For My Shyer Readers (Help me out?)

Be one of Frannie's champions?

Recently we were polling new members at our summer swim club about how they heard about us and why they joined. The overwhelming reply: the pool was recommended by friends. All the fancy schmancy marketing in the world can't begin to touch word-of-mouth.

As a self-published author, all marketing is up to me and I'm learning as I go, but I've discovered the wonders of word-of-mouth apply even more in the world of books. Especially in the world of books. My readers fall into a few buckets:

1. Those who read and are willing to post a review in a public forum (usually Amazon or a blog mention). This, sadly for me, is the smallest contingent (2%?). (You know who you are, and I kiss you.) I had no idea public writing struck fear to the hearts of many. Public speaking, yes, but public writing?
   
   
2. Those who read and will give it a star-rating on Goodreads. No review, but a rating. I appreciate it, since at least their friends see it, and it adds to the ratings data. Again, this constitutes a handful of people (1%?).
   
   
3. Those who stop me in passing or shoot me a quick email/text to tell me they liked the book. Don't get me wrong. I am deeply appreciative, and it always makes my day, but marketingwise it doesn't go any further. (20% or more?)
   
   
4. The silent others. Granted, if they hated the book, it's probably best they keep silent. Or, I suppose, they never read it, in which case I really can't count them as readers. Hmm... (75% of the pie)

I came across an interesting re-post this morning that inspired me to take keyboard in hand and type this post for you because it had lovely suggestions for my shyer readers. If you enjoyed The Beresfords or Everliving or Mourning Becomes Cassandra or The Littlest Doubts or Mia and the Magic Cupcakes, would you consider letting someone else know?

• Post a link to the book on your Facebook page. Don't have to say much--just something like, "Need a summer read? I liked this one!" (One minute option.)
  
  
• Tweet about the book! (30 second option) Whenever I read something I would give 4 stars or higher, I tweet about it and do a Goodreads rating and post.
  
  
• Pin a copy of the book cover on your Pinterest page. Confession: I don't do Pinterest, but I'm guessing this would be another 30-second operation.
  
  
• Lend your copy out to someone you think might enjoy it. I don't mind. Maybe that person will love writing a public review. :) (No time at all!)
  
  
• Suggest it for your book club. I love to visit. Depending on your book club, this might be quick and painless to do, or you might have to prepare an oral report and be ready to do battle.
  
  
• Give a copy as a gift. Guess what all my kids' teachers are getting in a couple weeks? Uh-huh. They got Mia and the Magic Cupcakes for Christmas, so it's The Beresfords for spring.
  
  
• Invite friends to my next bookstore signing and go out for a meal/drink afterward. I'll be at University Book Store Bellevue on Wednesday, July 18, at 6:30. Walking distance to Zeek's Pizza, Black Bottle, and countless other fun places.

If you have other quick and easy and painless ideas to help me out, be sure to mention them in the comments. I so appreciate you all!

End-of-Summer Denial

We interrupt this Mansfield Park book club to share a picture a reader sent me with the note: "one christina book for the summer is never enough...had to re-read "littlest doubts". so so good."

Love it! Both the sentiment and the picture. 


I've been in California the past week, with limited (i.e., only on my phone's tiny screen) internet access and am now off for a few more days in eastern WA, so more has to wait, but book ideas are burning a hole in my brain! Really, really hope our school district doesn't strike...


Two P.S.es: on the long drive we listened to 2.3 books on tape. While I love the book Seabiscuit almost as much as Hillenbrand's follow-up Unbroken, let me just say that the audio Seabiscuit is phenomenal. Thrilling and moving and funny. If you have, oh, say, twelve hours of driving on your hands, let me recommend it.

Colin and the Mary-Kates

Gratitude and air kisses going out this morning to Mary's Book Club (a.k.a. Kate's Book Club) in Kirkland, Washington. As with the "Widows" Book Group a few weeks back, these lovely ladies were inviting me back for the second time! You gotta love a group that will talk with you at great length about your first book and then be willing to give up one of the precious twelve slots to do your sequel. To make room for The Littlest Doubts, they doubled up for November because--hey--no one has anything else going on in November (???). How about Marlo Morgan's Mutant Message Down Under and Greg Grandin's Fordlandia for an odd pairing?

