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As I get closer to the launch of Hoodoo House, I will be publishing this newsletter weekly as a way of giving updates on the process of getting the book from the recesses of my mind, onto the page, through the publishing and editing process, and then out to readers. It is a complex process, and this week, I wanted to touch on marketing.
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I only write one book per year. Well, okay, this year I have a second book coming out, but in my defense, it is a novella, and has been in the works over the past two years. But many other writers I know put out more than two books in a year. The world of royalties in publishing means that the more books you have, the better chance you have to pull together bits of money from each novel and add it up to a total that can vary from a nice meal, to perhaps in time, good money. Someone once told me that if you write twenty-five books, you can earn $50 000 per year, but I doubt I will ever write twenty-five books. Of course if you have a HUGE hit … like a New York Times Best Seller hit that has a feature movie with Hugh Jackman in it … well, that’s a different league all together that is reserved for the rare chosen few. Ultimately, for me, this is less about money and far more about having as many people as possible read my books so that the stories are being widely received.
But what I am discovering is that instead of focusing on writing more, it helps if I show a bit of patience and perseverance, and time my marketing to get a different pay off. Take my latest marketing venture for example.
Last month, I managed to secure my first Book Bub Feature Deal. What this meant is that Book Bub set dates and sent out a targeted email to 300 000 readers in their LGBTQ+ category featuring Mann Hunt. The catch? The book had to be deeply discounted, had to have a good number of reviews, had to be well edited with professional cover art and it had to be of interest to the target audience. There were a number of other criteria, and apparently only about ten percent of people who apply to promote their book this way get a deal.
The reality is that my first book The Woodcarver’s Model didn’t have the number of reviews it would have needed to make an impression. But Mann Hunt had built on the success of the first book. And so by the time it came around to apply for one of these deals … I was in a better position for Book Bub to say yes.
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Even then, I still had to pay for the deal at a cost of around $200 US. And in order to ensure the deal went through, I had to work with the publisher, the distributor and all of the retail outlets (via the publisher) to ENSURE my price was in line with the advertised price in time for the dates of the promotion, or those markets would be bounced out of the promotion.
I hear some of you saying … hold on … you as the author had to pay for the ad? Yes indeed. When you work with a publisher, it is a partnership. The publisher assumes the costs of producing the book, the editing, the cover art and a whole other host of support services. In return, aside from writing a solid novel, the author is expected to participate in promotional activities. Many are low to no cost (such as the fifty-two Facebook groups I post updates in weekly), but some cost money. These costs can include hiring additional publicity firms (I work with Gay Romance Reviews), taking out small ads that support other blogs that promote gay romance, or the cost of attending conferences to promote the books. The reality is, publishers aren’t marketing firms, or publicity firms, they are … publishers. This is true of even the bigger publishers. They certainly do what they can, but most publishers represent hundreds of authors, and focus most of their time on getting new books out into the marketplace.
So if I am investing my own money, I want to make sure it will repay me in royalties down the road. And by down the road, I mean often six months. Amazon has a royalty structure that reports overall sales with a lag time of six months. You may be wondering why anybody gets into marketing books? Well, it’s kind of fun when, after six months, you see that within a given month you sold 100 copies of your book, and you know 100 readers are taking in your story.
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So was the Book Bub promotion worth it? Well, if the statistics are true, Book Bub claims that on average, two to four percent of the people who get the promotional email in their inbox click on the link to your book, and a large percentage of those buy the book. So two percent of 300 000 people who received the promotion, amounts to about 6000 people. Undoubtedly, this is the best value for advertising money one could invest.
The results were clear. Yesterday, Mann Hunt hit #2 in the UK and Canada for Gay Romance Books, #3 in the USA and #7 in Australia. The book’s best overall rating so far is #198 in ALL Kindle Books in Canada. In the U.S, the UK and Australia, I am in the top 1000 books of all kindle books out there in all categories. It won’t last, but it will spur book sales this week and bring a whole new group of readers to my other work. And that is where timing comes in.
