Sibylla Nash

Bumped Free This Weekend

Christmas comes early or rather in anticipation of summer, here's a free beach read.  Bumped is free this weekend cause, why not? Enjoy!

Judging a Book By Its Cover

I'm trying something different. I haven't figured out how to crack the international market (well, I haven't exactly cracked the US market either but I'm working on it). I had two covers created for Bumped so I decided to try out the second cover to see how it does with international sales. Can't hurt at this point. What do you think of this cover?

KDP Select Promo Results

It's been one week since my free promo for Bumped has ended on KDP. I wish I could report it blasted my sales through the roof but sadly no. I didn't get the sales I'd hoped for but the increased exposure is as they say...priceless. For the weekend that it was free, it was downloaded 2,417 times. I was actually quite happy with those numbers until I heard about another book that was downloaded 65,000 times during its free promo. I tried to console myself that they listed their book for 5 days as opposed to my three but an additional two days wouldn't have gotten me too much closer to 65k downloads, which is fine (that's what I tell myself at night).

Over the course of the week, I've had about 10 downloads and 6 borrows. Not bad for a book that's almost two years old but not exactly anything to brag about either. Kind of wondering why I'm writing this post. The upside of doing the promotion and getting the downloads, I'm getting more reviews. Can't remember where, but I read that marketing is a process, not an event. With that in mind, I'm so happy for the 5-star reviews.  It can only help. You can check them out below. As a writer, we want our work to be read and to that end, the free weekend served its purpose. Have you tried the KDP Select program? What has your experience been like so far? Let me know in the comments.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good story of a woman finding herself, March 6, 2013 By  Avtanner - See all my reviews   This review is from: Bumped (Kindle Edition) This isn't my usual book and I almost didnt read it but after a few pages I was hooked into the story. Girl leaves small town, sister died tragically young, at the top of her game doing PR in the hip hop scene finds love with Prince Charming- and lives happily ever after? Not! Things are not as they seem and through a lot of soul searching, trials and tribulations- betrayal and deceit- she finds out who she is and what is truly the most important thing in life! I recommend if you are looking for a feel good read that is rather uplifting. 5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read March 10, 2013 By Tynecia Williams Format:Kindle Edition This book had me wanting to keep reading and not put it down. Good work by the author! Can't wait to read more of her books.

 

Bumped's #Free this Weekend on Amazon #Kindle

I've decided to try Amazon's KDP Select program. Sales have slowed up since its release in 2011, no surprise there, so I'm trying new things.  For the next 90 days, Bumped will be sold exclusively on Amazon and to jumpstart it, it will be free this weekend (March 1 - 3). So we'll see. I've been reading different posts about experiences with the KDP Select program and some people have had some success with it.

I should have some more marketing tips and tricks this weekend to add to my arsenal. I'm going to the Writer Store for James Scott Bell's ebooks' workshop. 

Revised Edition of Baby Modeling & Beyond Now Available!

It seemed as thought every time I would work on updating Baby Modeling & Beyond, something else would change. Modeling agencies would close, new technologies would pop up. Finally though, the new edition is now available on the Kindle and Nook and soon on Kobo and iTunes (for some reason they are taking more than 48 hours to go live). I love the fluidity ebooks provides because as changes happen, I can continue to include them and get the book back out to market. 

Book Chick City's 100 Books in a Year Challenge - I'm In

Book City Chick's hosting the 100 Books in a Year Challenge, I'm in. Are you?  Check out the details below:

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2013 – 31 Dec 2013
• Rules: Read 100 books in 2013 (any genre)
• You don’t have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
• You can join at anytime. All books read in 2013 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.
• At the beginning of Jan 2013, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.
• Audiobooks are accepted.
• Only fiction, no non-fiction.
• This challenge can crossover to other challenges.
• You DO NOT have to write reviews of the books you read, but if you decide to then a place will be available each month 
   for you to link up your reviews.
• You don’t have to have a blog to join in – for those without a blog but who use Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing etc, you can add the URL to where you track your books. If you don’t have a URL at all then choose a name you would like to use and then copy and paste the following link: http://wp.me/p2wdqf-6ZI

One of my goals this year is to read more and this challenge dovetails quite nicely with it. I used to be such an avid reader but now there never seems to be enough time. I used to love curling up in bed with a good read now I just curl up in bed and slip into a coma for eight hours.

I have made it halfway through Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century. Reading this is reminding me just how much my vocabulary has dwindled, thank goodness for the dictionary feature on the Kindle app.

Today's the 4th, plenty of time to squeeze in a hundred books before the end of the year. 

Celebrate Picture Book Month

How cute is this? November is a whole month dedicated to celebrating picture books?  I LOVE picture books and remember when my daughter wasn't even born yet (and I didn't know she was going to be a girl) that I browsing around at BEA and saw, Dirt Boy, which became one of my favorite books.  Together we discovered Knuffle Bunny and so many others. I'm happy to say she has developed into an avid reader and is always recommending books for me to read.

Whether or you have children or not, this is a good month (any day is a good day really) to get reacquainted with your faves or discover some new ones. Check out the video below to get the skinny on Picture Book Month.  Share your favorites in the comments. 

Underdogs Rejoice

I love reading stories about the underdog, who doesn't, right?  It gives us that extra kick in the pants for our own goals with the belief that it can happen. We can climb that mountain, reach the peak and left off a yodel. Here's a great story in PW about a woman who started her own publishing company and has claimed her niche and her success.

In 2009, Rana DiOrio, a former investment banker in San Francisco, sought to publish a series of picture books relating meaningful, complex concepts to children, and to do it in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.

“I got laughed at,” says DiOrio, who tried to get published the traditional way, by querying agents and publishers. So instead, she assembled an advisory board and formed her own publishing company. Taking the name Little Pickle from the term of endearment she uses for each of her three small children, DiOrio opened her press in October 2009 with the launch of the series with What Does It Mean to Be Global?, followed by What Does It Mean to Be Green? and What Does It Mean to Be Present?in March and July, respectively, of the following year. Read entire story here.

 

Win a Copy of Bumped on Goodreads

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Bumped

by Sibylla Nash

Giveaway ends May 12, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win