Okay I lied! ;D

Here's the first "official" review of Electric Angel to come rolling in done by the Open Book Society. I have to admit, the first paragraph of the review had me going "What?" I was sure she hated it. Aw, not to be! ;)

My favorite line from the review:

"There were several parts that had me nearly giving myself papercuts to turn the page fast enough."

Now go read it for yourself if you'd like. Here's the link: Open Book Society reviews Electric Angel.

Reviews of Electric Angel!

You won't see reviews popping up on Electric Angel overnight as is the case with soooooooooo many books an author publishes. The reason: A) I'm not with a large publisher therefore news of a new release takes a LOT of time to get out there. B) I don't solicit reviews therefore they come in their own time.

I also do not think reviews do anything to help sell a book and shouldn't. It's nice to know someone read my book and enjoyed it. And the kind words are certainly appreciated. But reviews aren't moderated and in most cases can't even be left unless the fan "joins" the site or at least "purchases" another product from that site. For instance, to leave a review on Amazon, you have to have bought a product in the past or purchase a product straight away. And that's to leave a comment on a product you bought SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! And Amazon is where most other bookseller sites go to get reviews. Either there or Goodreads, a site heavily sponsored by large publishers who don't give a "darn" about small pubbed authors period.

So to learn the "truth" about what "real fans" say about my book, you best start looking here as I'll post responses as I get them. Mainly because it's so dang encouraging to me. ;) Here's the latest:

Laurie Froehlingsdorf, part owner of Shoutlife.com says of Electric Angel: "I started reading it last night and I am hooked! Love the fact I can read it on my kindle."

In reference to authors/publishers/readers of that targeted "Christian" market that so frequently ignore the fact that I exist AND appeal to their readers ergo offer NO support whatsoever publicity-wise or in any other way: "still sucks that people are so closed minded!"

Love me some Shoutlife!!!

Love ya, Laurie!

Still a Chance to win a FREE copy of Electric Angel!

Yes, I do understand that the blog you have to go to is most likely the LAST place you thought you'd see me doing an interview. But I have readers from this "closed" market and I can't get to them through the venues that matter because I DON'T write specifically for the "discriminating" publishers that supply them with fiction.



Lena Nelson Dooley is one of the FEW bloggers/authors who will even humor me so I can let those fans know I've a new book out. Y'all don't have to like that sort of fiction to post (I know I don't.) You don't even have to agree with the way these targeted Christian publishers do business (again, I know I don't.) BUT go load my interview down with comments so it will keep those readers looking. Love y'all!!!



Here's the link: LenaNelsonDooley.blogspot.com



And yes, I still write general market horror/fantasy etc . . . Yeah! Yeah!



Go over there and talk up Zombies and werewolves and vampires. That should do it. LOL

Mainstream Christian Fiction?

Why can't the "evangelical" publishing houses come up with a name? EGADS! They came out of the gate in 1950 abusing the label "Christian" fiction when the work they put out (according to their own words) was "targeted" fiction for their store visitors ONLY (the then Baptist Bookstores and now Lifeway, Mardel's etc . . .) and not fiction that would appeal to ALL readers who fit under the umbrella Christian. Even today they mark their demographic as evangelicals and SOME Catholics. Not sure what that is about. Weird huh?





The label seems to be mutating now into ALL kinds of different things to thoroughly confuse anyone who is interested. Here are some examples:



Edgy Christian Fiction

Mainstream Christian Fiction

Family Friendly Fiction



and the list goes on and on and on with new ones popping up every day.



What's wrong with just picking a name and sticking with it? Can you imagine if Harlequin had the same problem? LOL We might be seeing markets like:



Mainstream Romance Almost

Scripted Romance

The First Kiss Always Happens on Page 32 Romance

Romance You Don't Have to Predict So You Can Enjoy the Story



But Harlequin doesn't have this problem. Their branding says it all. They have a HUGE readership and will keep it because some folk LOVE that style of writing. Take note "evangelical" publishers. PLEASE! You're driving me crazy.



