What?
A Saturday blog?
In the middle of February?
Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day.
Consider this your Monday epiphany a few days early.
Why?
I mean, if you follow my socials (and who wouldn’t), you have been barraged for two weeks with a countdown to this very day. This very day is the day that my second book, Sparent, hits the literary market. Has it been annoying, all of those daily posts? Yes. The only thing more annoying than seeing those daily posts is actually creating them.
I’m not a huge fan of the socials nor am I a huge fan of pimping my wares.
But here we are.
Today, Sparent arrives into the universe!
Head here to buy your preferred format. No really, today is the perfect day to buy a new book.
Why?
Because the only “real” way to get noticed in the land of books is by sales ranking and reviews. The most important date in those sales rankings is the day the book drops. The second way for authors to get noticed is through reviews. So, yes…I’d love it if you’d add one. Do you have to read the actual book before reviewing it? I mean, technically, not at all. I’ll even offer a few starts at down below.
Writing books is a funny industry as authors typically make exactly zero dollars. It’s really all about trying to break even which is why, this time, I opted to do the heavy lifting myself rather than engage with a publisher. Did you know that authors are blessed with the gift of paying to have their books published? That’s great if your last name is Grisham or Hoover and your books are become instant bestsellers or are turned in a movie shortly after hitting the shelves. If your last name is Grisham or Hoover, a publishing house may even give you a nice advance so that, while writing more books, you can ditch your actual job.
My last name is not Grisham or Hoover.
While any personal hope of representation by a literary agent or traditional publishing house is fairly small, it can be increased by a big single-day sales number. Does that mean you shouldn’t buy the book tomorrow? Of course not. But today…today is a big day!
Does this feel like bullying?
In fairness, I bless you 52 weeks per year with a free glimpse into my brain at no cost. Many writers quickly switch to a subscription-based format to earn back what is spent on websites or marketing.
Me? I’m a giver. I’m also lazy and have never managed to figure out how to switch to a subscription-based plan. I’ve never suggested that, for the cost of one cup of coffee, you could provide me with a glass of wine.
Until today.
In exchange for my unlimited generosity, I’d love it if you’d jumped on over to Amazon and buy a copy of Sparent. I’d also love it if you wrote a review.
Not a fan of books you have to read with your eyeballs? Fear not, Sparent: The Audiobook will be out sometime this summer. Not a fan of Amazon? As my last name is still not Grisham or Hoover, it’s the best I can do right out of the gate. With any luck, Sparent will eventually land on your favorite online bookstore.
Happy reading!
Need help writing a book review? Fear not.
Sparent Book Review Starter Packs:
“What a treasure! This book is hilarious and filled with stories that I can absolutely relate to!”
“I couldn’t wait to read Jyl’s second book and it did not disappoint.”
“While this book is much different than Jyl’s first book, holy hell, I loved it. Her writing just gets better and better.”
“Jyl said that she will pick one random reviewer and include them in the acknowledgements section of her next book. I hope it’s me! Also, I could not put Sparent down.”
“Do not read unless you are prepared to pee your pants a little.”
“While some of these stories are heartbreaking, it is amazing to see how Jyl and her family have pushed through every speed bump.”
“Why is this family not the star of their own sitcom?”
“After 472 posts from the author, I felt bullied into buying this book. Turns out it was worth it. Thank-you, Jyl, for pimping your wares to the highest degree.”
As always, thank you for your support. I wouldn’t be here without you.