Ponderings of a Writer: by Immortal Storm Author, Heather Bserani

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know that I finished writing Shield of Night.  Right now it is being edited and is one step closer to being published!  I have been chatting with the cover artist and making some slight changes, but we are definitely on scheduled for the April release!  I can't wait for the big cover reveal!!!

I have also been working on a little surprise that goes along with Shield of Night.  Keep your eye on my web store - I will be adding something shortly that accompanies my new release.  I will give you a hint...its definitely unique and each piece is handmade by yours truly!

Also, I have added more book reviews to the book review page.  Feel free to check it out.  I will be posting more in the next few days.  I have a few reviews to catch up on.

Finally, I have been in talks with another author for an author interview, so that page should be updated relatively quickly as well.  So much going on! 

Well, I will let you guys get to checking out all the new stuff!  Enjoy!

Heather

As I sit here typing this I am in the midst of a Facebook giveaway!  Its so exciting to see people eager to get Immortal Storm goodies!  The amount of traffic was quite impressive too and I owe it all to you guys!  I have to stop and say thank you to my readers and the people who have joined the blog, followed on twitter and liked on fb.  If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am.  It still boggles my mind to think that so many of you, whom I would consider to be friends have actually picked up my book and read it.  Its a feeling that can't quite be into words.  People who I wholeheartedly respect have chosen to read my work.  That is such a powerful thing.  It is so rewarding for an author and to know that it is fairly well liked to boot is just icing on the cake.  I guess I am really just trying to say thank you...to everyone who has spent time reading my book, I am so amazed and grateful.

I am currently running the last Flash Giveaway - just a few more people to join the blog and we will be giving away a signed copy of Immortal Storm.  If that prize is doled out before you get in the drawing, then you can always sign up for the rafflecopter drawing that I mentioned on my home page here...check it out - it will only take a minute to sign up and you could win TONS of cool stuff!  It is so fun to see people excited about Immortal Storm Swag!

On that note - I have to zip back to FB to check on the current giveaway - if you haven't entered there yet, make sure you get over there and quick before all the entries are gone!

~Heather 

The first author interview is in!  Check out part of the conversation I had with Peazy Monellon, author of Amazon Best Seller, Meany.  Click on over to the "Author Interview" page and see waht she had to say about herself and her writing process!  Other interviews are also in progress, so be sure to check back soon.

Additionally if you pop over to my facebook author page, you can check out the details on my character contest, which is currently underway!  You can also see sneak peaks of some of the swag that will be up for a giveaway soon!  https://www.facebook.com/HeatherBseraniAuthorPage?ref=hl

~Heather

I'm on my way out the door (again), but I had to take the time to mention that Immortal Storm is now on not one, but TWO Best Seller Lists on Amazon.com!  We are currently sitting at #49 on the Best Selling Horror list and at #67 on the Best Seller Horror Literature & Fiction list!  At one point last night it was ranked between Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King - talk about some good company!  I am beyond thrilled!  So that's why I thought it was important to take the time to thank the people who made this happen!

To all of my readers, thank you so much!  I am humbled by the amazing interest in my work.  You have made this author's year! 

On a side note, the giveaway goodies should start showing up next week!  Can't wait!

Heather

Today I have started to gather some cool Immortal Storm stuff to giveaway to one lucky Immortal Storm Fan.  Once I have the items in house I will post pictures and give details on how to enter.  Time to get some activity going in here...If there is anything you would like to see in the prize pack, now is the time to speak up!  Let me know what you would like to see and I will try and make it happen!

Also, as of tonight I am full steam ahead on Shield of Night...it has been a while.  No more dilly-dallying!  I am still shooting for a spring 2013 release....time to get moving, so enough blogging, time for some writing!

I have recently added a new page to the webiste...author interviews.  I hope to be able to contact some of my authors and have them answer some questions.  I am always intrigued by the real people behind the fictional ones I have grown to love.  I will be updating soon, so be sure to check back....

I am also considering doing a giveaway...its seems like a cool thing to do, so that is also on the back burner...

I am still working on a short story - in revisions now...hopefully that will be done in the next few days.

