 300 per week until I hit 5000 followers. Between 5,000 and 15,000 followers, I gained around 1,000 per week. Between 15,000 and 40,000, I gained around 2,000 per week. And now I’m gaining 3,000 new followers each week and all because I follow back.
So, how do these numbers steadily grow? As I alluded to before, my name pops up more regularly on those “who to follow” twitter lists which are located on our main twitter page. When I follow back it shows I share the same interests as many other followers. Isn’t that cool! Twitter now tells people to follow me, and more often than I can just about keep up with. Thank you twitter. I’m feeling the twitter-love.
Now, for the secret that isn’t a secret, that’s how I gained 85,000 followers in less than a year. It’s also how I make sure I connect with other readers and writers, and you got it, dog owners, actors and their wonderful Kiwi flatmates, and let’s not forget reviewers. Yep, because you never know just who you’re going to “meet with one tweet.”
You know I love hearing from you, so drop me a comment and share. Perhaps you’ve had a fabulous experience which led to something amazing on twitter? Or, and let’s not forget there are the odd bad cookies out there on twitter too. All up I’ve had to “blacklist” seven out of that 85,000 for inappropriate comments. But the good thing is it’s in our hands, and we can make sure our experience remains enjoyable and clean.
So, roll on tomorrow. I’m certainly looking forward to the new connections I’ll make.
Right, now it’s time to announce the winner of the offer I made last week. For those who left a comment asking for a critique, they had their name put into a draw. What could they win? Yours truly will be their second set of eyes to go over the FIRST FOUR PAGES (or 1500 words thereabouts) of their novel. So, for this fabulous critique, the winner chosen by random.org is:
*** R L Sharpe ***
Hey, congratulations, Rochelle. Please email me the first four pages of your novel as a word document attachment so I can insert “review bubbles” for personalized editing advice. My email address is located under the “Contact tab” on my website, or of course it’s joannewadsworth007@gmail.com
I’ll be making this offer again in the near future. I’m all for writers supporting writers, and you guys rock with the way you support me on my website.
Have a wonderful week. Catch ya all later.
* * * *
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 27, 2013 | Author Blog
Love this picture. So cute. 🙂
Note: At the end of this post you’ll see the 4-page critique is back. I know you guys love this, so don’t miss out if you’re keen. Follow the instructions below to enter the draw.
Let’s jump into the Common Red Flags Seen In Submissions. And for those of you seeking an agent or publisher, have you ever wondered how big their submission pile is? It’s huge, and some agents even report as many as 100 submissions hit their inbox in a day. A day! How on earth are they going to get through that many?
If you haven’t guessed it, as they read through these submissions, they keep an eye out for certain things which may alert them to giving a quick “no.” These red flags MAY mean your submission might get rejected before it even gets read. That would be awful, and the last thing any writer wants.
So, what are these red flags? And how do we ensure we don’t spark one?
We make sure we follow some simple rules, and here they are:
- Follow the agent or publisher’s submission guidelines to the letter.
- This means you must read their website’s guidelines. They always have a submissions page, and it details exactly what they require of a writer who submits. Follow each directive given, because you’re a professional, just as they are, so ensure your first communication is equally so. If they say to format in a particular font, do it. If they say they want only one chapter, don’t go sending the first three. If they want a blurb, yep, you got it, include it. There is always a list of what they need, so don’t deviate from it.
- Incorrect grammar and typos.
- Oh yeah, your spellchecker doesn’t always pick up the misuse of words like “there/their.” And as a writer, it’s our job to know how to spell, and to use correct punctuation. The only problem is we all make mistakes, so get someone you trust to check your query letter, synopsis, and those first few crucial pages of your manuscript. A second set of eyes never goes amiss, particularly when you usually only get one chance to submit your work to each agent/publisher.
- Know your word count.
- Inappropriate word counts are red flags for agents and editors. If they say we take submissions of between 20,000 to 100,000 words, don’t go submitting your 120,000 word novel. It’ll get rejected because it’s outside their guidelines. Why spend your precious time on submitting when it won’t even get looked at. Just move onto another agent or publisher and see if your book will suit them.
- Don’t over-explain.
- I’ve heard agents and editors say some writers who submit will over-explain within their query letter. An agent or editor doesn’t want to hear how your mother read your book and loved it, so they should too. 🙂 Yeah, I imagine you get my drift–let the agent or editor decide for themselves. You want to make sure your query letter shines with professionalism.
And lastly, don’t get upset when you get the inevitable “no.” Every writer gets these, and in bucket loads. It’s said, for every thirty queries you submit, expect one request for a partial or full manuscript. I’m not kidding you. The odds are 30 to 1, and that’s not even with a guaranteed “yes” after they’ve seen your partial or full.
Here are some of my statistics, which makes for interesting reading. It certainly shows my writing journey, and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you’re seeking an agent or publisher.
To begin with I wrote FOUR BOOKS in 2009. None of these were ever submitted, but I did rewrite the first one in 2011, and its titled PROTECTOR.
