Confessions of a New E-book Reader

Please help me welcome my friend, Jordyn Redwood, to Suspense Novelist. She is an amazingly talented author and is one of those writers who can set their ego aside to listen to what a qualified editor suggests. I have no problems whatsoever in recommending her first book, Proof, for your entertainment.

Jordyn and I have hung out at a local Citizen's Police Academy as well as a lecture series on sexual homicide. We're not weird, we're writers! She's also my go-to person when I need medical advice for my stories.

Jordyn Redwood is a pediatric ER nurse by day, suspense novelist by night. Her debut medical thriller, Proof, examines the real life possibility of DNA testing setting a guilty criminal free. It has been endorsed by the likes of Lynette Eason, Dr. Harry Kraus, and Rick Acker to name a few. You can find out more about Jordyn by visiting her blog: www.redwoodsmedicaledge.com and website: www.jordynredwood.net.

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I know, you may be shocked to learn this from an author, but I only got an e-reader last year. I was first gifted the Kindle by my husband for my birthday but then also bought an Ipad within a few weeks of that gift.

It has changed my reading/buying habits.

I was always a print girl. Peg can relate to this as she just bought these wonderful, cherry bookshelves for her home to hold all of these books (she’s showed you a picture, right?). My wonderful, wood-working husband built me a library to house mine. I couldn’t ever imagine not wanting to just always have books.

Now, as an author, my e-reader ended up teaching me some important authorly lessons that I thought I’d share here.

1. Book covers matter. Whether print or electronic, we do judge a book by its cover. I do think it’s worth the money to hire someone who is well adept at designing a striking cover that translates well digitally. It still is what I evaluate first—do I like the look and feel of the cover.

2. Free downloads work: Free downloads offered via the Amazon program (and others) have replaced some of my library perusing. There was one series I had started reading via the library and was able to get the first two. The last two, however, were not in the system. Knowing I would want to read them, but wouldn’t want to go back and buy physical copies of the first two so I could have the complete series on my library shelves, I downloaded the remainder as e-books. If I like an author’s free download, I am more apt to buy their backlist and look for their upcoming releases.

3. Reviews matter: I’ve discovered I am an analyzer of book reviews. And not content, but quantity and distribution. If I’m risking a download (free or otherwise), after the book cover, I look at how many reviews the novel has gotten. If the number is less than 10, I probably won’t risk it yet. If it’s a higher number, I look for distribution in all number groups. After all, out of fifty reviews, they are all five star? This is hard for me to believe and I’m just as likely not to download it as those with only a handful. Also, one-star reviews don’t necessarily dissuade me. If the majority are three stars and above—I’ll risk it.

4. I don’t like advertising: This is one reason I don’t read on my actual Kindle. It was the lowest priced one—and the reason for that is the constant advertising. It’s annoying. If you are gifting the reader to another, don’t go with this model.

5. Design matters: Another reason I preferred my Ipad Kindle reader over the actual Kindle is that it was backlit so I could read it at night in bed and not use my flashlight—which is how I was reading before.

I haven’t gone completely digital. I still am a book buying fiend but I am glad that my debut novel will be offered as both print and digital by my publisher so everyone has a chance to read Proof in the way they prefer.

How about you, how has an e-reader changed your reading habits?

Dr. Lilly Reeves is a young, accomplished ER physician with her whole life ahead of her. But that life instantly changes when she becomes the fifth victim of a serial rapist. Believing it's the only way to recover her reputation and secure peace for herself, Lilly sets out to find--and punish--her assailant. Sporting a mysterious tattoo and unusually colored eyes, the rapist should be easy to identify. He even leaves what police would consider solid evidence. But when Lilly believes she has found him, DNA testing clears him as a suspect. How can she prove he is guilty, if science says he is not?

I know for a fact that a lot of you support new authors. You've supported me. Please check out Jordyn's book. You won't be disappointed.

It's all better with friends.

Twelve Independent Author Steps—As I See Them

Everyone has to admit that this is a new walk to walk. There are no gatekeepers. Rather than working for a publisher and paying an agent because they landed you that gig (like an employment agency), you're working for yourself. And your readers.

