Fri, 18 May 2012 03:32:45 -0800WeeblyTue, 13 Mar 2012 11:55:02 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2012/03/is-a-quarter-of-the-year-almost-over.htmlWow--unbelievable that the first three months of 2012 are almost gone! I've stayed so busy that it's been a blur. As my newsletter subscribers have already heard, there have been family events--my daughter got married in January, my father celebrates his 85th birthday this month . . . I introduced the 4th Samantha Sweet book (Sweet Hearts) in late January and the Valentine themed story has brought a lot of new readers into the fold. Thank you to all my readers for spreading the word and introducing their friends to Charlie, to Samantha, and to me!

As I write this post, I am deep in the middle of the next Charlie Parker book. There is still much work to do on it, but I'm excited to say that so far we are on track for publication by late spring or early summer. I will keep you posted!

Meanwhile, my novel writing course continues to do well, and I'm thrilled that so many new writers are starting work on their own book ideas.

I hope the first quarter of the year has gone well for you and your family, as well. I think often of my readers and how much it means to me that you are there. A post now and then on my blog isn't really sufficient to express my deep gratitude. But please know that I am so grateful for your purchases and so happy when I hear from you. I try to personally answer each and every email--stay in touch!
]]>Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:17 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/10/counting-my-blessings.htmlThis has been an incredible year and I'm feeling somewhat dizzied by how lucky I've been. I've met so many new readers (I'm SO appreciative of your comments about my books!), and I spent all summer writing and hoping to live up to your expectations with new stories.

The newest Samantha book, Sweet Holidays, just went live today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords in all e-book formats. The print version is on CreateSpace and will soon be just a click away through the other bookselling sites as well, plus being available to any bookstore where you might want to order it. My home page has the links.

And . . . this past week has been a milestone for my Charlie Parker series. Amazon's promotional efforts resulted in sales of nearly 30,000 books in one short week, propelling the first Charlie title into the #1 ranking in Mysteries/Women Sleuths, the #1 spot in Thrillers/Suspense, and the #6 spot in Kindle books overall. I literally had to catch my breath when I read those stats. And it's all because of the wonderful folks who buy and read my books. You guys are awesome!

As we head into winter, I hope Sweet Holidays will bring the holiday spirit to readers and that you will have fun with Sam and Beau and the whole crew at Sweet's Sweets. Enjoy the treats, savor an extra piece of chocolate, and know that I count you as a special blessing in my life.
]]>Sun, 10 Jul 2011 07:33:15 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/07/those-lazy-days-of-summer-what-a-great-time-to-read.htmlMy July newsletter just went out today, announcing this month's Kindle winner and a few more things (if you didn't receive your copy, click here to sign up).

Since summer is such a favorite time for kicking back and reading, I thought I would include some ideas for finding more of those fun summer reads.

I've recently come across a new mystery newsletter, AllMystery! email newsletter. The editor is, herself, a mystery writer and she is doing a great job of getting the word out about new books. The newsletter features both big-name bestsellers and newer authors that you may not already know about. Each issue follows a theme (the current one is PI's and Police; future ones will include Murder at Work and Christmas Cozies). Click this link to read the current issue and to sign up to receive AllMystery! every month.

Among the other great websites that feature books and book discussion, visit Goodreads, Shelfari and Library Thing. I love getting updates from people I have "friended" on those sites because I get such great ideas for new books I want to read.

On my own Facebook page I posed the question: What are you reading now? I'd love to hear from you. Click on over there and let me know. Or follow me on Twitter @connieshelton


]]>Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:27:45 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/04/keeping-books-alive.htmlLast month I mentioned in my blog that several agents had suggested that I stop writing my Charlie Parker series and write something else, under a different name. A reader questioned why those in the publishing world would suggest such a thing, and I thought that would be a great topic for this month's post.

First, a little background: Publishing is a strange business. I don't know any other way to say it. Traditional New York publishing is now owned by six large corporations and publishing decisions are driven almost completely by sales numbers. It doesn't help that so many independent bookstores have gone under, in the face of overwhelming competition from chain stores and online sellers. The large chains set up sales models which were monitored by a very few buyers in a central location. Computer reports dictated what the stores would stock and this largely determined the fate of an author.

The way a book moved through the system was based on advance "buzz" about the title. If big advertising dollars were going to be put behind a title, the chains could justify ordering multiple copies for each of their stores. Publishers paid tens of thousands of dollars for placement of those books at the front of the store (don't think for a minute that some bookstore employee just takes a look through the stock and starts sticking books on shelves and tables---it's all very carefully planned), and that money was spent on the "name" authors and titles.

