Samhain Publishing

The Skinny on Book Trailers

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or perhaps hiding out in the same cave as Osma, the chances are you’ve seen one book trailer at the very least. If you are an author, you may have tried your hand at creating one, or if your talents don’t tend to gravitate in that direction, then you may have paid someone to turn your book into a video trailer.

What the heck is a video book trailer and why should I care?
According to a recent article on the subject by bestselling, author Allison Brennan, book trailers are the hottest new thing in promotional tools for writers.
Book trailers are a short visual commercial that gives the viewer and idea what a particular book is about, including the tone of the book as well as its genre and main characters.

It doesn’t matter who you are:
Most authors will tell you, finding a surefire promotional tool that works 100% of the time is like finding the goose that laid the golden egg. It just doesn’t happen, folks. In fact, for the most part, promotion can be a game of trial an error.
As an author myself, I created my own book trailer for Thirty Lessons – my Samhain Publishing release, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU0qf3_zs2Q) and I’ve also paid a professional to create a video for my first romantic suspense release. I’ll let you be the judge on which is the best.

Authors such as Barbara Freethy, Brenda Novak, Sylvia Day have turned their bestsellers into videos. Marketing expert and author M.J. Rose has been using book videos to promote her books since 2001 because, “The impact of imagery is greater than the impact of words.”

But does it work?
Sheila Clover English is a firm believer that Book Trailers™ are the wave of the future. Do book videos sell books? “According to booksellers and authors, they do,” Clover English says enthusiastically. “One major bookseller called us to say that airing one of our videos increased their on-line traffic 50 percent. Independent booksellers are even dedicating on-line pages to books that have book trailers. You can watch before you buy. Borders Group, Inc. has featured some of the trailers both on their site and in their on-line newsletters.

Christine Feehan’s Web traffic has increased 700 percent since she started showing the videos on her site.”

“Several booksellers have told me they enjoyed them,” JoAnn Ross (No Safe Place) said. “Did that make them order more books? Again, who knows? I can foresee the day when chain bookstores will run book videos in their stores, the way Blockbuster runs movie trailers. If I were an independent bookseller, I’d have a computer monitor set up on my checkout counter, running all the book videos I could find today. What better way to get customers talking to you about what kind of books they like to read? Which, of course, opens up the opportunity to hand-sell more books! And isn’t that what we all want?”

As the book video market as grown, so has the notice of industry professionals. The Book Standard highlights five book videos every week, including author interviews, book teasers, and more. They also now host the annual Book Video Awards with entries from U.S. film schools. Publishers have also jumped on the bandwagon and commission book videos on a steady basis.

So, recently, I decided to put on my investigative garb and conduct a little survey on the subject. I did a flash poll where I asked both readers and writers alike to comment on these two questions:

Are book trailers an important factor in your purchasing of a particular book?

Or

Do they matter at all to you.

And the results?

Well, they are as wide and varied as most things are in the publishing world.

Of those who responded to my poll, I learned that most would watch a video if it is easy to access and if they had the correct connection (if you are trying to view a video with dial up it can be very frustrating).

But did it make a difference in whether or not a possible reader would buy the book? From the responses I received, I would have to say, no.

So what have I learned from all this?

For me, I’ve learned that book trailers are useful, and yes, there is a target audience for them, but I wouldn’t put all of my promotional money or efforts into that single basket.

The most successful form of promotion for any writer starts first when an author sits down to write their book. Write the best book you possibly can, write what’s in your heart and the chances are you will find your target audience.

