Author life, When the Echo Answers, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit, Young Adult Cami Author life, When the Echo Answers, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit, Young Adult Cami

Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace

I learned a lot about myself writing Maxwell Wallace.  I’ve mentioned before that my ability to write female characters has been difficult and why that is (here), but Max is the first female character I’ve written fully formed without having to do much of anything. That was new for me, and I think a testament to the power of who she is as a character. So real. So alive. 

When the Echo Answers is a companion novel to In the Echo of this Ghost Town

When the Echo Answers is a companion novel to In the Echo of this Ghost Town

In honor of her, here are 4 things I learned from Max while writing this book:

Speak your mind

I grew up with the “be a good girl” lessons rooted in white, patriarchal, Christian home.  I’m not disparaging my experience. I had a wonderful childhood with amazing parents and family, but this “good girl” expectation didn’t serve me when I walked out into the world without the safety net of my loving family. My naivety opened doors to major mishaps. If I’d been taught that my voice mattered equally, I wonder how things might have been different.

Cal, Maxwell’s dad, has taught her that her voice matters. That her voice is equal to everyone else and she doesn’t have to be “the good girl” but instead just a smart one. Maybe, on some level, this is the kind of girl I’d wished I’d been. Maybe Max can empower a young woman to find her voice, know her worth, and speak up (even when the expectations are to be a “good girl”). What I would tell that girl: You are still a good girl even when you speak up. SPEAK UP!

Don’t Apologize

Asking forgiveness is a good thing. That’s not what I mean when I say “don’t apologize.” Instead, this is referencing those apologies for existing, for having an opinion, for being different, or using your voice to care for yourself.  It goes back to speaking up, but not feeling like your voice matters so you need to somehow disparage it by offering the “I’m sorry…”

Max doesn’t apologize unless she should. Goodness.  Cal has taught her that she matters. And as she says in the book, “My father has shown me that everyday.”  This!

Be Rude

One of my favorite podcasters—Crime Junkies—say this all the time. “It’s okay to be rude. Be rude. Stay alive.” Max is “rude” but maybe it isn’t so much as rude as assertive, confident, and self-assured.  She knows her worth (even if she struggles sometimes, because don’t we all), but the lessons from her father lead her to the path of trusting herself.  She says, “One of dad’s lessons: trust your instincts.”

I’ve gotten better at this, especially when it comes to my art. There’s this really great book I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to all creatives and especially women, and for women in general. Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD. It’s a dense read, but ultimately, the idea is that as women we have shut down our intuition (due to all sorts of cultural and societal factors), but we need to reconnect to it. It is in our innate knowledge that we find the truth of our identity, our power, ourselves. It’s beautiful.

Don’t Hesitate. Just sit down

In the scene at the beginning when she sits down with Griffin outside the convenience store, Max says, “I leave the confines of the store and approach moody boy like he’s a wild animal in the zoo. Okay, too tentative. I actually just sit down. I don’t do too much with hesitancy and never have. Hesitancy hasn’t gotten me much, and besides, there isn’t time for it. Lessons from my father haven’t been about hanging back or blending into the background.” 

 I love this. 

This lesson has so many applications. Whether it’s putting myself out there as an author with local bookstores, submitting that query to an agent, offering insight on my latest blog, or teaching a webinar, I can’t be hesitant. Sure, there’s a time to ponder and reflect to find the best plan of action, but then it’s time to commit. To step forward. To put myself on the line. 

Max does this.  I love it. I love her.

I hope you do too.

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YALit, Young Adult, YA Fiction, YA Contemporary Cami YALit, Young Adult, YA Fiction, YA Contemporary Cami

Road to Echoes: Tropes

Examples of the Love-Triangle trope

Examples of the Love-Triangle trope

Tropes—or the plot-situational cliches found in stories—are unavoidable and don’t equate to “bad writing.” It’s more accurate to recognize that tropes exist because every story has already been written. Tropes are a product of the human condition, or our own journey to understand it, so as readers we cling to these familiar and comfortable constructs. The chosen one trope allows us to explore our own journey, grappling with our own self worth and importance to our own narrative; the authoritarian government who steals freedom trope offers readers a place to wrestle with the constraints in their own lives; the love-triangle trope creates the opportunity to understand our own needs for our own various relationships. The trick for writers is to recognize the trope, discover a way to retell it to make it new again, all while remaining truthful. 

