Lady Thy Name Is Trouble

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IWSG — To Raise Or Not To Raise…

Today’s the day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) where, on the first Wednesday of every month, writers get together to share their insecurities and offer encouragement. The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can learn all about it and sign up for it here. IWSG_Badge

The print version of my book, Lady, Thy Name Is Trouble, is printed on demand by the distributors Lightning Source/IngramSpark (LSI), so I don’t have to keep cases of books as backstock in my basement. Recently, I received notice from LSI that their printing costs would be increasing to cover their rising costs. I was given a window of time in which I could raise the retail price of my book and submit a new cover file reflecting this increased price without having to pay for the file update. The deadline is the end of February.

So I have to decide — do I raise the price of my print book, or leave it as is?

I had originally set the price at $16.99, which was about as low as I could go without selling at a loss. I figured if I priced my first book too high, no one would buy it. But with the 55% wholesale discount the big retailers get, the margin of profit is miniscule.

If I leave the price as is, I’ll still be in the black, but just barely. I tell myself, it’s okay, I’m not in it for the money. And yet I have to say it would be nice to make at least a little profit. But I’m concerned that if I raise the price a dollar or two, I’ll lose sales, and that would defeat the purpose of getting my book out there into readers’ hands. What to do?

Has anyone else ever run into this problem? What did you decide?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2016. All rights reserved.

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The New Trailer! For Book II: Trouble By Any Other Name

I fully intended to post something over the last couple of weeks since the start of the new year, but I’ve been making so much progress with my edits and book trailer during my social media break that I just had to keep going with them.

I uploaded the latest version of the trailer for my forthcoming second book, Trouble By Any Other Name, to YouTube. I’d love feedback from anyone who has time to check it out. Here it is, and thank you! Happy New Year!

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2016. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things!

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

Wow, this month is flying right by. I can’t believe it’s only two weeks until Christmas. My kids have been sick this week, so I’ve been doing more of my Christmas shopping online. I’m happy to say I’ve got a lot of it done now. Celebrations this time around:

  1. My kids are feeling better after a nasty cold/flu/stomach bug thing.
  2. My Christmas shopping is almost done.
  3. Continued mild weather. It’s weird for this time of the year, but I like it.
  4. All four books that I brought to the local Kinney Drug store have sold, so I brought in four more. Yay!

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things! — Weekend Edition

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

I took last Friday off from blogging for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was nice to have great weather for it, even though we didn’t have that far to travel. I know there were many other people who did have many miles to go. I enjoy Thanksgiving because it reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for. With all the craziness in life, it’s important to stop and be thankful and not take for granted all the blessings we have.

On that note, I’d like to celebrate:

  1. Family and friends! Where would we be without them?
  2. Simple things like getting a haircut and treating yourself to an ice cream sundae.
  3. Getting into the Christmas spirit! I was able to get some shopping done this week, so I’m not so far behind.
  4. Starting work on a book trailer for Book 2, Trouble By Any Other Name! I really enjoy doing those.

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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IWSG — My 200th Post!

Today’s the day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) where, on the first Wednesday of every month, writers get together to share their insecurities and offer encouragement. The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can learn all about it and sign up for it here. IWSG_Badge

I realized today that whatever I wrote would become my 200th blog post. That stopped me for a minute. I mean, wow, for someone like me who isn’t social by nature, 200 posts is a huge accomplishment. To commemorate this milestone, I decided I’d celebrate some of the other major things I’ve accomplished this year, such as:

Self-publishing my first book! For a writer, nothing beats holding your own book in your hands, though seeing your book on a store shelf is a close second.

Organizing a blog tour! So many wonderful people offered to help by hosting me and/or getting the word out about my book. I will be eternally grateful.

Getting my book into brick-and-mortar stores and libraries! It was hard at first to walk into a bookstore cold and ask them to stock my book, but I’m glad I made the effort.

Arranging book signings! I’ve done a few now, so I’m not as nervous about them. They’re great opportunities to meet people.

Participating in craft shows! I’ve sold more books at craft shows and farmer’s markets than I have at the signings, which I found interesting. I’ll definitely be taking part in more of those next year.