All the best…

Mary Eason
www.maryeason.com
Check out my character blog at: www.maryeason.blogspot.com
The Things You Think You Want – Available now at Samhain Publishing
Thirty Lessons – Available now at Samhain Publishing
Survivor – Available now at Samhain Publishing

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to simply start over? Become someone new. No doubt, everyone at one time or another has speculated. But what if your life depended on it? Would you be willing to leave everything behind in order to survive?
Well, that’s the subject of my upcoming, July 14th release from Linden Bay Romance , entitled Worth Staying For.
For Doctor Jordan Scott, the most dangerous place to be in love.
Dr. Jordan Scott thought she knew her fiancé, Caesar, better than anyone…until Detective Riley Donovan confronts her with the truth about her brother’s death. His murder was no random act of violence—and Caesar is the prime suspect, which puts her directly in the path of danger. Their relationship may be strained, but Jordan can’t believe Caesar lied when he claimed he’d severed all ties with his drug cartel family.Riley has seen enough to know that Jordan is telling the truth, despite what his partner believes. Then again, his instincts aren’t exactly on point when it comes to Jordan. He’s already broken two hard-and-fast rules when it comes to witness protection: never get emotionally involved and never fall for your star witness.Now the trick will be to keep her alive long enough to convince her to trust him—and find the truth behind her brother’s murder. Before she becomes the next victim.Warning: Contains a hero to die for, one courageous leading lady, lots of heart-pounding action, and a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
Read an excerpt:
Check out all of my latest releases at:
http://www.maryeason.com/
All the best…
Mary Eason

Book reviews—love them or hate them, they are part of a writing career. Stephanie Giancola tells you how you can tip the odds in favor of getting your book reviewed, but, she cautions, no one can guarantee a great review.
If you are a published author,then chances are you have gotten a review at one time or another. And if you’ve been around for any time at all, the odds are you’ve gotten a less than favorable review from someone.
As much as it pains me to say, I’ve received my fair share of them. I don’t think it matters how seasoned you are or how much you prepare for them, they still sting.
Although this was not a scientific poll, it is a quick snap-shot of what some readers are thinking. I got 100 responses from readers to the following questions. Here’s my summary of the results: Do you read book reviews? • 48% said yes What do you look for in a book review? • 47% said the story description. • 22% said the rating analysis. • 12% said snappy writing. • 2% said the rating. How influential are book reviews on your purchase of a book? • 44% said somewhat • 12% said hardly • 8% said not at all • 5% said very If a book had the lowest rating possible, how likely would you be to buy it? • 28% said hardly likely • 25% said no effect • 12% said somewhat likely • 12% said not at all likely • 4% said very likely.
So, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the subject. Do book reviews matter to you as a reader?
Al the best…

Worth Staying For – Coming July 14th to Linden Bay Romance
http://www.lindenbayromance.com
Mary Eason
www.maryeason.com

What would you do if a killer were hunting you? What if you’re child was the target? What if the killer was someone you knew?

Ask any author who writes dark romantic suspense and they’ll tell you, it ain’t no walk in the park at times. I think even for writers who create fictitious killers it’s still disturbing to consider that there are really such depraved people living in the world amongst us.

To make a believable killer you have to do your homework. For me, I love to watch Forensic Files and 48 Hours Mystery on TV. You can gain a great deal of knowledge simply by studying old case files.

So why do people kill? Well, most psychologists will tell you there are two fundamental reasons someone will take another life. Love and money. Both truly are the root of all evil.

But there is another type of killer that is far more evil and cunning than all others. He’s extremely intelligent, he can blend into society well enough to be the neighbor next door, and he lacks anything resembling a conscience. He’s a sociopath known as the serial killer.

The FBI estimates that today there are some 50 active serial killers working among us in the US alone. That’s a frightening statistic to consider.

For me, writing about the dark side of romance is both rewarding and challenging. The characters leave their mark on you and make it hard to move on to the next story. And if they’re really chilling, they make it hard to sleep with the lights off at night.

All the best…
Mary Eason
Worth Staying For – Coming soon to Linden Bay Romance

http://www.maryeason..com

By now, even though it’s only January 3rd, most of us are tired of hearing about New Year Resolutions. I have to agree.

