That's right! The tour is over, but the contest still has a few more days. In order to win an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of A HEART NOT EASILY BROKEN, you must follow the guidelines and live within the United States. Visit this post for the contest details. The contest ends on October 3rd. The winner will be announced on my blog and contacted via email on October 5th. Good luck everyone!
And now I must shout out all of the wonderful authors and bloggers who helped me put together my first blog tour....without you guys, my first release would not have seen the success it has!
Much love and thank you goes to:
Carolyn Arnold
Donna McBroom-Theroit
Debbie Brown
Candace Shaw
Delaney Diamond
Sharon C. Cooper
Manuscript Proofing
Carmen DeSousa
Chicki Brown
Thanks also goes to these wonderful bloggers/blog sites:
sjreisner.com
Warrior Princess Romance Writer
My Writing Journey
Chicks Who Love to Read
onevintageheart.com
Now for the tour highlights!
September 20th saw the release of my debut novel. Within hours it broke into the Amazon Multicultural Romance Bestseller list and has been moving up and down the chart ever since. It feels good being in the top 100 as an unknown! At last check, it had broke onto the first page at #19! (The numbers change hourly, but who cares! It's the fact that it got that far that counts!)
On September 28th, it broke into the Literature & Fiction>United States>African American Bestseller list and at last check, topped out at #48! (again, the numbers change hourly)
I also earned the Celebrating Authors All-Star status from CelebratingAuthors.blogspot.ca for the having one of the most read author features! My book cover and the link to the post are listed on the side bar of the site. That is so cool!
Within three days of it's release, I received my first official review from an enthusiastic reader who messaged me on Facebook and told me she'd be staying up until midnight to purchase the book, and let me know the next day that she was reading. By Sunday she was through and shouting our her praises in my first ever book review. It received a whopping 5 Stars! My favorite part:
My eyes water every time I read that. Suddenly, four years to reach this point doesn't feel like it was that long!
(I will be posting a new page with snippets of reviews soon. Look for the page at the top of the screen.)
In the last couple of days I have received emails and direct messages from authors wanting to know what I did to reach bestseller on day one. Honestly, I don't know. I've worked, planned, asked for and received help from authors with more experience than I have and followed the advice and direction of my team. And work, lots of hard work, tears, many pots of coffee, lots of candy bars, and untold hours of missed sleep.
Sounds like a lot of fun, right? Oh yeah, but believe me, there were times I seriously wondered (especially when I was crying) why on earth I even attempting to be published in the first place. What was wrong with just reading someone else stories? No stress, no headaches, and the only reason I'd miss sleep would be because I was too wrapped up in their tales. But then one of my characters would hold out a hand, help me back up, and encourage me to keep going. My family continued to tell me they believed in me, and then I knew I would not be able to give up because if I did, I not only would be letting myself down, they would be let down too.
Now every time they look at me, they smile, which means I'm smiling too!
So, what's next?
More work of course!!! Now is time to find a new balance in my life. Along with being a mom and wife, I can officially add published author to my many titles. I am also now an official director of my local writer's group held at, where else, my local library! Then there is learning how to balance promoting my book with editing the next one. Keeping up fresh blog content and continuing to promote and support my fellow authors at 5 Prince Publishing along with the numerous other authors I become friends with along the way. I swear, I have learned so much in the last four years that one day, I am going to write a book about it.......hmm, not a bad idea!
Anyways, stay tuned folks, strap on your seat belt and get ready for the ride! Until the next time! WRITE WELL!!!
And now I must shout out all of the wonderful authors and bloggers who helped me put together my first blog tour....without you guys, my first release would not have seen the success it has!
Much love and thank you goes to:
Carolyn Arnold
Donna McBroom-Theroit
Debbie Brown
Candace Shaw
Delaney Diamond
Sharon C. Cooper
Manuscript Proofing
Carmen DeSousa
Chicki Brown
Thanks also goes to these wonderful bloggers/blog sites:
sjreisner.com
Warrior Princess Romance Writer
My Writing Journey
Chicks Who Love to Read
onevintageheart.com
September 20th saw the release of my debut novel. Within hours it broke into the Amazon Multicultural Romance Bestseller list and has been moving up and down the chart ever since. It feels good being in the top 100 as an unknown! At last check, it had broke onto the first page at #19! (The numbers change hourly, but who cares! It's the fact that it got that far that counts!)
On September 28th, it broke into the Literature & Fiction>United States>African American Bestseller list and at last check, topped out at #48! (again, the numbers change hourly)
I also earned the Celebrating Authors All-Star status from CelebratingAuthors.blogspot.ca for the having one of the most read author features! My book cover and the link to the post are listed on the side bar of the site. That is so cool!
Within three days of it's release, I received my first official review from an enthusiastic reader who messaged me on Facebook and told me she'd be staying up until midnight to purchase the book, and let me know the next day that she was reading. By Sunday she was through and shouting our her praises in my first ever book review. It received a whopping 5 Stars! My favorite part:
“Chapter one till the end you will find this novel a captivating excellent read. How this author was able to do this was simply a work of art.”-Goodreads Review
My eyes water every time I read that. Suddenly, four years to reach this point doesn't feel like it was that long!
(I will be posting a new page with snippets of reviews soon. Look for the page at the top of the screen.)
In the last couple of days I have received emails and direct messages from authors wanting to know what I did to reach bestseller on day one. Honestly, I don't know. I've worked, planned, asked for and received help from authors with more experience than I have and followed the advice and direction of my team. And work, lots of hard work, tears, many pots of coffee, lots of candy bars, and untold hours of missed sleep.
Sounds like a lot of fun, right? Oh yeah, but believe me, there were times I seriously wondered (especially when I was crying) why on earth I even attempting to be published in the first place. What was wrong with just reading someone else stories? No stress, no headaches, and the only reason I'd miss sleep would be because I was too wrapped up in their tales. But then one of my characters would hold out a hand, help me back up, and encourage me to keep going. My family continued to tell me they believed in me, and then I knew I would not be able to give up because if I did, I not only would be letting myself down, they would be let down too.
Now every time they look at me, they smile, which means I'm smiling too!
So, what's next?
More work of course!!! Now is time to find a new balance in my life. Along with being a mom and wife, I can officially add published author to my many titles. I am also now an official director of my local writer's group held at, where else, my local library! Then there is learning how to balance promoting my book with editing the next one. Keeping up fresh blog content and continuing to promote and support my fellow authors at 5 Prince Publishing along with the numerous other authors I become friends with along the way. I swear, I have learned so much in the last four years that one day, I am going to write a book about it.......hmm, not a bad idea!
Anyways, stay tuned folks, strap on your seat belt and get ready for the ride! Until the next time! WRITE WELL!!!
MJ
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