A Good Book at a Great Price

Making my book available whether it’s in eBook form or paperback has been a learning experience. So far, I’m happy with my decision to be a part of the KDP Select Program through Amazon because it has made my book available to a wider audience. Today, marks the first day that Imperfectly Perfect Love in eBook format will be a part of the Kindle Countdown Deal. For a limited time, it will be on sale for the great price of $2.99 which is perfect for anyone who may have been hesitant to take a chance on a new author’s first book. So, if you’ve found yourself curious about this title, don’t hesitate to take advantage of this great deal. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the unpredictable storyline, the depth of the various characters, and the applicable Biblical message found throughout. Also don’t forget to spread the word and tell your friends and family who enjoy reading so they too can take advantage of this sale while it lasts. Your support and feedback is always appreciated so please leave a review on the site where you purchased the book and on Goodreads. Any additional personal feedback you may wish to direct my way can be sent to sswilliams2@crimson.ua.edu and is most welcomed. I hope you not only enjoy this book but all the ones to follow, and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Important Decisions

Speaking with an acquisitions director of a publishing company who is interested in your story for publication can be somewhat flattering and exciting but, at the same time, rather stressful. Numerous questions plague your mind: is she being completely honest about the terms of the contract, is this a legit company, is the contract worded in a way so there are hidden meanings behind the agreement, are there better options out there, should I wait until my writing is more seasoned to sign with a company in order to get a better offer, and should I alter course so soon? I read the contract twice that she had sent, compared the contract and her promises to their website, researched what is normal between an author and a publishing company, compared it to other options that may be available when my writing is a little more seasoned, discussed all the angles with my husband, and most importantly prayed. I am pleased to announce that I will continue my present course as is. The Lord has given me perfect peace regarding not signing a publishing contract at this time. Who knows what the future may hold or what opportunities may one day be available, but for now, I am happy to be simply working on my own with the tools the Lord has provided. I will continually be grateful to my talented cover designer whose efforts create an appealing first impression and to the various beta readers who give their invaluable input, all sharing in the process of making my book better than it ever could have been if my eyes alone were viewing it. I am also thankful for you, the readers, who took a chance on a new author’s first book and those who remain supportive as I continue this journey.

So much has transpired over the past week and weekend that I’ve decided to take a break from writing. I have some things to contemplate and maybe even reevaluate, not in relation to the current book and its storyline but regarding my writing and the pursuit of my dream in general. Writing can be time consuming and draining both emotional and mentally. I have a family and a limited amount of free time for writing so I want to continually put my dream into perspective and focus on the here and now, the things that matter to the ones who love me most. When the task of writing, the opinions of others whether good or bad, the overhead versus the profit all cloud my mind, it becomes all consuming and overwhelming, especially when I’m a person prone to continually analyzing everything from every possible angle. So for now, for my sanity and my loved ones, I’m taking a step back, focusing solely on my family, and clearing my brain of all the things writing entails. The middle of chapter eight in Serene Courage is where I left off and will be exactly where I pick up when the time is right.

When a Publishing Company Calls

Life is not always easy even for those who feel they are following God’s leading. Obstacles oftentimes block the narrow path, days come and go with little progress having been made, fellow travelers may misjudge the reasoning behind the solid steps already taken, and the overall goal becomes almost a fleeting memory; but through it all God continues to light the dark path, reminding His child that no obstacle is too big, progress is never measured by earthly standards, He is the only judge whose opinion matters, and the overall goal is an arduous one but worth it all when He can say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

This week has been a rollercoaster ride of events and emotions. Part of those events caused me to plunge into the state of questioning myself, my writing, and my message. Then as with any rollercoaster, I was soaring heavenward, filled with excitement because affirmation had been received regarding the very things I had just been questioning. My affirmation was rather short-lived though because I was plunged into those events once more, causing me to once again question everything all over again. Amazingly, I almost instantaneously found myself soaring to new heights and receiving even more positive affirmation than before. Now that the wild ride has ended, I look back on it as a learning experience. Maybe I wouldn’t have appreciated the affirmation or even have viewed it as that if I hadn’t experienced the self-doubt and questioning. What a wonderful reminder that God allows everything to happen for His plan and purpose and in His perfect timing.  

Money, time constraints, grammatical issues—all seem to affect new authors immensely. I am no different in any of these aspects. Because I’m a stay-home mom, money and time constraints will be an issue for the foreseeable future; but hopefully, my writing skills and grammar knowledge will continually improve as time goes by. To help in this area, I’ve been in need of a crucial piece to my writing puzzle; and yesterday, God gave me that piece. He provided me with a talented friend who will be able to contribute so much in being one of my beta readers. She is definitely a godsend in so many ways. Then today, I was contacted by a Christian publishing company whom I had previously submitted my partial manuscript to back in August. The representative explained that my story was the one story out of all the submissions that she had found to actually be interesting, didn’t want to put down, and needed to know how it ended. She told me that they were very interested in my book and wanted to offer me a contract. I will know more when the Director of Book Acquisitions calls and gives me more specific details. Who knows? This may not be a workable option for me, but at least, it’s an option I never thought I would have been offered so soon. 

 

Novel Availability Update

I had been toying with the idea of signing up with Kindle’s KDP Select program for several weeks, and a few weeks ago, I made the decision to join. Due to the guidelines of this program, the eBook is no longer available on Barnes & Noble or any other site except Amazon. Amazon prime members will be able to choose to read Imperfectly Perfect Love for free from the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library/KOLL. Also if you are an Amazon member who is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited this book is now available to you.

I am pleased to announce that the paperback version of Imperfectly Perfect Love is now available for purchase. If you purchase the paperback version on Amazon, the eBook version is enrolled in the Kindle MatchBook program so you will have the option to also purchase it for the low price of $0.99 as a package deal. The paperback version is also available for purchase in most bookstores (Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million). If you would like to purchase a signed copy, please contact me for further details.

I am hoping with the additional options available more people will feel compelled to check out my first novel, become emotionally connected with the characters, and eagerly await the completion of the following novels as they lead this series to completion.