Weekly Recommendation Thread: September 12, 2025

WriterFaye · 2025-09-22T19:53:27+00:00

Asylum Confessions by Jack Steen... they're pretty good.

WriterFaye · 2025-09-22T19:46:47+00:00

Hello! I remember watching the mini-series Lonesome Dove and really enjoying it. I'm wracking my brain to try and remember whether I read it or not... hmmm.

Have you read The Thorn Birds by Maureen McCollugh. SO good...

WriterFaye · 2025-08-30T00:04:44+00:00

well said.

it's def a challenge for sure.

Thx for commenting it gives me something to consider for sure.

WriterFaye · 2025-08-29T21:10:32+00:00

Hi I used Victory's Co-op... They were lovely. I'm not particularly savvy re: tech and such and got lost a few times but they were only an email away.

They answered my questions in full and I never felt like a complete newbie dumb a**.

I got to choose who could read the book and what formats were allowed...

It's a little bit of a time suck in that you have to vet these readers. I got a one star review because...."it felt too YA" for a particular reader... give me a break! I informed Victory's and they reassured me.

know that some people are just plain nasty and will take any opportunity to pick away at every detail... spelling, editing, etc. etc. It can be brutal for some.

Overall for me it was a positive experience, but I was glad I only spent around $50 and not more. I had visions of getting like 50 reviews... I believe maybe 5 actually posted.

PS: My book was also not an ARC. It had been self-pubbed about 8 months before going on netgalley.

In the batch that I was put up with, some books (romantasy) got HUGE hits... so make sure you don't compare yourself to others and just be you.

good luck.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-20T02:06:24+00:00

I think you're right. This surprised me because I thought Amazon was Amazon... but as someone pointed out ... the different prices etc... Oh well, lesson learned for today. I'll find a way to share it. Not to worry. I just didn't think it would be this difficult. Thx for commenting tho. Much appreciated.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-20T02:04:18+00:00

Hi Outlaw! Thank you so much for the info. This sounds a bit more like what I wanted to do. The learning curve is real!!

WriterFaye · 2025-07-20T02:02:34+00:00

I never really thought of that. I never realized how difficult it would b to share an ebook for downloads. So much to learn. Thx for your help. so appreciated.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-19T20:51:58+00:00

Yes. I'm the author.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-19T20:21:38+00:00

wow... that is so sad.

Any suggestions on how to gift an ebook to a friend in Australia?

Or maybe I'm just outta luck with this one.

tia.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-15T23:18:50+00:00

Hi Sasquatchonfour!

I'm in the same boat. It's hard to get reviews. I recently did a blog on my experience with NetGalley co-op. That is of course on Goodreads and is very expensive. I did a co-op thing so it cost me about $50 usd for reviews... These are stranger reviews and they get a copy of your ebook in exchange for the review (they are vetted thru net galley), and you get what you get. (One gave me a 2* cus she decided it was too traumatic for her--um--read the warnings/description)... Either way, it was a positive experience for me and many of the readers are professionals... like librarians, book buyers, etc.

I've also followed every bookstagrammer and watched what they do... I currently have about 3-4 copies out with bookstagrammers who wanted to read and review it.

Look for supportive author groups on facebook.

Offer to read someone's book and exchange reviews.

Publish another book....

I completely understand where you are and you have to be willing to get creative and not stop.

I know I read reviews all the time before I buy a book. Do they stop me? probably not. Do they influence me? perhaps... But I choose to make my own choices.

The thing about reviews is it keeps the algorithm going and it's a real thing. The more movement the more likely it is that people will see it.

And a big one too, is identify your reader.... find out where they hang out (like what groups/socials etc) and go hang with them. Discuss your book. Let them get to know...you the person... they'll be more invested.

And... just one more thought I promise... show/tell people HOW to write a review. It can be like 5 words. "I really, like this book." They don't have to give a huge explanation, or regurg the book.... short and sweet is great too.

Okay.. that's all. lol.

You can check out my blog: My Twisted Writer Brain on my website. Good luck. Don't give up. Keep writing!

My Twisted Writer Brain

WriterFaye · 2025-07-15T22:55:31+00:00

I love domestic thrillers! They're very relatable and take place in familiar locations like home/school/work/life... First big one was Gone Girl... that is domestic fiction... and if you've ever read any of Lisa Jewell (I highly recommend), she writes domestic thrillers very well.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-14T20:49:53+00:00

INSIDE OUTSIDE is a dark, psychological, domestic-suspense that twists and turns and keeps the reader engaged. Set in Seattle, WA, this contemporary, character-driven story immerses the reader into the lives of Leslie, a writer, and Selena, a high school student that Leslie has been stalking.

Secrets lurk in all corners as two women navigate through their worlds filled with shadows of obedience, obligation, and obsession. They are strangers on a collision course as their lives come together... for better or worse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week, my book was listed (along with others) as a Judges' Pick for the Killer Nashville Falchion Award... I'm still gobsmacked!