In the Echo of this Ghost Town and When the Echo Answers (both available for preorder) are full of familiar tropes. I thought I’d take this blog to explore four of the tropes you’ll find in these two stories, and explore how I tried to twist the device to make it fresh.

Misfit Trope.png

  1. The Misfit

As a trope, the misfit (the “I’m not like other girls” or the “I’m so misunderstood”) has been overdone. Is it a surprise that it comes up over and over with YA fiction? Seriously. Didn’t we all feel like we didn’t quite belong as teenagers and were working overtime to try and find our tribe. It isn’t a shock to me to see this one come up over and over. All people, especially teens, are working through their sense of identity in relationship to others. But this trope has worn reader patience thin (I have some theories about this) but guess what, it's in both In the Echo of this Ghost Town and When the Echo Answers.

The good news is that you won’t see the phrases “I’m not like other guys/girls”, or “I’m so misunderstood” in either novel. Rather, the trope is in the circumstances and the emotional baggage of it that both Griffin and Maxwell carry. Griffin’s friends have abandoned him—at least that’s how he sees it—so he’s alone. Not only that, his friends have broken the bro code which makes Griffin see his perspective as the “right one.” On the other hand, Maxwell, by necessity, hasn’t ever had the opportunity to find her tribe. Instead, she’s moved so much with her single dad, that her misfit status has been an act of geography and situation instead of carting around the perceived social stigma. Her understanding of herself has been developed in her relationship with her father and a myriad of temporary relationships she’s had a long way.

Friends-to-Lovers Trope.png

2. Friends to Lovers


Friends to lovers is rather obvious. As a trope it hits the mark of realizing that through friendship, stronger and deeper feelings have the potential to develop. A great classic example of this trope is Emma by Jane Austen. I love to write the friends-to-lovers trope, and I suppose it is because it adheres to the nature of relationships in my brain. So in both Ghost Town and the Echo Answers, this trope takes center stage. It is situational to Griffin and Max’s experience. They begin as strangers (more on that later), become proximity acquaintances, develop a tentative camaraderie, until that deepens into friendship and then crosses into love. The journey to that happening in opposition (or reinforcement) to both character’s wants is what is at stake.

3. The Dysfunctional Family & the Absent Parent


A common (and legitimate) complaint about YA books is the “missing family”, the “orphan”, and the “dysfunctional family” tropes that are common in the category. My theory about the pervasiveness of this trope is because there is a need for the protagonist to develop a sense of self. An easy way to put them into a vacuum is to make them an orphan, remove the family, or create a family that is nonexistent in their lives. This choice, however, isn’t consistent with real life. Adults exist in teens’ lives, and they are formative in the development of a teen’s identity. This has created a need in the book category to characterize families (of all kinds). Thankfully, I’ve seen a lot more of this in recent years.

In both Griffin’s and Max’s stories, families are important. While In the Echo of this Ghost Town does explore the idea of a “dysfunctional” family, rather than keeping them removed from Griffin’s life, the story explores how one might rebuild relationships rather than keeping them distant. In Max’s case in When the Echo Answers, her dad, Cal, is integral to her life. He hasn’t been absent and instead has been a wonderful mentor, but Max will have to face the emotional consequences of her mother leaving them when she was a child. My hope, then, wasn’t to keep the family removed, but rather explore the ways these relationships impacted the characters, and then how the characters face these relationships as they form their identities.

