Bestselling Book

There is a big difference from being an author to being a bestselling author.  Whether you do it full-time or part-time, whether you are an indie or with a publishing house, being able to call yourself a bestselling author increases your credibility.  But, what does it take to become a bestselling author?

Well, that actually depends on many factors.  The New York Times is the most famous of these lists.  There are others of course including Publishers Weekly, The Boston Globe, USA Today, The LA Times, The Wall Street Journal, and even WalMart.com.  Some of the most important nowadays in the e-market are Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Using myself as an example, some of my books have been on the Top 100 Amazon Bestselling Lesbian Fiction List for weeks on end.  Some, have even made it to #1 many times or remained in the top five for a while!  Many of my books have been in the top 300 for ever it seems.  However, I have to point out that Lesbian Fiction (Lesfic) is a small market and frequently Amazon throws in gay fiction which really should have a separate listing of its own (that’s a blog for another time).  A few of my books in recent years, I didn’t even put into Lesfic because they are good stories, everyone already knows I write Lesfic, and I wanted to see how they would do in the overall Amazon ranks.  They did phenomenally well.  Doctored and Veil of Silence blew my mind last year with their releases back to back.  They are both still selling well.  This year, Vetted is proving to be a best-seller.  It has never been listed a Lesfic novel, I put it into Action-Adventure and Romance…get this, in the hundreds of thousands of books that it had to compete with, it got down to the low 40’s and STAYED in that area for three SOLID weeks!  That’s incredible.

What does this mean?  It means that my books, due to the rankings that fluctuate hourly (thank goodness it’s a digital age), only 39 or so books sold more copies than mine did at any given time.  This, competing throughout Amazon and the hundreds of thousands in those specific rankings.

The New York Times bestseller list is different.  Not better or worse, just different.  They do not release exactly how these books get on the list and my own research has shown some of it is by trickery, bribery, and the big five publishers.  I don’t think my little lesfic publishing group will ever get one of my Lesbian Fiction books onto this anointed and prestigious list…ever.  That’s okay, I know I’m writing good fiction.  I know I’m writing stories that fans will want to read over and over again…and share.  They will stand the test of time.  Also, the New York Times list counts on ratings, based on orders to brick-and-mortar stores.  If your books aren’t in these, chances are you won’t get noticed.  With the downsizing of these stores, and the homophobia that still exists in major chains, the chances decline even further.  One clever entrepreneur (I use that term loosely, they were con-artists if you want the real term) managed to trick the list by placing a series of orders for their book to stores that didn’t exist, calling to see if they were available, and jacking up the system…only to cancel the order a day or so later…the numbers were already reported and their book sailed up the list.  Apparently, the New York Times list only counts the sales, not the canceled orders or returns.

In my research I came across this gem:

Click on the picture above for the rest of the article for more information.

Another difference that I am aware of is that the New York Times list is for paperbacks and they compile these lists weekly.  Because of its electronic system, Amazon’s list is hourly.  So, being on Amazon’s bestselling list is actually better!  It means you are SELLING more books!  Who doesn’t want to make MORE money this way?  Yes, being mentioned in the New York Times with millions of readers will get you more sales and especially more prestige over time, you are, after all, building a name…but, in the end, making money is really what it comes down to.  While being lauded as a New York Times bestselling author will garner you attention and I think it’s wonderful to be able to say that, there are other lists, there are other factors, and again, it comes down to money.

As the publishing world changes, and let’s face it, whether you love Amazon or B&N or a bajillion other outlets (mine are available on almost all of these), the e-book has changed the way we authors and publishers do business.  I am sad to see bookstores closing, I really am.  I still remember standing in the middle of a Barnes & Noble in San Luis Obispo, California and just BREATHING in the atmosphere.  I hope that libraries stay open and applaud the fact that they lend books that are e-books now too.

Another thing that I found as I researched for this blog is that literary agents, publishers, and others when looking for the next ‘rock star’ of the literary world are now sitting up and taking notice of those independent publishers and authors, and finding those ‘bestselling’ authors this way.  They want a piece of the pie, they don’t want to be left behind in the ‘old’ ways anymore.  They want to help those selling well to sell even more…so they can take their cut with their expertise.

I rely on proof, I have seen those hawking a book as a ‘must-read’ and I cringe at that.  That phrase alone is like nails down a chalkboard for me.  My first thought when I hear it is WHY MUST I?  I would rather hear from their reviews, their reviewers, or the proof that shows the book is selling well.  Here is my screen shot of Vetted taken the other day:

Don’t just take my word for it…really, I am the author and publisher, I’ll admit to being biased…but, since it’s selling so well, maybe you should just go find out yourself WHY?

Click on the picture to be taken to Amazon.

As always, you can get ALL the links at my website, or download it FROM my website at www.kannemeinel.com.

