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Mind Your Business – Create a QR Code

Why a QR Code?

Many readers are interested in reading ebooks on their phones or iPad these days. Others enjoy listening to audiobooks while driving, working out, doing housework or just relaxing. Those fans also attend functions like book fairs where they can meet and shake the hand of authors, get to know them personally and learn what is new in their literary journey. They may not buy a signed physical book by you at that time, but they might if you can give them access to a way to buy the non-physical version they prefer right then and there.

You have a book they can buy, but if they’re not interested in the print version, you’ve lost a sale. Once they walk away from your table, there’s very little chance they will purchase that book. Life gets in the way, and they forget all about it.

The QR code is the answer to your dilemma of how to provide them instant access so they can do it immediately. A QR code instantly puts them in touch with the version of your book they want to purchase—while their urge to buy is immediate.

How do You Create a QR Code?

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial, showing you how to do just that on your PC. The process is similar but slightly different when done on an iPad or phone.

On Your PC

Go to your retailer page for the book in question. In the top blue lined box is the electronic address for this page. To the right inside the box is a square. Click on that box.

 

The QR code appears. Download it and save it to a file, where you can access it later for marketing purposes. Do this by clicking the three black dots on the right. A dropdown appears. Click Save As and file it in the location of your choice.

 

 

The same dropdown that allows you to save the file, allows you to copy it as well. Copy it and paste it to a Word document. You can now print it out and take the printout to events, so customers can buy their version from you immediately through the distributor you’ve linked them to.

Via iPad

This process is slightly different when done via an ipad. The dropdown looks like this. Click it. You see the dropdown with icons. Select the bottom one with FOUR squares in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The QR code comes up. Save it to your file. Copy and paste it into your document. You are good to go.

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Member News – February

Lynn Slaughter

Check out Lynn Slaughter’s essay on the importance of backstory  on hastybooklist.com:

Also, Lynn and Ellen Birkett Morris gave a delightful talk at Jo-Beth’s bookstore. Lynn and Ellen were superb, talking about their writing process, and reading from their latest novels. Well done! Susan and Elaine drove down to show support, along with Miss Whitney Vale (Susan’s sister).

Lynda Rees

DRS Member and Author, Lynda Rees, The Murder Guru, will be teaching The Business of Publishing workshop online for the Womens’ Fiction Writer’s Association, classes from April 20-30. It’s only $20.

Lynda is also honored to have been selected to help judge as Unpublished Category Coordinator for the Kiss of Death, Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery / Suspense contest. You DO NOT have to be a KOD or RWA member to enter. This year short stories are a new category! Entry information is in the graphic below.

Mystery With a Splash of Bourbon

Mystery With a Splash of Bourbon

The Kentucky Derby Museum recently ordered 36 copies of our anthology to stock in their gift shop.  And they just told us that, instead of doing consignment, which we have been doing the past 6 months, they will now buy outright! Great news, and much easier to keep track of. We hope we get more orders from them as the Derby approaches. Fingers crossed!
Also, in January, Susan and Elaine dropped off copies of the anthology to Keeneland and the Kentucky Horse Park. Sadly, Keeneland said no. We haven’t heard back from Kentucky Horse Park. NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED!
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Musings From Munsch – Richard III

A few weeks ago, I was talking with Miki and she mentioned reading The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. This stirred up long-forgotten memories of my introduction to Tey’s seminal work. I was a freshman in college (ancient history now) and my English teacher, Sister Josepha, recommended this book. We had been reading Richard III (“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York.”) by Shakespeare.

If you have not read (and why not?) The Daughter of Time, published in 1951, it features as its protagonist Inspector Allan Grant, a bedridden patient in hospital. To cheer him up, his friends bring him a variety of books. When a friend brings him a portrait of Richard III, Grant begins his research into the hunchbacked king and his era. Long story short, he does enough research to question the long-held version of Richard, believing the ‘bad’ king could have been a ‘good’ king, had he lived.

This book sent me on my own quest to discover the real Richard. Somehow in the pre-Google age, I connected with the American branch of the Richard III Society, dedicated to clearing Richard’s name. And then, lo and behold, I joined like-minded Ricardians to form the Ohio chapter.

Most of the members lived in one of the Ohio ‘C’ cities: Cleveland, Columbus, or Cincinnati. We organized ourselves, agreeing to meet quarterly, traveling up and down I-71. We established a newsletter, all the trappings of a chapter.

