Archives for posts with tag: publishing

How to Write a Compelling Book Description Part 4: Problems with Book Descriptions and How to Solve Them Lisa Mason #SFWApro

November 29, 2014 //

As I cruised around Twitter, picking up links to Tweet for independent authors, I’ve noticed these problems with indie Book Descriptions:

Telling what the book is.
A quick shorthand of what the book is will work—“A dark urban fantasy,” “An international thriller”—but your categories and keywords are the more appropriate place to relay this information.
How to fix: Refocus your Description to describe what the book is about. That is, the plot.
Unfocused, vague, or incoherent plot or premise.
I’ve read Book Descriptions after which I’m still not sure what the plot or premise is.
How to fix: Think of your Book Description like a movie pitch or logline—you need to give a clear picture of what happens in your book as precisely and concisely as possible. Exercise: Pitch your book to a friend. What’s important to mention and what not should leap right out.
Too much plot.
I’ve seen Book Descriptions that provide a synopsis of the entire plot! You want the reader to buy and read your book. Don’t do this in your Book Description.
How to fix: Determine what is most important in the beginning. That’s all you need. If you wish to suggest the overarching plot, couch it as a summary or a story question.
From Celestial Girl (A Lily Modjeska Mystery): Pursued by Pentland’s enemies, Lily embarks on a journey that will take her across the country to San Francisco and across the ocean to Imperial China as she unravels a web of murder and corruption reaching from the opium dens of Chinatown to the mansions of Nob Hill.
From Summer of Love: With the help of Ruby A. Maverick, a wise, feisty half-black, half-white hip merchant, Susan and Chi discover a love that spans five centuries. But can they save the world from demons threatening to destroy all space and time?
Telling the reader how wonderful the book is.
No one ever buys a book because the author says it is wonderful. As tempted as you may be to do this, don’t.
A reader is either interested in the subject or not, in you as an author or not. And that’s the way it is.
Including professional or reader reviews.
Amazon has a spot on your product page to include as many professional reviews as you wish. Use it. Don’t put reviews in your Book Description.
Similarly, a potential reader can find reader reviews in the section provided for them. Don’t put them in your Book Description.
Exception: Smashwords doesn’t have a place for professional reviews. Barnes and Noble does, but you need the reviewer’s name. Publisher’s Weekly, other review sites, and some blogs don’t give that information. So I would say that in your Smashwords and Barnes and Noble Book Descriptions, you may include reviews. Be aware that those Descriptions have word limitations. You can only include so much.
Too much about the place and time or vague, incoherent details.
The place and time of your book are Essential Elements, but you need to keep that information precise and concise. Think again of your Book Description as a movie pitch. Hit the intriguing points.
From The Gilded Age: The year is 1895 and immigrants the world over are flocking to California on the transcontinental railroad and on transoceanic steamships. The Zoetrope demonstrates the persistence of vision, patent medicines addict children to morphine, and women are rallying for the vote. In San Francisco, saloons are the booming business, followed by brothels, and the Barbary Coast is a dangerous sink of iniquity. Atop Telegraph Hill bloody jousting tournaments are held and in Chinatown the tongs deal in opium, murder-for-hire, and slave girls.
Book excerpts.
Don’t include these. Thanks to the Sampling function on all retailers’ sites, a potential reader can easily read the beginning of your book and decide if he or she likes your writing.
You want to draw the reader deeper into your product, not bash them over the head with it in a Book Description.
Awkward, imprecise language.
I read a Book Description that hit all the right marks. Then, toward the end, a clunky sentence stuck out like a sore thumb. A reader like me would be leery of the author’s writing right from the start. Be careful.
How to fix: Print out and proof your book description on paper. Read it aloud.
Misspellings
Like number 8, this is a deal-breaker. I read a Book Description for an erotic book in which the author not only inserted a passage from the book, but misspelled “crotch” as “crutch.” Ouch!
How to fix: Print out and proof your book description on paper. Trust me, you can’t see everything on the screen.

So there you have it, my friends. You worked long and hard to write a book. Be sure to present all that work in the best possible light through a compelling Book Description.

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo.
Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Australia..

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.
The Gilded Age, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, “Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy,” on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords.
The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) includes all four books. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo;
Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories, five-star rated, “A fantastic collection,” on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony.
Strange Ladies: 7 Stories is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story on Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo;
My Charlotte: Patty’s Story is also on Amazon.com worldwide in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico.

Visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, adorable pet pictures, forthcoming projects, fine art and bespoke jewelry by my husband Tom Robinson, worldwide links, and more!

