WRITING PROGRESS

HE CAME FOR ME

BOOK ONE IN THE PROTECTOR SERIES

http://www.amazon.com/He-Came-Book-One-Protector/dp/1447875591/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1422879701&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=he+came+for+me+book+one+in+the+protector+serieshttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82996
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/he-came-for-me-book-one-in-the-protector-series-c.-m.-brown/1113030642?ean=2940011475573

HE CAME FOR MINE

 BOOK TWO IN THE PROTECTOR SERIES

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82996         http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/he-came-for-mine?keyword=he+came+for+mine&store=ebook




Sunday 28 August 2011

Smashwords: Share your Smashwords Smarts, Earn a Shiny Mug

Smashwords: Share your Smashwords Smarts, Earn a Shiny Mug

Tips for Publishing eBooks with Smashwords!

Smashwords make it easy!!!                         

I am a new author who has only just used Smashwords to publish my book in the last week and I have found the site to be the most amazing tool to use!

From my understanding of reading the Smashwords FAQ some people have all sorts of problems and receive error messages for their formatting.  I must have been one of the lucky ones!  I followed the Smashwords Style Guide carefully, to format my book, making sure not to hit the enter key more times than necessary at the end of each line and paragraph. By turning on the Show Hide Key in Microsoft Word I was able to see my formatting as I typed.  I decided not to indent my paragraphs as I believe it looks untidy on the page, but I did add ***~~~*** to skip back and forth between my characters. 

The only problem I had was that I was eager and forgot to save my file as a Microsoft Word .doc file before uploading.  I corrected this easily by following the instuctions in the Smashwords Style Guide and then when I pressed the Publish Tab to proceed to upload my book to Smashwords, I had the thrill of watching each version being processed and approved on my computer screen as I watched.

The Smashwords Publish upload also takes all the hassel out of trying to publish your own book. Just by following the process step by step all angles are covered, even the legal ones. The process takes you through the usual questions, but Smashwords can also assign your book an ISBN number at no cost to you or you can purchase one through them if you wish. These questions are asked as you continue the process to upload your precious work.

Smashwords also cover any IRS questions you may have, especially if you are an author using the site to publish your work in a country outside of the United States of America, as I am.  During the process of publishing you are asked if you are from a country outside of the US and by answering yes, further information is shown on the page informing you about the formal part of requesting an ITIN. The information is given in easy to follow language and takes the worry away! You can also read about the legal side of things in the FAQ. I had previously downloaded the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide prior to publishing my book and decided which Marketing tips I would use.  I had never used a Blog page or Facebook before but decided to start this blog page and my illustrator created a page link to my book http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82996?ref=CMBrown attaching it to her Facebook page. I am still learning about other tips to market my book but I recommend reading the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide to make your own choices.

I found out about Smashwords through my local library.  I was lucky enough one day to walk in and find a notice about an information session on publishing eBooks, which was being held there by a local artist. I immediately made a booking and attended the session most convenient to me. I came away enlightened and as I was so close to finishing my book the timing could not have been more right! It must have been karma as I had also around this time attended the blessing by the Dalai Lama at the opening of the Stumpa at Chenrezig.

From this information session at my local library, I found out that the Australian Government had given a grant to Judy Barass to inform new writers how to publish eBooks. Judy Barass could not say better things about Smashwords and encouraged her audience to persue eBook publishing using Smashwords, as they took all the effort away from independent puplishers and made it easy! (I also came away feeling that my work would be safe in the hands of Smashwords).

It has only been one week since I uploaded my book to the Smashwords site for publishing and three days ago it had already been accepted into the Smashwords Premium Catalogue and has been shipped on to some of the connecting distributers Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple and Deisel. I am amazed at just how quickly and efficiently the process has been. It could not have been made easier!!

View my book at Smashwords through this link:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82996?ref=CMBrown 

 Cover for 'He Came For Me! Book One in 'The Protector Series''

He Came For Me! Book One in 'The Protector Series'
Ebook Price: $1.99 USD. 54240 words. Fiction by Carolyn Brown on August 21, 2011
star star star star star (5.00 from 1 review)
Jazz, driving on her way to TAFE one morning is passed by a gorgeous guy in a red Mazda Rx7. Caught at the stop lights ahead, she finds herself drawn to this stranger as he watches her in his rear view mirror. From the moment she meets him in person her life begins to change! Why does he always seem to be close by, could he be stalking her? Or was their meeting totally innocent?

Thanks,

Carolyn

Saturday 27 August 2011

One Week Later! (Book Published with Smashwords for One Week)

In one week I have sold two copies through the Smashwords site and 21 people have downloaded free tastes of my book! I still think this is great even though I am not getting rich quick.

During the week when I checked where my book was situated in the recent releases I was worried when I couldn't find it, but it had been placed in the Premium Catalogue awaiting shipment to other distributers associated with Smashwords.  

By the end of next week it should be in the Apple Store and within two weeks it should be available through Barnes and Noble and Kobo and I believe it is now available through Diesel and I have not needed to do anything since the moment I pressed the Publish Tab.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Three Days After Pressing the Publish Button!

Wow! In just 3 days 15 people have downloaded samples of my book and I have acutally sold 2 copies!

My book is still 'pending' for the Smashwords Premium Catalogue which means it hasn't even yet been sent to the other distributors.

Smashwords make it so easy to publish and distribute your work, its simply amazing! I am so glad that I attended a course held by my local council on Alternative Publishing hosted by Australian artist Judy Barrass.
The project aims to bring together creative practice and new technologies to improve community connection and develop new opportunities. It is a project of the Queensland Writers Centre and  Sunshine Coast Regional Council with funding support from Arts Queensland and the Australia Council.

Visit the above links and learn more about publishing your own eBooks!

I am amazed that it is so easy!

Thanks Judy Barrass and Sunshine Coast Regional Council, and a special thanks to Smashwords!  http://www.smashwords.com/

Monday 22 August 2011

The Thrill of Pressing the Button to Publish

Last night I actually did it!  I pressed the publish button!

My book can now be sampled or purchased at Smashwords.com! 'He Came For Me!' Book One in 'The Protector Series' can now be found by following this link:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82996

I could not believe that within an hour of pressing that button, 6 people had downloaded samples to view.

Tonight at present 12 people have downloaded free samples and 1 person has purchased a copy. Wow this eBook publishing works fast! Its free to publish with them and you retain your publishing rights and ownership of the book. By following the formatting process my work has been easy for Smashwords to grind the book into the various file formats to send to other distributors it was amazing to watch the process as it took place before my eyes on my computer screen.

I am now waiting for it to be accepted into the Premium Catalogue so that it can be sent on to IBook and IPhones etc.

Saturday 13 August 2011

Filling in Forms is Boring!

This week I have completed the Australian Censis Form and my Taxation Forms. How boring, but I have also been pursuing the completion and readiness of my book for publishing.

All editing is complete and I now I just need to create my Smashwords account.  I have been reading up on information relating to ISBN numbers and how to apply for an IRS number before uploading my book, but I think Smashwords will be able to cover both of these items when I am required to have them.

Rebekah Romani, the designer of my cover has forwarded the version she has created in the required size and so once I have all the necessary requirements needed to be able to upload my book to Smashwords.

I can't wait!

Until next time!

Bye!

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THE PROTECTOR SERIES ON GOODREADS

C.M. Brown's books on Goodreads
He Came For Me He Came For Me (The Protector, #1)
reviews: 19
ratings: 20 (avg rating 3.30)

He Came for Mine He Came for Mine (The Protector, #2)
reviews: 2
ratings: 3 (avg rating 3.67)