This outspoken book club was one of the first to host Mourning Becomes Cassandra, and when I say that talking to readers made me think about things I hadn't considered before, these are the readers I had in mind. Very insightful. Liz, so far, has been the first and only reader to pick up on a Pride and Prejudice-inspired plot development in TLD. (See? I don't just post pictures of Colin Firth for my health.) They argued about where the Palace was located and where Cass fell off her bike and whether firemen like people popping by. They wanted to know where Cass and Skandar got coffee, if I'd ever been to a video game convention, whether Cass acted out of judgment or fear. Mary had some observations and corrections to my hospital scene and offered her services in reading over medical scenes in the future. Invaluable. That makes one nurse, one pharmacist, and two lawyers in the stable. If anyone out there was also a turn-of-the-century redwood logger in California, please contact me. Not kidding.

Another pioneer of the evening was First Reader to Read the Sequel Without Reading MBC. This was a horror for me ranking up with all those Readers Who Read the Ending First coming out of the woodwork. I've only once read books out of order (Nicholas Sparks' At First Sight--still haven't read True Believer), and it gave me a queasy feeling, like I'd skipped a grade without actually learning my times tables. This is my personal problem, however, because the sequel-reader seemed perfectly at peace--just like all those ending-spoilers.

All in all, a lovely, lively meeting. There were even brownies, which I was secretly hoping for. And the Mary-Kates have invited me back for next year, to talk about whichever of my three current projects I manage to complete. Thanks, ladies. XOXO.

THE LITTLEST DOUBTS Launch-a-palooza!

Friends and readers! Thanks for turning out last night to launch THE LITTLEST DOUBTS with me. Your presence and support and encouragement meant the world. I was thrilled to hear about people who were introduced to my books when someone lent them MOURNING BECOMES CASSANDRA. Keep passing those books along, folks! And do let me know what you think of the new adventures.

Special gratitude for dear Margo who hosted and wowed us with her Pinkabella Cupcakes and beautiful home, despite a migraine. If you enjoyed your Margarita cupcake, or your Strawberry Lemonade, or your Chocolate-Chocolate, be sure to check out the grand opening of the new store in Bellevue Square on Saturday, June 5!

Thanks also to my book sherpas and those hornswoggled into manning the name tag and $$$$ table, and to friends who scoured their fridges and pantries for noshes.

At best I hope my books are about joy, friendship, and the community we find in each other. The evening embodied it perfectly.

One more time, thank you! Enjoy the read!

P.S. To those of you who listened to the reading and told me, "That isn't what Nadina sounds like at all!"--let me just say, what would you know about the matter?

P.P.S. To those of you who have asked why the heck the paperback isn't yet available on Amazon, I just shot them an email with the same question. I loaded it up, it shows as "Active," and...it's not there! Feel free to order from the press, in the meantime.

P.P.P.S. To those of you who couldn't make this one, more launch parties on the way. Shoot me an email or comment on the blog for an invitation.

P.P.P.P.S. Still dying to horn in on your book club, if you'll have me. Keep me posted. Form a book club, if you're not in one. Friendship and community, People!

Have Beach Umbrellas and Margaritas Standing By...

Because I've got books! 513 copies, to be exact, and here's how to get one:

1) If you're coming to a launch party, I've got you covered (if you RSVPed). No need to buy a book ahead because you'll get your copy there--signed, if you like! There's still room for guests, so let me know if you'll be coming: Tues 5/25, Thurs 5/27, Fri 6/4 (evening parties). Tues 6/8 (morning).


2) If you own a Kindle, I've loaded the book and Amazon tells me it  should be available in 48 hours, which comes out to Sunday morning. As a special bonus, THE LITTLEST DOUBTS will only cost $9.95 on Kindle because I don't have to pay for printing or shipping. If you own an iPad, you can read it on Kindle for iPad. If you own a Nook, forgive me--it should be available whenever Google Editions launches in June or July. B&N and iBooks require individual ISBN numbers to sell through them, and ISBNs cost $125 a pop!

3) You can buy the book NOW on my website, and I'll ship it to you Media Mail. Bay Area readers can also practice delayed gratification and wait until the California launch parties in August, dates TBD.

4) As with MBC, I'll be selling TLD like crack out of the back of the van. Catch me around town or at the church or a book event. See the Events on my website.

5) If you only do Amazon, you can place a pre-sale order, and the book will be shipped on or around June 9. Longer wait--it's called windowing. Since Amazon takes the heftiest cut, I'm trying to recover some costs before I open that channel. Same with the bookstore.

6) And finally, you can, of course, request it through your library system and get your hands on it in a couple months.

Thanks for reading and for all your encouragement! Let me know how you like it.