Work on Shield of Night is slow at best, but once the short is done I hope to make some massive headway...

That's all the updates for now.  Check back soon for new content.  :-)

As sometimes tends to happen, life has gotten in the way of my blogging, but now I'm back and I'm sure you have noticed some changes to the site!  I have added a few pages, including a web store where you can buy my book and a cafe press shop!  There are all sorts of cool t-shirts, mugs and other gifts there all decked out with Immortal Storm logos and quotes.  Check it out!  Finally, I have also added a page where I will be reviewing paranormal novels by other paranormal authors...As I finish a book I will complete an author bio and add my two cents in review format.  I think these pages will be a great addition to the whole site, so click away and check out the new stuff!  Enjoy!

Heather

Well it has been a crazy week that's for sure!  I went with my first promo day through KDP select and boy was it a doozy!  In one day I gave away better than 4300 books and climbed all the way up to #3 on the Kindle Free Books under Horror.  It was an amazing thing to watch the numbers climbing from one second to the next.  Coming off the wave of excitement I have done double the number of books this week than all of last month!  It was worth it to get the publicity and exposure.  It is great to know that so many people want to read my work.  What a great compliment!

I also began to work on the second novel in the series, which for now is being called Shield of Night.  I am mostly done with the first chapter.  It's quite different to be able to jump right into the action without having to prep the conflict for a few chapters.  This one already has a slightly different feel because the main character, Dori has changed so much from the first book.  I am excited to get this project rolling full speed ahead!

Hopefully I will be able to post the entire first chapter here soon!

Well - again this has been a busy week!  As of tomorrow I have officially been published for one month.  It was a fabulous month as far as things go.  I have learned a lot and at times felt chained to my computer, but this whole thing is a learning curve.  The first thing that I learned is that this publicity thing isn't for the weak!  It is a full time job.  I spend hours every day searching websites, commenting, tweeting, posting, sharing back cover copy, etc.  This, unfortunately, is time that I used to spend writing and it seems by the time I have made the internet rounds, I don't have any energy left to actually write!  It has quickly become clear that I have to set a schedule to keep the ball rolling and not get bogged down in things that can easily consume my last waking moment.

That brings me to the topic of this blog entry.  I was under the impression that when I hit 50 "likes" on amazon, that my book would move up the ranks and get more attention.  In the midst of one of my internet rounds, I learned that it isn't so much the "likes" but the "tags" and reviews that count in the whole amazon equation.  Now that my book is comfortably at 80+ likes, it seems I have to go back into the trenches and earn my tags and reviews.  Once I hit 50 "tags" and 25 reviews with an average of 4 stars then Amazon will sift my work toward the top of the lists...Learning the ropes and tricks of the trade isn't easy stuff, but I figured if I could share it with others I might make their jobs a little easier.

All in all - any attention to a published book is good, but if you are really moved by a book, its the reviews and tags that help the author out the most.

Now I'm off to actually add something to the manuscript for my second book - temporarily entitled Shield of Night...stay tuned and I will post a preview!

Heather

Well I finally hit the magic 50 "likes" on amazon!  In fact, I smashed it out of the park!  At 70 and still climbing!  The exciting news is that since I have gotten so many likes, Immortal Storm is climbing up the ranks as well.  Right now it sits at #29,711 an the amazon list....that's out of 7 million!  That is awesome!  Its thanks to the amazing readers who are buying, liking and leaving reviews for Immortal Storm.  Color me happy right now!

Also, my book trailer is being featured right now on Publishers Weekly.  Check it out and feel free to leave feedback!  Let's get the word out!

http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook/

Additionally - I outlined book 2 in the Shield of Night series.  I have finished character bios for the main players.  I have worked out most of the major glitches as well, so as soon as I have two free mintues to rub together I will be getting a start on that!

My last accomplishment this week was to brainstorm some ideas for a short story that I am going to write and submit for publication at the end of summer.  It would be awesome to be picked up and published for some work that isn't paranormal romance.  I would love to show my readers that I can write many genres. 

I guess you could say I have had a busy week, but I like it better that way!

Heather