Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

OMGosh, I hit 100,000 views on my blog today!

I can’t believe it! This is big! It’s a milestone. It’s taken several long years to get here but, it’s not how long it takes, it’s the journey that matters, right?

When I started this blog in 2008 I had no idea what I was doing. I still don’t know what I’m doing, but don’t tell anyone. Appearances are everything.

At the time I started, I only had one short story published in a book put out by a writer’s group I was in. It was a ‘vanity publishing’ kind of a thing, a perk I got from “editing” the book. Since then, I’ve had two short stories traditionally published, the third, previously published piece will be traditionally published very soon (more details to come). I have a publisher interested in a NA novel, and my YA trilogy is soon to be subbed.

It’s been a long journey, one fraught with ups and downs. Pain and sorrow. Happy times. Fun times. I’ve shared many of those times with you through my blog.

I don’t really have a brand. How does one brand themselves? I’m all over the place. One day I might post a review of a book. The next, I might share with you my triumphs in growing a lemon tree. Yes, I may be an author, but I’m also a mom to four kids and furbabies. I’m a wife. I’m a person without a job struggling to survive. I’m strong, but I’m not made of steel. I’m opinionated and I frequently bite my tongue. How does one brand that? I’ve placed myself in categories my whole life. I didn’t want my blog to be another box I put myself in. I wanted it to be a place where I could be free.

Maybe that’s why I don’t have a gazillion followers. I do have faithful and wonderful followers that have been with me since day one.

I now have over 100,000 of you who stopped by to check out my verbal farts. Squeeee!

Beautiful people from all over the world clicked on my blog. 100,000 people have seen my name. That makes me want to do this…

So, thank you, thank you, thank you, all of you — past, present, and future — for helping this unbranded, down-to-earth, insane author reach her first really, really big blog milestone. I couldn’t have done it without you.

P.S.: A feel a giveaway is in order More details to come soon.

Marketing? I have to do marketing? Noooo!

Yesterday, I received my marketing kit from J. Taylor Publishing, and yes, another big squeal escaped my lips. I have to say, I began reading it with enthusiasm, but by the time I was done, my head felt mushy, tears actually fell and I started freaking out. Why? Because I can’t market anything. I can’t sell water to a fish. How in the world am I going to do this?

I felt like I was staring at that dreaded Geometry test in high school all over again…the one I studied so hard for but didn’t ‘get’. The one I got a tutor for because no matter how hard I tried, the answers always eluded me. There is just so much to do. At least I’ve already started some of the crucial marketing, like having a blog, and Facebook and Twitter accounts. But what about branding?

We hear about it all the time. Authors have to create a ‘brand’, something unique that makes people (readers) remember them. This means as a soon-to-be published author, I have to take a good look at what type of author I am and how I want to be remembered.

First, what kind of author am I?

Well, I love writing and reading Young Adult/New adult fantasy novels. Anything that has to do with dragons, faeries, gnomes, trolls, castles, I’m there. Urban fantasies? Got it covered. Dystopians? You betcha. So, is this my brand? I think so, but what do I do with it?

I know I have to create a website, but I can’t afford a fancy one with my own domain name, which means I’ll have to have a free one. Hmm, Weebly looks good. But what do I do after that? I don’t know! (another clump of hair lands on the floor).

What is clear is I’m about to embark on a rollercoaster of a ride, and seeing I’m such a wimp, I’m taking each one of you with me. So strap yourselves in. Don’t worry about the floor falling out from beneath you. That’s supposed to happen. Keep your arms inside at all times and hold on tight because this train is about to leave the station, and it’s going to be a wild and crazy ride!

Getting to the ‘Ahhh’ Moment With Customers (inc.com)
Branding for Writers: An Essential Step to Building your Author Platform (the creative penn)
The Basics of Author Branding (bluemooncommunications)

Blog Announcement!

I had the extreme pleasure of meeting with a marketing/blog expert today. We went over my blog, what I wanted to do with it. Who I wanted to market to, and we came to the conclusion that I need to make some changes, not so much the layout, but the content. My job is to seek out three people in my target audience, ask them some crucial questions, and design accordingly.

For the next several days I will not post anything else on my blog while I “re-invent’ myself. Hopefully, the new ‘me’ won’t throw off my current followers while it strives to gain new ones.

Thank you for your patience and your support. Of course, this mean my A, B and C posts I wrote for the A-Z blog challenge will need to be rewritten to kick off the new direction and focus I’m taking with my blog. Ah, what the heck. No prob, right? I’ll let you be the judge starting Monday, April 2.

TTFN!! I’m going to miss you guys until next week!

Until then, enjoy the relaxing sounds of Euge Groove. This one is called Chillaxin