Here's how I line up those steps right now, thanks in large part to advice from LJ Sellers. I invite discussion from everyone, and enlightenment from those that have gone before me. But this is what I think a writer has to do to do it right:

1. Write your manuscript.
2. Rewrite and edit as many times as necessary until you think it's as good as you can write it. For now. This would include getting feedback from critique partners as applicable. At this stage, your manuscript is still green. Young. Kind of stupid.
3. Find a few readers you trust. Provide them with the full manuscript and a list of things you want them to keep an eye on. I'm talking between three and five people. Two readers are simply not enough. Fifteen and your goose will be cooked. Guaranteed. UPDATE: Check out today's blog post at Crime Fiction Collective regarding beta readers.
4. Rewrite again based on the feedback (qualified by you) that comes in. Your manuscript has just gone through another critical stage. It truly is the best it can be without professional intervention.
5. Get professional intervention. Pay an editor to go through the entire manuscript. Argue with said editor. They will make you prove your position; make them prove theirs. They will usually be right.
6. Hire a formatter. You could probably learn to do this yourself, but wouldn't you really rather be working on your next manuscript? You will want something that will be beautiful in numerous formats. You want your novel to be perfect whether someone buys it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
7. Unless you have amazing graphic art skills (some do, most don't), you'll want to hire someone to design your cover. "What? It's an e-book." Well, yeah. But the eye still buys. Well, maybe not buy exactly, but a great cover will get someone to at least take a closer look.
8. Now it's time to proof-read the final product from your formatter. Do not skimp at this point in the game. And don't believe for one minute that you can catch everything. Even if it was perfect when it went to the formatter, strange things can happen. Have your manuscript proofread. By more than one other person.

1-8 are things you need to do at a minimum. The rest are things I think you need to do to get your novel to the highest level possible.

9. Form a publishing company. You are the owner. You are the publisher. You will probably be the only author. But, pick a cool name, and maybe even a logo.
10. Go to CreateSpace (or something similar) and make arrangements to provide print copies of your book. There will be some readers who do not have access to e -readers. Even some who have dug in their heels and refuse to consider them as options. Make sure your book is available to as wide an audience as possible.
11. Look at your distribution options. You will probably want to handle Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but what about all the other small players out there? For them, you want someone else dealing with the nuances. Again, your want to make sure your book is available to everyone.
12. Don't forget audio. It's not a huge market, but it is a market. Don't neglect it. It might take awhile (and here, you'll be dealing with gatekeepers again), but don't write this one off.


Anything you disagree with? I need to expand on? Add?



CR: Where's Billie? by Judith Yates Borger.

It's all better with friends.

E-Book or Traditional?

Many published writers waited 8, 10, 12 years or more before they realized their dream. It can be a painful time, full of hope and heartbreak. This is an actual email I sent to a friend. We'd been discussing the merits and demerits of going the e-book route:


A couple of thoughts: The Big Thought is that I haven't actually walked down Publication Road, so anything I say is basically a regurgitation thing, and we know that sometimes anecdotal information is right, but it's not to be relied upon in the least. The Second Thought is that, anecdotally, the two authors you mentioned who were happy with the marketing support from their publishers, were probably both a little surprised, and are probably the exception to the rule. But, back to the Big Thought. On a personal level, I know squat.

Many (established) writers are making more money off of their 70% royalty than they ever made from publisher's—five-figure advances or not. At least that's what they say. And some (Konrath being one) actually appears to show the numbers. But you need more than one book to do it. And you still need to market.

Tim Hallinan, who is doing well with his traditional books, is doing equally well (if not better) with his e-books, and is publishing some now straight to e-book where he feels he has more freedom. Which, of course, he does. And in his case, the success of CRASHED bears him out.

Debbi Mack, traditionally published by a small press who went belly-up, took that first book to LuLu, and writes full-time now, directed at Kindle. And her newest, LEAST WANTED sells for only 99 cents on Amazon. (She's thinking about upping that price, btw, after her launch.)

