Book Marketing 101; Would You Like An Excerpt?

I am escalating my book marketing both here and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I've come to realize that constantly bombarding people with awareness is the only way to make some headway unless you want to resort to nefarious means (the book industry is a sharkfest) or join KDP rocket (No, just no) and let them monopolize your works. This way is much slower because you're basically the equivalent of standing in the street, handing out fliers and then reading the flier to the person you handed it to, and then explaining the flier to them and then leading them slowly and gently to the book site.
It's crazy. Probably not suited for anyone wanting to make some fast cash.
Moreover, I am not the most patient person, but I'm learning to be. So writing books has been very good for my growth as a human.

That said, let's get this show on the road. This post will be made up of excerpts from my books. First up we have In Search of Paradise.
You might have read the outtake on this site on my birthday last year; you can also find it here: and now, here's a preview of the book. Do take some time, and read it. I guarantee your time back if you don't want to know what happens next.

What did you think? Tell me tell me tell me! 
Next up we have the newly revamped and made over, Child of Destiny. I just recently read this again and I was quite pleased with how it has stood the test of time and improved skill. It's still a great story, with wonderful pacing and vibrant characters. Is it okay to talk like a fan when you're the author? Anyway, here's a preview.

Yeah, I know you're fanning yourself right now, looking around in mortification in case anyone saw you. Wondering if it's based on my own sexual experience... I've been around this block a few times. But aside from all that...how was it? Did you want to know what happened next? Tweet me your thoughts hashtag whatgenreisthis.
Next up! My first published book of fiction. The one my editor called 'a masterpiece'. Seriously I'm not even making that up.

I know y'all are probably reading this in your place of work, so I'll stop here. Have we had fun? Did you enjoy yourself? Let me know.
Feedback is love.

Winter/Summer Book Sale

Hi guys, so much is happening and I want to tell you about all of it but I'm pressed for time. So for now, just a notification since time is running out.
Smashwords is having its annual winter/summer sale and all my non-free books are enrolled at 50% off! Please do go cop a copy. Now's the time.

I also upgraded my book, Child of Destiny and finally found a cover I am happy with. There's also an excerpt of Child of Destiny - Marcus Devereux at the back.
Enjoy.
See you soon.

Handling the Critics

On a serious note, I am about to lead you down a dark path. If you don't want down this rabbit hole, now is the time to turn back.

When you create anything, be it a painting, a poem, a ballad, a story, or a child, you will expect people to have opinions about it. The more unsure of themselves they are, the more opinions they will have about what you should be doing with your creation and by extension your life.
Beyonce makes art about her marriage and everyone feels they have the right to comment on whether she stays married to Jay-Z or not.
There is a saying about giving someone an inch and they take a mile.
When you give the world a part of yourself, the result is apparently that they think they own you. That their opinion of you is valid.
It's not.
That's exactly why Rihanna will never claim Hassan in public. She ain't giving you nothin' to speculate about. It must be frustrating for all those so-called fans who spent their lives stalking the lives and Instagrams of any man she was associated with looking for transgressions.
The creator creates. They disseminate that creation into the universe. Recipients of that art consume it. They react to it however they do. That reaction belongs to them. It is none of the creator's business. The converse is also true. As a fan, you have no say over an artist's life or their work. You can accept the art, reject it, vilify it, worship it; but that doesn't mean you get to tell the artist what to do next.

Well...that wasn't as dark as I thought it would be.
"Where is all this coming from Annemarie?" You ask.
Well, since you asked...
I received a comment on one of my old stories on AO3. It was a question of geography. I - apparently - placed Mt. Rushmore in the Grand Canyon and this reader was very upset about it. Now when I say this is an old story...I mean years. So I wasn't really sure what the hell they were talking about. I do not recall in all my years of living, ever typing the words Mt. Rushmore.
"So Annemarie, why didn't you just read over the chapter and find out what they were talking about?"
"Well, because I'm busy and is it that serious?"
I always ask myself when I get a comment about some factoid in my story that someone says is wrong. My question is, "Does this factoid in any way change the direction or message of the story?"
(I have gotten a comment about factoids one other time about In the Shadow of the Styx. They were annoyed at the use of the word Styx in the title and also the appearance of Hitler in the story...never mind).
If the answer is no, then why am I scrambling around bending over backward for a person I've never met so that their hang-ups can be satisfied? People always want to tell you what to do. I stopped listening long ago.
Anyway, so I just thanked the person for their comment and geography lesson and kept it moving.
Then I get another comment on a different chapter from the same person. Apparently now there is a problem with the number of states. Again, I have no idea what they're talking about. I love this story. I know how it goes generally. The fact that I can't remember these details means they are less than irrelevant to the story. Anyway, her new problem with me was that not knowing these factoids indicated to her that I wasn't an American and that was jarring to her otherwise enjoyable reading experience...
Well, one comment...okay. Two is asking for trouble.

I told her that yes, I was not an American, she was right about that. Would she please go away and leave my fic alone?
A diplomatic answer? No.
But I kept it all the way real like you're advised not to do with readers. Don't respond or be polite. I think I was rudely polite. I said please. And thanks.
I think I've said it before; I don't understand the concept of letting people badmouth your work ad infinitum. I get that some people won't like it, and that's just great. We're not avocado after all - not everybody's gonna like you. But idiocy such as this above, man...you can swallow the irritation and let it give you ulcers or you can clap back and defend yourself.
When it comes to my creations; my son, and my books, you better be sure I will say something. I don't care who's right and who's wrong; you come for mine, be prepared to defend your position as vigorously as I will defend mine. That's why I look like a twenty-year-old with artfully greying hair. I don't let bitterness eat me up from inside. I let it out.
I'm not telling you to do what I do. I'm saying do you, regardless of what 'the experts' say.

