Readers Archives - Tena Stetler

Jan 8th Book Gems – A New Place for Author’s Books!

Happy New Year Everyone! Book Gems is my new go to. Why? As an author I’m always looking for new ways to get my books in the hands of readers. I’m super excited to tell you about an easy way for readers to “find my books”. A new way to be whisked away from your ordinary world into a fantasy adventure that you may never want to leave. LOL

BOOK GEMS. Is a new one-stop shopping experience for your favorite author’s books. Mine included.

What does Book Gems mean for you as a reader? All the books an author has currently available, across all publishing venues are listed. Also included are author blogs, books up for a reader to review, and in the coming months, giveaway offers. You can’t beat that with a stick. LOL

For authors Book Gems is a subscription service to list your books – the rates are extremely reasonable.

For readers, join up and get info on all your one-click authors.

Here’s the link to my personal author page: Tena Stetler

Just click on one of the book titles and poof you are at the book’s info page, which conveniently includes buy links. Doesn’t get much easier than that.

I love this one-stop shopping way of book promo because it makes it so easy for readers to find my work. And I can find the books from authors I enjoy with one click instead of 50!

Book Gems…. Find the Sparkle in Reading! Give it a try and tell me what you think in the comments.

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Authors, BookGems.com, Fid the Sparkle in Reading, One stop shop, Readers, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.

Apr 16th Clean, Organize & Reviews-Not For Faint of Heart

Last weekend was clean, organize and as it turned out reviews. First up carpet cleaning, scrubbing the stairs is the worst! Wouldn’t you know it, the pump on the carpet cleaner quit. The darn thing was only 13 years old. Previous years, my husband had replaced the motor, belts and spin heads. This time, it was DOA without hope of resurrection. Should have been a great excuse to go to the next task on my to-do list, but the stairs were soaked with pre-cleaner. A quick search on the internet, I found the exact make and model I wanted. Even better it was on sale in a store located close to my neighborhood. Armed with the new cleaner, we knocked the stairs out in no time, leaving the last two rooms for this week.

Then cleaning and organizing my inventory of books and swag for 2018 appearances. I inherited a wonderful large Lane cedar chest and decided it was perfect for consolidating my book inventory in one place. As I finished up, hidden among the books I’d written was a book that I had not written but enjoyed reading. It had a sticky note on it “Review due April 16, 2018”. Oh crap, somehow I’d forgotten to review the book I read a few weeks ago. Reviews are so important to authors because: Writing and sharing a book review is a benefit for the writing and reading community. You help like-minded readers discover a great book and you help the author by providing valuable feedback. Also your words are as important to an author as an author’s words are to you. How so you ask? Those words may seem counterintuitive to you if you are a reader, but in our data-driven age, book reviews left by readers on Amazon.com and Goodreads can make a huge difference in the success of an author, especially emerging and mid-list authors like me who aren’t getting their books reviewed in The New York Times. Yet. LOL

Reasons why reader’s reviews really help authors. In fact they are vital! Author Lauren Faulkenberry breaks it down like this:

The number of reviews helps authors get into promotional gold mines like the Bookbub Newsletter who has all but said, you must have so many Amazon reviews or we won’t even consider listing your book. I’ve no idea why this is the case, but that’s the way it is.
Word on the street is that reviews help push our rankings on Amazon. Visibility, so important.
Reviews make it easier for authors to get their books into indie bookstores. (Did you know local bookstores or libraries stocking your book is hardly ever a given?)

So now you know why authors are asking politely for your review. Your review doesn’t have to be long, a few words like “great book” and a 4 or 5 star rating. If you don’t like the book, don’t leave a review, ’nuff said. Putting my soapbox back under the bed.

Click on cover to read more or purchase

Okay, time for a shameless plug for one of my favorite books. A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE–Not what you’ve come to expect from a Vampire Tale! Leave your ordinary world behind, be swept away into a Romantic fantasy with Brandy and Stefan add just a touch of mystery and suspense for your Monday. Grab your copy today! http://a.co/gwldy2P

Friday an interview with Melody Johnson Author of Day Reaper will grace these pages. You don’t want to miss it!

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Authors, fantasy, fiction, Nonfiction, Paranormal, Readers, Reviews, Romance by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.

Jul 27th You Didn’t Like the book – Why Broadcast It?

Okay, this space is usually used for my personal blog. I write full-time and have another blog entitled Authors’ Secrets for books and writing endeavors. But today, I’ve a tiny rant, okay maybe not so tiny, that I would love thoughts from readers, authors, and actually everyone.

I’ll start off by acknowledging that everyone tries a new book or author at times, that’s how we expand our literary horizons. Right? We all have our favorite genres and authors. What incites you to try a new genre or author? Are you looking for something different, bored with what you’ve been reading or did someone recommend a book that sounded good to you? Oh, one more thing. Do you like stand alone books or series?

Now, there are people that try something new, in this case a book, and didn’t like it. So — don’t buy or read that type of genre again. Right? Why leave a nasty comment/review to the author knowing that she/he has put her heart and soul into this book and been brave enough to share it with the world? I just can’t figure it out. Sure, I’ve bought and read books I didn’t particularly care for, a few I didn’t even finish. But I would never dream of leaving a review that would cut the author to the core of their being.

Writing is subjective. I know that. Not everyone will like what you write. I get that too. What I don’t get is the mean spirited actions of those few people that have to leave a troll review. Yes, this has happened to me on occasion, when it does, I yank up my big girl panties, read it once then ignore it forever. But recently there’s been a rash of this insensitive behavior to authors of all different genres and it bothered me. So I did what any author does, I wrote about it. LOL Yes, I feel much better now. Thank you for asking.

Okay, I’m putting my soap box back under the bed and promise never to use this as a forum for a… okay, almost never do this again. Next post, bright and cheery – oh, did you know there is only 21 weeks until Christmas? That’s 151 days, and finally only 3,616 hours until Christmas. Just thought you’d like to know. <grin> I heard that collective groan. Oh wait, maybe that was me. LOL