Back to Normal?

The last five weeks hit me like a whirlwind. Take a look at the testimonial I sent to Loving the Book:

Thank you, Loving the Book! You guided me through two unknown events to promote my debut novel A Gateway to Hope. First off, the book blitz engaged me quickly. For one full day, friends and people I’d never met gathered to review my labor of love. How amazing that bloggers I didn’t know hosted my book around the globe. Then, ten days later, the book tour launched fourteen days spent visiting multiple booklover sites. There were interviews, book reviews, giveaways, plus a host of information to promote my inspirational romance. Loved the swag. The bookmark matched the keychain featuring the book cover. Thank you, ladies! All in all, you made marketing A Gateway to Hope a wonderful experience.
Author E. C. Jackson

What’s next? Hopefully, turning this website into a font of information for self-publishing authors and book lovers enjoying clean reads. Well, actually three scenarios are now taking place.

Formatting Experts, who have more than lived up to the name of knowing their craft, navigated me through the perils of receiving unacceptable proof copies. First, from Createspace, a subsidiary of Amazon. The book cover, though technically correct, had to be adjusted.

Even today, I’m waiting on a free replacement proof copy from Ingram Spark because the first copy they sent had an error in production. Self-publishing can be difficult, yet holding a copy of your book has many rewards. Ingram Spark, utilizing print on demand, will distribute A Gateway to Hope to bookstores and libraries around the world.
Instead of twiddling my thumbs while waiting, I am tackling books two and three. Book two, a standalone book, will continue the hope theme found in A Gateway to Hope. I’ll also adapt my first play, Pajama Party, into a YA novel. The tentative publishing date for both books is May 2016.

A Gateway to Hope has a 4.7 rating on Amazon with 32 reviews. While Barnes and Noble has 5.0 with 11 reviews. And Goodreads has a 4.61 with 28 ratings and 19 reviews. So far, 270 people entered the giveaway ending September 15. And 203 people added it to read.

There were approximately 1,057 entries in the giveaway hosted by Loving the Book. Two paperbacks, three e-Books, and nine bookmarks and keychain sets were won.

Until next time…