The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It’s a great place to mingle with like minded people each month during IWSG day.
Every month there’s an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they’re struggling with what to say.
This month’s question is:
Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book / throws you out of the story / frustrates you most about other people’s books?
Check out how people have answered this month’s question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list HERE. Instead of answering the question, I’m chatting about the terror that overcomes you when you pay for a BookBub Featured Deal, giving a writing update, and sharing the best part about camping in the desert.
Scoring a BookBub Featured Deal – Eek!
Last month, kind of on a lark, I applied for a BookBub Featured Deal for Murder at the Marina, the first book in my Mollie McGhie cozy mystery series.
While I had been accepted for an international BookBub Featured Deal last year, I knew that getting a US one was competitive. People get turned down all the time. That’s what I was expecting – a big fat “NO!” Instead, I got a “Congratulations. You’re booked for mid-January. Now, give us lots of money.”
{By the way, if you’re not familiar with BookBub it helps folks discover new things to read through daily emails which feature free and discounted books. Authors pay to have their book included as a Featured Deal. And it’s not cheap.}
The thing about being an author, like with any other business, is that you have to invest money to make money. Things like editors, cover artists, website hosting, promotions, advertising etc. add up. And you don’t often see a return on your investment for a while. Sometimes, a long while.
So when I opened up the BookBub invoice to pay for it, my stomach churned. This is a lot of money with no guarantee that you’ll earn it back, the scaredy-cat part of my brain said. The more gung-ho part of my brain said, “Go for it. Chances are good you’ll make it back and then some!”
I went for it. The invoice was paid. My BookBub Featured Deal is booked. My fingers are crossed.
Grab your copy of this hilarious cozy mystery at:
Amazon (US)
Amazon (CA)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (AU)
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Apple Books
Google Play
Smashwords
Writing Update
When I haven’t been hyperventilating about shelling out money to Bookbub, I’ve been hard at work launching the second book in my romantic comedy series. Smitten with Croissants came out at the end of December and I couldn’t be more excited about the reviews that have come in so far. Sure, you try to tell yourself that it doesn’t matter what people think about your books and that there will always be people who don’t like your writing, but until you get a few positive reviews under your belt, the worries and insecurities bubble away at the back of your mind. So, many, many thanks to those folks who have left reviews! They’ve left a huge smile on my face.
By the way, if you enjoy sweet romantic comedies and you’re interested in becoming part of my review team, drop me an email at ellenjacobsonauthor@gmail.com.
Smitten with Croissants is available at:
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (CA)
Amazon (AU)
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Apple Books
Google Play
Eden Books
Smashwords
Camping in the Desert
My hubby and I are currently camping in the desert with two other couples who also former sailors and now live full-time in their rigs. We’ve all formed a little, nomadic COVID bubble and had a lot of fun celebrating the holidays together. And, you know what one of the best parts of it all is? The fact that one of the people we’re camping with is none other than fellow IWSG member and author of the fabulous memoir Plunge – Liesbet Collaert of Roaming About! It’s been wonderful to have someone with whom I can talk about writing-related stuff in person. And it doesn’t hurt that she and her husband make the best-tasting margaritas I’ve ever had either. LOL!
Ellen Jacobson 
Fingers crossed for you for BookBub! And congrats on the launch!
Holiday margaritas in the desert sound delightful. 🙂
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You can never go wrong with margaritas in the desert 🙂
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Woohoo!!!! So exciting to get a BBFD!!!! They are incredibly difficult to get. Congrats!
LOVED Smitten with Croissants!
(that’s a load of !!! but you’ve got exciting news!)
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Thank you so much for all the exclamation points!!!!!!
So glad you liked Smitten with Croissants 🙂 That means a lot to me coming from you considering what awesome romances you write!!!!!
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You just made my day!! 🙂
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That’s great you got that deal! Those are tough. My publisher booked one for me years ago but say it’s too expensive now.
And you are camping with Leisbet? That is too awesome.
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They are super expensive, for sure! Liesbet and I are having a blast together.
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A BookBub deal is SO hard to get and SO darned expensive. Well done. (And I would love to know just HOW much it was.)
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Thanks, Diane! You can see the current pricing here – https://www.bookbub.com/partners/pricing
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How awesome you’re camping with Liesbet. And I hope the BookBub deal pays off for you. That’s great you can stay focused on continuing to write.
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Writing has proved to be a great distraction for me during these challenging times. Thanks for the good wishes for my BookBub. Keeping my fingers crossed!
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Yay to Bookbub! I’m keeping my fingers crossed. How neat that you get to camp with Liesbet. It sounds like you’re having a blast.
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It’s been so much fun hanging out with Liesbet and her husband. And their dog is adorable!
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Oh wow, congratulations on your bookbub deal! That’s wonderful. Wishing you the best of luck on that. I’ll be joining you on the road soon. I only have about 15 months to retirement when we’ll be taking to the road!
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How exciting that you’re at the point where you can count down the months until you hit the road! Wouldn’t it be fun if our paths crossed camping one day?
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Best wishes on your Bookbub Campaign!!!
And I read your post and remembered that I totally messed up a book launch post for Liesbet, twice…the embarrassment is immense. I think I’m going to post a reminder on my calendar not to commit to anything in December this year. My brain is fried by holiday sugars.
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Holiday sugar is a fantastic way to fry one’s brain 🙂 I’m sure Liesbet understands. These things happen to all of us.
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No worries, Tyrean! It’s better that my news and promotions are spaced out anyway. 🙂
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Fantastic news about the BookBub deal! And your COVID bubble in the desert sounds pretty good, too. Where are you all hanging out? I’m pretty fond of most of our SW desert areas 🙂
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We’re currently near Yuma, Arizona. It’s quite pretty here – the desert has its own unique beauty which I’ve come to appreciate more and more.
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Gulp. I looked up the prices for the BookBub feature. No wonder your fingers are crossed it works. I ‘ll cross my toes too for you! Congrats on snagging the feature!! I don’t know about that desert group you have there. I may have to come out there to keep the chaos to a lower level! Have fun! What an opportunity. Living life is priceless.
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Very exciting about the BookBub deal, Ellen! We will be here cheering your ad on! One of the coolest things about being neighbors in the desert is that we can share each other’s highlights and lowlights (those for the debut author anyway). 🙂
If anyone would have told you five years ago:”One day you will be camped in the desert for weeks at a time with a fellow author,” would you have believed it? I wouldn’t, as back then I wasn’t an author and I wasn’t living on the road. I love our lives!
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