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Cover Reveal and Giveaway!

by Cheryl Brooks

I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon after dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cooking, and window cleaning, so if I don't come across as terribly brisk, that's why.

I recently received the cover for the second book in my Cowboy Heaven series, Must Love Cowboys, which is slated to release next April and is currently available for preorder. It's the same super-hot photo that was used before the book (originally titled Cowboy Bliss) was rewritten and relaunched as a "sexy contemporary" rather than an erotic romance. Kinda makes you want to ride a cowboy, doesn't it?


The first book in the series, Cowboy Heaven, released this past March. Yeah, I know. That's a long damn time between books, which is due to that "rewritten and relaunched" thing. There's a lot to be said for momentum, and I seem to have lost it lately, something my sales have been reflecting rather vividly. That being said, I'm not the only author in a slump, which makes me wonder what's really going on in the book biz.


Has Kindle Unlimited really destroyed sales? Has the slow downward spiral of the Nook affected everyone?
Or have readers simply filled their e-readers with freebies they don't have enough time to read?

*pausing for a brief word from our sponsor*
Speaking of freebies, the Cowboy Delight novella is still FREE on Amazon and B&N!


*picking up where I left off...*

Are people choosing to look for books in the library rather than the bookstore? Is it a reflection of the economy? Or is the market just plain glutted? After all, readers only have so much time to read and so much money to spend. 

I'll take a wild guess and say that all of these have had an effect. The funny thing is, even with so little to show for it in recent months, I'm still writing. Some say it's a curse or an affliction. Others refer to it as a calling. But the truth is, writers write. It's what we do. We can't stop even when our own good sense tells us it's a fruitless endeavor.

I'm currently writing a paranormal romantic suspense trilogy. I'm more than halfway through the second book, and I could publish the first one tomorrow if I wanted to. Unfortunately, each book in the series is so closely interwoven with the others, I'm afraid I may have to go back and change a few things in the first and second books by the time I start writing the third. For that reason, I'm waiting until all three are finished.

I haven't decided whether to have my agent shop the series around or self-publish it, but I do know one thing: This series has the potential to either make or break my writing career. If it makes it, great! But even if it ruins everything, I'll probably still write. After all, it's what I do--when I'm not mopping, dusting, and cooking, etc. *:D big grin

What about you? Have your reading and book-buying habits changed? Use the Rafflecopter or post a comment below for your chance to win a signed copy of Cowboy Heaven!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/

Comments

  1. Oh (cow)boy! Thanks for the chance, Cheryl. Sorry, but I don'y use Twitter.

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    1. No worries! You're still entered in the contest!

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  2. Keep writing and I'll keep reading!

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  3. In my case my husband got laid off so I have to be careful but I will still read every day. Winning helps, free books, libraries and for holidays I ask for GC's. for myself, I will buy a book before most things!

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  4. I have less time to read in the last couple of years and yet I desperately need the mini vacation delving into stories. For work, I am often on call for people who are scheduled but call in themselves, what with colds, car breakdowns, etc. Between that and my husband taking on more work abroad, I am also the family mainstay and go to person for help. The kids are old enough to do much themselves and be somewhat independant but they need me to do all of the normal mom stuff including homework help, most of the cooking, some of the transport... So between work and family, my time for myself dwindles. I still make time for reading since it keeps me going, but it is balanced with getting enough sleep these days. Still books help me keep my sanity.

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  5. My reading habits haven't changed. I still buy both paper and digital (Nook epub). I've missed your author voice in my reading this last year... I do know our local library is feeling the budget pinch and has scaled back their purchases. I use them for hard back releases for series I follow religiously but can't afford a hard back. I am very cost conscious though in my book buying. If it's less expensive in digital I'll get it that way. And I only purchase mass market for print unless it's an author that is only in trade (ie: Shelly Laurenston's Pride, Lora Leigh's Breeds & Bound Hearts, Meljean Brook's London Steampunk, Jaci Burton's Play-by-Play). Those only come from BN online because they offer trade at a deep discount and I use a coupon. I really miss Sourcebook's Discover A New Love program of 6 digital books for $10. I've had to scale back my Sourcebooks authors because my $$ just doesn't stretch as far anymore...

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  6. Looks like most folks are feeling the pinch, be it from time or financial constraints. I hope things improve for everyone soon!

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  7. I think it's "all of the above" as to what's happening, and I think it's all scary. I think I read less than I used to because my tastes have changed a lot and there isn't that much that caters to what I like anymore.

    And some things within books have changed, too. Case in point (you did say go ahead and write a book here, right?) Christmas stories. I am a Christmas story whore and I used to read them all because of not only the spiritual part but because of the depth of emotion I always found in them. Now I don't find much of either even if I read inspirational stories.

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    1. Not being able to find what I wanted to read is why I started writing in the first place, Liz. I bet if you wrote Christmas-themed books, you'd be the Queen of the Christmas Story in no time!

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  8. I didn't realize you were writing cowboys! I love stories about cowboys!
    And, as usual, Sourcebooks has the BEST covers! Congratulations!!

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    1. LOL! You and everyone else, Ash! My readers are all like, "When is the next Cat Star book coming out?" And all I can say is that there's a new cowboy book due out next April. I think my cowboys sort of got lost in the multitude of other cowboy stories. Such is life...

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  9. Love your books & love cowboy stories, I don't tweet. Thanks for this amazing giveaway. Linda May

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  10. Add a struggling writer it's hard to find the time & money to read as much as I'd like. I read a lot more free and .99 ebooks now.

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    1. I don't read nearly as much as I did before I began writing. Finding the time is tough. Good luck with your writing career!

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  11. I've developed the (not good) habit of buying a lot of e-books on sale. I need to get back on budget. I have been doing a lot of purchase requests through the library. They do buy most of them.

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    1. Sticking to a budget is tough when there are so many books to choose from. Glad you have a good library!

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