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Where the readers are!
True or false: Goodreads is only useful for sorting books into “to-read,” “currently reading” and “read” categories.
Two weeks ago, I’d have said “true.” And then, then one blogger’s review of The Perks of Being a Wallflower led me not only to devour that book (purely with my eyes and mind, mind you; actually eating my iPad would’ve been painful and ill advised) but to search out similar books to read. Sure, I have a hundred unread books on my bookshelf, but none of them was just right for my mood.
I perused Goodreads for recommendations, which the site offers based on your personal catalogue of books. It also allows your friends to directly recommend you books they think you’ll enjoy.
As I explored, I found that there are a multitude of book groups. I joined a couple of general groups, one YA group, a horror group, and an author’s group. I quickly discovered there are “books of the month,” in which a group is invited to experience the same book and discuss it as they go during a given month, and “buddy reads,” which allow smaller groups of people to read and discuss a book together over several weeks.
I immediately signed up for a few book of the month reads (Thirteen Reasons Why, Beautiful Creatures, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt) and a few buddy reads (Afraid, The End of Your Life Book Club). In two weeks, I’ve read some to all of each of these books. I’ve engaged in conversations about them, and delighted to know that no matter what book I’m reading, someone somewhere there will be able to discuss it with me.
It is, in a word, glorious.
I’ve moved from slowly meandering through one book at a time to reading five books at a time, selecting the particular one fit to any given mood and reading from it as long as it suits my mood.
I also decided to try out an author giveaway. My second novel should be out later this year, and I want to be prepared to do that release right straight out of the gate.
If you’ve been here a while, you’ve seen me do giveaways here before. I promoted them largely on Facebook, which, as I once wrote, made me “feel like I was selling same-day ballet tickets outside a football game.”
This time, I wanted to try a giveaway where the readers are–and, more particularly, where YA paranormal readers might be better equipped to find it. And wouldn’t you know, over the course of the 2.5 days of the giveaway so far, more than 300 people have entered to win a copy of The Monster’s Daughter. Bunches of folks have marked it ”to-read” apart from that, gaining it much greater exposure within its target audience.
If you’re a reader looking for likeminded readers for book discussion, from a single question to philosophical inquiry, or an indie author trying to find readers for your book, Goodreads is an excellent place for you. Heck, they even provide handy author widgets like the one below!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Monster’s Daughter
by Deborah Bryan
Giveaway ends March 01, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
As for my starting question? Goodreads is only useful for sorting books into “to-read,” “currently reading” and “read” categories.
False. It’s for sharing good reads with good folks.
And halfway-decent ones. Like me.
Nudge, nudge.
** E.L. Farris is also doing a Goodreads giveaway! See bottom of this post for details.
The Monster’s Daughter, free for the next two days!
ETA: It looks like the coupon is good through 23:59:59 Thursday, so download away!
–
I meant to give away one book today, but I can’t seem to find the words for that post.
Instead I offer up free copies of my first novel, The Monster’s Daughter. Like the book I meant to give away today, it involves some hard choices for its protagonist. Unlike the book I meant to give away today, it involves monsters:
Ginny Connors doesn’t believe in vampires. There’s totally a rational reason her dad is a lot more bloodthirsty and a lot less interested in food than he used to be.
Still, she hangs a cross on her bedroom door. Just in case.
When Ginny discovers people aren’t the guests but the main course at her father’s New Year party, she wishes she could save the day with garlic pancakes. Instead, she must face the limits of her daydreams, and attempt to stop the monster her father has become.
If you’re looking for a vampire novel, I’m gonna be frank with you: this might not be your thing. Like the novel’s protagonist, I believe most vampires are improved by a stake through the heart.
If what you’re looking for is strength in hard times, you might just find something useful in this book. As reviewer E. L. Faris wrote:
If The Monster’s Daughter is read as simply a coming of age story for
a heroic young woman (and you will have to read the book to see just how
heroic she acts for I refuse to spoil it for you), you will love it. If, however, you
read it as an allegory for the life of an abused child and young woman, then
you will find great satisfaction and perhaps even catharsis as you read the
this amazing first novel by author Deborah Bryan.
Curious? Click here to begin the free download process. If you don’t already have a Smashwords account, you’ll need to create one. Once you have an account, simply add the book to your cart and enter the discount code WW68H. This will enable you to download it free of charge in your favored e-book format before May 3, 2012 (Pacific Time).
Stay tuned for the giveaway I’d actually planned!
© 2012 Deborah Bryan. All rights reserved.
Duplication in whole or substantial portion is explicitly forbidden.
Free book! Cover reveal?
The Lucky Mom, Lisha, delighted me by buying not one but a few signed copies of my first novel, The Monster’s Daughter.*
When she announced that one of those copies was for a giveaway on her blog, “delight” was upgraded to “true love.”
If you’d like a chance to win a signed copy of The Monster’s Daughter, check out Lisha’s review and giveaway post. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to leave afterward; there’s a whole lot for a reader to love there! (“The Mistress” is one of my favorite reads there.)
If you’d like to tell me to hurry up with editing its sequel already, you can feel free to do that here. I’ll take your words under advisement, especially if you send them over with an extra hour or so from your day. And I’ll leave you with this tiny preview of a draft of its cover, which Bright Strange Things is crafting and tweaking now!**
Don't you just wish you could see the WHOLE THING?!
* Incidentally, I should be working on editing its sequel right now. But look, I still have 31 whole minutes to edit this morning! (Yes, it remains largely true that if editing were weight-lifting, I’d be benching three ounces.)
** Probably not right now. I’d wager she’s mostly hard at work snoring right now.
© 2012 Deborah Bryan. All rights reserved.
Duplication in whole or substantial portion is explicitly forbidden.
