Monday 7 January 2019

Out with the Old Year. In with the New Year…

Justine and I selling our reading wares...

First, I want to wish my readers and followers a very Happy New Year, and all the best in 2019! I can’t believe how fast 2018 flew by. I guess we say that about every year, I’m afraid. I usually start off a new year with a post on what’s happening in my writing life, any newsworthy tidbits, and what I hope to accomplish this year. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a book release in 2018, so I’ve had to reassess and reevaluate my future goals and plans. Something I believe we all should do on a personal and professional level at the end of every year.

That said, shall we get this new year started! In December, I had the pleasure of working with my publisher, Justine Alley Dowsett at a Christmas Market in Windsor. It was so refreshing to get out of my writing lair and meet potential readers. We chatted up eager holiday shoppers and sold many books during our three-week stint each Wednesday night. And I’m happy to report that there’s a lot of young readers out there waiting for the next book in my series, so I’d better get my butt in my chair and finish off the next novel! I also met a teacher who seemed quite interested in our books, and promised to pass along our names to her school’s librarian. Sweet!

At the end of December, I write down where I’d like to be in twelve months—one book published, one book written, outline next book, and how to reach more readers. This strategy usually works for me, but for some reason, I fell short in 2018. Hence the importance of reassessment. Now, everything would have worked out great if I hadn’t applied for a Canadian grant for the Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series. A grant, by-the-way, I did not receive. Sigh. Glad I developed a thick skin throughout the years of writing! Anyway, I ended up submitting Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two in Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series, to Mirror World Publishing last winter, and I’m happy to announce that this book will be released in May, 2019. Woohoo!

In order to reach more readers, I hired a book promotion specialist last January, which helped with my social media presence and got my books out into the cyber-world. Time will tell if this is a good investment or not, but I realize that this publishing gig is a marathon, not a sprint, and patience is the name of the game. I truly believe that hard work eventually pays off, and I’m continuing to see slow and steady growth as an author, and in book sales. I’ve also revamped my website to make it ‘mobile friendly’, updated my author photo, and added a couple of free cookbooks on the site where some of my recipes are featured along with other prominent authors’ recipes. It’s a win-win for readers and foodies! Check out my mobile friendly website HERE.

I also want to announce that I’ve scheduled a week-long Birthday Book Blog Tour starting February 4th and running until February 8th to showcase my two book series, and give readers a sneak peek at my upcoming release in May. There will be an international Rafflecopter giveaway for the first book in The Last Timekeepers series and Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, plus Mirror World Publishing has agreed to put my books up for sale for the entire month of February! I’ll also be busy finishing up the next installment of The Last Timekeepers time travel adventure series set to be released in 2020, and will continue to connect with my readers on the numerous social media networks. So that’s all the news for now. Thanks so much for your continued support throughout the years. Readers Rock!



Below are the links to my website, blog, and social media accounts. Please consider following or connecting with me:

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

16 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Sharon, and congratulations on getting Book 2 accepted for publication :)

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    1. Thanks, Carol! Looking forward to getting this book out there! Happy New Year to you, my friend!

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  2. So excited about your May release--Blackflies and Blueberries!!! Woot woot!

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    1. Hugs and thanks, Leigh! I am too! Long time coming! Cheers!

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  3. Congratulations, and best of luck to you! Happy New Year!

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  4. Sounds as if you have a busy year planned, Sharon! Looking forward to the upcoming release!

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    1. I sure do, Helen and Lorri! Thanks for all your support!

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  5. Happy New Year! Here's wishing you many book sales in 2019!!

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    1. Happy New Year to you, Lisa! Thank you and all the best in book sales to you in 2019! Cheers!

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  6. Wishing you a wonderful New Year Sharon. May your books sales soar. You deserve it.

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    1. Oh, thank you for your New Year wishes and support, Susan! I wish you all the best in everything you do throughout 2019! Cheers!

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  7. I didn't publish a book last year either and it felt weird. Looks like you will be back on track this year though. All the best for 2019!!

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    1. Full steam ahead, Darlene! Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year! Cheers!

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