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When readers click on a site to purchase the book, my other books come up as well. Sure, they are at regular price, but some people may get an idea that while they are there, they might as well pick up another one of my books. And even better, if they like Mann Hunt, the next book in the series (Hoodoo House) just happens to be coming out in June. And they can pre-order it right away, with one click.
Alright, enough about marketing, let’s get to the fun stuff. An upcoming party!
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I am thrilled to announce that I will be doing a book launch and signing for Hoodoo House on June 25th at the Epochal Imp at 123 Danforth Avenue in Toronto. The event will run from 7-9 PM and will include Scott quizzing me with questions sent in by readers, a reading from the new book, and a chance to purchase a copy or get your copy of Hoodoo House (or any of my other books) signed. So save the date. More details to come soon.
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Earlier in this blog, I talked about working with publicity companies, including Gay Romance Reviews. I have worked with this amazing team on all three of my books, and they are great folks. Do you want to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of Hoodoo House in exchange for writing a review or posting on your blog or Facebook pages? Find out more by clicking here.
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Finally, a quick shout out for two authors who have been incredibly supportive of my journey as an author … Kristian Parker (who just released a book) and Thom Collins (who has a new book coming out soon). Check out the links on their books below.
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Tyler Jones is celebrating hitting his mid-thirties with a new job and it’s unlike anywhere he’s ever worked before. Pleasure Seekers is an sex toy retail company based in the seaside resort of Brighton.On his first day, Tyler finds himself in a very sticky situation with the drop-dead gorgeous Danny Healy. This man is next-level handsome. When Danny offers to help Tyler become personally acquainted with some of the items the company sells online, the heat truly blasts off.But Tyler has never been one for meaningless sex. When he gets to know Danny, he finds so much more than he ever expected. What could happen if the lines of their arrangement were blurred a little?
To purchase, click here.
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Book five in the Jagged Shores series
Jerico is about to meet two figures from his past— one filled with love, the other consumed with vengeance.
The coastal town of Nyemouth is the perfect location for celebrity chef Jerico Osman to fulfil a lifetime ambition. With its stunning harbour and brisk holiday trade, there’ s no better place for him to open his first restaurant. It’ s a dream that has been a decade in the making. But there’ s another attraction in Nyemouth, one Jerico was completely unaware of.
Andy Quinn is content with his life. He has a great job managing Quay House, the popular waterfront hotel, and a peaceful home with a cat called Patches. Andy spent his twenties working in the cruise industry, exploring the world, and has finally settled in his hometown of Nyemouth. Those years at sea were a time of adventure and discovery, including a ship-board romance with a young Jerico. After fifteen years, Andy doubts the famous chef will even remember him, but from the moment they reconnect, the time they spent apart falls away.
Andy isn’ t the only figure from Jerico’ s past. A week before the restaurant is due to open, an act of reckless sabotage puts everything he cares about in danger, including Andy. Jerico has made an enemy, someone who will stop at nothing to see his long-realised dream become a nightmare. As a plan for vengeance is played out, who will survive until the end?
To purchase, click here.
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In a week, I’ll share some information on the world of blog tours, perhaps include a deleted scene from Hoodoo House and maybe even reveal the cover for my youth novel Not Not Normal. Until then, thanks for reading. And if there are things you are curious about, reach out in the comments section or email me. I’m happy to answer questions about my books, or my experiences with the publishing industry.
And as always, if this email has accidentally found its way into your inbox, and you don’t wish to receive it, you can unsubscribe at the bottom of the page. This is meant as a fun way of keep you informed about my books and writing, but not intended to clutter up your inbox.
Warmest Regards from sunny Toronto,
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Need to reach Peter E. Fenton?
Email at peterefenton@gmail.com
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PO BOX 99900 ZH 136 634
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Peter E. Fenton 