Meet The Authors - Lexington Legendary Book Bash

Saturday - July 8, 2017
Hilton Lexington Suites - Ballroom
245 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington, Kentucky
10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Lots of fun, prizes, meet and greet the authors and pick up some copies of your favorites books autographed by your favorite authors.

I'll be at table 5 if you love mystery/suspense/crime thrillers and legal thrillers.  Stop by and say hi. Something for everyone in all genres, including children's books.

Fake Book Reviews

Most authors have probably now read the article related to fake book reviews on Amazon. If not, the link is: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333885/Amazons-amateur-book-reviewing-vicious-free-readers-victims.html
As written you would assume this is something new, but those in the book industry have seen this going on for years. And it isn't the only problem facing authors and readers.

There's also fake promotion. I see this on forums as well where restrictions apply to self-promotion. Authors gang up to "you promote me, I'll promote you". I don't truly have a problem with that if the author doing the promotion has actually read the book and really likes it, but a trade off on promotion where the book hasn't been read looks bad on both authors. Especially if readers of your work buy that book based on your promotion and hate it, find it full of typos, formatting errors and basically a book just not yet ready for publication. What does that make the readers think of you?

I, as an author, and as a reader despise fake book reviews and fake promotion. Amazon's policy on reviews actually prohibits authors from reviewing each other's work, and I can live with that. If I've read a really good book and I want to review it then I do that on my blog site. I also try to provide an author interview at the same time, giving my readers a glimpse of the author as well as their work. And I never review or plug a book I haven't read myself, nor do I do 1 or 2 star reviews. Truthfully, if a book deserves 1 star or even 2 stars--I can assure you I didn't finish reading it. And if I didn't finish reading it, then I have no right to offer a review.

Fake tags are another problem occurring in the book industry. Readers searching for a Stephen King book may pull up several others also tagged as Stephen King. Believing the book is similar to Mr. King's work they may even buy the book, only to be extremely disappointed. Authors and readers add tags to books to help readers find a particular type of book. My tags for my book were simple: Mystery, murder mystery, kindle, kindle author, psychological suspense, thriller, 99 cents - etcetera. Other tags were added by other people that have absolutely NOTHING to do with my book. Are they bad tags, no, they're not bad tags, they just don't apply to my book and I HAVE NO WAY TO REMOVE THEM. Which is something readers really need to know--Authors on Amazon cannot remove reviews or tags placed on their books by anyone visiting their book site. We can email customer service and ask that it be removed, but we have no control over whether Amazon will remove it.

Tags, book reviews and promotional sites were put in place to help authors and readers find the types of books they would enjoy reading. The abuse and misuse of these areas creates a black mark on the industry, especially when publishers and/or authors become part of the abuse.

So what can we do to stop this:
1) Check reviewers and/or reviews. If you click on the reviewer it will take you to their profile showing how many reviews they've done and on what type of books. I personally don't trust a reviewer if they have only reviewed one book ever, or if their review is out of their genre. Except friends and family, which we naturally assume are somewhat prejudiced, but still may be true. Example: If a fiction writer suddenly reviews a non-fiction book, and yet has never reviewed a non-fiction book before--their review, at least to me, is highly suspicious. Technical writers reviewing ONE fiction book is also highly suspicious to me. Reviewers, like authors, have specific genres they read. When a reviewer steps outside of their genre to give a glowing review or bad review, that to me is suspicious.

Are reviews important? Yes, they are. Or at least they were. With the information leaking about "paid" reviews and "fake reviews" they are losing their credibility, and thus, losing their importance to authors and readers looking for a good book.

Are tags important? Yes, they are to help the reader find a specific type of book. But without some control by the author, and without honesty by the authors, searches for a particular genre or types of books are losing their credibility, and thus, losing their benefit to readers.

Now that publishing has been literally made available to anyone with computer savvy that can format an acceptable document for Amazon and Smash Words, or other upload sites, the competition in the book market has become vicious. More previously traditionally published authors are crossing the line and going Indie. I myself crossed that line for personal reasons. Still, authors and publishers, traditional and Indie have a responsibility to their readers to put out a good product, and to promote it fairly and honestly. A good book will stand the test of time. And honest promotion will build an author's readership one book sale at a time. Whereas, poorly formatted, horribly edited work will make the "word of mouth" rounds.