The African Diaspora - Week in Review

Africans at home and in the diaspora are making me happy. Taking my mind off this blatant human trafficking that is happening in the US with immigrant children and the usual mess in the Middle East.
Guys?
The government of the United States is trafficking children. You heard it here first.

Anyways, so Africans.
I read Romelo Lukaku's story yesterday. He's a Belgian midfielder (or is it defender? I'm not sure) of Congolese descent. He was born in Belgium and he speaks Lingala in addition to four other European languages. I was born and bred in Kenya and I can barely speak Kiswahili let alone Bukusu. It's making me sad for myself.
Anyway, I digress.
Lukaku's story hit me in the feels because of how it reminded me of my child's childhood in many ways. The obsession with football. The making do with what's available without complaint. The closeness with his grandad. The determination to play professionally. The desire to make life better for his mother.
I was reading his story but it was like it was my son who wrote it.

Now, where his story diverges is that he actually achieved his dream to play for Anderlecht by the time he was sixteen. He did it with the absolute belief that makes mountains move for you. I am a stan. Romelo Lukaku is the kind of strong I aspire to be. The kind of strong I wish for my kid.

Then there was a Therese Okoumou - I hope I spelled that right - who climbed the Statue of Liberty to protest the trafficking of children - okay the snatching of children away from their parents in the name of "immigration laws". I have a sister called Theresa. I know, irrelevant. I just wanna associate myself with her somehow. She was awesome. When I think of my fear of heights alone...
Anyway, moving on, we have a number of people to get through.

All African teams are out of the world cup, but not all diasporans. Eight in Belgium and fourteen in France, if I'm not mistaken would be eligible to play for African teams. So we're still represented even if the World Cup has become Euro '18. Special shoutout to Senegal and their coach though. They played well. Really well. And I look forward to hearing good things from them.
On the continent, Zimbabwe has legalized medical cannabis. I really feel we should promote the use of cannabis over alcohol because the former does not turn you into a shadow of your former self. We have an addiction problem, and if people need to get high, better to do it with something that isn't addictive.
In Kenya, poor lives are mattering today with a march to make sure police shootings stop. So shout out to black lives matter for the inspiration.
Lastly, here's a preview from the first ever post-apocalyptic gay African romance. You didn't think I'd forget to plug myself, did you? It's like you don't even know me. :)

Creation vs. Commerce

I'm an artiste. I'm also a business person. I sell my art for money.
Many artistes experience an internal conflict between treating their creations as things to be enjoyed by the general public and selling that art in whatever form it takes. This conflict comes about partly from the attitude that some consumers have, where they feel like art - in all its forms - should be available freely for consumption; and partly from the view, they have of themselves as creators and not merchants.
I don't have that problem.

I both create art for consumption and have no problem selling that art.
That's why I call myself an authorpreneur. I have no pretensions or illusions about why I do this.
It's not for the money.
But I do intend to make money from my art in my lifetime. Whether it's grocery money or billions, I create for sale.
See.
It's not that hard to admit.
I've seen authors who are reluctant to create author pages.
"What is the purpose of that?" they ask.
And I don't understand how a mind can conceive of a story, but not possess sufficient imagination to understand that their creations require promotion. What's that about people? Pretension?
Perhaps it's because I not only create for myself, but also for others that I understand the commercial side of creation.
My marketing began purely by accident. I was writing Chrianna fanfic just to see if I could, after reading Chrianna stories on Tumblr. I gathered a rather large following; mostly fans of the artists. After my publisher put out Between Death and Heaven, which is now self-published as In The Shadow of the Styx, I just directed that following to my original fiction. That experience made me understand that generating your own publicity is vital to getting your book noticed. So I continue to do that, write fanfiction and use it to advertise my original fiction. I also write short stories and publish them on public websites and redirect my readers to my author page.

It's slow going, I won't lie to you. But that's organic growth for you. It's a steep slope and then one day, it just takes on a life of its own. You can't give up before you reach that point okay? You'll get demoralized, you'll get tired, you just have to factor that in to your long-term plans.
And keep writing, keep innovating your content, your media, how you deliver it...keep putting your name out there.
You have to embrace both sides, the creative and the commercial and hopefully one day, your books are on bestseller lists and you can retire to Jamaica and open a bar on the beach; live out the rest of your days in a bikini.
Sound good?
Great.
Here's a lil fanfic I wrote and while you're getting impressed by my writing skills, visit my author page and hang out with me a bit. Sample the free books, buy the others, leave me reviews, ask a question. I'm open for business.

Speaking of inspiration to keep your nose to the grindstone, the #saveshadowhunters campaign is at ten million tweets as of this week, thousands of dollars raised for the Trevor Project, a plane and a billboard. All to save a show. I mean seriously, sometimes you just gotta keep going even when you have no idea whether you will be successful. Along the way, you might find that you do a lot of good, gain a few friends and make the world a better place than you found it. Success is not always monetary. Happy New Month my friends.
Also, I was thinking about having a monthly newsletter similar in style to the above. Would my subscribers be interested?