Now Available at Barnes & Noble!

If you have a Nook, and prefer shopping at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore - Lessons is now available for your Nook!

Check the links to the right of this post for bookstores carrying the eBook version of Anna J. McIntyre's Lessons.

Anna J. McIntyre’s Lessons in Print

The proof arrived this evening. It looks good, yet there are a few format changes I need to make prior to the print release. I imagine it will be another week before the changes are made and the new proof arrives.

I’m happy with the font size, line spacing and page color - very easy to read.

There is one issue - the date on the copyright page is 2011, yet in all likeliness, Lessons won’t be available for release (in the print version) until 2012.

Barnes and Noble Delay

I'm a bit frustrated. I expected Lessons to be up at Barnes and Noble by now;  it has been over a week since it was uploaded on the site. I've been having some issues, and so far have called them three times. It really isn't their fault - it involves an issue with my tax identification number.

Yet, yesterday I talked to someone over at Barnes and Noble who said he'd handle it manually, and the book should be live within 72 hours. Yet, when I log into the account, I see the same warning message, asking me to call them.

One of my friends has been waiting patiently for the Nook version, as she doesn't want to purchase the eBook at Smashwords, and I assume there are others who feel the same way.

I am also waiting for the proof of the paperback to arrive, so I can give that a go.

I hate waiting. I should be writing.

Goodreads

Do you do Goodreads?

I recently joined the website - as a reader and author. I've only had time to review two books. I chose two of my favorites, as I hate leaving anything less than a 5 star. Yet, I don't want to pass out five stars just to be nice.

I must admit, seeing that some readers gave my favorite books less than favorable reviews, helped put all this review stuff into perspective. So far the few reviews I've received from readers have been favorable, yet I understand not all readers will love my work, and as time goes on, there will be negative reviews. After all, if over 8,000 readers at Goodreads gave Diana Gabaldon's Outlander one star, I better toughen up.  Of course, over 50,000 gave it a five star.

Heck at this point, I'd just like to have 8,000 people read the book! :)

By the way, I loved Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. She is one of my favorite authors.

Lesson's Target Audience

I just finished reading a marketing article at Marketing Central, over at Amazon’s Create Space. One point made by the author of the article was the importance of identifying your book’s audience. Ironically, this was something I discussed with my daughter earlier today.

I believe Lessons appeals more to female readers in the 30-plus age bracket – and especially to those in the baby boomer generation, as the main male character was born in the mid-1940’s, and the female character in the mid-1950’s.

The story includes some adult scenes; therefore, the book is not for all readers. My mother (who is 83) loved the story. She has read it at least three times – and she is brutally honest with me, in that when I write something she doesn’t like (which I have), she will tell me. While Mom liked the book, I’m afraid it would be a bit racy for a few of her contemporaries.

It is an adult love story – and there are no vampires or zombies. Although, there is a brief encounter with a possible ghost, yet that is more in the realm of reality as opposed to fantasy.

My daughter reminded me she enjoyed the book, and she is just 29. I had her read Lessons before she designed its cover (she is a professional graphic artist.) At the time she read the book, my son-in-law asked her why anyone would want to read a romance about old people. Of course, he didn’t read the book, and the central characters were in their mid 30’s and 40’s during part of the story, and ten years older in the latter part.

The central characters from Lessons will be even older in the next book, The Senator’s Secret. Yet the love story will involve the next generation, along with murder.

Lessons , available in print – Almost

Lessons will be available in print, sooner than I originally anticipated. I am waiting to receive the proofs from the printers.

Yes printers, there are two of them. I decided to offer the book in hardback and paperback, as well as eBook format. Yet, I really don’t expect to sell any hardbacks, as the price is a little hefty, especially for a “new author.”  But, there is someone on my Christmas list who would love a hardback of the book, and I am hoping it arrives in time.

The hardback I’m doing through Lulu.com, and the paperback through Amazon’s Create Space.

The book still isn’t live on the Barnes and Noble Nook site, as I had some issues with my tax information. Hopefully, the book will be live next week. Yet, Nook readers can purchase the file at Smashwords.

On the marketing front, I recently joined Goodreads, yet am still familiarizing myself with the site.

So much to do, when all I really want to do is get working on the next book, The Senator’s Secret. It is also set in my fictional town of Coulson, and will bring back characters from Lessons.

Coming to Barnes and Noble

Anna J. McIntyre's Lessons is already available at Amazon and Smashwords. It is on its way (via Smashwords) to Apple, Sony, Kobo and Diesel.

It should be at Barnes and Noble within the next 24 to 72 hours. The print version is slated for sometime in the near future.

Lessons - Now at Smashwords!

It was almost midnight last night, when I finished publishing Lessons to Smashwords. It was rather exciting to wake up this morning, and discover I'd already sold a copy.

I hope you enjoy the story.  For those who know me, you might wonder if I pattered the main character after myself, since she graduated from high school the same year I did. The simple answer, NO.  Yet, I did intentionally make her my age, to make it easier for me to keep track of things throughout the story.

The story's prologue is in essence a flashback, when the central character, Alexander Chamberlain, was a senior in high school in 1972. It then fast forwards, with a portion of the story taking place in the late 1980's and the late 1990's, which explains why the characters didn't simply pull out a cell phone, during certain parts of the story.

I'm already working on a sequel, The Senator's Secret, which will bring the characters into the current century.

Lessons - Now at Smashwords!

It's 11:41 pm as I write this. Just a short while ago I finished publishing Anna J. McIntyre's Lessons, at Smashwords. At Smashwords, you can purchase the book it in a variety of eBook formats. I also published it at Amazon, but it will take several days for it to show up.

I have more to do in my promotion, and websites to update. But it is late, I am tired, so off to bed.

I hope you enjoy the book.