Readers' Favorite 5 Star Seal for "Hook's Little Mermaid"

Rather a long time ago I had submitted "Hook's Little Mermaid" to Readers' Favorite in the hopes that I might get a review.

To be honest, I thought there was no chance someone would decide to look at my book, with all the amazing authors out there.  But thankfully, someone did!

Here's her review:

Reviewed By Liz Konkel for Readers’ Favorite

Hook’s Little Mermaid by Suzanna Lynn is a fun take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Everyone knows the story of Captain Hook and Peter Pan. Lynn spins the tale of Jameson Shaw as he searches for the boy Peter Pan who’s responsible for the death of his son. Jameson Shaw goes up against several obstacles as he makes his way to Neverland, including kidnapping and making a deal with a fairy, meeting Red Riding Hood, and fighting off a Kraken. With the aid of a fairy, it seems that his revenge against Pan will become a reality. His journey encounters several surprise turns when he meets the mermaids of Neverland and learns the truth of his son’s death.

As a fan of Peter Pan and J.M. Barrie, I love finding different ways of adapting the story into something new. I love Hook’s Little Mermaid! It’s perfect for any lover of fairytales. Suzanna Lynn takes threads of what we know of the tale and flips it all into a new direction. Picking up the traces of other fairytales is a fun treat for those who adore the classic tales. Knowing that Red’s story is the center of book two makes me wonder what other stories will be explored. The red cloak was a quick giveaway to Red Riding Hood. A glass coffin reminds Hook of a realm called Fairest which has a wicked witch that cursed a girl to sleep. A mermaid has legs when she comes ashore. Lynn has created a rich world full of potential and twists. Hook is fun, a fairytale for a new generation and a delightful take on old classics.

Red's Tangled Tale - Cover Reveal

Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Well, at least they think they do. History would have many believe Red was a naïve little girl who brought treats to her grandmother in the dark of the forest. History had it wrong.

After the curse of the wolves came to Timbergard, Red’s father was the only soul brave enough to enter Blakx Forest. However, when the wolves claimed his life, his young daughter took up his bow and began hunting the beasts to fill her need for revenge.
When Captain Hook shows up in the village in search of the rare burning ash that lies on the far borders of the cursed forest, Red agrees to help get him safely through the dangerous land.

The trek through the forest becomes precarious when the group is cornered by a pack of wolves. Red is forced to make a decision that will alter the lives of everyone, including individuals she has yet to meet.

The cover of the much anticipated "Red's Tangled Tale," book two in The Untold Stories, has been revealed!

With only two weeks until publication, you can now preorder your copy at Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo and Smashwords (Amazon will not have a preorder for this title but will carry it on November 1 when it is released).

In addition to the cover, fans will get exclusive teasers as well as a teaser trailer over the next two weeks, building to the anticipation of the release.

If you would like to join in the fun of the release, be sure to join the Facebook Party wherein numerous authors have come together to celebrate the release and will be giving away amazing prizes.

 

Lastly, you can help spread the word by participating in the Thunderclap campaign which will announce the release to social media on November 1 (link below).

 

Red's Tangled Tale - Release Party

Red's Tangled Tale is set to release on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, and I couldn't be more excited.

It is the second book in "The Untold Stories" series, and picks up with Red in her village, later running into the notorious Captain Hook.  You don't need to have read "Hook's Little Mermaid" to enjoy this book, though you will see how the two stories connect if you do.

In celebration of the release, a handful of my author friends have come together to take part in the release party hosted by Belle's Beastly Book Blog.  As you can see, the author lineup is rather impressive and I'm really excited to have them a part of it.

The party will include loads of giveaways, so that alone is reason not to miss it.

If you are on Facebook, you merely have to respond via the party link here.

It will be loads of fun, I can't wait to see you there!

2,000 fan giveaway!

The Author Suzanna Lynn Facebook page has officially topped 2,000 fans!  As a way to celebrate, I am having a huge giveaway.  Who doesn't love free stuff right?

From September 29 through October 5, you can enter to win one of five amazing prizes provided by Author Suzanna Lynn, Belle's Beastly Book Blog and Funky Book Designs.  Additionally, you can come back daily to gain additional entries by tweeting about it!

The contest is open to everyone, worldwide. No need to do anything but enter, we will cover the shipping costs! *note* If an item needs to be shipped out of the US, we will pay shipping costs, but if customs requires additional costs, that is on the winner. We mark the item as a 'gift' and give an accurate value. *note*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Penned Con 2016 Highlights

St. Louis Arch

Each year, I try to pick events that would allow me to get out and meet readers, as well as other authors.  Last year I had attempted to go to Penned Con in St. Louis, Missouri. However the unexpected death of my mother-in-law made the trip impossible. But this year, I was determined to go and meet readers and authors in the area.