4. A Meet-Cute

The Meet-Cute is a common romance trope in which the couple will meet for the first time by being thrown into a “cute” or interesting situation. An example is in the Adam Sandler movie 50 First Dates with Drew Barrymore. The entire movie is based on the idea of a meet-cute over a stack of pancakes. This trope is often a favorite. It’s the idea of being forced into a situation that raises the stakes often with obstacles and allows the protagonist(s) of the story to showcase their personalities.

I wouldn’t call the face-to-face meeting of Griffin and Max so much a meet-cute as I would a meet-weird. Griffin is sulking and Max calls him out on it by calling him a serial killer. They never exchange their names thinking they will never see one another again, but of course another meet-cute occurs, though meet-cute might be too sweet. Maybe a meet-surprise!

So there they are, four tropes you’ll find in my upcoming releases In the Echo of this Ghost Town and the companion novel When the Echo Answers. Are there more? Yes. (One of my favorites: the “there’s only one bed” situation. Hahahaha).  


Next Week: When the Echo Answers

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The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin

The picture of this young man is a photo I took from a fragrance ad (I wish I could remember which one. Maybe one of you know?!?). I saw him and thought: He could be a Griffin. I’d love to know who this model is so that I could give him credit.

The picture of this young man is a photo I took from a fragrance ad (I wish I could remember which one. Maybe one of you know?!?). I saw him and thought: He could be a Griffin. I’d love to know who this model is so that I could give him credit.

I write about young men a lot: Seth, Gabe, Tanner, and now Griffin. For some reason I connect to male characters more thoroughly. I have a theory about this. First, I was raised among boys. My sister and I were the only two girls in a family full of boys, and since my younger sister is special needs, my boy cousins were my playmates. This gave me access to boy culture and the inner workings of boy life. A second factor is the patriarchy, and I don’t mean this in a political sense but a cultural one. The boys in my family had full access: sports, attention, time, fun. I remember hearing: “Leave the boys alone. They don’t want you around.” In my formative, childhood mind, this meant that boys must be better than me—a girl— which began the journey of shutting down my femininity (Yes. I know this is tragic; don’t be too worried for me, I’ve spent my adulthood reconnecting). This factor has led to me writing much better male characters than female ones because I have had to rediscover and re-empower the feminine part of me. So there you have my theory about why.

But I can’t say that my personal experience with male culture and my anecdotal understanding meant that I’m equipped to write male nuances. I am still a woman, after all, and we all know how awful lots of men write women. I sure as hell didn’t want to do that. When Griffin’s character insisted that I write his story, I knew I was going to have to fill in some gaps in my knowledge. I needed a better grounding in the why of Bro Code (which is introduced in The Stories Stars Tell). 

Why take the time? I have lots of reasons,  but ultimately, I think it comes down to being a responsible storyteller. I don’t want anything I write to mischaracterize, nominalize, or misrepresent another group of people. 

So to the experts I went… Here’s a list of books I read on the topic.

Boys and Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity by Peggy Orenstein

The Man They Wanted Me to Be by Jared Yates Sexton

A Better Man: A (Mostly) Serious Letter to My Son by Michael Ian Black

Masterminds and Wingmen: helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World by Rosalind Wiseman

Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., and Michael Thompson, Ph.D.

There were other topics important to this story that I had to research which I can’t identify here because... spoilers… 


Next week:  The Story’s Structure — Putting the Narrative Together


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Young Adult, YA Fiction, YA Contemporary, The Stories Stars Tell Cami Young Adult, YA Fiction, YA Contemporary, The Stories Stars Tell Cami

The Stories Stars Tell: It's Here!

The Stories Stars Tell has published!

The Stories Stars Tell has published!

After 16 months of work, The Stories Stars Tell is here. I’m so excited to hand it over to you.

Here’s what I can’t wait to see from you:

  • Honest reviews (post one on Goodreads, amazon, or any other book platform)

  • Pictures of you reading or of the book (be sure to tag me or send them to me)

  • To know how the story inspired you.

  • Who were your favorite characters?

Look for a giveaway and a read-along in November (my birthday month!)