NOW, HERE’S THE INTERESTING DATA–
THE INHERITANCE was written in 2010. Here I sent out 52 submissions. 12 I never heard back from, 39 gave a “no,” and one UK agent requested a partial, and then said “no.” But the feedback I got from her was invaluable, and I even halted any further submissions on this book in order to set the work aside for a rewrite. What was her advice? To hone my writing skills, but that my ability to tell a story was fantastic. I spent 2010 and 2011 doing just that and studying my craft like crazy.
MOON FORCE was written in 2010. Here I sent out 31 submissions. 11 I never heard back from, and 20 gave a “no.” A couple of the agents though did give feedback They told me the same as the UK agent that year. And as soon as I heard the identical advice, I set this book aside for a complete rewrite.
I wrote THREE further books in 2011. I submitted these in various writing competitions, and it was my way of getting some editorial feedback. None ever placed, but I got the feedback I was after, and as I wrote, I kept honing my skills.
PROTECTOR. This is the first book I rewrote in 2011 after learning everything I could. I felt I really had a chance with this one, so in 2011 I sent out 48 submissions. 23 I never heard back from, 24 gave a “no,” and yes, I had one CONTRACT issued on a full manuscript. Yee-ha!
Now, yay, I seem to be away–
WARRIOR was written in 2012. Here I sent out 1 submission, and yes, one CONTRACT was issued.
WITNESS PURSUIT was written in 2012. Here I sent out 1 submission, and yes, one CONTRACT was issued.
This year I’ll write three more books. I go through the same submission process every single time, and I make sure I follow the publisher’s guidelines to the letter. I cross my fingers and hope for good news, but this truly is a never-ending journey we writers travel. It’s tough and takes hard work, no matter which route we take.
So, tell me where you’re up to in your journey. I love hearing from other writers, so leave me a comment and let me know how it’s going for you? What’s your battle? Are you still struggling with the frustrating rejection letters? If you’re self-publishing, what’s been the most difficult part of the journey for you? Because we’re ALL in this together. We’re writers, and no one else can truly understand us, except for another writer.
* * * *
And since I’m all for writers supporting writers, my offer for a 4-page critique is back . What do you win? Yours truly shall be your second set of eyes to go over the FIRST FOUR PAGES (or 1500 words thereabouts) of your novel.
Amy Kennedy, Kozo Hattori and Heather Jensen have all been winners and had their prize redeemed in the past three months. I loved getting to know them and their wonderful work. So don’t be shy, if you want to enter, take advantage of all the hard slog I’ve put in and get some quality editing feedback. Simply drop in a COMMENT asking FOR A CRITIQUE.
I’ll pick a winner using random.org and post the name next week on my blog, so keep your eyes open for who that is. (Particularly the winner, because you’ll need to get in contact with me via email.)
Okay, catch ya all later. Have a wonderful week.
* * * *
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 21, 2013 | Author Blog
Yes, I do. Because I’m a Writer. 🙂
Love that saying, but in all seriousness, “When Can I Call Myself A Writer?”
I was asked this question recently by a friend who’s been writing solidly for three years and is completely committed to her goal of getting published, only it hasn’t happened yet. She sets aside a certain number of hours each day just to write and to keep progressing in her craft.
Well, her goal is to find an agent for one of the books she’s written, but whether taking that route, or to be self-published, or submitting to a publisher, her drive and ambition is still the same. She’s committed to what she does. She’s not writing just when she feels like it, but every day. She’s focused and determined on being a writer.
So, when can she call herself a writer when she doesn’t have a published book?
I drew my answer into a story for her, because yes, that’s what we writers do best, we weave a wonderful tale. Here it is, and imagine this is you.
You bump into an old friend or family member on the street, one you haven’t seen in a while. Wow, it’s great to catch up. You ask what she’s been up to, and listen intently, and then yep, she asks the same of you. You think back over the past three years of slogging away at your laptop, at the countless books you’ve written. Hmm, should you say it?
Raising a brow, you go for it. “Ah, I’m a writer.”
Her eyes light up. “Oh, so you have a book out?”
“No, but I’m trying.”
“But you said you’re a writer.”
“I am.”
She frowns. “And you don’t have a book out?”
You stare her down (because I like that part of the tale.) “No, but I’m still a writer.”
Why are you still a writer?
Because you’re committed to writing, setting aside time every day, and you’re in this for the long-haul. Being a writer isn’t like other professions. My sister trained for three years at university to be a nurse. Once she got her degree, she was a nurse.
Writers don’t have a degree to wave in the air. Sure, it’d be nice to have a book as that final piece of evidence, but in fact, you’re a writer if you write each and every day, sticking to it to get your first book published. Simply put, a writer is dedicated to the career path they’ve chosen.
Oh, but then, once you’re there, and you’re published by the route you’ve chosen. Yay! Jump around and grin like crazy. You’re an Author. And you can tell that friend or family member just where to buy your book. 🙂
Okay, so calming down again. Do you agree? Can she call herself a writer? Perhaps this tale rings true for you? Leave a comment and let me know. I love hearing from you all.