And for the record, if C. S. Lewis actually started his writing career today, no Christian publisher would take him but of course he would soar in the general market as that's the market he wrote for. I suspect he'd be as ardently against such publishers being wishy-washy about their branding as I am. I suspect he'd be more like William P. Young in telling them to buzz off once they actually came to him after turning him down BEFORE his "own" marketing efforts garnished him a significant number of sales.

New York Times Best Selling E-books.

Oh yes, let's clear things up for those who don't bother to read how the New York Times Best Selling book list are compiled. This is for e-books.

"About the Best Sellers

These lists are an expanded version of those appearing in the August 28, 2011 print edition of the Book Review, reflecting sales for the week ending August 13, 2011.

Rankings reflect weekly sales for books sold in both print and electronic formats as reported by vendors offering a wide range of general interest titles. The sales venues for print books include independent book retailers; national, regional and local chains; online and multimedia entertainment retailers; university, gift, supermarket and discount department stores; and newsstands. E-book rankings reflect sales from leading online vendors of e-books in a variety of popular e-reader formats."

Please note that the E-book rankings reflect sales from leading online vendors of e-books. This would be places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, places that smart publishers stay away from as both take liberties with e-books that only a publisher should have. They offer returns of e-books without asking the publisher and they automatically put an e-book into their lending library where buyers can lend out e-books to MANY friends for up to 14 days for FREE without asking the publisher. In Amazon's defense they do make an effort to tell you about the lending library but the window of opportunity to "opt out" is short lived and the link is broken and to the best of my knowledge no one has EVER been able to "opt out."

"E-book sales are tracked for fiction and general nonfiction titles. E-book sales for advice & how-to books, children’s books and graphic books will be tracked at a future date. Titles are included regardless of whether they are published in both print and electronic formats or just one format. E-books available exclusively from a single vendor will be tracked at a future date."

Oh right!!! LOLROFL Let's all hold our collective breath on that and see how many of us perish before it happens!

"The universe of print book dealers is well established, and sales of print titles are statistically weighted to represent all outlets nationwide. The universe of e-book publishers and vendors is rapidly emerging, and until the industry is settled sales of e-books will not be weighted."

Which means the only e-books making the list are e-books you publish through Amazon or B&N and not any from anywhere else--not until the industry settles anyway (that elusive date again.) So at least two "exclusive" distributors of e-books get to flaunt their stuff. Sound familiar?

"Among the categories not actively tracked at this time are: perennial sellers, required classroom reading, textbooks, reference and test preparation guides, journals, workbooks, calorie counters, shopping guides, comics, crossword puzzles and self-published books."

OMG! Did they actually type that!!!! Titles not included are self-published books! I think they did. Right up there with crossword puzzles, calorie counters--welcome to the publishing world author! ;D Your work is crap EVEN if you work with the best editor in the business and turn out an e-book that sells more than any on the New York Times Best Seller List! Big Dogs a barkin'! Step aside and listen to them howl!

"The appearance of a ranked title reflects the fact that sales data from reporting vendors has been provided to The Times and has satisfied commonly accepted industry standards of universal identification (such as ISBN13 and EISBN13 codes). Publishers and vendors of all ranked titles conformed in timely fashion to The New York Times Best Seller Lists requirement to allow for independent corroboration of sales for that week."

Need I say more. WHAT A CROCK! Yep, go grab your New York Time Best Seller e-book now. Support exclusivity and all it brings with it OR you can just go to the publisher's site and buy e-books there. Mine will be exclusively available at Black Bed Sheet Books--in ALL formats known to man DRM free because we all know if somebody wants to steal something there going to get it anyway so why make the paying customer suffer!

Electric Angel at Amazon . . . um almost?

No need to sign up to know when this becomes available as asked for here:



Electric Angel arrives at Amazon



As it is already available here:'



Electric Angel at Barnes & Noble (of course you can only order it as it's been made non-returnable according to "Industry Standard" to protect my publisher from losing money. Therefore B&N won't allow it in their stores. I know. How nice?)