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Books for Teens, Fiction, This Then That, YA Fiction, Young Adult Cami Books for Teens, Fiction, This Then That, YA Fiction, Young Adult Cami

This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition

My dystopian and SciFi stack. And it doesn’t include a ton I’ve read because I left them on a bookshelf in one of my former classrooms for students.

My dystopian and SciFi stack. And it doesn’t include a ton I’ve read because I left them on a bookshelf in one of my former classrooms for students.

Let’s see. Where to begin. Oh, at the beginning of course.

Isaac Asimov, scientist and science fiction writer said, “The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing.” This never hit harder than having just finished the Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff this week (if you haven’t read them, please, please, please do that right away. Even if you aren’t a dystopian or SciFi fan, if you love stories, the human condition, and people pushing up against great odds for ideas rooted in justice—read it!) and Asimov’s sentiments speak so loudly to the love of reading. We turn the page because we are discovering, experiencing the story unfold. It is a beautiful paradigm.

I did think, however, when I sat down to lead the blog in a This-Then-That (see the premise in last week’s post) bookish delight using dystopian and SciFi as a theme, I would get stuck. I haven’t read many. So as I engaged in a bit of research, checked into my Goodreads list, my mouth dropped open. I’ve read a ton of dystopian. Granted, it was many years ago until the market grew saturated with the same story in different dressings, but it is safe to say that I love dystopian stories nearly as much as I love contemporary. And simultaneously, I rediscovered my adoration for Science Fiction.

Fun Story (maybe I’ve repeated it elsewhere, but forgive me, I’m climbing toward old age). When I was eight, my elementary school librarian suggested a book called We Are Not of Earth by Jean Karl. It tore open my whole universe and contributed to my current love of reading. These last two months as I’ve read several science fiction novels, my love for the genre reignited! What a joy to return to a place and rediscover the magic that opened that door initially.

So with that said, here’s the Dystopian/SciFi This-Then-That. (Thank you to my IG friends who help fill in some gaps).

THAT

THIS

These recommendations popped up on my IG story. I’ve added them to my TBR and I thought perhaps you might be interested in hearing about them as well. For your consideration:

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Books to Read, Young Adult, Fiction Cami Books to Read, Young Adult, Fiction Cami

Reading Wonderland: an Introduction

The Cantos Chronicles: a book stack.

The Cantos Chronicles: a book stack.

Reading is the opportunity to slip through a portal and walk in the shoes of the hero. Stephen King wrote that reading was “portable magic.” John Green said reading is the unique opportunity to develop empathy. Anyway around the description, reading is a way to escape while staying right where you are. And that is exactly where we find ourselves - stuck right where we are. 

I’m an avid reader regardless of circumstances. Whether I’m following “Stay-at-home” governmental mandates or just my own introverted stay at home preferences, reading is what I enjoy. Here’s some perspective, I set a Goodreads 2020 challenge of 100 books (last year I read 92).  I’m reading my 34th book this year as I round out April and head toward May. I finally picked up the fantasy A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, and as I write this am about 40 pages into the narrative (I can see why there are rave reviews!).

I started reading at a young age (though I don’t think that it is a prerequisite to finding a love of reading) and that book was Beverly Cleary’s Ramona, the Pest.  After making my way through all of Cleary’s books, I found a science fiction book by Jean Karl called But We Are Not of Earth. When I was a preteen, I babysat so I could go to my hometown’s one bookstore to buy Sunfire Romances and in high school, a friend introduced me to Lavyrle Spencer and Judith McNaught historical romances. I was hooked. I graduated to suspense novels, horror and mysteries until I was reading whatever I could get my hands on to help me find that portal and escape into a different world.

Always an introverted kid who hid social anxiety behind smiles and tools to seem like an extrovert, books allowed me to be brave. They helped me to take risks, to be the hero, or solve the mystery. They helped me fall in love and imagine worlds where bookish girls could be just as brave as ones who were really brave. Books helped me escape and find solace in the struggle of growing up and trying on who I was becoming. 