Even before the event started, I found myself extremely impressed with the hard work Rick and Amy Miles (along with their entourage of helpers) put into it. I actually booked my 2017 table before I had even taken part in this years event!

My kids petting stingrays

Penned Con promised to be a family friendly event (which is was) so I packed up my three kids and husband and we headed to St. Louis.  We checked into the hotel (I always arrive a day early so I can relax and beat the check-in rush) and then headed to the St. Louis Zoo. Nothing beats watching your kids pet stingrays and sharks; seriously nothing.

On a side note, St. Louis really impressed me. The zoo, science center, history museum and many other places are all free to visit. Yes, the string ray petting did cost $4 a person, and let me tell you it was worth it. If you are considering Penned Con or any event in St. Louis, it's a great way to mix business and pleasure because it's very family friendly.

Once Penned Con started, it was a whirlwind of signing books, talking to readers, taking pictures and more. The keynote speakers each morning were phenomenal and incredibly inspiring.

Speaking on the panel (I'm on the far
right of the table)

I was also asked to be on a panel. The room was full, something I hadn't expected at all. As I looked around at the authors who would also be speaking alongside me, I thought, what am I doing here? I mean I was sitting right next to Denise Grover Swank (she's seriously a goddess when it comes to getting newsletter subscribers by the way). But I answered my questions and even offer a handout (which I had only brought fifteen because I figured there wouldn't be that many needed).  If you didn't get a chance to see that panel, I have the information here on my blog.



Yes, that's my eldest (in the black and
grey striped hoodie) ducking for cover

As I said earlier, Penned Con tries to be incredibly family friendly. They even provided special gift bags for younger kids (like my two little ones) that were super hero themed. The kids went around and authors gave them candy, stickers, buttons, bracelets and more. It was like trick-or-treating!

After the signing ended the first day, a room was opened up for Nerf Gun Wars. I cannot tell you how much fun this was. I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or the adults! Thousands of bullets were shot as authors and readers ducked behind barricades made of cardboard boxes.

Day two of the event was full of more surprises when I had several fans come to the event to see me personally! Nothing can feel better than that. I hope that feeling never goes away. I even had a wonderful fan bring me a card and a special necklace, which I will treasure forever. Those fans reminded me why I write. Even if only those few fans enjoy my work, I've succeeded.

I can't believe I was nominated
alongside these amazing authors!

By the end of day two, I was nearly out of books. This was a relief because the bag I used to carry the books in weighed so much, my husband had trouble carrying it!

Then came the awards ceremony. While my eldest babysat the two youngest in the hotel room, my husband and I dressed up in our Luau attire and enjoyed the festivities. I was super excited to be nominated for Best Book Cover of 2016. And though I didn't win, it truly was an honor to be nominated.

Once all was said and done, I had a serious Penned Con Hangover. I missed the friends I had made, but was happy to be home because the event left me more inspired than ever to write.

If you are an author or reader, I highly recommend you mark Penned Con 2017 on your calendar. The atmosphere is so amazing, you will not regret it one bit.

Sneak Peak scene from "Red's Tangled Tale"

"Red's Tangled Tale" coming Nov 2016

Enjoy this sneak peak of a scene in the upcoming "Red's Tangled Tale."

*note* this is unedited, so some slight changes may be present in the final book version. 

The wind began to pick up, throwing the hood of my cape back from my face. A few strands of ebony hair came loose from my long braid, swirling in the breeze around my eyes. I reached for the dagger I kept in my boot, making sure it was still secure. I was best with a bow but always kept a knife at the ready.

A howl cut through the night – the wolf was much closer now. The answering chorus was far to the east. He would get no help tonight.

I pulled an arrow from my quiver, fingering the red feathers of the fletching while I held my breath in anticipation. My heart raced, pounding so fiercely I could feel it in my ears. I strained to listen against the wind, hoping for a warning to signal the wolf was close.

From behind me I heard a snap; so soft and subtle it could have been a pinecone falling from a tree – but it wasn’t. The wolf’s growl started low in its chest, rumbling through the cold night. It had circled around, most likely catching my scent when the wind picked up.

The wolves were getting smarter, making it much harder to sneak up unnoticed. With my back in the hollow of the tree, I did not have a good vantage point to aim at the beast. The circumstances were less than ideal.

He was just behind the tree. I was certain he didn’t know exactly where I was, otherwise I would be dead. His long snout sniffing the air in an effort to find me. I was suddenly thankful for the shelter of the large dead pine. I shifted slightly, bringing my feet under me in order to leap if the need arise. I drew back on the arrow; there would be no time to aim given the close proximity.