So this year, instead of making the usual resolutions I make, such as watching what I eat, spending less money, not working too hard, (all good ideas, mind you,) I decided to try something entirely different. I’m not going to make any resolutions, which doesn’t mean I won’t do any of those things, but instead of focusing on just them, I want to look at each day as if I’m facing a clean slate, full of promise.

Anything’s possible.

For writers this is a familiar situation to find oneself in. When we start a new book, we have an idea of where we want the story to go, (in this case, our life), then we type that first word, followed by the next and the next, and before we know it, we’ve finished an entire chapter.

So today, and tomorrow and the day after that, I’ll get out of bed, face the day and its challenges and who knows where it will lead me.

How about you? Care to join me on this adventure called life?

All the best…

Mary Eason
Romance. Passion. Suspense.
www.maryeason.bravehost.com
Survivor – Available now in print and ebook format
Check out the book trailer at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlJHjY23Srg
Also available at Samhain:
Thirty Lessons
The Things You Think You Want

“Survivor PRINT” by Mary Eason
Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Chick Lit
ISBN: 978-1-60504-022-6
Length: 248 Pages
Price: 13.00
Publication Date: December 30, 2008
Cover art by Scott Carpenter

The biggest challenge to Grace’s self-imposed celibacy? Love.

As a little girl, Grace Caldwell watched her father walk out on her mother as she struggled through the final stages of breast cancer. Grace, knowing the odds that she could suffer her mother’s fate, resolves to never to let any man close enough to hurt her that way.

Her new boss, Aaron Severn, isn’t hard to figure out—his reputation with women is legendary. She’s confident it won’t be hard for her to resist his charm. To her surprise, Aaron seems sensitive and caring, the kind of man who will be there for her, no matter what. Despite her vow of self-imposed celibacy, Grace finds herself allowing their friendship to grow deeper.

When her worst nightmare becomes reality, Grace’s past fear rears its ugly head, driving her to push him away. But Aaron’s not the kind of man to give up on Grace’s love—or her life—without a fight.

All the best…

Mary Eason
www.maryeason.bravehost.com

Read on for an excerpt…

Aaron left it up to me to choose where we would have dinner. I decided he needed a little authentic taste of Texas. So I took him to my favorite barbeque joint. The kind of place where they serve barbeque up by the pound on white meat market paper. Aaron wasn’t nearly as convinced as I was when I told him he would love it.

“Come on, you have to try it just once. This place is a legend around town.” Still not so sure, he took a bite of one of the well-seasoned ribs, sending sloppy barbeque sauce squirting in just about every direction. It was on his face, running down the front of his crisp, white shirt, before plopping onto the white paper. He was lucky to have taken his jacket off otherwise it would have been all over that as well. And I was almost positive I felt some of it strike my cheek.

As hard as I tried when I looked at his completely disgusted expression, I had to laugh. He was such a Yankee. Didn’t he realize you couldn’t eat ribs like that without a bib and whole lot of napkins?

“You did that on purpose didn’t you?”

“I did not. I’m sorry. How did I know you had no idea how to eat ribs? Don’t they have them in New York?” I reached for a handful of napkins, handed him several, then tucked one into his shirt. “There, you should be safe now.”

That strange expression was back on his face as he leaned over and wiped the sauce from my cheek.

“Pretty good shot, don’t you think?” He showed me the sauce he’d just wiped from my face.

“Remind me next time to sit at another table.”

“There’s not going to be a next time, so you can forget about that. You got me once. You won’t be so lucky again.”

“Well, maybe not with barbeque but there are lots of other ways, Mr. Severn. You are, after all, a foreigner here. You stand out like a sore thumb.”

At least I made him smile a little, which diminished that disturbing expression in his eyes. “Another homespun adage I take it?”

“Yep, I’m full of them.”

“I can see that. Like I said before, I think you’re going to be trouble for me. I’m not so sure I’m ready for you just yet, Miss Caldwell.” I had no idea what he meant. I was finding the best way to take him was on face value alone and not dig too deep.