And has been available here:



Black Bed Sheet Books for some time and Black Bed Sheet Books is the official and only distributors of all the e-books!

A chapter by chapter blow of Electric Angel - sort of.

Dang it if somebody's gonna give me a chapter by chapter account I'm gonna write about it. Actually it's more like a synopsis of several chapters at a time because most can't read my stuff a chapter at a time but eventually they have to come up for air or eat! LOL And that's when I get reports like this:

So now I'm deeper in and my mind is abuzz with chapters 9 though 15!!!! I cannot believe the turn of events which has been thought out so carefully! Wow,I am yet again amazed by the depth of the dichotomy between the two boys!!! Again, I wish not to give away too much but,I am on the edge of my seat! I do believe that I know who Paul is!!!! And I just love the twins and the things they do! Makes me look at my twin boys all the more cautiously! Haha! Not to mention their age, so close to my own and the secret language they have between themselves! Again, LOVE THIS!!!!

Aw, you made me miss the story so much I had to go back and read what you were just writing about. ;) Yeah, so y'all see what you're missing. Too bad. All you have to do is order the book and read it. And now you can go to my site at www.sudent.net and get a signed copy. And of course you can get one on sale at Black Bed Sheet Books for just ten dollars unsigned. I'm so glad you're enjoying Michelle.

More good words!

An ardent fan none-the-less, here's what Raquel Soto had to say about Electric Angel thus far:

Oh Author Sue Dent! Why did you have to make such a captivating new book? I had to cancel my plans to go out and run errands because I'm enjoying it[Electric Angel] so much! It's a day of heaven on the earth when I can curl up with my, err, computer and read an amazing story with little interruption. On chapter 14 and have to check on dinner. Darn my tummy! LOL

Yep, yep! That's what those non-Amazon and non-B&N Kindles are good for. ;D

Signed copies of Electric Angel available!

I have officially ordered author copies of Electric Angel. I do not get a ginormous discount. There is no special I can offer you other than offering to sign your copy. Please place how you want the books signed in the comment section when you order through paypal or use the email there to send me a note to tell me how you'd like it signed.

I do not have the books in hand yet. It will probably be a week or so before I do. If you're eager you may go to Black Bed Sheet Books and order it as a non-amazon kindle or non-B&N Nook or any other ebook format. However, this is the only way to get one signed by me presently. And hot off the press. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!!!

This is for my US fans only and shipping as been worked into the cost which is

$14.98

two dollars more than retail. Sorry, but even at that price I'll still eat some shipping. Here's your link and happy ordering. ;)

Electric Angel experience continues . . .

Latest update from Michelle T McCarthy my now designated BETA "Electric Angel" reader:

"Okay so I've now completed Chapters four through eight and this [the story] just keeps growing, like the entity itself!!! There is an urgency as you read that collaborates with the characters. I at times have felt my own heart race as I discover along with the characters. That's why your writing is truly brilliant because you have taken into consideration to make the experience what I would call 3-D! Your own imagination helps to create the images but your writing creates the emotion and the other senses to come alive! Looking forward to MORE!!!!

Did I mention that I love my readers!! ;D

Also Electric Angel, like Bram Stoker Short-listed Never Ceese, was edited by the lovely Arlene W. Robinson. I LOVE working with Arlene. She is AMAZING!!! Keeps me on my toes too. Also, since Arlene is a professional editor with credentials to prove her ability, I suggest you spare leaving any comments regarding your opinion that the edit job was poor. I mean you can but it will just make you look hmmm . . . ignorant. Arlene is awesome!!!

Someone is reading Electric Angel. ;)

. . . and this is what they have to say:

I'm three chapters in and I really am enjoying this story!I love how descriptive your writting is.I feel like I'm right there walking into Mountain View Inn and talking to Martha and Anna! Love THIS!!!!

Go get your copy now at Black Bed Sheet Books for only $10.00!! On sale for a limited time. You'll be able to get it everywhere else in a couple of days but I wouldn't wait if I were you. They can't offer you this kind of price!!!