So, I’m always surprised when someone says, “I hate reading” or “I don’t read.” 

Seriously?

My answer is always: You just haven’t found your book yet. 

The truth is that there are so many books new and old, so many different writers and writing styles, so many different approaches, so many different tropes, so many different genres and subcategories, it must be a statistical improbability that you wouldn’t find a book that speaks to you. 

So, with that in mind, I know that sometimes people don’t know where to look or how to get started looking. (It was a librarian who handed me Ramona. Thank you, Mrs. DeWitt). With that said, because I am a Young Adult writer as well as a teacher of young adults, I’m always drawn to this genre. This is where we will begin our journey.  Additionally, YA books typically resolve in a way that offers hope and light which seems like a great place to begin especially in uncertain times. And be forewarned, YA isn’t only for young adults. I can say with great certainty, YA has the potential to make readers of all of us.

During the month of May, I will be featuring four different wonderful YA writers of varied categories who generously agreed to give me some of their time. In their interviews, we’ll talk about their specific title - which I have enjoyed immensely - and they will also share the books that inspired them, books they recommend. My hope is that perhaps you’ll find a title that speaks to you, a book that offers that magic portal for you to move through for a little while to find some adventure, joy, love, the treasure, the magical elixir, solve the mystery or to save the day. 


So, like Alice in Wonderland, (a book by Lewis Carroll in case you’re interested in checking that classic out), we’re sliding down into the rabbit hole. See you at the bottom!

Next Week: Lisa Brown Roberts,

author of The Bookworm Crush.

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Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult, YA Fiction Cami Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult, YA Fiction Cami

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8

One more week until The Cantos Chronicles releases March 31, 2020!

Good News! IndieReader.com gave Swimming Sideways, Cantos Chronicles Book 1 a 4.5 stars out of 5 stars rating! That means it’s considered a, “IndieReader Approved” designation and will go on their “BEST OF…” YA round up. That’s AWESOME!

One another note:

With the chaos of the current situation, I wasn’t sure if I should even post, but I decided that regardless, I’d committed to this Indie Author Marketing Road Trip. Though I’ve been grounded to a halt due to a very flat tire, a bent rim, and inclement conditions, but that’s part of the journey right? It begs the question: How do we adapt in the face of challenges.

This is pretty challenging. :)

So here we are.

  1. My events are cancelled for now. As difficult as this is to take, I’m choosing to look at it as an opportunity to develop and grow. I hope to eventually reschedule.

  2. My IG friends have come in clutch by posting. Thank you to them for keeping things visible. I appreciate it so much. I haven’t seen any of the reviewers post yet. Hope those are forthcoming.

  3. I’ve maintained my Social Media content - that’s about the extent to my abilities right now. It Is what it is.

  4. I’m working on April’s newsletter for my subscribers and some new work to share with them.

  5. I developed a #bookstagram challenge with the hashtag #quarINTEENd which I hope provides 1) something fun and creative to do in April while we’re all shut in; 2) sparks discussion between book lovers, and 3) adds to the community.

In light of the climate and the difficulties, I offered an Ebook copy of Swimming Sideways to interested readers via Instagram and Facebook. The offer still stands. You can sign up for my newsletter, you can email me (clwalters2015@gmail.com) or DM me on Instagram, and I will email you the ebook. This offer is valid until Tuesday, March 31. Happy reading.

Available March 31, 20202 in Ebook, Paperback and Hard Cover wherever books are sold.

Available March 31, 20202 in Ebook, Paperback and Hard Cover wherever books are sold.

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Book Marketing, Book Playlist, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Conflict, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Playlist, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult Cami Book Marketing, Book Playlist, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Conflict, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Playlist, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult Cami

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7

If I thought I didn’t know if I was coming or going last week, this week it’s all about staying put. I’ve had to park it. At home. Social Distancing. And with no end in site, it makes me wonder what’s to come? Well, hopefully I’ll offer some interesting content. Here’s a vlog brought to you from the inside of my bathroom (LOL) as I reflect about this week.

