YA Books for the Winter Break
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 29, 2022
Are your middle-grade or young adult readers looking for novels to fill the winter break? Our Hidden Gems ARC readers recently loved the following ya books, and we bet the middle-grade or young reader in your life will, as well. Who knows – you may find yourself a fan of the following titles, too. The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith With 20+ ratings and a 4.9 average star rating, The Hollow Boys is the first in the two book Dream Rider Saga. The Hollow Boys is the story of Will, the boy who can walk in dreams, and siblings Case and Fader, who are fighting to survive the danger that is lurking in the streets. Ami A. raves in her five star Amazon review, “The Hollow Boys by the extremely talented wordsmith, Douglas Smith, is an excellent fantasy adventure! The characters are relatable and the protagonists easy to understand and… Read More >
How To Create a Facebook Lookalike Audience
By: Ginger | Posted on November 25, 2022
As Ginger pointed out in a recent blog post, creating a Facebook lookalike audience is a powerful way to use your own mailing list to build an audience of likeminded readers more likely to buy your books than a more generic group. After reading that article, one author left a comment asking for more details on how exactly they would do that. Well, ask and ye shall receive. Today, Ginger is providing step-by-step instructions on not only how to create such an audience, but how to make sure you’re pulling the best people from your own list as the source. A few weeks ago, I posted a blog entitled Is Your Freebie Lead Magnet Costing You Money? That was a post about how the source of your mailing list subscribers could be impacting how effective they are at marketing your book – and how it’s more valuable to gain subscribers… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Karina McRoberts
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 22, 2022
Today’s interview is with Australian author, illustrator, musician, and theatre producer Karina McRoberts. She shared her writing process, passions and details about projects that are in the works. It was an honor getting to know more about Karina’s writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? KM: If you want different, try me. Example: “Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts is by far one of the most unique books I have ever read” (editorial review from Readers’ Favorite). I’m eclectic and write in several genres. I mainly write what I call Intelligent Fiction. Stories that entertain, of course, but also give pause for thought ̶ on a whole bunch of fascinating topics! I want to involve readers in some magic, not just “talk at them”. We need magic! It’s a constant challenge to create words that… Read More >
How to Mine Your Email Mailing List
By: Ginger | Posted on November 18, 2022
There’s a good reason why most authors start working on an email mailing list as soon as they can. Having a list of readers that love your work is not only a great ego boost, but can be an invaluable marketing tool. There are a variety of different ways to build your list, but the different techniques lead to different sorts of readers, each of whom provides a different value, assuming you know how to tell the difference and how to use each type. That’s exactly what Ginger will be going over in this week’s blog. Not only how to identify and separate your subscribers into the types of benefits they can provide, but how best to attain those benefits without alienating anyone on your list. Last month we posted a blog called Is Your Freebie Lead Magnet Costing You Money? The post addressed my belief that the source of your… Read More >
Romance Novels to Add to Your Cart
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 15, 2022
If you’re a regular on the Hidden Gems blog, you’ll know that romance is the most popular genre in the Hidden Gems ARC program. Our readers know that no two love stories are the same, so they scoop up new books every chance they get. Check out this list and decide which you’ll be adding to your cart! Sweet Slow Sizzle by Sadira Stone With 30 ratings and a 4.6 star average, Sweet Slow Sizzle is the final book in the four book Bangers Tavern Romance series. You do not need to have read any of the other books in this series to enjoy, but reviewers say that you’ll want to dive into the other books in this series. Sweet Slow Sizzle is the story of Lana, a young server struggling to keep her brothers in line after the tragic death of their parents; and Jojo, a bouncer who has… Read More >
Ian Fleming Publications Quietly Revolutionizes the Publishing Industry
By: Ginger | Posted on November 11, 2022
In yet another blow to traditional publishing’s quickly loosening grip of an industry they once entirely dominated, the estate of Ian Fleming recently announced they would be taking back control of the James Bond books and publishing them on their own. Self-publishing may have taken off by giving a voice to smaller authors that couldn’t (or chose not to) go the traditional route, but moves like this are a signal that the tide has changed, and it is quickly becoming the self-publishing path that is the more desirable one to follow – for both small time authors and big names alike. I expect that it won’t be long before we start seeing more examples of popular traditionally published authors and franchises making similar moves. On October 5, 2022, the world recognized the 60th anniversary of the celluloid James Bond – marking six decades since the first movie in the franchise,… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Beth Barany
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 8, 2022
Today’s interview is with award-winning author Beth Barany. We learned more about her journey to publication, how she switches between genres and her interests outside of writing. It was an honor getting to know a talented writer like Beth. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? BB: I write popular fiction in science fiction and fantasy, with adventure, mystery, and romance. HG: You also write non-fiction, is that correct? Which did you publish first? BB: I published in non-fiction first, my e-book Overcome Writer’s Block. I used these tips and techniques to be the prolific writer I am today. More about the book: From a writing teacher who has taught hundreds of students in writing classes in-person and online! Do you have writers block? Do you wish you could get writing now? Are you looking for writing prompts and story ideas to… Read More >
What Can George R. R. Martin Teach Us About Writing?
By: Ginger | Posted on November 4, 2022
Once again, Ginger is looking at another great writer for inspiration and lessons, boiling down what makes them so popular into little tidbits we can use and apply to our own writing. This time the author is George R. R. Martin, best known for his ongoing series of books and the hit HBO show based on them, Game of Thrones. Even though his world is made up of countless characters and each novel is hundreds of pages long, there are key elements that Martin sticks to in his books. His enormous and ever-growing fanbase is proof that his formula is popular among readers, which is why it’s worth digging into what it is he does so that we can determine if his techniques could work for us, as well. But be warned, for anyone that hasn’t yet read the books or watched the show, there are some minor spoilers ahead…. Read More >
Sci-Fi Reads to Cozy Up With This Month
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 1, 2022
Does the changing weather make you want to cozy up with a book and dream of faraway adventures in a different galaxy? We have a list of books to add to your reading list! Our Hidden Gems ARC reviewers loved the following sci-fi reads, and we bet you will, too. Broken World by Grace Hamilton With 390+ ratings and a 4.5 star average, Broken World is the first book in the four book EMP Aftermath series. Broken World follows Bear and Laurel, who are frantically fighting to save those they can in a post-apocalyptic world after life changes in an instant. Marjorie G. raves in her five star Amazon review, “This book drew me in from the first page. I loved it so much that as soon as I finished it I did a pre-buy for the next one. It is fast paced with detail to keep your attention, but… Read More >