I sat bolt upright as the wolf let out a blood chilling howl – the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. His comrades answered, still far to the east, but this time there was an urgency in their reply, as though to say “We’re coming.”

Do Facebook Ads Work?

I gave this speech/demonstration yesterday during Penned Con and wanted to share it with the entire author/blogger community. I feel the more we help each other, the more we all succeed.

The information shared here is merely my one experience and results are not considered typical.

The chart on the left shows three months’ sales on my book “Hook’s Little Mermaid.”  It is a clean teen/ya fairytale retelling book (which is a pretty hot genre at the moment). As you can see, Amazon is the biggest seller of this book, bringing in 95% of the sales during a three-month period. Createspace is the lowest seller, bringing in less than 1%.

 

To make this experiment worthwhile, lets average these three months.  With the graph on your right, you will see how this is broken down. This is relevant because our ‘test’ takes place during a three-week period. It’s hard to judge three weeks against three months.

 

 

 

 Our final graphs show the results of a three-week ad placed on Facebook. I spent $75 and chose to target my audience (instead of choosing ‘people who like your page and their friends’). I picked to target women ages 15-65 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia (as I have found most of my sales come from these countries). Then, using keywords that are relevant to my book, I was able to reach readers who are necessarily looking for a book. In the case of “Hook’s Little Mermaid” I tagged fan bases like “Once Upon a Time” “Grimm” “Colin O'Donoghue” “Peter Pan” and “The Little Mermaid.” This is, in no way, being deceptive. You’re not forcing your book on them, you’re merely suggesting “Hey, since you like Once Upon a Time you might like to look into this.”

As you can see in the final graph (which is only a three-week period verse the one-month breakdown), sales on Amazon average higher. And while Smashwords stayed relatively the same, Createspace increased sales by seven times what it was doing.

 

 

 

Questions, answered.

Do Facebook Ads Work?

Absolutely! However, it’s not just a magic button to make you an insta-best seller. It requires research and patience to find the right algorithm to get your book in front of readers who are interested.

How do I choose who to target?

It depends entirely on your book and genre. If you have written a crime thriller, you could target both men and women. While a romance is going to lean toward women. Age is very subjective. It’s hard to guess what age would read a certain genre. This will require research and fine tuning over time. Additionally, if your book has adult content, you don’t want to target younger (under 18-years-old) readers.

How do I pick keywords?

Picking keywords like “romance novels” and “young adult books” is far too broad. Instead, pick keywords with similar fan bases to your story.

Is there a movie or television show that has the same type content? Maybe your book is fantasy set in a mythical world with elves, dwarves and dragons. Then you might look into fan bases interested in those things. For example, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Game of Thrones, etc. Have a super sexy romance with a lot of adult scenes? Then your keywords would be along the lines of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Choosing keywords like this isn’t riding on the coat tails of someone else’s success. You’re merely putting your ad in front of people who are interested in this type of work in the first place.

My ad has been on Facebook for a week and I’ve only had a couple sales. Am I doing it wrong?

No, not necessarily. A reader generally has to see an ad several times (I believe in the industry the magic number is seven) before they delve further into it. Maybe the first time it showed up in their feed they were on the way to work and didn’t have time to look. Maybe someone called them on the phone and they forgot. However, Facebook will continue to put that ad in their feed as long as they are a fan of the interests you listed as keywords.

How do I make an ad?

Making an ad is not always easy. For starters, never (AND I MEAN NEVER) use a photo you googled. Just don’t. Ever. Never ever. Go to a stock site if you must and purchase a photo. It is far less expensive than attorney and court costs in a copyright lawsuit.

Additionally, a genuine ad will create a relationship with your readers. For example, in my book “Hook’s Little Mermaid,” had I used a picture of Colin O'Donoghue for my ad, readers would not only be disappointed when they found out the book was not a ‘Once Upon a Time’ book, they would be less trusting of me as an author.

Your ad needs to have minimal wording but also be eye catching. Here is an example of my ad for “Hook’s Little Mermaid.” The tagline and pictures speak for the book.

I understand that not all people are good with programs like photoshop. Or maybe you would rather spend more time writing and less time making Facebook ads. This is where graphic design companies come in. There are many who will create an ad for you for a modest fee. I personally use “FunkyBook Designs” and their ads run $35-$50 depending on detail and the ad is yours to use however you chose. And a plus, they purchase the rights to the photos so you don’t have to worry about copyright infringement!

Well, I hope you found this information informative. If so, please share it, tweet it, pin it, reblog it; whatever it is you like to do. Remember, by sharing, we are all helping each other succeed!