And on Lisa Mason’s Blog, on my Facebook Author Page, on my Facebook Profile Page, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Twitter at @lisaSmason, at Smashwords, at Apple, at Kobo, at Sony, and at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, Book Descriptions, Book Descriptions 2 Traditional vs Indie Publishing, Book Descriptions 3 Essential Elements, Book Descriptions First Impressions, books, Books Description Problems and Solutions, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing

Categories Authors, Book Description Problems and Solutions, Book Descriptions, Book Descriptions 2 Traditional vs Indie Publishing, Book Descriptions 3 Essential Elements, Book Descriptions 4 Problems and How to Fix Them, Books, Ebooks, How to Write A Book Description, How to Write a Good Book Description, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Publishing

How to Write a Compelling Book Description Part 2: Traditional Versus Independent Publishing Lisa Mason #SFWApro

November 23, 2014 //

Your Book Description is the first thing a potential reader sees when he or she goes to your book’s product page. If you’ve also got a print book, you’ll insert your Book Description on the back cover, as the Traditional Publishers do. There again, your potential reader sees that first before he or she opens the book.

I cannot emphasize enough how vital it is that your Book Description be the best it can be.

I’ve published six novels with Random House and HarperCollins, and have had book descriptions written for me by the publisher’s staff. Here’s how it works: you turn in your manuscript to your editor. Your editor may ask for revisions. You respond, turn the revised manuscript in, and your editor signs off on it.

Your manuscript then goes to a cover artist, a copy editor, the marketing staff, and a Book Description writer. This person typically has a degree in advertising or marketing and labors all day long churning out Book Descriptions for the Publisher’s books.

The Book Descriptions are generally very good and hit all (or most) of the Essential Elements I’ll set out in the next blog. I encountered one that had a grievous misspelling that infuriated me so much, I called my literary agent and my editor at midnight, California time, to point the error out. (I’m like that.)

What is most interesting about this process is to see all these objective eyes observing your work and responding with their feedback or interpretation of what you’ve written.

Now I write my own Book Descriptions for the traditionally published titles I’ve republished as ebooks, for stories, novelettes, and novellas published in magazines and anthologies that didn’t receive an individual Book Description and now require one because they are ebooks on their own, and for the few new titles I’ve published through Bast Books.

If you haven’t had the experience of having someone else write your Book Description, you may wish to try this as an exercise to hone your skills. Pick out a book you’re familiar with. Write a Book Description, then compare your Description with the Publisher’s, the Description on a retailer’s site, and/or the back cover of the print book.

You’ll notice a mass market paperback only has so much room for a Book Description. It may be more useful to check out the Book Description on a retailer’s site.

Not all professional Book Descriptions are that great, by the way. But you may find the exercise helpful in approaching your own work.

So there you have it, my friends. Many independent authors who haven’t worked with Traditional Publishers do just fine with their Book Descriptions. I’ve been impressed.

Many more Descriptions need a little work. In some cases, a lot of work.

Next:
How to Write a Compelling Book Description Part 3: Essential Elements of a Book Description
How to Write a Compelling Book Description Part 4: Problems with Book Descriptions and How to Solve Them

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, Book Description Problems and Solutions, Book Descriptions 2 Traditional vs Indie Publishing, books, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing

Categories About Publishing, Authors, Book Description Problems and Solutions, Book Descriptions, Book Descriptions 2 Traditional vs Indie Publishing, Book Marketing, Books, How to Write a Good Book Description, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Publishing

How to Write a Compelling Book Description (Part 1: First Impressions) Lisa Mason #SFWApro

November 19, 2014 //

I love Twitter and have been very active over the past year, building up my list of Followers to nearly 11,000 (without buying lists from list brokers). I’ve come to prefer Twitter to Facebook, in fact. I like the interactive quality, the brevity, the lack of pretension and cliques you often find on Facebook. I like how other authors are so supportive and practice reciprocity.

I’ve learned how to click on the book links of authors I Follow, zip straight to their books, copy the link with a distillation of what I observe in their book description, and Retweet their books and their Twitter handles.

I not only Retweet their own Tweets, Tweets posted about them by other people, but under my own Twitter name, I’ll post a thumbnail description of their book, the title, the author, the author’s Twitter name, and the Amazon.com link.–

Why do this? This technique enables me to utilize three different forms of Tweets in support of my Followers. And they Retweet my Tweets, other people’s Tweets about me, and a thumbnail description of my book, the title, my Twitter name, and the Amazon.com link. I have hundreds of Followers I can rely on to do this even when I can’t go on Twitter. I’m very happy to return the favor when I can.