Even so, I was aware of every little thing he said or did. To cover my sudden awareness, I decided to ask him some questions about himself. So far all I knew about him was that he could be impossible to deal with and he dated lots of women.

“So, your parents must be very proud of you?” Okay I never said I had a lot of tact. That probably was the least pleasant way of changing the conversation but I didn’t care. I just blurted that one out, surprising him and probably giving him whiplash at the speed of my subject change.

“Is this your way of asking me about myself? I didn’t think you cared.” He took my silence for what it was—complete annoyance at his sarcasm. “My parents passed away when I was away at the university. It’s only me in the world.”

“I’m sorry…oh, Aaron, I had no idea. That must have been…awful.”

“Yes, it was. But it was also an awfully long time ago.”

“Really? I didn’t know you were so old.”

His full attention was back on me once again. “Your way of asking how old I am?”

“Maybe…”

“I’m thirty-seven.”

“That old, huh?”

Aaron shook his head. “Okay, smart guy, what about you? How old are you?”

“You know, I’d think with all the women you’re supposed to have dated in your lifetime, you would have learned something about them by now. Don’t you know you never ask a woman her age?”

Aaron didn’t laugh. In fact, he wasn’t even smiling. “It just so happens there aren’t as many women in my past as you and everyone else in the world would like to think. And I happen to know you’re twenty-three, Grace. I was just being polite. What about your parents?”

Of course, I knew the question was coming even though I was trying my hardest to steer the conversation away from me. I hated talking about my parents because it always led to the inevitable questions about them I didn’t want to answer.

Looking into Aaron’s blue eyes I knew if I didn’t say something, and soon, he would guess the truth on his own. “My mother passed away when I was six. I haven’t seen my father since.”

I think he figured by the way I blurted those words out that it was not the time to ask a whole lot of questions on the subject.

“Where did you grow up?” The compassion in his voice threatened to crack my hard won resolve.

“With my grandparents. My mom’s parents. They have a small farm outside of Amarillo.”

“I see. That must have been hard—losing both parents so young?”

How could I tell him I couldn’t let go of the hurt? At times the pain was just as strong as it had been when I was that scared girl of six who didn’t understand her mother was dying. The little girl who cherished her father’s love only to lose it when he left us both for good.

I tried again to change the subject. “It was. But my grandparents were wonderful. I was lucky.” I pretended to look at my watch before faking surprise. “Oh geez, is that the time? I really need to go.”

Just before he agreed with me, I saw the truth. He knew. He’d seen my pain before I could hide it. It was there in the ever-so-slight-did-I-actually-imagine-it softening expression in his eyes.

The Things You Think You Want is now in PRINT at Samhain Publishing
by Mary Eason
Genre: Chick Lit

ISBN: 978-1-59998-968-6
Length: 272 Pages
Price: 14.00
Publication Date: September 30, 2008
Cover art by Scott Carpenter

Carrie Sinclair thought she knew exactly what she wanted from life until she came face-to-face with the bluest eyes in Texas.

Caterer Carrie Sinclair thinks she has the perfect life and doesn’t need a man to complete it. Her pudgy kitty Max is the man in her life, and that’s enough for her. Then, quite by accident, she comes across the man of her dreams. Tyler Bennedict is perfect boyfriend material: Charming, sweet, rich, and incredibly sexy. No matter that he’s made it clear he’s not looking for a serious relationship. One night in his arms, and all her usual warning bells about men go silent.

She should have listened to those bells, and to Aunt Mable. Enter Tyler’s real estate tycoon father, Richard. He makes it relentlessly clear she is not the woman for his son, and comes up with creative ways to keep them apart until Carrie sees the light.

In one fell swoop she swears off all men, closes her business, and gets out of Austin. But no matter how far and how fast you run, the unexpected bumps in the road have a way of revealing the truth and turning your life—and your heart—a complete 180.