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From the PR Desk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Author K’Anne Meinel launches her new book ‘Vetted’ on Amazon

After the success of her books, ‘Doctored’, ‘Lawyered’, ‘Small Town Angel’, ‘Veil of Silence’ and many others, author K’Anne Meinel has announced the launch of her latest book ‘Vetted’ on Amazon.com. The book has already started to receive great response from the readers. “loved the scene in the cafe where the two main characters entered into their partnership, and, how their love turned into something that would surely stand the test of time. Personally, there’s nothing sexier than a barefoot gal in shorts, and a tee, with a rifle over her shoulder, a pistol strapped to her waist and the willingness to use both to protect those and the things she loves. Great story. Highly recommended”, says one of the users on Amazon.com.

Vetted brings much delight to fiction and drama book lovers who love a bit of adventure. The story revolves around Alyssa, a young college student living her life to please her upper-crust family who wants her to take business courses to join her father’s business and marry the right man. However, Alyssa wants to do something different and take a course that speaks to her heart but her family is unwilling to support her in doing that. The story follows the life of Alyssa, a woman born into a well-to-do family yet yearning for freedom to do what she wants to do because such wealth comes with strings that she doesn’t want.

Fiona is another lead character in the story who is an older, established woman and a veterinarian working with an aim to start her own animal practice. The story takes a swift turn when a young woman arrives at her doorstep one night carrying a dog she may have fatally injured with her car, leaving Fiona thrown for a loop.

Vetted is an unexpected story about two women who goes through a life that they did not anticipate but learn that they wanted it desperately. The story description surely leaves the readers wanting for more and picking up the book to see what the whole suspense was about. Will their families, the fates, and rustlers finally bring these women to their knees? The only way they can survive is to stand strong together, but are they both ready to fight for what they want? Only time will tell”. The author known for her intriguing and sensuous plots in her books brings another exciting book for the readers.

About Author- Author K’Anne Meinel is a bestselling author, having over 92 published works including novels, short stories, and novellas. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Oconomowoc. She reflects the love for her home state in her stories by mentioning the beautiful and realistic backgrounds set in Wisconsin. She is also known as the lesbian Danielle Steel of her time and a versatile writer who brings a variety of fiction genre books.

Contact Details

Company:  Shadoe Publishing, LLC

Website: www.shadoepublishing.com

www.kannemeinel.com

Country: United States

What to expect when you’re not expecting…

Get your attention?  Well, it’s an impossibility that at the esteemed age of fifty that I would be expecting.  Also, I happen to be a lesbian and unless my girlfriend wants to do some heavy explaining about how this could possibly happen, I’m pretty sure I’m not gonna worry about it in the least.  Also, my ‘baby’ is 27 and I’m pretty sure this baby fat I’m trying to lose, isn’t gonna go away at this point…

Explaining this to doctors and nurses whose duty it is to ask the question, “Could you possibly be pregnant?” always elicits the humor inside me as I make them squirm.  I do point out the age factor (which, as the National Enquirer and other tabloids will tell you, IS possible.  Also, my doctor has told me about fifty-year-old’s who have had happy accidents at this point in their life.)  I hope to never have to worry about that.  The lesbian factor alone assures me that my birth-control methods should be safe, lol.  Plus, the fact that I’ve chemo and radiation should assure me that I’m sterile, but they did warn that the body is a wondrous healing organism and the forced menopause I went through in my thirties, fighting cancer, wasn’t enough.  In my forties, I went and had an ablation for the return of my period and the doctor KEPT warning me I could STILL get pregnant.  It actually angered me as I had told her of my lesbian status.  Instead, she kept harping on not only the fact that I could get pregnant, but that I could become pregnant when (not if) I was sexually assaulted (nice phrasing for RAPE~!).  To shut her up, I finally asked, ‘Do I have THAT to look forward to?”  It made her uncomfortable enough that she stopped harping on it and finally agreed to the procedure.  I’m still rolling my eyes on that.

The thing is, when you expect things, and the unexpected happens…which, is life…you can either learn to roll with the punches or fight against it.  I find it an adventure to see what’s about to happen next.  My books do that for me, I never know initially where they are going to take me or what they are going to say and do as my characters take over and I write avidly to find out.  I too am a reader, I can’t wait to see what they are going to do or say.

Fortunately for me, my characters talk a lot, in fact, I’m seriously considering writing a VETTED II as there are a lot of things that can still happen to these two, including, the subject of this blog, expecting.  So, expect some more from this exciting new adventure…

If you get a chance, check out my current offering:

And, look for this one, later this fall:

 

Cooking for One

Eating alone is not fun.  I frequently post on social media about my cooking mistakes and catastrophe’s.  I used to do it in the hope that some femme would take pity on me and I’d end up with a girlfriend who not only cooks, but would take care of me.

Fortunately for me, my girlfriend not only cooks but bakes, and enjoys doing so.  She even sends care packages that allows me to share in her baking endeavors.  I have yet to eat one of her prepared meals I hear about, but, someday, I know I will.  She is caring and loving and I know the same will go into her meals.

Those who think I can’t cook don’t realize it isn’t that I can’t, it’s that I won’t.  There is a distinct difference.  Cooking, when I do it, is terrible when there is only you, or your pets, to appreciate it.  As I no longer have pets, it’s even more lonely.  I actually can cook and do so with gusto when I have the urge.  I usually make too much and then end up with massive leftovers that I eat for days.  Another bad side-effect because you actually get SICK of whatever you prepare.  I try to freeze the meals into convenient one-meal sized containers.  Last fall I even bought a second set in order to make enough to last me.  It really did too, the meals lasted more than a month.