And therein lie the problems, which led me to compose these blogs in an effort to help other authors, especially indie authors, to improve their book descriptions.

I’ve traditionally published six novels through Big Publishers and have had book descriptions written for me so I’ve had the experience of being intimately familiar with a book and then observing how someone else composed a pitch for it that goes on the cover and on the retailer’s product page.

Now I write my own Book Descriptions for traditionally published titles I’ve republished as ebooks and for the new titles I’ve published through Bast Books.

So there you have it, my friends. Your Book Description is the first thing a potential reader sees when he or she goes to your book’s product page. I cannot emphasize enough how vital it is that your Book Description be the best it can be!

Forthcoming over the next week—
Part 2: Traditional Publishing versus Independent Publishing Book Descriptions
Part 3: How to Write a Compelling Book Description: Essential Elements of a Book Description

Part 4: How to Write a Compelling Book Description: Problems with Book Descriptions and How to Solve Them

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, Book Description Problems and Solutions, Book Descriptions, Book Descriptions Essential Elements, books, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing

Categories About Publishing, Authors, Book Description Problems and Solutions, Book Descriptions, Book Descriptions 2 Traditional vs Indie Publishing, Book Descriptions 3 Essential Elements, Book Marketing, Books, Ebooks, How to Write A Book Description, How to Write a Good Book Description, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Marketing, Publishing

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 11: In Praise of Copyeditors Lisa Mason #SFWApro

August 21, 2014 //

Some years ago, I wrote tax law books for a national law book publisher. I’d practiced tax law in a big San Francisco firm for a few years, but the time and commitment were overwhelming and I wanted—I needed–to work on my fiction.

Odd as it sounds, writing tax law books was easier.

The process went like this: my editorial director assigned me a topic, say, the charitable deduction. I researched the topic and wrote the chapter. I turned the manuscript in to my executive editor, who checked my research and tagged the manuscript for structure, language, and citation of authorities.

The editor returned the manuscript to me, and I responded to the tags and made changes. When the editor signed off, he or she then turned the manuscript over to a copyeditor.

We cranked out books on unforgiving deadlines. The director set up a production schedule for the hardcover book with facilities on the East coast before I had written one word.

We who wrote and edited substance were attorneys licensed by the State Bar of California and enjoyed window offices in a downtown skyscraper. The copyeditors, usually English majors, labored in interior cubbyholes. Like most business offices, we had a hierarchy and the copyeditors, all brilliant and educated folks who were probably working on their novels after their day job (as was I), harbored a bit of a grudge toward the lawyers.

Writing and riding. The two words sound almost the same, don’t they? I’m a huge fan of Blackfeet Indian pencils. I like to jot notes with Blackfeets. A sharpened point glides a soft, fine line onto paper that erases easily. Best of all, each pencil has a teeny, tiny Blackfeet Indian riding on a galloping horse. Love that horse and rider.

When you think about it, riding a horse is a lot like writing. The rider (your mind) guides the brute force of the horse (your material).

During my childhood and teens, I rode horses, trained at an academy, and competed in shows, winning seven ribbons in my day. I studied under a professional rider; I’ll call her Mrs. Grant. There she would stand at the center of the riding ring, a stern, silver-haired lady impeccably clad in canary breeches, black riding boots, and a tweedy hunting jacket. She would shout things like, “HEELS DOWN AND TOES FORWARD, MASON, YOU LOOK LIKE A DUCK.”

I loved riding horses. I did not love Mrs. Grant. But, like my fellow terrified riding students, I desperately wanted to please her. And she was always, always right.

The grudge match between the copyeditors and the lawyers sometimes went the other way when a copyeditor trudged from his or her dungeon down the hall to a lawyer-writer’s castle. After wrestling a manuscript out of thin air, many a lawyer-writer took a dim view of his or her masterwork beset by a million yellow tags, all of which had to be addressed in the space of two or three days.

My copyeditor, a stern, auburn-haired gamine in a slouchy sweater and tweedy slacks, would deposit my manuscript bristling with tags on my desk. Within, I would find comments like, “YOU’VE USED THE WORD ‘CONSTITUTE’ FORTY TIMES IN THIS MSS. ARE YOU WRITING ABOUT THE CHARITABLE DEDUCTION OR ORANGE JUICE?”

My copyeditor reminded me a lot of Mrs. Grant. I did not love her, but she was always, always right. And helped make my manuscript a polished piece of work publishable in a forty-dollar hardcover book. Which is just about as good as a blue ribbon won in a riding competition.

So there you have it, my friends. Here’s to you, my copyeditors. Your obsession with usage and punctuation has become mine, and everything I’ve learned about how to polish a manuscript for publication I’ve learned from you.

Previous Blogs in this Series:

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 1: Introduction https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/03/18/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-1-introduction-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond Part 2: Who’s Reading? https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/04/07/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-2-whos-reading-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond Part 3: The Shady Case of Fifty Shades https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/04/17/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-3-the-shady-case-of-fifty-shades-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond Part 4: The Comet and the Long Tail Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-4-the-comet-and-the-long-tail-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 5: Authors’ Market Share Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/07/02/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-5-authors-market-share-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 6: Ebooks Versus Print Books Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/07/18/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-6-ebooks-versus-print-books-lisa-mason-sfwapro

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 7: Unlimited or Not Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/08/08/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-7-unlimited-or-not-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 8: Print Books in 2013 Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/08/13/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-8-print-books-in-2013-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 9: Amazon Vs Hatchett Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/08/16/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-9-amazon-vs-hatchett-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 10: Conversations with Author Elle Emerson Lisa Mason #SFWApro https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2014/08/20/state-of-the-biz-publishing-in-2014-and-beyond-part-10-conversations-with-author-elle-emerson-lisa-mason-sfwapro/

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo. Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. The Gilded Age, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, “Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy,” on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords. The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) includes all four books. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo; Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories, five-star rated, “A fantastic collection,” on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony. Strange Ladies: 7 Stories is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story on Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo; My Charlotte: Patty’s Story is also on Amazon.com worldwide in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico.

Visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, adorable pet pictures, forthcoming projects, fine art and bespoke jewelry, worldwide Amazon.com links for Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, and Spain, and more!

And on Lisa Mason’s Blog, on my Facebook Author Page, on my Facebook Profile Page, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Twitter at @lisaSmason, at Smashwords, at Apple, at Kobo, at Sony, and at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters. Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, books, Copyeditors, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Twitter, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing, The Lisa Mason Official Website, writing

Categories About Editing, About Publishing, About Writing, Authors, Books, Copyeditors, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 8: Print Books in 2013 Lisa Mason #SFWApro

August 13, 2014 //

This just in from Publisher’s Weekly:

“Bowker released its estimates of print book production for 2013, noting that what they call “traditional” output–which includes self-publishers like CreateSpace, but excludes public domain POD factories like BiblioBazaar — dipped 2 percent from 309,957 titles in 2012 to a projected 304,912 titles in 2013. Despite the decline as compared to the previous year (and general growth in the several years before then) Bowker said the result “points to a relatively stable market for print works despite competition from e-books.”

The public domain business (or what Bowker refers to as “nontraditional” titles) declined far more significantly, to 1,108,183 titles, a decrease of 46 percent from its production of 2,042,840 titles in 2012. It’s important to remember, as we have reminded in the past, that Bowker’s official stats continue to measure only books issued in print form (including print on demand). They still do not tabulate counts for ebooks issued during the year, so the numbers clearly under-represent the actual amount of new volumes coming to market.

Among “traditional” titles, fiction remains the largest single category with 50,000 titles, a slight increase from the previous year, with the broad listing of juveniles second at 33,000 titles, followed by sociology/economics at 29,300 titles.”

What does that mean for you and me?

It’s pretty dire. If you’re a traditionally published author, expect advances, print runs, and publishers’ commitment to you to decline. Get ready to have your series discontinued. I’m sorry to say it, but that’s the way publishing (or any business) is. When sales decline, expenses are cut.

If you’re an independently published author and considering financing a print-on-demand print book, think again. If you don’t know HTML, you’ll have to hire someone who does. If you use CreateSpace, the only place you’ll be able to distribute your books is on Amazon.com, which owns CreateSpace. Not other on-line retailer will list your book (hint: they hate Amazon.com). If you actually do a print run, most independent bookstores won’t stock your book.

As I cautioned you in State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 6: Ebooks Versus Print Books, print books are a very risky business for you.

So there you have it, my friends. Just saying.

Previous Blogs in this Series:

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony. Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords. The Gilded Age, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, “Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy,” on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords. The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) includes all four books. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony; Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters. Thank you for your readership!

Tags About Publishing, authors, books, ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Twitter, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing, Publishing Business, self publishing, The Lisa Mason Official Website, The Official Lisa Mason Website, traditional publishing

Categories About Publishing, Authors, Books, Ebooks, Fiction, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Publishing, Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, State of the Biz

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 5: Authors’ Market Share Lisa Mason #SFWApro

July 2, 2014 //

In a blog Smashwords founder Mark Coker posted earlier this year, he discussed the issues of ebook pricing and royalty percentages among independent authors versus traditionally published authors. I discussed that issue, too, in my “Crunching the Numbers” blogs, the links to which I include below.

So I won’t repeat that material here. The gist of it is: an independent author is able to charge a competitively lower ebook price than a traditional publisher (a traditionally published author has no power to set the price at all). This is because an independent doesn’t have to support a Manhattan skyscraper, the costly print side of the business, or a high-priced staff. I would contend that professional authors (that is, authors previously or presently traditionally published, like me) but first-time and totally independent authors, too, are capable of producing an ebook with the quality (content and appearance) of a traditionally published book.

How does an independent potentially earn more if her ebook is priced lower than a traditionally published ebook? Because the independent earns a 70% royalty of the ebook’s price, as opposed to the 10—25% royalty paid by traditional publishers to their authors.

And traditional authors only earn that amount every six months, and the amount is funneled through the author’s literary agent, which adds yet more wait time. Whereas independents collect their royalties every month (two months after the close of the sales period, but if you earn royalties every month, as I do, that amounts to monthly checks from all the retailer sites on which you list your ebook. Every three months (quarterly) from Smashwords from the numerous e-sites they distribute your book to.)

That’s all well and good. But the question remains: how can independents compete against traditional publishing with its Big Media marketing power?

Mark Coker asserted in his blog that independents are capturing more and more of the market share of ebook earnings. He predicts that independents’ market share of ebook earnings in 2014 could approach 60%. He predicts the independents will capture an increased market share in the years ahead, with independent authors (collectively, mind you) earning half of all ebook sales and four times the amount of royalties earned by traditionally published authors by the year 2020.

For every dollar of ebook revenue earned, the independent author earns 70 cents, whereas the traditional author earns 15 cents.

I appreciate Mark Coker and Smashwords very much, but bear in mind he’s got a vested interest in getting you excited by the prospect of ebooks. He and Smashwords earn money when you list with them.

Mr. Coker admits this assessment doesn’t include traditional advances paid by big publishers to authors and the sad fact that the great majority of advances never “earn out” (earn revenue at those low traditional royalty rates to pay back the advance). This is one of my greatest objections to traditional publishing. Not that the publisher failed to accurately assess the commercial appeal of a book (as Mr. Coker asserts), but that the publisher doesn’t give an author a print-run and media exposure to give the book a fighting chance to earn out.

Mr. Coker also assumes that print books will continue to decline in importance. That may be so, but I still think many avid readers want to hold a glossy book in their hands.

These days, of course, young people are being taught to go to all things digital. It may be that, by 2020, ereaders will more common on the beach or in the park as the print books I continue to see on people’s laps.

Mr. Coker correctly notes the inventory of high-quality ebooks that never go out of print means those books must compete with the steady stream of new releases. Every author—independent and traditional—will be competing for a limited number of avid readers.

Competition has always been fierce in publishing. It will become fiercer.

Mr. Coker sets out 10 reasons why independent authors will capture 50% of the ebook market by 2020. Many of his speculations are assumed in the list. I’ll summarize it here. My comments follow each point in paranthese:

1. Print will continue to decline as more readers transition from page to screen. (That’s a huge speculation.)

2. More brick-and-mortar bookstores will go out of business. (The closure of stores has loomed large in this last decade. But old stores find ways of surviving, people still love their local bookstore, and new stores are slowly cropping up. So I don’t know.)

3. The perceived value of a publisher will decline to traditional authors as print declines. Traditional authors will explore independent publishing. (Absolutely true. Every traditionally published author I know has his/her own publishing company and ebooks for his/her backlist. Including me.)

4. Independent authors have become more professional in producing better books. (Probably true, but a lot of detritus remains out there.)

5. The number of self-published books will explode. (Yep.)

6. Independent authors mentor other independents. (I haven’t seen this at all.)

7. The stigma of self-publishing is vanishing. (Probably true.)

8. Authors are discovering the ease, power, and satisfaction of self-publishing. (Absolutely true, for the reasons I set out above. There are even more reasons I haven’t mentioned.)

9. Readers don’t care who the publisher is. (Probably true, but I can’t say for sure.)

10. Professional writers are becoming more disgusted and alienated by the traditional literary agent/big publisher business model. (Absolutely true.)