Once again, all anecdotal. Not personal.

For me? I will continue to look at the traditional route. At least for now. It's been a goal that I somehow don't think I've pursued long enough to abandon. Even though at the time I established publication as a goal, this e-book thing wasn't even a thought, actually receiving affirmation from people in the biz would mean a lot.





What are your thoughts as both readers and writers? Is publishing electronically versus traditionally a cop out or an opportunity?




CR: Secrets to Die For by L.J. Sellers on my Kindle and thoroughly enjoying the book.

It's all better with friends.

An Uncommonly Delicious Book

Every once in a while, I run across a book that's uncommonly delicious, and I want to tell you about it.



I began reading Least Wanted by Debbi Mack yesterday afternoon. I would have finished it last night but my eyes got tired. I finished it this morning.





This is Mack's second novel featuring attorney Sam McRae, and I liked it. A lot. She took risks with this one. Any time an author tries to reproduce dialect, there's a challenge. Mack does it well in this book. Least Wanted takes on some topics most writers would steer clear of, but she handles them with just the right amount of reality and compassion, without dwelling in judgement.

It's an e-book, and for a grand total of 99 cents, you have hours of solid entertainment. There is no better deal.

If you haven't discovered it already, not all e-books are created equal. The technology to format and keep the editing solid is still getting the kinks worked out. (And between you and me, I'm pretty sure there's a slew of e-books out there that haven't met an editor who knew what she was doing.)

Mack delivers it all. A great story, developing characters, excellent writing and an e-book experience that sets the bar.

For those of you who received a Kindle for Christmas, treat yourself to a Mack for the New Year.



CR: Secrets to Die For by L.J. Sellers

It's all better with friends.

E-Book Reading

This quote was posted on the Sisters-in-Crime loop recently and I loved it:


"Technology is not a barrier to depth, to engagement, to the cultural discussion, and that perhaps we want the same thing from our reading as we always have, regardless of the form it takes.... The issue is not what we read on, just as the issue is not what we read. The issue is that we read, that we continue to interact with long-form writing; by altering the conditions of the conversation, e-books and e-readers have already served an essential purpose.... This, I think, is what e-books have to offer: the promise of immersion, enhanced or otherwise, just as their analog counterparts have always done."
--David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times book critic, in an essay that will appear in Sunday's print edition of the paper


If you're debating whether or not to get an e-reader, maybe you should wait. It doesn't matter . . . as long as you read.

Some amazing new books, as well as a large number of out of print books, are only available electronically. A Kindle is my best entry into their pages. The application is available free for dozens of venues, but I vastly prefer reading on my Kindle to reading on my computer.

For me? I love my Kindle 3. I gifted my Kindle 2 to my husband, who has yet to finish off his pile of DTBs (Dead Tree Books) to familiarize himself with the wonders and benefits of electronic immersion into words. I'm not worried. He will. And I will continue to read DTBs. Because I love them as well.

It's the words that are important. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. It's the stories. The worlds. The magic.




CR: Skin Deep by Timothy Hallinan on my Kindle

It's all better with friends.

King of Kindle by Parnell Hall

Many of you have probably seen this already. If you have, here's another chance to smile.

As tongue-in-cheek as it is, it underscores a Brave New World that we are experiencing in publishing. There is uncertainty and upheaval everywhere we look.

The good news? The great news? It's not a demise, it's a dawning. And I think there will be room for a lot of wonderful things.











CR: Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner.

It's all better with friends.

Burning Questions About E-Publishing

With the emergence of the e-book market, I have a few burning questions, in no particular order:

1. Where do agents fit if an actual sale isn't involved?

2. If you're offered a contract from a publisher, what sort of provisions do you want in the e-book clause? When Amazon is offering 70% to the author , and allowing prices as low as $2.99 in order to achieve it, what are publishers offering? And does it make a difference to you?

3. How long do you intend to continue your pursuit of traditional publication? Is there a point where you will get tired of leaving your fate up to the whims of others?

4. Does knowing that much of the marketing is left to you whether you make pennies on a sale of a traditionally published book or dollars on an e-published book make a difference?