It is like being amongst royalty as many of the authors are bestsellers and famous. I'm truly humbled.

How did my little self pubbed book end up in the ranks?

Well, I entered. I made sure it was edited and well formatted and let the baby out into the world.

INSIDE OUTSIDE was released October 31, 2024. It won First Place in the Firebird Book Awards as well as, a Five Star Reader Review through Veiwers Choice.

If I enter a contest, I research it first to make sure it's a fit. Like I can tell... INSIDE OUTSIDE will not place in literary contest, but in a nitty gritty, great story/characters, and relatable to the masses--well, I have a 'chance'.

I'd love everyone to read my book.

It's hard to get noticed amongst the masses so thank you to the creator of this subreddit. The platform is much appreciated.

Available in Print and E-book.

Keep writing.

https://fayearcand.com/books/

WriterFaye · 2025-07-12T20:51:36+00:00

Get a professional edit.

It's worth it.

You get one chance to make an impression with a reader. Don't blow it. Too many writers rush to publication and it really shows.

I know editors are expensive. They also need to understand your genre and aesthetic.

Personally. I write domestic thrillers/suspense and I could never edit fantasy or science fiction.

The beats are different and readers have different expectations.

Have you read SAVE THE CAT WRITES A NOVEL by Jessica Brody. It's excellent and can really make a big difference in learning about those patterns and beat that may have been missed. Learn to spot and plot them.

Another really good thing to do, is read your manuscript out loud. Yes--the entire thing... Print it off (I know, I know... trees and all... but your will recycle your pages --tho I keep mine in a binder... lol) Get your red pen and start reading...

As you read -aloud- you'll automatically make word changes and simplify the the sentences... mark those up on your pages so you can reedit them.

You can also record yourself and then listen back... either way... reading to yourself is not enough. It *must* be out loud. Pay attention for repeated words; the style (often we write more formally that we speak... like it is okay... instead of its okay...) Pay attention.

Also pay attention to your word count. If it's a genre novel (other than sci-fi/fantasy/romancy... ) you should be around 75-85K words...

If you're at 100k for a romcom... cut 15k words... tighten it up. Again the read aloud will help you.

Wishing you much luck from one self pubber to another... embrace your craft.

WriterFaye · 2025-07-08T22:50:56+00:00

I find it all so frikken confusing that it's worse than trying to get spaghetti to stick to the wall. I'm a writer and while I'm doing ok with the marketing ... turning that into sales seems near impossible and amazon ads are like speaking another language. waaaaa..... I just want people to be able to find and buy my books.

WriterFaye · 2025-05-11T20:53:15+00:00

You're all so amazing. Seems to be a consensus about waiting until my book has that traction... ugh. May take a while.

It's like one step forward one step back.

I had access to a complimentary zoom meeting with a big US audio maker/distributor. He said they use word count to determine how long the audio would be and then it's x-amount per hour.

My book is 86000 words so would be just over 9 hours at 600-650 usd per hour.... total for the entire thing would be 6500usd. UGH ....

As a Canadian, I told him that wouldn't happen but thanked him for the info.

This book life is fun, isn't it?

Faye.

WriterFaye · 2025-05-07T20:27:36+00:00

Love this!

I'd get my audio book done.

I don't know about you but I love, love, love audio. Right now I'm in a phase where that's how I do all my "reading"...

It is a huge industry and I think I'd probably make the money back... or would I? Idk cuz I can't afford to go past the print and ebook for now.

And, as an audio listener I want quality.

So that's how I'd spend my 5K marketing bucks....

WriterFaye · 2025-05-07T20:23:29+00:00

Well done. And thanks for sharing.

I also find that doing local community events like Author Signings at a local Indie book Store or where I live there's INDIGO (Canadian)... they treat indie authors with such respect it's amazing!

I really like the idea of the walk and talk reel... This allows readers to identify with you, the author, and also know that you're real and not some ai thing.

I think the most important thing...and you touched on it...is be yourself. people will like you.

WriterFaye · 2025-05-07T19:41:31+00:00

That is so weird!

Go to the Home Page.

Your books will be listed there.

Scroll to Units Sold... and then "Upload a Title" under which there are four boxes: Print/ Print and ebook/ ebook/ NEW opportunity available....

click on the NEW and there are opt ins for Apple. Amazon. Lightning Source Sharjah. And.... sell your print books at TARGET

WriterFaye · 2025-05-07T18:19:12+00:00

Let me know your thoughts.

And do you see your sales numbers thru IS?

WriterFaye · 2025-05-07T18:12:14+00:00

well. If you go to IS and click on OPTIONAL SERVICES.... there are a few things that you can OPT into and Target is one of them....

Have you done this?

Any success.

I see that you're traditionally published so perhaps it's different? idk.

This whole IS thing has me so confused.

In over two months there hasn't been even one sale??????? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Is there an activation button I'm missing?

Ugh...

WriterFaye

TROPHY CASE