By Debby Giusti
Dreams do come true.
Have you ever dreamed of having your work
appear on a bestseller list? I’m sure most authors would say “YES!” Four of my
books have been Publishers Weekly Bestsellers,
but I still dreamed of making the USA TODAY
Bestseller list.
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| The SUMMER OF SUSPENSE authors! |
I was honored to be included and excited to
write my story, “On the Run.” We hired our own editors and then submitted our
stories for formatting. We pooled resources, shared the cost of having a cover
created and purchased ads to spread the word about the anthology.
In May, I
hosted Mary, Ruth and Samantha on Seekerville. They provided a step-by-step
guide on how their initial concept came to fruition in a blog titled, “The StoryBehind Creating The Summer of Suspense Anthology! What It Takes to Put Together A Multi-Author Anthology From Start to Finish.” Check it out, then be sure to come back so you
can learn the rest of the story.
SUMMER OF SUSPENSE released on August 6. For a
number of months prior to the release date, we encouraged readers to pre-order the
anthology on Amazon, Barns & Noble or Apple. The price during the first
week of release was 99 cents--a fantastic buy for more than 800 pages of
reading enjoyment. The authors promoted THE SALE OF THE YEAR and
so many wonderful folks took advantage of the great buy.
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| An extra bonus was working with Ruth Logan Herne on this project! |
We regularly updated readers about our progress
in newsletters and created memes about our individual stories that we posted on
social media. We blogged and chatted and shared Facebook messages and Tweets so
the word would spread…which it did. To add to the fun, we hosted a Summer of
Suspense Release Party on Facebook that ran from August 6 to August 9 with lots
of giveaways, including books!
In case you aren’t aware of the process, both
Publishers Weekly and USA TODAY compile the number of books sold during a one
week period. The top sellers that week make the list. The New York Times format
includes other variables, but number of books sold is key to their selection
process as well.
USA TODAY publishes their list on Wednesdays. Many
of us kept checking the paper’s online site this week until the new list finally
appeared. We were thrilled to see SUMMER OF SUSPENSE made the bestseller list and ranked #28 out of all the books sold last week.
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| SUMMER OF SUSPENSE #28 USA TODAY BESTSELLER LIST |
THANK
YOU SO MUCH!!!
You are the reason we write and we appreciate
your support!
Readers often ask how they can help their
favorite authors. Buying books, especially the week they release, posting reviews and
spreading the word about the stories you love can propel a book and author into
the bestseller status.
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| The 99 cent sale is over, but SUMMER OF SUSPENSE is still available on Amazon for $9.99 and on Kindle Unlimited. |
Readers, how do you spread the word about your favorite
stories and authors? Do you enjoy posting reviews? Do you follow any bestseller
lists? How important are the NY Times, Publishers Weekly or USA Today lists when
you select a book to buy? Writers, do you review the lists? How can readers
help you promote your stories? I'm giving away a copy of AMISH SAFE HOUSE to one lucky person who leaves a comment. Let me know if you want to be in the drawing!
Happy writing! Happy reading!
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
COVER REVEAL!!!
HER FORGOTTEN AMISH PAST
HER FORGOTTEN AMISH PAST
She can’t remember who she’s running from.
Is she safe with the Amish?
Someone wants Becca Troyer dead, but who or why is a mystery to her. Seeking
refuge at the home of Amish farmer Zeke Hochstetler is her only hope to stay
one step ahead of the killer. With every clue she finds about her past leading
to more confusion, Becca and Zeke must untangle the truth before her pursuer
discovers where she’s been hiding.