The magic of reading (& winning!) books
my 2011 favorite
Books were the magic of my youth. No matter how rocky the waters outside their pages, I could always find the solace of hope within them.
Books whispered to me, “What’s to come needn’t be a continuation of what is.”
I grew up. I built a life so full of inspiration I didn’t need it from stories anymore.
I read less and less.
[ read more & enter to win a copy of my first novel;
click here for still another chance to win that or many others ]
The book winners are . . .
In the wee hours of the morning, I used random.org to generate some random numbers.
What. Isn’t this how you start your mornings? A little random number sequencing?
Okay, so I don’t start every morning like this. Just this morning.
I had some books to give away!
The first randomly generated number was 10. The second, 30.
I’d scrolled halfway up the numbered list of entries before it hit me: 10/30 is my birthday. (Way to start the morning spooky, random.org!)
Congratulations, #10 and #30! Or, for the non-psychic among you, first place winner Jessica W and second place winner Natasha D! I’ll be emailing you today.
I’m so grateful to everyone who entered and shared this giveaway. If you entered the giveaway and would like a The Monster’s Daughter bookmark (if only to have something that’s not a bill in your mailbox), please reply to the entry confirmation email I sent you with your mailing address.
Thank you again, everyone, and congrats, Jessica and Natasha! Happy reading to all, and to all a good week!
–
© 2011 Deborah Bryan. All rights reserved.
Duplication in whole or substantial portion is explicitly forbidden.
A book giveaway & a lot o’ reviewer love
Yesterday was an incredible day for reviews of my first novel, The Monster’s Daughter.
In one review, a reader wrote:
If The Monster’s Daughter is read as simply a coming of age story for a heroic young woman (and you will have to read the book to see just how heroic she acts for I refuse to spoil it for you), you will love it. If, however, you read it as an allegory for the life of an abused child and young woman, then you will find great satisfaction and perhaps even catharsis as you read this amazing first novel by author Deborah Bryan.
In the book’s first iTunes review, another reader wrote:
This is the coolest vampire book I have read yet! I truly loved it! I never expected this book would tug at my heartstrings like it did.
In the final review of the day, one reader wrote:
If you’re thinking that vampire stories are not for you, that’s okay. This book is much more than that. It is the story of a girl who overcomes many obstacles to find herself stronger and more capable than ever.
Other reviews are available here, but you should only check those out after entering the book giveaway below!
On December 19, 2011, I’ll give away a signed copy of The Monster’s Daughter and a $15 Amazon gift card to the first randomly drawn winner. A signed copy of The Monster’s Daughter will go to the second randomly drawn winner. If you live in the United States and would like a shot at winning one of these three copies, do at least one of the following prior to 12:00 AM Pacific Time December 19, 2011:
1. Send me an email with the subject: “Free books FTW!”
2. Tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @deb_bryan, and send me an email with the subject: “I tweeted it!”
3. Share this link on your blog and send me an email with the subject: “I blogged it!”
4. Share this link on Facebook and send me an email with the subject: “I pimped it on Facebook!” For an additional entry, tag my author page when you share the link.
If you’d like more than one shot at winning, do more than one of the following! You’ll be entered once for each of the above actions you take.
Y’all are winners in my eyes, but book winners will be announced by first name on or shortly after December 19, 2011.
And, reviewers? Mad love to you. For you I am so, so very thankful.
–
(c) 2011 Deborah Bryan. All rights reserved.
Duplication in whole or substantial portion is explicitly forbidden.
Who doesn’t love free books? Stop Pretending+1 giveaway
giveaway: preface
One month ago today, I posted the hardest thing I’ve yet written: Six hands for lifting: on my mom, mental illness, fear & hope. In the wake of posting about my experiences with my mom’s mental illness, I was stunned by the outpouring of support and like stories. In addition to the peace of having confronted my grief head-on, I was then greeted with thousands of other blessings in the form of your words.
The message in this is simple. I’m not alone. You’re not alone. The more we share our experiences, our hope, and our love, the brighter the world will be for those who continue to suffer the many hardships correlated with mental illness.
“Six hands for lifting” was prompted by the beautiful, heartfelt book Stop Pretending. It’s my wish this book will eventually land on each of your bookshelves, so that you may share it with others who will be touched by its accessible truths . . . and perhaps be compelled to find their way to healing, and help, in other forms.
giveaway: details
On July 15, 2011, I’ll give away two paperback books apiece to three winners. The first book of each set will be a copy of Sonya Sones’s Stop Pretending. The second book will be of each winner’s choice, with the caveats that each must be both available on Amazon and cost $20 or less. (I’d love to hook you up with autographed, out-of-print first editions of your favorite book, but I’d also love to help my son with college someday!)
If you live in the United States and would like a shot at winning one of these two-book sets, do at least one of the following prior to 12:00 AM Pacific Time July 15, 2011:
1. Comment on this entry indicating your interest.
2. Email deborah.bryan.writes@gmail.com with the subject: “Free books FTW!”
3. Tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @deb_bryan, and send me an email with the subject: “I tweeted it!”
4. Share this link on your blog and send me an email with the subject: “I blogged it!”
5. Share this link on Facebook and send me an email with the subject: “I shared it on Facebook!”
If you’d like more than one shot at winning, do more than one of the following! You’ll be entered once for each of the above actions you take.
Winners will be announced by first name on or shortly after July 15, 2011.
* 100% no-nefarious-usage-of-your-private-info guarantee! Your email address–and any other contact info you provide–will be used strictly for purposes of this giveaway. Once winners are announced, I’ll email each winner to coordinate shipment. Afterward, all private info will be deleted and/or otherwise destroyed. As with my first book giveaway, this will not by accomplished by devouring. 
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