guest post: a look back, by Jenna Anderson

Today I have a guest on my blog! Jenna’s newest book is Off Leash, which looks like a really charming and fun read! It’s currently waiting for me on my to-read pile. I’ve read her first book, Healing Touch, and loved it. Today she’s here to tell us about some of her first publishing experiences, where she’s come from and where she is today.

Welcome Jenna!

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A Look Back

Hi, Laura. Thanks so much for having me on your blog. I love hanging out with other authors and readers.

I thought I would talk a little bit about my self-publishing experience since you are on the cusp of putting out your first book. Wow – congrats!! To me it seems like a million years ago, but it was only a few years.

Healing Touch is my first title and it was released in October of 2009. A couple years later I finished Off Leash. If only I knew then what I knew now. Ha ha.

I remember uploading my ebook and instantly jumping over to my reports page. I thought for sure it would spin like an odometer. No, no it didn’t. Sales were slow in coming. Back then there weren’t any freebies to compete with, but still things were slow.

My title was one of approximately 400,000 available on Amazon US. I think the last time I checked there were over 1.3 million ebooks listed. Amazon UK didn’t even exist!

Sales were slow and I made some bad mistakes right out of the gate. I plugged my book in forums that didn’t allow it, sent goofy spam email to bloggers, and basically made a fool of myself. At the time there were only a handful of indie authors. Writers today have so many more resources – books, blogs, forums, and groups. Lucky you!

Despite the slow start and the mistakes, I had some great experiences in the last few years. I received nice feedback from readers on my work and made lots of wonderful online friends. Sometimes the smallest things sent me flying. A few months after Healing Touch was published, a reader contacted me through Goodreads and asked, “Where can I find your other books? I want to read them all.” You have no idea how thrilled that made me.

There are lots of ups and downs as well as hard work but the little flashes of excitement keep me going. This is an image of a moment I will cherish forever. It is a screen shot of the Amazon UK ebook ranking page. Note the title BELOW mine.

Sigh. If only it would last.

Good luck with your release, Laura. I’m sure it will do great. I hope you find as much pleasure with this experience as I have.

If readers want to find me on the web they can read about my titles here on my website.

I also have a book blog called The Book Snoop.

And if you really want more of me you can check me out on Twitter.

– Jenna Anderson