In the grand scheme of my Independent Author Book Marketing road trip, the vehicle sort of stalled on the side of the road. I got pulled over by the police and escorted to the next motel where I’ve been directed to hang out for the next couple of weeks. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Great. What does this mean for book marketing? Long term, I don’t know. My events might be shot. Short term, I’ve got Social Media.

One of the things I mention in the vlog was publishing the Book Playlists on Instagram for each of the books in The Cantos Chronicles. One of the biggest necessities of marketing is identifying the target audience. As a YA Writer, I’m speaking to teens, specifically 16-18 year olds (though I’m beginning to wonder since my books seem to have a crossover adult appeal. This begs the question: am I marketing to the correct audience?) Since art of all kinds speaks so loudly to me, and every teen I have known speaks music, I decided a playlist might be a solid interactive experience).

I’ve begun to consider that this isn’t a short term game, but a long one. I’m in the process of building a relationship with readers. That’s going to take time and consistency. So while we might be “In the Wait” (Oh hey, head over to Wattpad to read those short vignettes if you’re interested in them), I need to continue to be vigilant in offering the strongest content I can to showcase who I am as a writer and as a person.

Rerelease day for The Cantos Chronicles is right around the corner (March 31, 2020) though they are available for PreOrder. Two more weeks!

Next Week: Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8

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Am Writing, Book Marketing, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Independent Author, portrait of an artist, Swimming Sideways, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, Writer, Writer's Life, writing process, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult Cami Am Writing, Book Marketing, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Independent Author, portrait of an artist, Swimming Sideways, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, Writer, Writer's Life, writing process, YA Contemporary, YA Series, YALit, Young Adult Cami

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 6

Are we coming or going at this point? I’m not sure. It would seem I’m just following the road, windows down, music blasting and hoping beyond all hopes that the car is headed in the right direction. At least I have you all with me.

We just passed the week six marker. SIX WEEKS!?! Can you believe it? Feels like yesterday that I started this Independent Author Marketing Series, and now we’re here at the six week mark. Three weeks left until The Cantos Chronicles rereleases, and though it’s difficult to tell with accuracy, *preorders seem strong (which potentially is exciting).

*based on numbers provided by wholesale book distributor.

The Cantos Chronicles

The Cantos Chronicles

The method to keep things on the road this week involved these check list items:

Social Media

I listened to a great 15 minute podcast by Mixtus Media this week that purported it isn’t necessary to spread yourself too thin by doing ALL Social Media hotspots. Maybe that’s a little like visiting Disneyland and California Adventure and trying to do both parks and all the rides in one day. Instead, chose the format that works best and commit to that one. My favorite is Instagram. I touch base on Facebook. I’m rarely on Twitter. I do a drop in of Tumblr, but I spend the bulk of my social media presence on good old IG.

My GOAL for IG this week was to offer a bit more character depth to potential readers. All three protagonists (Abby, Seth and Gabe) were featured in my stories. Truthfully, I don’t think it worked as well as I had hoped. It was my fault - the premise of asking characters questions operates on the assumption that people already know them. What do you ask if you haven’t read the story? On the other hand, people who have read the stories saved me by asked some questions. Those answers may have offered potential readers food for thought. What do you think?

I don’t think the idea is a bad one, just perhaps that the execution could have been better.

Add to the Instagram mix, my awesome helpers on the book review and book recommendation blitz have been posting - one a day. That has been lovely to see and share. Anyone see a post from someone else that sparked your attention?

One more social media point was the completion of a flash giveaway on Instagram. It was a quick: “First 10 people to comment about some such or other will receive an ebook copy of Swimming Sideways.” It moved quickly, ten people received the ebook and hopefully they LOVE it! My thinking was to get some advanced copies out into the world to 1) generate excitement, 2) provide an early copy, and 3) perhaps inspire more people to share.