All this raises a plethora of other questions. What percentage of the total book market do ebooks represent? The Hatchett Book Group, one of the Big Five Publishers, recently reported that 30% of its billion-dollar earnings in 2013 were from ebooks. That’s a stunning number. A mere four years ago, the percentage was only 10%, at best. So this is real progress. Yet 30% leaves the other 70% of the book market to print books.

That remains not a very good percentage.

The all-important issues of readership and market exposure loom large over independent authors. And the issues of quality of the writing and professionalism. A career path of hybrid publishing looks very promising, and traditional publishers and literary agents are starting to bow to a reality they never wanted to acknowledge before. I’ll address these issues in later blogs.

So there you have it, my friends. The news is good, but still not reason to break out the champagne. Being an author was never a get-rich-quick scheme. It remains a calling requiring your dedication, hard work, talent, and time.

Previous Blogs in this Series:

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony. Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, “Fun and enjoyable urban fantasy,”on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords. The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters. Thank you for your readership!

Tags About Publishing, authors, Book Marketing, books, ebooks, independent publishing, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Market share, Marketing Books, publishing, self publishing, The Lisa Mason Official Website, traditional publishing

Categories About Publishing, Authors, Book Marketing, Books, Ebooks, Ereaders, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Market Share, Marketing, Publishing, Publishing in 2014 and Beyond

At #BookExpoAmerica, Remarks about Amazon Dispute Lisa Mason #SFWApro

June 3, 2014 //

Book Expo America was held in New York City last week. The biggest topic of discussion was the Hatchett Book Group’s landmark dispute with Amazon regarding pricing and the percentage of authors’ sales prices a publisher and a retailer are entitled to take. This is book business, folks. And pertinent to my State of the Biz Series, so I’m quoting in full here:

ABA (American Booksellers Association) CEO Oren Teicher addressed the organization at their annual membership meeting on Thursday afternoon in an enthusiastic vein: “I could not be more pleased to be able to reiterate – the indie bookstore resurgence has continued.”

At the same time, he noted how “the aggressive discounting and strong-arm tactics of the dominant online retailer continue to cause havoc. Its recent bullying assault of a major publisher is just the latest example of a unilateral and shortsighted strategy. To put it plainly: the book industry is being held hostage by a company far more interested in selling flat screen TV’s, diapers, and groceries. It is clear they are prepared to sacrifice a diverse publishing ecosystem to achieve retail dominance. That’s not good for anyone.”

Without providing exact figures, Teicher acknowledged that ABA members overall experienced a modest sales decline in 2013 after a strong 2012. His phrase was, “After a year of robust sales growth in 2012, the indie channel held on to the lion’s share of those gains in 2013.” The opening of 2014 was also soft, due in part to the weather, but “after a truly brutal winter that depressed retail sales nationwide… sales in the second quarter have recovered.” Teicher said, “There’s every reason to believe that 2014 will be another year of solid sales for the indie channel.”

He celebrated the gains in association members and member store locations announced informally through the AP, and celebrated how “a number of established stores are expanding and opening in new locations, and a whole new generation of younger booksellers are continuing to join our ranks.” Teicher also noted “what may be the most significant change,” which is the recent pattern in which “many veteran store owners who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into building successful businesses are finding buyers for their businesses.” He added, “Stores that just a few years ago might very well have closed are now beginning a new chapters of innovation and growth.”

Teicher also announced that the ABA has signed a new seven-year agreement with Reed “to continue our partnership at BookExpo America.” He noted, “Our ongoing co-sponsorship of BEA with Reed is based on a shared commitment to providing indie booksellers with the best possible experience – and value – by attending a large national event such as this.”

At the same time, Teicher acknowledged “there are also a significant number of threats to indie bookselling.” Among them, “Congressional gridlock seemingly has delayed progress on national e-fairness sales tax legislation and maintaining the sensible and needed reformations of the Senate’s USA Freedom Act.” Apparently the ABA also has misgivings about minimum wage legislation, which “may soon pose very difficult business decisions for members as they work to maintain the business profits necessary to pay an equitable wage.”

Teicher closed by saying, “While I do not ever under-estimate the challenges we face, by working together, I remain optimistic and confident that the best days of independent bookselling are ahead.”

So there you have it, my friends. The spirit of freedom and independence lives on in the bookselling world, taxes and corporate greed notwithstanding. I, for one, am very glad to see it!

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony. Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords. The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony. Strange Ladies: 7 Stories is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.

Thank you for your readership!