Ten-Finger Discount on THE LITTLEST DOUBTS

My high school boyfriend used to refer to shoplifting as the "five-finger discount." Which is not to say he was a thief, just that he must have had some friends who were. Oh, and he somehow was always giving me really nice gifts that I couldn't show anyone.

Anyhow, I wouldn't encourage any of you to employ the five-finger discount on my book, since I have to pony up to print them myself, besides which it's totally illegal, but I did want to offer you the possibility of a ten-finger discount. Yes! Put your ten fingers to a good use and I'll throw your name in a hat to get a free copy of THE LITTLEST DOUBTS next week!

No purchase necessary (if you read MOURNING BECOMES CASSANDRA at the library or borrowed a friend's copy) and Countless Ways to Win:

1. Write an Amazon review for MBC. It only takes a sec and can be as short as a sentence (and a star rating), and you can even use a pseudonym if you always wished and wished your parents had named you "Bunny Hatchet" or, say, "The New York Times." (Note: if you loathed MBC and would only give it a 2- or 1-star rating, then please refrain from posting a review. Although I am wondering, in that case, why you're reading this blog post or why you would be interested in a free copy of the probably-equally-loathsome-to-your-taste THE LITTLEST DOUBTS.)

2. Write a Goodreads or Shelfari review for MBC. You have to be a member of these sites to do so and use your actual user name, but otherwise the same rules apply.

3. Start or contribute to a discussion thread and mention MBC. You could start a discussion thread on Amazon or www.KindleBoards.com or Goodreads or any other book site. Or contribute to an ongoing discussion with a little, "Did I mention my favorite beach read from last summer? It's on sale on Kindle right now for $2.99 and the sequel comes out next week!!!"

4. Review MBC on your blog. Check this post, for example (scroll down to "The Cass Collection") or this one.

5. Throw a book party for friends and neighbors, or have your book club host me.

5. Strip down, use body paint to adorn yourself with a copy of my book covers, and streak through your town, getting yourself on the evening news. For this option I'm going to go ahead and say you get a free copy, flat out.

And the contest FAQ:
Can I enter more than once? Of course. Knock yourself out. Streak naked through two towns, if you like.

How will you know if I've done anything? Shoot me an email at christinadudley@gmail.com or put the link in the comments here.

What if I've already written you a review or done your book in my book club or streaked naked through town? Do I get credit? Yeah, baby!

How come I haven't received my book launch party evite yet? Check last week's post for dates and times. I might just need your email, or your email might have thrown the evite in the trash.

Why is the Kindle edition of MBC on sale for $2.99 but not the paperback? Because Amazon charges me an arm and a leg to sell there, and I have to pay shipping to them. If you want a discounted paperback, I'll have them at my launch parties.

Thanks for your help and good luck!

Parties and Events!

Okay, we're in the home stretch before my new baby, THE LITTLEST DOUBTS gets officially launched, and I don't seem to be the only person confused. For a certain space of time (i.e., until I can recover some of my costs), I'm holding off on getting TLD on Amazon or in the bookstore. The one exception will be the Kindle edition, which I'll try to get up on or before D-Day.

Here are some key dates for you:

Tuesday, May 25. The official launch date. If you would like to come to the evening party, lay hands on your copy and scarf down a Pinkabella cupcake, then I need your email address for the evite. Shoot it to me at bellavitapress@gmail.com.

Thursday, May 27. Launch party numero due. Another evening affair. No cupcakes, but there will be other noshes, and, of course, Cass and Friends!

Thursday, June 3. I'll be visiting the Overlake Country Club book club at 3:00 p.m. to talk about MOURNING BECOMES CASSANDRA. This isn't an official launch party, but I'll have copies of the sequel with me. I don't imagine you can come unless a member invites you, but you can always pose as my relative.  :)

Friday, June 4. Another evening launch party. Does this date work better for you? Shoot me an email at bellavitapress@gmail.com.

Tuesday, June 8. Woo hoo! A morning book party! 9:30 a.m. Same deal. Let me know if you'd like an invitation.

For my out-of-town readers or local fans who are chronically overscheduled, you can always hit me up when you see me or buy directly off the Bellavita Press website after the launch date. I hope to do a book event in the Bay Area in August... And I will eventually get it on Amazon. Probably June.

Feeling poor but literate? Request that your local library purchase a copy. Direct them to the Bellavita Press website or Amazon.