Book Signing

Further planning was done for a book signing at my local Barnes & Noble in Honolulu. With the Hawaii Literacy Project contacted and the event planners at my local B&N on board, the end of April or early May is looking like it might be a real possibility; I will use my newsletter to announce an event like this. When the plan solidifies, it will be a bit like turning full circle because I started this journey way back in November and it became the impetus for the entire rebrand of The Cantos Chronicles books.

Other Bookish Events

I contacted two local book events: A children’s literature conference held in June as well as a Book Festival held in October. I applied to both as a panelist and vendor and will be presenting at the Children’s Literature Conference in June! Still waiting to hear back on the second event, but I will keep you posted. This means I will have an event in April, perhaps one in May, one in June, one in July, am working on October and still waiting to hear back about November.

In addition to those events, I met with a high school librarian to develop a workshop for high school students about creativity. This presentation will happen at the high school where I work in April, but I’ll get to serve in a different capacity outside the realm of classroom teacher and stepping into the role of published author.

Finally, I’m giving away all of the remaining ARCs of the books to my students. They are super excited and don’t care that there are editorial mistakes in the books. Their response was: “Mrs. C, we won’t even know the mistakes are there.” (I don’t know if that is a reflection of my teaching or something else - LOL).


Wrap Up

The road is stretched out ahead of us. Are we going the right direction? I think so. I’m feeling confident, accomplished and filled with hope that where ever the road leads is exactly where I’m supposed to go. Did I have some missed turns -yeah, I think so - but that’s learning, right? With Week Six Independent Author Road Trip Marketing Journey stretched out along the asphalt behind us, we’re on to Week Seven. Only two more blogs until The Cantos Chronicles rerelease, and a final post to wrap up the road trip. I am super interested to know what you’ve noticed over the last six weeks? What has stood out? What kinds of questions are popping up for you? How can any of my experiences help inform you moving forward? Be sure to follow me on IG (@cl.walters) and keep an eye out for questions about this series in a couple of weeks.

Next week: Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7

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Book Club Read, Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, writing process, YA Contemporary, YALit, Young Adult, YA Series Cami Book Club Read, Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Books to Read, Cantos Chronicles, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Fiction, fiction - mental health, Independent Author, New Fiction, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, writing process, YA Contemporary, YALit, Young Adult, YA Series Cami

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 5

The new covers are here!

The new covers are here!

The covers to The Cantos Chronicles are out! Swimming Sideways, The Ugly Truth and The Bones of Who We Are look glorious both online and in person, because guess what came in the mail this week!?!? The books. The reveal video is an agenda item for this coming week.

The cover reveals and the book trailer were the biggest agenda items for this fifth week on the Indie Marketing Journey. It was a giant mountain with several switch back hairpin turns, but we made it! Several days removed, I’m happy, hopeful and grateful for the reception of the covers and the trailer reinforcing the efforts I made this month, though gains will remain to be seen.

What else did I work on this week?

  1. My March Newsletter has been written and scheduled. One of my goals with the newsletter is to make it beneficial for people to sign up, so I offer items that only subscribers are provided. This month my subscribers are automatically entered into the next giveaway promotion as well as receive a deleted scene from Swimming Sideways that didn’t make it into the final version. I hope that things like this provide subscribers with the “extra” they are looking for by being subscribers.

  2. After making sure the March blitz is planned and ready, I’m in the process now of planning out the content for this coming month. If the first four weeks was about building the bond between readers and the characters of the books, this second four weeks will be about maintaining the connection, trying to create visibility, and generating excitement.

  3. My social media goals have also shifted some. While I am maintaining my author support system on IG, I am activity working to connect with my target audience. Last week, I wrote about posting to wattpad unsure about the cost-benefit analysis, but I can provide anecdotal evidence that I have had more people reading. Has this translated to people interested in committing to The Cantos Chronicles? I’m not sure yet, but I am hopeful.

Are you enjoying the journey with me? What have you tried? What are you thinking about? Talk to me so I don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Be sure to leave a comment. Oh, and would you turn up that song on the car radio too: “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee.

Next Week: Indie Author Marketing Update No. 6


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