Okay, so what happens is that First Time Author writes a book and it gets published. Let's say there is a good amount of buzz, some positive reviews, and the author has planned a little signing tour (for all but the top ten or so bestseller list writers, all this is done at the author's expense). First Time Author's book does okay. For the sake of argument, we'll say that it sells 10,000 copies in the first two months. That's not bad. But by then new books are coming along, and the bookstores are allowed to return unsold stock to the publishers (a VERY weird business practice, in my opinion, but that's how it is in publishing). So, maybe 2,000 copies get returned, for a net sales total of 8,000 books.

The author has written book #2 and it comes out a year later. But this one doesn't get quite the buzz of the first. Face it, everyone loves the concept of discovering that fresh new voice! So, this time the chain stores look at their records and see that the author's first book didn't sell out, so they order even fewer copies of the second book--say, 5,000 total. These most certainly won't get placed on a table at the front and, buried among 50,000 other books, will likely not get noticed at all unless the author has really pushed hard for this one. So, probably half of Book #2 get returned and the publisher is thinking this is an author who is definitely on his way out the door. If they give the author a chance at a third, fourth or fifth book, it will almost be a miracle. The computer doesn't lie, and that computer is telling everyone in the publishing world that this author is a loser.

The author still wants to write. There are fans who still want to read their books. But the publisher and the stores are no longer interested. So, if the author is still on good terms with his/her agent after all this, the agent may recommend writing a whole new series or genre and submitting it under a different name.

So, that's the strange world of publishing.

Now, I must say that my own case was not quite this bleak. I was lucky to be with a smaller press in the beginning and they stuck with me through ten books. But when my original publisher changed hands and the interest seriously began to wane I just didn't have the sales to make an agent or a bigger publishing house jump for joy. That's when I began to get those suggestions from agents.

Making a long story just a little bit longer...I came to the realization that the group who were really being left out were my readers. People wanted more Charlie books and I was  determined not to quit writing them.

Enter the new realm of e-books, printing presses designed to fill demand as needed--and I was on my way! Now I can write as much as I'm capable of, and I can get them out to the people who want them. To me, it's about the relationship between author and reader. Period. As long as I can come up with fresh plot ideas, and as long as you are out there wanting new books I'll be here!
]]>Sat, 23 Apr 2011 05:25:20 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/04/i-just-cant-keep-quiet-about-it.htmlIt's always so exciting for me when I've finished a new book and know it's coming out soon. My newest Charlie book, Stardom Can Be Murder, was slated for early May release but I've learned that a couple of sales outlets have gotten on it even more quickly. So, I'm having a hard time waiting to tell everyone.

Yes, there will be a paperback version. Yes, the ebook version will be out there to all sales outlets very soon... Meanwhile, for my readers who've been asking about it, Stardom is already showing up on these sites in ebook versions:

Kindle version

Sony, iPad, Kobo and others

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to keep writing this series. And a huge thanks to everyone who has recommended my books to their friends and posted such wonderful comments online. I couldn't do it without you!!

Happy Reading!
Connie
]]>Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:24:01 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/04/why-do-we-love-mysteries-so-much.htmlI guess there are several reasons why readers gravitate toward mysteries. There was some discussion of this recently among members of a writers group I belong to, Sisters In Crime, and the consensus really went along with all the reasons I've personally found the mystery genre so satisfying and fun to read.

1. Mysteries give us the sense that justice prevails. A crime happens, the sleuth follows the clues, the bad guys are caught and put away. Since real life often doesn't give us that satisfaction, finding resolution in fiction meets one of our basic needs.

2. Mystery readers love series. Unlike many other fiction genres, with mysteries we get to stay with a set of characters we like. Sometimes it's a location that appeals to us. Often the protagonist's profession is one that we find interesting. As we get to know those fictional folks and learn more about them, we develop a bond. Multiple literary agents over the years told me that I should drop Charlie after the first few books and start writing something new. But when I talked to readers they were appalled. They wanted Charlie and Drake and the whole gang to stick around. Well, guess who was more important to me?---My readers!

3. Readers often look for the bits of the story that come from the author's life. Many authors draw from their own experiences in creating their fictional worlds--be it the police department, the hospital, the courtroom or some other career. In my case, the whole world of helicopter operations comes out of my own life. My husband is that handsome helicopter pilot and his work inspired many of the situations in my books.