My final words--if you're reader and you've truly enjoyed a book do your best to give an honest review on any site you feel comfortable with. Your personal blog site is a good site. If you read a review that you don't believe is appropriate there is a "vote down" button, or disagree button. Of course, those are misused also. Unfortunately. If you see a tag that you believe is not appropriate (my own book has a tag of "animal abuse" - excuse me??) then you can also vote it down and that keeps the book from showing up on those searches. If you come across a review that you believe is a "fake review" report it to Amazon or the review site so that they can investigate. Hopefully they will, and if they find it was posted against their posting rules, once again, hopefully they will remove it and ban that particular account from reviewing.

If authors and readers work together we can bring creditability back to reviews, tags and promotions. Working together we can restore public trust in written reviews and tag searches.

Advice to Aspiring Authors

Advice to Aspiring Authors

When I first started writing, two things happened that encouraged me to continue. I hope through this article I can encourage you to continue, and to make your book the best that it can possibly be. In the early 80’s I got my first agent, (which I paid a $200.00 reading fee to). I didn’t know then, what I know now—reputable agents do not charge a reading fee, so be sure you’re dealing with a reputable agent if you decide to go that route. After months of hearing nothing and receiving no offers I cancelled my agent and struck out on my own. I approached what was then called a “vanity” publishing company. I received a very nice letter that I still have, and will keep forever. The company told me my book was too good to be vanity or self-published and that I should approach the major publishing companies. However, if I could not get a major publishing company to take me on, they would publish my book. They gave me a list of prices that was, of course, way out of my budget.

I continued writing; however, I realized that perhaps I needed some type of instruction. I joined a writer’s group and for the next five years I attended week long workshops learning to hone my craft. And there I received my second inspiration. The then editor for a major publishing company was a resident at these workshops, and after reviewing my first work told me the following: “You’re going to make it. Your writing needs WORK, but you have great stories. Great stories are what every author needs. Writing can be improved, but if you don’t have a great story to start with you’ll never make it.

James Patterson is often bad mouthed for his writing style. True, his works aren’t always great literary masterpieces. Patterson is a story-teller. He tells a story with action, visual scenes and a fast pace that keeps you turning pages. Bad mouthed or not—the number of books he’s published, and the number of sales he’s made speak for themselves. People love a GOOD STORY, and they’ll follow a good story teller.

In 2006 my dream of being a published author came true when I received a contract from Echelon Press for my first book. Your dream can come true too.

1) Start with a great story, and know your audience. Know what they like. Do they like a slow pace, fast pace, or a mixture of both. Read every book you can by other authors in your genre. Study their styles. And then, develop your own style.

2) Scope out the potential of your story—is it a one book release, or should you break it into a series? Once again, look to your audience. In some genres series are snapped up, in others readers prefer that stand alone book.

3) Your story is in your head. You know everything about it. However, putting it on paper so that the reader knows what you know is totally different. Read and reread your work making sure you’ve connected your scenes, properly laid out the plot, sub-plots and all twists and turns.

4) I personally don’t use outlines, but for many authors they are an integral part of writing. I would recommend either an outline or board on which you keep notes like characteristics of your characters. Don’t start out with a left-handed killer and wind up with a forensic plot that shows a right-handed person committed the crime.

5) Know your scenery. One suggestion that I feel always works best is to write your first book in a place, time and geographic area that you are personally familiar with. If you choose to use an unfamiliar place then be sure to do your research and that your facts, scenery and even weather is accurate.

6) Write what you yourself want to read. How many of us have read and book and made the statement, I could write a book better than that. If it’s something you’re familiar with and you LOVE—yes, you probably can. Write a book that you would BUY. It’s difficult to ask readers to purchase something that you yourself would not buy.

7) Make friends with other authors in your own genre. Ask questions. Most authors are happy to help and assist fellow authors.