Don't forget you can also purchase a NON-AMAZON kindle version and a NON-Barnes & Noble Nook DRM free version at the same place. And those have three additional pictures in them taken by Jim Sorfleet of SnS-Photo.net of Ron Fitzgerald the cover model. Enjoy!! My Kindle will NEVER be available on Amazon and my Nook will NEVER be available through B&N as both GIVE kindles and nooks away via their lending library PLUS they actually allow for RETURNS!! WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? Aw, they make me laugh.

Electric Angel NOW available!!!

***This just in: One customer, when ordering, had to use Internet Explorer as the WONDERFUL Google Chrome couldn't cut it. So if you're having problems ordering, ditch the Chrome if that's what you're using. ;) ***

In case you miss it when you order an e-book, this is how it works at Black Bed Sheet Books:

THE WAY IT WORKS:

Make a selection and proceed through your shopping cart purchase. We will process your order and send your purchase as an attachment to your email address within 2 business days, but most likely sooner, like within 24 hours, but we say 2 days in case of emergency.

All ebooks available on this site, no matter what format, costs five U.S. dollars plus twenty-five American cents, or cheaper, ladies and gentlemen, or what equals that amount in foreign currency.

This is front and center on the E-book ordering page. This information does not print out on the receipt you get. In an age where instant gratification is usually key to securing a sale, I felt it was important to point this out. The check out program Black Bed Sheet Book uses doesn't presently support instant download capability but will very soon. If you think BBS should get a better check out program then buy their books so they can pay for one. For the record the receipt may very well boast the same message shortly. Again, thanks for being patient as we iron out the kinks.

On sale starting today for a VERY limited time at Black Bed Sheet Books!

ONLY $10.00

It will be available for sale anywhere books are sold but NONE of those sites or stores will be able to give you this kind of deal!!! And NO, you won't see it on the shelf of any large bookstore because I refuse to shoot myself in the head with my own gun by making my books returnable which is the only way one gets into large bookstores.

They can order my books so that's all you need to know. Folks, small publishers do not see the books that large bookstores order, and then return because they can,and are therefore out the print cost of the book and the shipping cost for the book which they never see again. I WILL NOT subscribe to such lunacy just to say my book is in a large bookstore. Get over it!!!

For all my good Christian readers, the ones who favor work put out by targeted denominational publishers like Thomas Nelson, Zondervan etc . . . Electric Angel will also be available through Spring Arbor. That means large Christian Bookstores CAN order it but like large general market bookstores won't put it on the shelf.

Best bet, go to Black Bed Sheet Books to place your order. And here's a nice perk. Electric Angel is also available in Kindle format, Nook Format, Microsoft Reader Format WITH additional pictures added from the photo shoot with Jim Sorfleet of sNs-photo.net of Ron Fitzgerald the cover model. For an additional amount I will even sign the e-book copy of your choice.

No the Kindle won't be through Amazon and the Nook won't be through Barnes & Noble. Why would I do that when they give away an authors e-book for free. Don't think that's gonna be happening.

Here's a link to the page at Black Bed Sheet Books where you can purchase a Kindle or Nook or whatever! :D (Thanks Caprice!)

But yes, I put a LOT of time, effort and money into each MS, including paying for a high-quality professional edit with reviews from past work to prove that it's worth it. So I ain't gonna say it again. Go buy the darn thing! ;D

** Please be patient as we're still working out a few kinks we didn't know about in the ordering process. You can now order an e-book WITHOUT having to choose a shipping method. LOL It is charging tax though but I believe this will be fixed shortly. Also a message will be added, once you purchase the e-book to state that the file will be sent to you within 24-48 hours after purchase. It does say this on the Black Bed Sheet site but one can easily miss this so the message will be added to the receipt you recieve. Thanks so much for all y'all's patience!! Especially you Caprice. ;)***

Electric Angel Book Trailer

I give you the official book trailer for "Electric Angel." The book should be sent off to be printed in about a week. You may still pre-order here or at www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheet. If you pre-order by clicking on the "Electric Angel" tab on this page then you will get a signed copy. ;)

Now on with the trailer.