Tags About Publishing, Amazon.com, authors, BookExpo America, books, ebooks, independent publishing, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing, Publishing Business

Categories About Publishing, Amazon.com, Books, Ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason Official Website, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Screenwriter, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Publishing, Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, State of the Biz

State of the Biz: Publishing in 2014 and Beyond, Part 1: Introduction Lisa Mason #SFWApro

March 18, 2014 //

In 2013, I posted four essays, Crunching the Publishing Numbers. Here are the links:

Part 1, Crunching the Publishing Numbers
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/02/24/crunching-the-publishing-numbers/

Part 2, Crunching the Publishing Numbers. Money and Power
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/05/01/crunching-the-publishing-numbers-part-2-money-and-power/

Part 3, Crunching the Publishing Numbers. Wired and Wool
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/05/05/crunching-the-publishing-numbers-part-3-wool-and-wired/

Part 4, Crunching the Publishing Numbers. Romance Scams
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/08/04/crunching-the-ebook-publishing-numbers-sfwapro/

These essays compare the financials of traditional Big Publishers with the financials of self-publishing an ebook. I don’t mean to denigrate the value of an author’s exposure in the Big Media when you publish through a Big Publisher. Such exposure is very valuable and difficult to match for a self-published author.

That said, the rest of the financials of traditional Big Publishing don’t compare well with self-publishing numbers. And whether you, the author, will get any exposure of your book in the Big Media is totally up to your Publisher. You have no control. Further, if the Publisher doesn’t give you media exposure and marketing support—which is the case for ninety percent of authors—the publisher will still expect you, the author, to promote your book on your own via social networks. So you’ll be promoting the publisher’s 85% interest in your work at your own time and expense and no time and expense to them.

Due to the difficulty authors have these days retaining a recognized literary agent, all the Big Publishers (and several small independent publishers) offer imprints to which you may submit your book without an agent. They typically offer only an ebook, with some publishing a mass market paperback if your ebook numbers justify the expense. The jury is in: these are mostly scams and exploitative of authors. See above, Part 4, Crunching the Publishing Numbers, Romance Scams.

Now that we’re three months into 2014, a number of pundits—including Smashwords and Writer’s Digest Magazine—have posted their analyses of where the Publishing Business is now and likely to go in the future. I’m not a psychic, but I’m following the blogs and have my own experience. In the next few weeks, I’ll share what I’ve learned with you regarding book earnings, market share, competition, ebooks versus print books, professionalism, and hybrid publishing.

So there you have it, my friends. The Publishing Biz has become a lot like space exploration. Since Big Government can’t or won’t fund space projects, a number of dedicated independent entrepreneurs have stepped up to the challenge and are privately developing rockets, satellites, and space exploration projects like asteroid mining. All space projects need is expertise, passion, inventiveness, imagination, talent, time, and, yes, money. Like writing and publishing.

T minus five, four, three, two, one, Liftoff!

From the author of Summer Of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony.
Summer of Love, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords.
The Gilded Age, A Time Travel is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on BarnesandNoble, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords.
The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) includes all four books. On Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony;
Celestial Girl, The Omnibus Edition (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

Strange Ladies: 7 Stories on Nook, US Kindle, Canada Kindle, UK Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, and Sony.
Strange Ladies: 7 Stories is also on Amazon.com in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and India.

My Charlotte: Patty’s Story on Barnes and Noble, US Kindle, UK Kindle, Canada Kindle, Australia Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo;
My Charlotte: Patty’s Story is also on Amazon.com worldwide in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico.

If you enjoy a title, please “Like” it, add five stars, write a review on the site where you bought it, Tweet it, blog it, post it,, and share the word with your family and friends.

Your participation really matters.
Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, books, ebooks, independent publishing, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, publishing, Publishing Business, traditional publishing

Categories About Publishing, Authors, Book Marketing, Books, Ebooks, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author, Publishing, Writing

Crunching the Publishing Numbers, Parts 1—3 Links

May 6, 2013 //

These three blogs go together. For your convenience, here are the links:

Part 1, Crunching the Publishing Numbers
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/02/24/crunching-the-publishing-numbers/

Part 2, Crunching the Publishing Numbers, Money and Power
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/05/01/crunching-the-publishing-numbers-part-2-money-and-power/

Part 3, Crunching the Publishing Numbers. Wired and Wool
https://lisamasontheauthor.com/2013/05/05/crunching-the-publishing-numbers-part-3-wool-and-wired/

Let me know what you think! Or if you’ve any other news about this topic.