5. Is there an opportunity here for small presses that the large houses can't (or won't) take advantage of?

6. What about the unpublished author with no reader base? Is the Sales Hill the same climb the e-pub route as the traditional one?

7. Do you see the time coming when e-pubbed books will have the editors name on the front as well as the authors? Or some kind of Better Writing Seal of Approval because it's been professionally edited?

Here's a terrific tie-in blog post from Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson: http://tinyurl.com/2ut8s7d.


What are your questions? Do you have any answers, or even guesses? What do you think about this as an author? A reader?




CR: Racing the Devil by E. Michael Terrell, and wondering why I let it sit in my TBR pile as long as I did.

It's all better with friends.

Publishing's Teasin' Season

Colorado is entering what I call the Teasin' Season. We have two of those. People—who don't live in Colorado—often refer to them as Spring and Fall. Right now we're getting teased from summer into winter. We're probably looking at our first freeze next week, but we've enjoyed many Thanksgivings in short sleeves. Looking for all four seasons in one day? Check out Colorado.

I love Teasin' Seasons. Change holds promise. An opportunity to start with a clean slate. I like Mondays for the same reason, call me crazy.

The changes in publishing are almost overwhelming. In a weird way, I've been kind of glad to not be personally involved. At least I'm not personally involved at this minute. I'll be happy to figure out the lay of the land when I'm actually walking on it, ya know? Why get all nuts over something I have no control over? I don't have a dog in the fight . . . today.

Is publishing teasing into another season? Probably. But no one knows for sure what that season is going to look like. I sort of think it's going to be fantastic. A mixture of traditional and alternative. Something for everyone.

And parity. More informed people than yours truly are the ones to look to for information on this part of the change, but that doesn't mean I can't feel it in the wings.

What we're going through now is the shake-out. The leaves falling to make way for new buds.

Some of those buds won't open. To me, those are the people who haven't learned the craft, who haven't paid their dues. People (I can't quite call them writers) who have shifted from vanity press to the electronic options. They'll figure out they need to invest more time, or they'll move on.

Is it an accident I'm using the analogy of budding trees to the e-book industry? I wish I could say not, I figured it out a split second before I asked the question. But I have been called a tree hugger once or twice.

This entire post actually came about because I had the opportunity to read what I'm calling the E-ARC for a book scheduled to be available in November. This author has not yet been published, but she's paid her dues and studied her craft . . . and made the decision to take control of her own destiny. I'll be talking about her a little more as we get near the release date, but make a note to be looking for Widow's Row by Lala Corriere online next month.



CR: The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver.

It's all better with friends.

E-Book Price Points

Well, whaddayaknow? I found out I actually have a Go Ahead & Buy price point.

Ready to download a sample for Lisa Gardner's Alone, I noticed it was priced at $2.39. Since Gardner is not a new author to me, there was little risk, and for $2.39, why bother with all the extra steps? Mark that one SOLD.

This came as kind of a surprise to me because I hadn't actually considered I had a price point for purchase without inspection. Would I have bought it at the more traditional $2.99? I don't know. But more than $2.99, I'm pretty sure I'd be sampling first.

For example, I love Dean Koontz, but rather than bankrupt myself, I have about five of his in my sample folder to test before I buy. Purchasing every book I WANT would probably lead to household angst, not to mention an empty refrigerator.

I don't think the variety of pricing will impact much of anything. I will buy what I want to read. Period. If that's Koontz for $5.99 or $24.99, or a 'new to me' author for $1.99, I'm likely to sample first. If I like the story, the writing, I'll purchase it. Rather then denigrating the value of an author, I'm simply tickled pink at what I paid for something. A bargain is fun. Those in publishing know where the paychecks are going, and why.

But it seems, at least for one moment, with one author and one book, my price point was $2.39.

Have you discovered yours? That magical price where you throw all caution to the wind and take a wild gamble?





CR: The Queen of Patpong by Timothy Hallinan (who has the grand plan to blog for 365 days straight).

It's all better with friends.