For an author, each book is an adventure. No matter how many we’ve written – and I’ve sold 84 in the past 25 years – each story begins fresh and takes on a life of its own.
For Harlequin American, I just finished writing the first book in my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries, due out in February 2010. (Before that, I’ll wrap up my Harmony Circle miniseries in September 2009 with Doctor Daddy). Although I’d written a brief synopsis before I started, I had no idea the hero and heroine would butt heads in such an interesting manner – for me, anyway – with tart dialogue and a few tears along the way to their happy ending.
But these days, it isn’t enough to be an author. Writers also have to publicize our books, such as by blogging. Plus, beginning this year, I took over updating my Web site, which is an adventure in itself. Thank goodness for the help of my former webmaster, Karen Fox, and my brother, Paul Hyman, a computer programmer who possesses unusual patience. Working on my site (www.jacquelinediamond.com) is an adventure in its own way.
Recently, I decided to start posting the first chapters of my books. After all, I like to look through a book before buying, and I figure my readers might feel the same way. So, as an experiment, I recently posted the first chapter of my January release, Million-Dollar Nanny, and put a link on my home page.
My adventures don’t stop there. Amazon is allowing authors to post their books for sale on the e-reader device Kindle. Why not try it? I own all rights to my contemporary Gothic suspense, Touch Me in the Dark, which has a checkered past.
It nearly sold to three different publishers but got nixed at the highest levels. Finally I contracted with the e-publisher Triskelion, which posted it for sale less than a month before going bankrupt. The upshot is that nobody got a chance to read it.
I priced Touch Me in the Dark at the bargain rate of $1.99, and I’ll be very curious to see if it finally finds an audience, at least among Kindle folks. If you’d like to read the first chapter for free, that’s posted on my Web site, too, with a link on the home page. I don’t have the link to Amazon yet, but I’ll post that when I get it.
If you check out either of the first chapters, let me know what you think, either by posting below or by emailing me at jdiamondfriends@yahoo.com. Are you more likely to buy a book if you can read the first chapter?
Monday, June 01, 2009
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4 comments:
I definitely like to read an excerpt from a book before buying it. It can usually give me a good idea if I will like the story.
I like reading an excerpt from a book because it lets me know if I am interested in buying it or not. I am a reviewer and I share all my books with others to help the authors become known. I also give them as gifts, I post reviews on 7 sites depending on where the book fits.
I would love to win one of your books.
jrs362 (at) hotmail (dot) com
I have started reading the excerpts because normally I buy my books from eharlequin a month early before they are on the shelves. It helps me feel like I am paging through in a store aisle :-).
Peace and thanks for the reading pleasure,
Julie
It doesn't matter to read the first chapter of the book,sometimes I do and times I don't, I read the back and if it sounds good I buy it. I like the covers some are so hot! too.
Penney
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