8) Start your reader base NOW! Set up a MySpace page and post poetry, short stories or excerpts from things you’re working on. Do the same with Facebook and any other forum that you can find. What you do now will make the future much easier, and much more profitable for you. (I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THIS 5 YEARS AGO!) Start a savings account for marketing purposes. Even if you only put a dollar a day in, when your book is released you’ll have the money for a launch party.

9) Figure out which publishing route is best for you. Every author wants to snag that big advance with a major publishing company. Few will ever realize that dream. Even formerly published authors are now looking at Indie publishing, and digital rights for past and future books.

My last, and most important advice—never give up. And keep writing. If you impress your readers with your first book—they’re going to want a second. So don’t disappoint them. New readers looking for new authors are more apt to buy from an author who had more than one book.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I love to talk with new authors, readers and just people in general.

Linda S. Prather, Author

Publishing Contracts

Traditional/Small Press

Every author's dream is to pick up the mail, open that envelope and find inside a publishing contract. In wide-eyed-innocence we rarely read the entire contract, get legal advice, or even ask a friend--is this a good contract?

No, we're pumped. Psyched. Someone has finally validated our hard work. We're going to become an overnight success.

So, what happened?

With the millions of books out there, the odds of becoming an overnight success are pretty much nill. Unless you have between $30,000.00 and $100,000.00 marketing budget. I'm sorry, did your contract not state that the majority of marketing would be up to you?

So what does make a book stand out?

Good writing and a great book cover. Most contracts contain a clause that the publisher has the last say on the cover. But the cover can many times make or break your book. David Morrill said this at the 2006 Love Is Murder Conference. Fight for your cover rights. It is, after all, your work and you will be the one standing in front of the public selling that book. If you indeed have a good book, that publisher isn't going to lose you over a cover. They're going to be willing to renegotiate the contract on that point at least.

The length of your contract is also important, as well as the rights you retain. Don't be afraid to fight for a higher royalty, digital rights and/or movie rights. Okay, the odds your book will become a movie are pretty slim, but I talked with an author at the Western Kentucky Book Fair whose book was being turned into a movie. Problem was he signed away his movie rights. He signed a horrible contract, and he wasn't going to make anything off the movie. His book, a debut novel had already sold 350,000 copies. Someone was making money, but it wasn't him.

My best advice to any author who receives a publishing contract--if you don't have an agent who will fight for you and your rights, then get an attorney who can explain the details of the contract to you and advise you. If you can't afford an attorney, talk to other authors published by this publisher. See how they feel about their representation. Check out their books and see how those books are doing.

Tomorrow I'll delve into self-publishing contracts which are becoming all the rage today.

The Future of Writing and Reading

Those of us who have been fortunate enough to be published, or are thinking about publishing and follow the markets, trends and general publishing information are quickly realizing that everything is changing. The prediction is that e-books will far outsell printed books by the year 2018. POD is becoming a way of life, and soon bookstores will not have the old browsing sections of books you can flip through, or grab a seat and read part of. Instead you will push a button and the book you want will be printed and bound right before your eyes. Amazing.

Bookstores are closing all over the country. Publishers going bankrupt. As a writer this is scarey to me, but as a voracious reader it is terrifying. It isn't that I'm not technologically inclined, and I can't purchase, download and read an e-book. It's that I don't want to. For me I would lose the pleasure of holding that old classic, turning its pages, and entering its world. I lose the pleasure of holding my granddaughter in my lap as I read to her, and let her turn the pages.

As a writer, I realize that e-book publishing is cheaper, and viral marketing many times more effective. I've delayed the release of my second novel, Sacred Secrets due to the economy and the high price of books at the moment. New authors are always at a disadvantage when selling side by side with the known best sellers, but we're placed at even more of a disadvantage when our books are priced anywhere from $4.00 to $8.00 more than the best sellers. As a reader, and a person who keeps a lot of the books I buy, I'm only going to spend $20.00 to $25.00 on someone I know I'm going to enjoy. Therefore, as a reader I myself pass up a lot of new authors that may be just as good, but their prices prohibit me from buying their books.

So, will I conform to e-books? As an author, I assume that I must. As a reader, I doubt seriously that I will ever be a big e-book fan. Nor an audio book fan. I will always want to hold that book, run my fingers over those pages and slip in my favorite bookmark at my stopping place.