Enjoy! I know I did.

Interview up!

VM Underground Interview is up! Aww, y'all go click on the image and go "like" it. ;)

Do you wanna say some good stuff about Electric Angel?

Do you wanna say some good stuff about Electric Angel, I know I want you to!

Yep, that's my way of asking for editorial reviews. I've got an ARC or whatever you want to call it for anyone who is in the business of reviewing ARC's. Since I'll never get to Publisher's Weekly, (don't qualify. Not with a big publisher and not going to be strung out by their tall-tales that they review as many folks as they can get to . . . yeah right?) I instead look for anyone else. Actually I don't have to look far, I've already have one ARC sent off to the British Fantasy Society and will send a few more out shortly.

If you're interested though you can contact me at suedent@neverceese.com and I'll see if you qualify. I'll only send the ARC out to qualified reviewers. ;)

Also for any of my "Christian" reviewers, meaning those who review work for those publishers who write exclusive denominational fiction, Electric Angel will be submitted to Spring Arbor for distribution for all the good that does. But hey, it does make it AVAILABLE for sale in places where it wouldn't be even if it doesn't get it in the door of ANY "Christian" bookstore as they claim it does.

Okay, yes so anyway. Book should be out shortly to buy. Pre orders can already be made on this site. Just go to the Electric Angel tab at the top of this page. No. It's not showing up on Amazon yet but don't look for a bargain there. I'm not going to allow it. If you want the book the best price will be from me or Black Bed Sheet Books. That includes Kindle, Nook or whatever format you ask for. Yep, yep!

Electric Angel Cover Officially Complete!!!!

And I'm speechless!!! Thanks once again to Jim Sorfleet of www.sns-photo.com, Master Ron Fitzgerald and of course my publisher Nicholas Grabowsky. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

Days of the Dead Press Release

Book Launch Information and Press Release by clicking on the banner.

Electric Angel - Sue Dent

Electric Angel - Sue Dent
A Black Bed Sheet Book Summer Release

The song has been sung, the pose has been picked.

For those paying attention you'll recall that I'd solicited Master Ron Fitzgerald to be the cover model for my new novel (I know I said solicited) through Black Bed Sheet Books, Electric Angel. I'm happy to announce that after one interesting trip to Chicago, where I learned the difference between Chicago PROPER and Chicago Heights, I have settled on the image I want to use. Said image is now off to Nicholas Grabowsky, creator of Black Bed Sheet Books who will in turn work his magic.

This photo was shot by Jim Sorfleet of sNs photography a master himself and the cover model is none other than Master Ron Fitzgerald, a master by trade. Sheer talent. That's all it is. And now the image I've chosen.

Black BED SHEET BOOKS Friday!!

Don't forget to support all of us Small Press Authors this Black Friday and here's a way for you to easily do this. Black Bed Sheet Books will be showcasing their latest and greatest books at downwarden.com/blackbedsheet this Black Friday and have deemed it "Black BED SHEET BOOKS Friday!"

I'm particularly excited because it is the official date that BBS will release Never Ceese under their name with special cover art by Mr. Halloween himself, Nicholas Grabowsky! I'd make you wait to see that but I can't. So here ya go. ;)

Click on Book Cover to purchase from Black Bed Sheet Books!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D



Of course not only will this version be available WORLD WIDE it will be available in many different e-book formats including but not limited to Kindle! I know, right?

Of course my work is for the general market reader so you won't be able to find it for purchase at bookstores that don't carry such books and no plans are being made to seek approval by Spring Arbor for distribution to the Christian market as there is no real advantage.

That being said, YEP!! IT'S AVAILABLE WORLD WIDE!!!! So make my Christmas and snatch you up a copy right away. Do mark Black BED SHEET BOOK Friday on your calendar. You won't be sorry. ;D