Being interviewed on radio and TV! I never thought I’d ever do anything like that. I’m proud of myself for going so far beyond my comfort zone.

It’s been a pretty amazing ride so far, and I’m about to jump on the rollercoaster again with Book 2. Soon.

So for anyone out there wondering if it’s worth it to keep going with their writing projects, my answer would be a resounding YES! Don’t ever give up. If I can do it, anyone can.

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things!

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

What a lovely day it is here today — lots of sunshine and blue sky. This week I’m celebrating:

  1. Report cards with straight A’s! I’m so proud of my kids!
  2. Thanksgiving Vacation! My kids have been counting down the days.
  3. I sold seven more books at a craft show last Saturday!
  4. Hoping for more book sales this weekend at the Milton Artists’ Guild fundraiser at Barnes & Noble! B & N ordered more of my books to have on hand, so I’m hoping for a strong showing to convince them to keep stocking my book. Wish me luck!

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things!

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

My internet connection was giving me problems this morning, but it seems to be working now. This week has been pretty quiet, which is a good thing. My celebrations:

  1. I sold a half-dozen books at the Milton Artists’ Guild’s Holiday Art Show and Sale last Saturday!
  2. Got more winterizing work done on my house.
  3. Made some editing progress.
  4. Looking forward to participating in another craft show this weekend!

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things!

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

I missed celebrating last week, because I couldn’t get it together. I’m running late this week, too, but hopefully that’s better than not at all. Celebrations this time around:

  1. Beautiful warm weather all week, which allowed me to finish up some outdoor work that needed doing, without freezing my tail off.
  2. Got snow tires put on my vehicle, so I’ll be ready for the inevitable.
  3. Got my mailbox back up. The post had rotted, and the strong wind we had blew it over. My Dad helped me replace the post and get it back in the ground.
  4. Looking forward to participating in the Milton Artists’ Guild’s Holiday Art Show and Sale tonight and tomorrow!

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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IWSG — Back Cover Blurb Blues

Today’s the day for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) where, on the first Wednesday of every month, writers get together to share their insecurities and offer encouragement. The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can learn all about it and sign up for it here. IWSG_Badge

I’ve been working on the back cover blurb for Book 2: Trouble By Any Other Name. The problem is that there are so many important elements to the story — how do you include them all and still keep it short, yet interesting enough to entice readers to take a chance on the book? Obviously, some of the elements have to be left out, because there’s just not room enough on the back of the book. Therein, lies my frustration.

I craft a blurb and think, wow, this is great. Then something else occurs to me that really should be included. Back to the drawing board. Okay, now I’ve got it… but, wait, I need to include this other detail. Back to the drawing board. Okay, this one is really good… oh, wait… You get the idea.

Trying to condense a complex 600-page book into a couple of paragraphs is an exercise in hair pulling and teeth gnashing. But if it’s not right, no one will buy the book, even though it might be something they’d like.

I know every writer goes through this, but man, it can sure drive you nuts. Oh, well. Back to the drawing board…

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate the Small Things!

Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly celebration created by VikLit and now hosted by Lexa Cain to celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large. You can learn all about it and sign up for it here. CelebrateSmallThings_Badge

I can’t believe October is half over already. Where did it go? Things to celebrate this week:

  1. The interview I did on the local cable TV channel (LCATV) is on the air now. I noticed I talk with my hands quite a bit, not that that’s bad or anything. Here’s the link for anyone who’d like to see it: http://lcatv.org/node/196156. It’s Vermont Treasures #31.
  2. I got all my materials sent to the Independent Publishers of New England, so that my book can be represented and sold at their tables at the Boston Book Festival and the New England Library Association Conference. I won’t be at the events in person, so it will be interesting to see how this works in terms of sales.
  3. We made our traditional fun trek through the corn maze, then went on the hayride down through the “gauntlet of horrors” to the pumpkin patch and my kids picked out pumpkins.
  4. I got some more yard work done. Yay!

What other celebrations are going on out there?

 

 

 

 

© Lori L. MacLaughlin and Writing, Reading, and the Pursuit of Dreams, 2015. All rights reserved.