Oh, and if you still haven't had a chance to hear me read from MOURNING, I'll be speaking during the "Writers Read!" session of Plymouth Church's Many Voices Pentecost Arts Festival in Seattle on Saturday, May 22, between 4-6 p.m. This will be an abbreviated version of the talk I gave at Seattle U's Book Festival--mostly about all the rules my book accidentally broke. Copies available for sale! Hope to see some friendly faces.

Guy Reads

According to a Harper's Index figure I read recently, 27% of Americans have not read a book in the past year. I mention this not as a cause for hand-wringing, but just as an interesting note. Until the last couple years, my own husband would have fallen into this 27%, since his brain is toast by the end of the day and we always had at least one child home on his day off. However, thanks to the miracle of children growing older and free public schooling, he now gets to indulge in some leisure reading. The guy has a PhD in English, after all, so this is a very good thing. Add to the child-free day off the fact that, after twenty-five-odd years of running every single day, his knees are giving out, and he has to work out on the elliptical, plus he's been traveling a lot, and you'll see why Scott has managed to get through several books in the last couple months. The guy will never have enough time to blog about it for you, however, so I thought he could guest-post on my Books and Beyond (only the guest post will be ghost-written by me).

So the rundown, in reverse chronological order:

1.  LINCOLN: BIOGRAPHY OF A WRITER by Fred Kaplan. Scott found this so dry and dull that he was considering picking up something--anything-- in the airport bookstore instead. Seems like it would be thrilling for people who love history and Lincoln and language, but I also used it as a nap-aid.
   
2. CITY OF THIEVES by David Benioff. (If these books start to sound familiar it's because I usually suggest to him books I enjoyed.) Total guy book. Reviewed it at Christmas, and sure enough, Scott loved it--great characters and "he does coming-of-age so well."
   
3. THE LITTLEST DOUBTS by Christina Dudley. You read that right. Scott read the whole manuscript and said.....(drumroll)..."it's really hard to put down. You want to know what happens" and "it sparkles." (!!!) If he weren't my very own husband, I'd put that endorsement on the cover, but as it is, it would look rather suspect.
   
4. PEACE LIKE A RIVER by Leif Enger. Another favorite from my book club. Coming of age, faith, road trip. This book has it all.
   
5. THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy. This book was unusual in that Scott read it first and recommended it to me. Father-son, lyrical, haunting, coming of age, etc. etc.
   
6. DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens. One of my favorite Dickens books (hence its inclusion in MBC), but Scott ranked it a little lower. Plus it took him a long old time to get through, and he kept forgetting who people were.

Anyone have some other good guy reads? My stepfather loves WWII history books...anyone else?

Nobody Told Me There'd Be Days Like These

Okay, whew. Forgive (again) my lack of blogging, but I've been over in Eastern Washington with the in-laws, and, yes, Virginia, there are still houses in America with no wi-fi.

To hit the highlights:

1. Book and Game in Walla Walla is a wonderful store in a wonderful town. It's like a mini University Bookstore, and the location on Main Street, flanked by all kinds of locally-owned, upscale restaurants in historic buildings, can't be beat. Thank you to Ben and Nathan for your help in set-up and for fetching me an Earl Grey, as if I were a VIP. If you're ever in town, we hit up Brasserie Four for dinner (the quiche!) and Olive for dessert. When the guy at Olive rang up my Olympic-sized lemon bar and brownie and cup of milk for $5, I could not believe it.
2. Only 1/3 of the event attendees were related to me (2 out of--gulp!--6), and only 1/3 of the attendees were related to each other (again, 2 out of 6, but not the same 2). However, per capita they bought more books than my last two events. Nice.
3. The next day, my husband's aunt swung by and wanted a copy, although she quailed when she heard there was bad language in it. "But not the F word, right?" she said, hopefully.
4. We saw a gen-u-Ine beaver near Howard Amon Park, not steps from where Cass plays with James' nieces. I should have made that scene more realistic by having one of the nieces step in goose poop.
5. And, final highlight, our return trip in the trusty minivan was epic, thanks to nonstop snow that prevented us coming back the speedy way over Snoqualmie Pass. We resorted to the very long and very scenic detour through the Columbia Gorge where the wind gusts threatened to hurl us into the river, followed by downpours straight out of Dante of rain and hail. Amazing. All that for 10 books!

There must be an easier way to lose money.

However, if there is, I'm not going to explore it yet because my cover designer and I have agreed on a tentative cover for the sequel to MOURNING BECOMES CASSANDRA. The title of the new book? Drumroll, please.....THE LITTLEST DOUBTS! (Without the exclamation point.)

More to follow. For now, though, I think I'd better go lie down.