If I see new developments on this topic, I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I’ve got to go work on a book. I’ll try to post Wednesday and Saturday from now on. Have a great week and stay safe!

From the author of The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle, Summer of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle, and The Gilded Age, A Time Travel (a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle.

Visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Website for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, forthcoming projects and more, on my Facebook Author Page, on Amazon, on my Facebook Profile Page, on Goodreads, on LinkedIn, on Twitter at @lisaSmason, at Smashwords, and at Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

New book links:

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. From Goodreads: “I loved the writing style and am hungry for more!”

Summer of Love, A Time Travel (a Philip K. Dick Award Finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “More than a great science-fiction, a great novel as well.”

The Gilded Age, A Time Travel (a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “A winning mixture of intelligence and passion.” The New York Times Book Review

Shaken, an ebook adaptation of Deus Ex Machina published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, republished in Transcendental Tales (Donning Press), and translated and republished worldwide on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords and UK Kindle. “I loved it!”

Tomorrow’s Child, The Omni Story That Sold To The Movies on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “What a beautiful story! I cried.”

Daughter of the Tao published in Peter S. Beagle’s Immortal Unicorn (HarperPrism) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “I would highly recommend this little book to anyone who enjoys a character-based story with a touch of magic and fantasy to it!”

Every Mystery Unexplained published in David Copperfield’s Tales of the Impossible (HarperPrism) on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “The Golden Age of stage magic meets Real Magic.”

New! Celestial Girl, Book 1: The Heartland (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle! After her husband is found dead in a notorious brothel, Lily flees Toledo on the Overland train. She must share a seat with the debonair Dr. Jackson Tremaine and befriends the Celestial Girl, the daughter of a Chinese dignitary. But appearances are not what they seem.

New! Celestial Girl, Book 2: Jewel of the Golden West (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) is on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle! Lily and Jackson arrive in San Francisco and discover the murder of an immigration official connected with the Celestial Girl. She and Jackson are compelled into a dangerous murder investigation. As they begin a passionate affair, a contract for murder is taken out on Lily’s life.

Coming soon! Celestial Girl, Book 3: The Celestial Kingdom (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) and Celestial Girl, Book 3: The Celestial Kingdom (A Lily Modjeska Mystery)

If you enjoy a work, please “Like” it, add a bunch of stars, write a review on the site where you acquired it, blog it, Tweet it, and spread the word to your friends. Your participation really matters.

Thank you for your readership!

Tags authors, books, ebooks, independent publishing, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, publishing, traditional publishing

Categories 2013, Amazon.com, Apple, Authors, BarnesandNoble.com, Bast Books, Books, Ebooks, Fiction, Kindle book, Kobo, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Literature, Nook book, Publishing

Nine Titles on Smashwords, Whoo-hoo! More To Come! The Titles Are Flying Off The Shelf!

May 5, 2013 //

We’ve now got nine titles on Smashwords, with sixteen to go, which will include the seven Summer of Love Serials and the three installments of The Garden of Abracadabra.

For anyone who reads on a device other than a Nook or a Kindle, now you can download Lisa Mason ebooks! iPhones, Apple devices, Sony, Kobo. Everything!

As for you, Nook and Kindle owners, we’ve got you covered!

Here are our Smashwords links so far. All are included in the Smashwords Premier Catalog, which means they’ll ship to the Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, and other stores.

The Garden of Abracadabra, Volume 1 of the Abracadabra Series, on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. From Goodreads: “I loved the writing style and am hungry for more!”

Tomorrow’s Child, The Omni Story That Sold To The Movies on Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, and UK Kindle. “What a beautiful story! I cried.”

Coming soon! Celestial Girl, Book 3: The Celestial Kingdom (A Lily Modjeska Mystery) and Celestial Girl, Book 3: The Celestial Kingdom (A Lily Modjeska Mystery)

If you enjoy a work, please “Like” it, add some stars, write a review, post a blog, post a Tweet, and spread the word to your friends. Your participation really matters!

Thank you for your readership!

Tags Amazon.com, Apple, authors, Barnes and Noble, books, ebooks, iBookstore, iPhone, Kindle, Kobo, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author on Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Nook, publishing, Smashwords, Smashwords Links, Sony

Categories 2013, Amazon.com, Apple, Authors, BarnesandNoble.com, Bast Books, Books, Ebooks, Kindle book, Kobo, Lisa Mason, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author, Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook, Lisa Mason on Facebook, Lisa Mason Romantic Suspense Author, Nook book, Publishing, Smashwords, Smashwords Links