Author Spotlight Interview: Holly Bargo
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 31, 2023
Today’s interview is with romance author Holly Bargo. Holly is also a ghost writer and editor and we enjoyed hearing more about her writing process, how she switches gears and her life outside of writing. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? HB: My stories go where my imagination takes them. I try to produce stories that engage the readers with realistic characters who have realistic reactions to extraordinary circumstances. I also do research to inject verisimilitude or realism into my stories, so the details ring true. HG: Tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind your books or where you get your ideas. HB: A lot of my ideas come as “what if” questions. Others arise from secondary characters in other stories wanting their stories told. That’s how I end up producing series. I don’t write stories in response to… Read More >
Wait, is there a FIFTH way to sell books?
By: Ginger | Posted on October 27, 2023
When Ginger posted his blog last week, at least one reader took exception to his stance that there were only four ways to effectively sell books, pointing out that a well-crafted book with effective marketing can also lead to success, even if it doesn’t result in overnight stardom. This question led Ginger to wonder whether there was a fifth way to sell books, and in today’s article he explores this topic by delving into the nuances of book sales, the definition of success and the effect of multiple factors working together to help build your career as an author. Last week I wrote a blog post entitled “The ONLY Four Ways to Sell Books” and not everybody was thrilled with it. One of our wonderful readers, Bonnie Bonaduce, had this to say about it: I have to say, this post was quite upsetting. As a new author recently published last… Read More >
Thrillers To Grab Before Halloween
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 24, 2023
If you’re looking for a can’t-put-down thriller for Halloween night, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve gathered five of the top-rated thrillers we’ve offered to Hidden Gems ARC readers this fall, each one full to the brim with action and thrills. The Jealous Wife by James Caine Expectant parents Nora and Jameson decide to move closer to her hometown to be near family. But their new neighbor is the reason Nora wanted to move away, and her name is Kelly Van Patten. Everyone falls for Kelly’s charm, except for Nora, who knows Kelly has something sinister in mind. “Whew! This was one twisted psychological thrill ride, and I loved every minute of it, right up until the mind-blowing ending. This thriller is so full of secrets and lies that the reader is constantly trying to figure out what is truly going on. It’s told in a dual perspective, alternating… Read More >
The ONLY Four Ways to Sell Books
By: Ginger | Posted on October 20, 2023
The distinction between marketing and selling is crucial, as many self-published authors have discovered the hard way. The best promotional campaigns may bring a potential reader to the edge of a sale, but isn’t always enough to close the deal. But if dumping money into ads isn’t the most effective way to sell copies of your book, then what is? That’s precisely the question Ginger addresses in today’s blog, as he delves into the four key attributes that have the power to significantly impact the conversion of traffic into sales. You don’t need to incorporate them all, as some may align better with your unique situation than others. Yet, harnessing just one of these attributes, as detailed below, can substantially enhance your chance of transforming your passion for writing into a thriving and profitable career. The purpose of many of my blogs is to help authors actually SELL copies of… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Amey Zeigler
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 17, 2023
Today’s interview is with author Amey Zeigler. Amey writes across multiple genres but all of her books include comedy. And, according to her official bio, because she grew up moving all around the United States, Amey loves writing about different places. In her books, she explores the whole world. It was an pleasure getting to know more about her writing process and publishing journey. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? AZ: My books are action-adventure-romantic-comedies. They aren’t boring. They aren’t your typical romance novels which is a double edged sword–they’re hard to classify, but they also go beyond tropes and one, simple storyline. They are packed with interesting situations, characters, questions, hard topics, and fun. I didn’t know about tropes when I first started writing and just wrote from the heart. Most of my books are from personal experiences and are… Read More >
Minding the Statistics: Key Ad Metrics to Focus On
By: Ginger | Posted on October 13, 2023
Whether you’re diving into Facebook ads or navigating Amazon’s advertising platform, understanding, interpreting and optimizing key ad metrics like CPC, CTR, Conversions, RoAS, Frequency and DPV can make all the difference in your marketing efforts. This week, Ginger is breaking all of these acronyms and confusing terms down as he attempts to lay out the main advertising metrics that authors should be paying attention to – which is in response to a very recent question posed to us via email. Once you have a deeper understanding of how these metrics play a part in the success of your campaign, you’ll be able to fine-tune your ads, maximize your book sales and reach new heights of success. Recently, we received an email from a reader and thought it would be a great topic for a blog post. The email read: I’d love to see a story about “minding the statistics”. Like,… Read More >
Fantasy Titles to Devour This Fall
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 10, 2023
Journey into worlds unlike our own in these 5 fantasy titles recently read and reviewed by Hidden Gems ARC readers – and remember, if you want to receive free fantasy books like these – or others from 15 different genres – just sign up today and select your favorites. The Renegades by Renata Riva After King Jethron Bloodthorne takes Iiriniss’ family, land and freedom, she swears to avenge her father. When she rescues a severely wounded prince from an ambush, she realizes it is Prince Terven, son of the King. But she can’t let him die, she has a debt to repay him. Over time, she learns that he is not like his father and two brothers. While Iiriniss and her sisters have found an ally, they also have found themselves in even more danger. “From the start of the book, you are drawn in and can’t put it down…. Read More >
What can GoT author George R.R. Martin teach us about Characterization?
By: Ginger | Posted on October 6, 2023
One of the biggest challenges new authors face is juggling multiple characters – especially when the story jumps between the viewpoint of different people. This is especially important when writing a series, or a big epic novel, but can also apply to smaller books and stories as well. One of the undisputed masters of juggling multiple character Points of View (POV) is George R.R. Martin – and in this blog post, Ginger will cover some of the things we can learn about characterization from studying his work. In addition to writing and self-publishing my own books, I’ve worked with a lot of authors and helped develop and edit their books. One of the issues I consistently find new authors struggle with is keeping a coherent point of view throughout their books – especially when they write them in third-person perspective, and jump from character to character. If done poorly, jumping… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Papa Paws
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 3, 2023
Today’s interview is with Nicholas J. Nawroth also known as author Papa Paws. Papa Paws along with his wife Mama Paws have created an entire heartwarming collection of children’s books about Molly Paws and her family. It was a pleasure getting to know more about their writing process and life outside of writing. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? PP: My wife and I don’t have human children, and my purpose in creating The Everyday Adventures of Papa & Paws® is to tell heartwarming tales that the entire family can enjoy together. Parents taking those precious minutes out of the day to read a story to their kids. Older siblings reading to their younger brothers and sisters. Grandparents having some quality time with their grandchildren. Making books that can make story time memorable and fun. That’s what it’s all about for… Read More >