Okay, I confess, I started reading happily-ever-after romances before I became a pre-teen, which was somewhere in the early seventies, (yes, I’m dating myself). At that time, romance novels fell into pretty much two categories. The bodice rippers and the sweet romances. I read the sweet romances, mostly because I could find them at the local library and my parents wouldn’t buy me the bodice rippers.

Those ladies (and men) who wrote back then helped pioneer the start of what would later become the billion dollar business it is today.

In 2007, romance fiction generated $1.375 billion in sales.
How does the romance market share compare to other genres?
Romance fiction: $1.375 billion in estimated revenue for 2007
Religion/inspirational: $819 million
Science fiction/fantasy: $700 million
Mystery: $650 million
Classic literary fiction: $466 million

When I look back on those days, it is truly amazing how far the romance novel has evolved from its simple beginnings.

Today, you can find something to fit just about every reader’s taste, no matter how you like your romance. From Inspirational to Erotica. With a splash of suspense or a bit of humor. And every sub-genre in between.

The romance novels of our grandmother’s day was geared to transport the reader into a fairytale world where the hero and herione’s lived ended in happily ever after. Today’s savy herione may have to kiss a lot of frogs before she finds her prince or she might end up having to kill the alien attackers to rescue said prince.

In today’s romance novel, just about anything goes and the only limit is the writer’s imagination. But there is one thing you can always count on. A truly satisfying story and and an ending that will leave you with a smile on your face for days to come.

All the best…

Mary Eason
www.maryeason.bravehost.com
Thirty Lessons – Available now in ebook and print
The Things You Think You Want – Available in ebook and coming to print, September 2008Survivor – Available now in ebook and coming to print, December 2008

Did you ever wonder why women in the old days had their babies at a very young age?

I confess I never really gave it much thought until I became a grandmother.

At forty-eight, I thought I was in pretty good shape. I mean, I have a daily rountine of walking and I try to take care of myself.

But as it turns out, I’ve been living under a delusion. My daily workout is nothing compared to the one I get trying to keep up with a twenty-one month old toddler who loves to take her grandmother on LONG walks peppered with multiple stops along the way to bend and squat. Oh and don’t forget those floor exercises. You know, horse back rides and crawling on the floor, then there’s the hours spent building towers of blocks only to tear them down again and again. And Again.

And then there’s the late night cram sessions. You know when my precious baby girl wakes up at 2AM full of giggles and needs grandma to watch the Backyardigans with her and carry her on her hip so that she can go back to sleep.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade a second of my wonderful time with her, but I can say that it was during one of these late-night sessions that I had an epiphany.

I now understand why God intended children for the young and why grandparents are supposed to spoil their grandbabies and then when they are pooped send them home to mom and dad so that grandma can take a nap.

All the best…

Mary Eason
www.maryeason.bravehost.com

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest romantic comedy Survivor through Samhain Publishing.
The biggest challenge to Grace’s self-imposed celibacy? Love.
As a little girl, Grace Caldwell watched her father walk out on her mother as she struggled through the final stages of breast cancer. Grace, knowing the odds that she could suffer her mother’s fate, resolves to never to let any man close enough to hurt her that way.

Her new boss, Aaron Severn, isn’t hard to figure out—his reputation with women is legendary. She’s confident it won’t be hard for her to resist his charm. To her surprise, Aaron seems sensitive and caring, the kind of man who will be there for her, no matter what. Despite her vow of self-imposed celibacy, Grace finds herself allowing their friendship to grow deeper.

When her worst nightmare becomes reality, Grace’s past fear rears its ugly head, driving her to push him away. But Aaron’s not the kind of man to give up on Grace’s love—or her life—without a fight.

All the best..

Mary Eason
Survivor – Available now
The Things You Think You Want – Available now
Thirty Lessons – Available now in ebook and print
www.maryeason.bravehost.com