I have yet to prepare a meal for my girlfriend as the opportunity hasn’t arisen.  I do think of the meals I could prepare because she is a vegetarian and I, am not.  It should prove to be quite the challenge.  We shall see how that works out.  She never slips.  She’s healthy and slim and very dedicated to her life style…at least for a dozen or more years!  Now that’s dedication!

I write in some of my books about the meals, I actually research these things, not eating the meals themselves too often, but enough that it makes it feel real.  Many times as I’m writing it I find myself hungry.  It really is hard not to snack instead of eating a complete meal.  I frequently find myself eating smaller meals and more often, they tell me that is healthier anyway…right.

If you get a chance, check out my latest offering, cooking is a challenge for one of the characters and I can relate…

http://www.kannemeinel.com

Unexpectedly Funny

I think I’m funny, I certainly hope I am.  My family, and girlfriend, frequently tell me I’m not…but, that’s to keep me from becoming too big-headed, right?  Actually, I joke a lot, kid, and am sarcastically funny.  It’s inherited.  My mother was funny and I watched my older brothers being hilarious.  To survive, you had to develop a thicker skin and be able to sling the quips back with equal if not better smackdowns.  There is a fine line between being sarcastic and being insulting.  As a child, you frequently go over that line and get yelled at for it.  The phrase, “I was ‘just kidding’, is a familiar one, as you learn that delicate balance.

I think of humor as a coping mechanism.  I used to be a lot more quick-witted and before I got chemo-brain I had the comebacks down to an art.  I used to think I was as quick as Robin Williams.  That man was brilliant in how he would go off on a tangent based on something someone said.  I loved his ability to make something out of nothing and it was always funny.  I could do that, then.  I see it now in my son and wish I could have the snappy comebacks I once did.   I genuinely have humor-envy when those boys of mine get on a roll.  I do appreciate it.

My girlfriend tells me I’m funny in my own mind, which makes us both laugh when she says it.  Her humor is quite different than mine.  I don’t know if it’s because she’s a New Englander and I from the Midwest, but the cultural differences between us, the things we find out that are very different, are quite humorous.

When I am writing my books, I never set out to be deliberately funny, I’m fortunate that it comes out at the right time, or, at least, I hope it does.  I remember when I wrote Doctored, I thought of some really funny incidents that my character could tell about and used them.

“So these guys are lugging in my supplies on their backs and on donkeys, and I didn’t realize why I was tied up to the donkey.  You know, led by a rope?”  Deanna was regaling them with stories of her travels and they all smiled appreciatively at her description.  “It was as I slipped off the narrow trail face first into the mud and started sliding down the steep slope, hitting tropical plants with my unmentionables, that I realized…that rope that kept me from falling down the mountainside.  That was a good idea!”

They all started laughing, nearly choking on the beers they were sharing.  “Oh, my gawd, Deanna!  Did that really happen?” Magda wiped the tears away from the corner of her eye as she smiled at the story.

Deanna nodded.  “Yeah, I’ve been to some pretty funky places.  But you know what?  It’s one of the greatest things about what I do, seeing the sights.  When they hauled my ass back up with that taut rope, I looked at that donkey and the phrase ‘kiss my ass’ had a whole new meaning.”

They all collapsed into laughter again at her imagery.

I am told that my current release is amusing, loving, and dramatic.  I hope so.  The amusing part is a surprise because I didn’t set out to do that at all, but when I hear from fans that the book made them laugh out loud (LOL), it pleases me no end…even unintentional humor I’m all for.If you get a chance, I’d love to hear your opinion on my efforts at writing, and, apparently humor.

Check out Vetted here:

And, if you enjoy it, check out Doctored here:

 

 

I HEART LESFIC

The prolific K’Anne Meinel is here today. Woot! She’s offering free copies of Vetted, her latest release. One winner will be selected by I Heart Lesfic. To enter the giveaway hosted by I Heart Lesfic, scroll to the bottom of this post for details. There will be two additional winners, but you have to act […]

via Guest Post: Why Write Lesfic by K’Anne Meinel — I Heart Lesfic

Vetted

Allyssa is a young college student living her life to please her upper-crust family who want her to take business courses, join her father’s business, and marry the “right” man.  Allyssa loves animals and yearns to take courses that speak to her heart, but her family are deaf to her pleas and she is unable or unwilling to stand up to them.

Fiona is an older, more established woman; a veterinarian working towards the goal of starting her own large animal practice.  When a young woman arrives on her doorstep one night carrying a dog she may have fatally injured with her car, Fiona is thrown for a loop.

Vetted—a life that neither woman anticipated, but each learns they want desperately.

Will their families, the fates, and rustlers finally bring these women to their knees?  The only way they can survive is to stand strong together, but are they both ready to fight for what they want?  Only time will tell….

Available from these fine retailers:

and coming to these fine retailers soon:

and, if you want to buy it direct from my website, even SIGNED books, click here: