Well I think I found a trend for my reviews on Amazon.
“I was a bit put off by the use of italics for slang words, but understood that it was to emphasise that the word was slang for the roaring twenties.”
–and–
“I couldn’t get past the first few pages because of all the random words that were unnecessarily italicized. Really drew me out of he story and made it impossible to read.”
I got the hint. Just had all of those italicized words removed from my manuscript and uploaded a new version to Amazon, Smashwords, and Draft2Digital. Fortunately Microsoft Word made that operation fairly painless!
I occasionally check Amazon, Smashwords, and Goodreads for new ratings and statistics, although I do avoid making it a habit. Yesterday, I was looking on Amazon and noticed that my rankings had improved. How? I have no clue, but its never been better!
There was also a positive review waiting for me, which is always nice. Perhaps I am generating some interest? Not bad since I cannot spend much time advertising my work.
This should help offset the bad review I got a month or so back. Perhaps in time the positives will outweigh the negatives!
A tasty combination of pork and seasonings. While the roast itself has great flavour, it can also be served with a rich hunter sauce, roast potatoes and some tasty greens. This recipe is easy to prepare, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
A quick and easy way to make roast chicken and requires very few ingredients. Simply use onion soup mix, garlic and olive oil, coat your chicken and place it in the oven. Simple and tasty!
For an additional burst of flavour, add in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Balsamic vinegar.
It’s not everyday that one gets to blur the lines between fiction and reality. Using a high quality version of my cover, I had a 20 x 30 inch canvas print of the Lady made.
So what is a canvas without a frame? I had a local shop build me a custom frame using two separate borders. I have to admit that rather like the final product. Although I will say that I am likely biased!
Got my first review on Amazon today. Normally I’d be excited, but it came in at two stars. By itself that may not be a bad thing, however it speaks exclusively as to not liking how I italicize words that are slang from the period.
It is their opinion and they do say they don’t know of the book is good. Still, would have been nice to see a positive review first! Oh well.
Ground beef and macaroni with a pasta sauce is pretty much a staple of Canadian cooking. There also seems to be no end in sight for variants and it’s readily available in stores.
This variant is quick and easy to make. I also add some melted shredded cheese on top using an oven. While I use a four-cheese or Portobello mushroom pasta sauce, any variant that catches your eye will do!
The Grand has been officially out for about a week now. I posted the announcement was on my social networking accounts along with a few groups. This release also enabled me to dabble with some advertising campaigns on Amazon, Facebook and Fiverr, to gain some insight with the tools.
Since The Grand has been officially out, almost 400 copies of the book have been downloaded on both Smashwords and Amazon! The book is seeing much more traffic than The Portrait, which I expected since this is a new release.
Of note, 100 copies of the book were downloaded before the official release. The Grand has been available for almost a month of certain sites, enabling me to widen availability and make it free on every site before release. Despite there being no involvement on my part, the book was being downloaded regularly on sites where the book was free.
Another interesting anomaly The Grand was ranked at 7,861 (266 for Horror) on Amazon the day after it was released. Currently it is ranked at 16,518 (435 for Horror) even with a noticeable spike generated by an ad campaign setup through Fiverr. There seems to be no real correlation between ranking and downloads.
I’m also a bit curious as to why it is ranked under Gothic and Fantasy Romance on Amazon. Although I have a feeling the answer would blow my mind!
Even things that go bump in the night need a place to unwind
The Grand is officially out and available on multiple platforms, formats and even in print! From Amazon to Smashwords the eBook is freely available for your delight. So time to celebrate? At least get to enjoy the doughnut!
Now for a little something about the Grand.
Nestled atop a cliff overlooking a cursed valley and surrounded by foreboding mountains you will find The Grand. At this ritzy French palatial-style hotel where things tend to go terribly wrong for some. This hotel is not only for the rich and famous but a favoured destination for things that go bump in the night.
The Grand is a collection of Gothic horror stories that revolve around a town prosecutor who accidentally discovers a series of grizzly case files. Individual stories incorporate supernatural themes based in the Roaring Twenties to create a rich historical, linguistic and cultural backdrop.
Centred on victims of the Grand, each story brings a different point of view related to the hotel, their staff and esteemed guests.
A lot of people I know avoid eating fish. They either do not like the texture or the taste; at least until they try this recipe.
This recipe combines Haddock with an easy to make cheese sauce and Panko breadcrumbs. For this recipe, haddock can be substituted with Cod, Tilapia or any other fish that strikes your fancy!