Right, so now it’s time to announce the winner of the offer I made last week. For those who left a comment asking for a critique, they had their name put into a draw. What could they win? Yours truly will be their second set of eyes to go over the first four pages (or 1500 words thereabouts) of their novel. That’s the first four pages. Not four pages from the middle of the book, but the first four pages. So, for this fabulous critique, the winner chosen by random.org is:
*** Heather Jensen ***
Hey, congratulations, Heather. Please email me the first four pages of your novel as a word document attachment so I can insert “review bubbles” for personalized editing advice. My email address is located under the “Contact tab” on my website, or of course it’s joannewadsworth007@gmail.com
I’ll be making this offer again in the near future. I’m all for writers supporting writers, and you guys rock with the way you support me on my website.
Have a wonderful week. Catch ya all later.
* * * *
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 16, 2013 | Author Blog, Protector
DROOL ALERT — The follow pictures will make your mouth water. They may even make you want to hop on a plane to come and see the following location for yourself. You’ve been warned. 🙂
Mount Maunganui Beach, New Zealand
It was a stunner of a day at Mount Maunganui Beach today. I thought I’d share some pictures of my local hotspot, and with it being the kids’ summer holidays, this is where we were. We hiked up the pictured hill, of which we Kiwis simply call The Mount. It’s a glorious spot with heaps of things to do.
The Mount is an extinct volcano *phew*, and it sits on the edge of a peninsula. It has a fabulous beach on one side, and a harbour-port on the other. It’s 761 feet high and takes about 45 minutes to climb.
Here’s a picture from the top of the Mount.
Once you get to the top, you really don’t want to leave. Nope, not a chance. The best thing, is to make sure you’ve brought a picnic with you. Toss out a blanket and lie down. Then eat, relax, and take in the spectacular views.
After this, we hiked back to the main beach. The kids love swimming here, and there’re always treasure hunts or other sponsored events running at this time of the year. So much fun.
I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of my backyard.
Also, the chance for the four-page critique remains open until this Sunday, 20th January. I’ll draw a winner on Monday morning using random.org and post the name then.
PROTECTOR, by Joanne Wadsworth. Here’s a couple of snippets from some 4 and 5 star reviews which came in this week on my debut release on Amazon. I was so excited to read them, and you can catch the full reviews if you want right HERE.
“I’m eager for the next book!” Jenna Czaplewski | 1 reviewer made a similar statement
“I loved all the characters, especially Faith and davio.” Kamijo101 | 2 reviewers made a similar statement
“Joanne Wadsworth brings up a fast paced book full of likeable characters, action and romance!! Toni | 1 reviewer made a similar statement
* * * *
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
by Joanne Wadsworth | Jan 14, 2013 | Author Blog, Protector
Yay! This is ME. A very happy little kitten with her 3rd Contract. 🙂
Hey everyone. 2013 Rocks! I couldn’t wait to share this news.
My third baby book WITNESS PURSUIT, a mystery/suspense romance just got a contract. Woo-hoo. The release has been set for January 6th 2014. Huge thanks go to Renee Rocco and Penny Barber at Lyrical Press NY for saying “yes.” I’m beyond excited.
Wow. It’s a dream to have one book release, and two more contracted. My thanks go to all of you too, for joining me on this journey, and to continue the celebrations I have a wonderful offer for you. More than anything, I’ve learnt how important it is to have a second set of eyes go over those first few pages of one’s manuscript. It can make all the difference, because as writers we read our work a thousand times and we know our story inside-out. Which means we occasionally miss something which becomes glaringly obvious once pointed out by another. Hate that, but also love and appreciate it.
So, to my offer–everyone who leaves a comment asking FOR A CRITIQUE will have their name put into a draw. What do you win? Yours truly shall be your second set of eyes to go over the first four pages (or 1500 words thereabouts) of your novel. That’s the first four pages. Not four pages from the middle of the book, but the first four pages. Okay, so if you’ve been catching my blogs, you’ll know my skills are in the editing department, which means it will be a fabulous critique. You’ll love it.
I’ve brought this offer to the table twice lately, and Amy Kennedy and Kozo Hattori were the winners and redeemed their prize. I loved getting to know them and their wonderful work. So don’t be shy, if you want to enter, make sure you do.
I’ll pick a winner using random.org and post the name next week on my blog, so keep your eyes open for who that is. (Particularly the winner, because you’ll need to get in contact with me via email.)
In other news, PROTECTOR’s had a wonderful first week, and it’s been a whirlwind of excitement as I’ve visited others’ blogs and chatted or had a guest spot.
PROTECTOR–BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle / B&N Nook / iTunes / Lyrical Press / Kobo.
Okay, I’m off to work on edits and my next manuscript. Yep, a writer’s work is never done. *smiling*
Take care and stay safe.