A lot of my own work experience before I began writing full-time was in accounting, so it was a natural to use that as Charlie's profession. At an earlier point in my life I decorated cakes and sold them for extra spending money--that became the basis for Samantha Sweet's career in my new series (okay, that and my obsessive love of all things chocolate!).

Now that you know which parts are real, I guess I need to state for the record that there are many parts of the books that are completely made up. I've never fired a gun at a person; I've never seen an up-close dead body that wasn't first prepped by a funeral home; I've never been brave enough to go chasing down bad guys. Probably at least 80% of Charlie's adventures come right out of my head.

But maybe that brings us to another thing readers love about mysteries. We get to live a lot of those outside-the-box experiences without really having to put our own necks on the line.
]]>Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:38:12 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/03/the-growing-world-of-e-books.htmlMy, how things have changed in the publishing world! Rarely a day goes by that I don't receive an article on the rising phenomenon of e-books (the latest being that e-book sales have now outpaced hardcovers). Traditional publishers aren't quite sure what to do about it yet, but those of us who are with smaller presses and with the flexibility to do things ourselves are charging right ahead with the new technology.

I've just begun working directly with Barnes & Noble to assure that readers with Nook e-readers can quickly and easily have access to all my books. If you explore the rest of my site, you'll notice that there are now direct links to B&N for every title.

Some writers are going strictly with the e-book format alone while others, like myself, are keeping our books in both printed and electronic formats. My own thought is that, hey, you all are the readers--I should give you what you want! I will continue to insist that all my titles are available however you want them. Thank you so very much for your continued support and encouragement!

As always, happy reading!
Connie
PS: If you especially liked one (or several) of my books, I'd love it if you could share that opinion by posting a review for me on either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Thanks!


]]>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:27:26 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2011/01/a-new-year-and-a-new-samantha-book.htmlOne of my biggest joys in life is writing--but you probably already figured that out. With my Charlie Parker series going strong for over 15 years now, I spent most of 2010 focusing on expanding and stretching myself as a writer. My first Samantha Sweet mystery came out in September and the response from readers was SO gratifying. Just about everyone--from my editor to readers around the globe--has responded with love and praise for the new cast of characters. Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart!!

With 2011 already off to a great start, I hope the second Samantha book will delight you in the same way. And for fans of Charlie and Drake...don't fear! They are still going strong. A new Charlie book is in the works now and I hope to have it ready for you by early summer. My goal is to write at least one in each of my two series' every year. Maybe more!

My readers are absolutely the nicest people in the world, and I want to take a minute to personally thank you for reading my books and for contacting me. I love you all!
]]>Sat, 11 Sep 2010 07:49:51 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2010/09/meet-samantha.htmlBeginning a new mystery series has been in my plans for a long time--close to three years! And I've finally gotten it done. The first in my new Samantha Sweet series is now available. Click the links to my home page or the special Samantha Sweet page for more info on who Sam is and what she does (she has a rather unique job).

And let me know how you like the new series. I'd love for readers to post some reviews on Amazon and other mystery sites to help get the word out to others.

Thanks so much for your support of my Charlie Parker series all these years. I'm so grateful for the fact that Charlie and friends have been on Amazon's bestseller lists for nearly a year now!!

Thank you,
Connie
]]>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:01:10 -0800http://connieshelton.com/1/post/2010/07/the-mystery-of-the-missing-books-solved.htmlOne of my big frustrations as a reader is when some of the books in a series go out of print. Does that bug you too? I know it does. Readers of my series have been telling me!

So, as part of my ongoing commitment to make things convenient for my readers I've been working with a new publisher to get all my titles back in print. The really fun part of this endeavor is that they've reissued ALL the books, with fresh new covers for all. I'm so excited about this!

I love the new look, and the new size. And the new prices--with hardcover books now pushing $30, it's sad to say that books are getting beyond the budget for a lot of folks. That's another reason that I insisted that we keep every book in my Charlie series affordable. The new trade paperbacks are all in the $12 to $15 range. E-book versions are even lower, $5 or less! And, to give new readers a chance to try the series at a real bargain price, the first book of the series, Deadly Gamble, is only $9.95 in print and $1.59 in the e-book version (check Amazon.com though--they have Deadly Gamble for Kindle priced at less than $1 right now).

So, if you've missed any of my books or want to introduce a friend to my series, here's the chance to get them now! I want to personally thank everyone who has read my books and taken the time to contact me and let me know that you enjoyed them--you're the best!

Happy reading!
Connie]]>