I don’t remember all their names, but what an interesting group of people. Tom, a history teacher, was a culinary expert in medieval foods. He would bring ‘desserts’ to the meetings. Another was a member of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). He made his own chain mail, not as easy as knitting a sweater. At every meeting one of us would present a short paper on an aspect of medieval life or the life of Richard. Very intimidating for such a dilettante as myself, but I always made a decent showing in spite of my shaky knees.

Our chapter was asked to host the Annual General Meeting. Quite the honor. Naturally, I volunteered to organize this event with the help of another member. And that we did. Held at the Marriott in Cleveland, Tom, the culinary expert, worked with the hotel to provide a medieval feast (without throwing bones on the floor). Everyone donned their costumes and we spent the weekend back in the fifteenth century. A grand night indeed.

Many years later, my daughter and I made a trip to York, England, where we visited the Richard III museum, a very moving experience.

I cannot close without mentioning a most beautiful book about Richard. The Sunne in Splendor, written by Sharon Kay Penman, is a meticulously researched book about the ‘hunchbacked king.’ Penman insisted authors who wrote of historical events and personages should adhere to the facts or acknowledge the bending of them. As well as penning volumes close to one thousand words each, she also created the Justin de Quincy mystery series set in medieval times. My recollection is that she was a Sister in Crime, one I sadly never had the opportunity to meet. Sadly, she passed away in 2021.

The Daughter of Time sent me on a mysterious journey. I became a member of the Richard III (say who?) Society and, in a roundabout way, to the Sisters in Crime (say what?). And I’ve had a roaring good time along the way.

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Mind Your Business – Writing Book Blurbs and Tag Lines

If you are like most authors, you struggle to write blurbs and tag lines. You’ve crafted a 40-100,000 word novel and need to hone it down to a few words. It sounds impossible, but with this strategy it should be fairly simple

First, you must understand the purpose of burbs and tag lines.

Blurbs summarize what the story is about. Don’t give away the drama, only tell key parts to entice buyers to read the book.

It’s a good idea to write a short blurb and a long one. The long can be back cover copy and be used many places as you distribute the book. The short one is for distribution and ad channels that require fewer words in the blurb. Shoot for a 20-word blurb and a 40-word blurb.

 

Example blurb, from Ruth Rendell’s The Rottweiller:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tag Lines are one-to-two sentences that sell the story, usually placed on front cover. Think of this as advertising or sales copy. It tells the buyer what they’ll get from reading the book—suspense, intrigue, happy ending, magical feelings, whatever your story will provide the reader.

Formula:
1. Hero or heroine
2. Inciting incident
3. Emotional journey to growth
4. What they want/need
5. Disaster that happens if they don’t get it

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A Resolution to Write

Tucked away on my list of new year’s resolutions in 2009 was a simple commitment: start writing. It landed somewhere between lose ten pounds and stop chewing nicotine gum. It would reappear on my lists for another six years before I did anything about it.

I had intended to be a writer all along, but life doesn’t always go according to plan. I had a busy career, a failed marriage, and a son to raise by the time I made that commitment to write again. Perhaps you can relate.

Starting took some effort. It had been decades since studying literature in school, and the writing I did for my day job didn’t really count. I started with a few online classes, trying both fiction and non-fiction to see what held my interest.

When I had the opportunity to take a workshop with one of my favorite authors, I jumped at the chance. It was part of Woodstock Bookfest, an annual three-day event in upstate New York. The workshop was incredibly helpful, and so were the many panels I attended.

At one of those panels, an author spoke about her debut mystery novel and all the support she received from an organization called Sisters in Crime. I had always been a fan of mysteries; I read two or three books in that genre every week. But writing a mystery? I wasn’t sure about that. Although a mystery did seem right for a character who’d been haunting my thoughts for a while. To my surprise, a story began unveiling itself that evening.

Back home in northern Kentucky, I looked up Sisters in Crime, joined, and connected to the chapter closest to me. It’s ironic that a book festival in the Catskills led me to the Derby Rotten Scoundrels in Louisville, Kentucky, but life is like that. This year, my resolution is to finish my first draft of that story. I still haven’t lost the ten pounds or given up nicotine gum, but thanks to my Louisville Sisters in Crime, I’m damn close to writing the last chapter.