Sue needs a hug. :(

Yes. I did it again. I contacted a Christian publisher who claimed to be "offering more than CBA "fundamentalist" Christian publishers were offering" only to find they weren't doing that at all and had no real plans on doing so. I tried to stop Richard and Ceese from going after them but some things you just can't control. LOL

I was tossed aside like an old, dirty shoe (personally I like old dirty shoes just don't particularly like being treated as if I were one.) No problem really. I'm used to it. ;) But hey, if venting about it gets me a free hug then I'll take it.

Oh and I never would've contacted the publisher if they'd said who there market was from the get go. So authors be prepared for that. And CBA Christian publisher's are horrible about this. They'll simply tell you the market to the Christian market which is inaccurate. They market to the CBA Christian market. Learn the difference it will save you a LOT of heartache.

Ingram/Spring Arbor calls it . . . Marketing?

I've heard misleading called a lot of things before and I suppose I've heard it called marketing as well so good on you Ingram for taking hold of that tried and true tradition of misleading until you're called on it. Perhaps you should ask eHarmony how that worked out for them.

Why would I bring eHarmony up? Why because Spring Arbor is the distributor for the same group--conservative evangelicals or rather Fundamentalists as Ingram calls them. Yes. I finally heard it straight from Ingram this very day. Even though Spring Arbor will approve books from a Christian publisher who doesn't pay to belong to the very targeted and denominationally discriminative CBA, the non-affiliated publisher benefits in no way whatsoever. Okay. That's inaccurate. If your book is approved by Spring Arbor a Fundamentalist Christian Bookstore can order if someone ask for it.

Rest assured then, that if a Christian Bookstore exists, it is a Fundamentalist Conservative Evangelical bookstore and can only pull books from Spring Arbor who by Ingram's own admission is their Fundamentalist Christian arm which they happily call the Official Christian Market without batting an eye because well ... that's just good marketing.

Yeah. And eHarmony.com was just a dating website . . . that didn't allow same-sex dating until somebody sued them . . . and won.

Yes. It's all fun and games until someone gets sued. HA! So, just to keep it straight, according to Ingram all Christian titles that don't appeal to the Fundamentalist can just wing it while fee-based, denominationally discriminating CBA gets to claim the title Official Christian Market.

Marketing at it's best!!!

Thanks Ingram for showing us how it's done. Based on this information I will now pull both of my books from Spring Arbor as I was not aware that Spring Arbor wasn't actually who they said they were. They justified this by saying, "it's free to join." LOLROFL I suppose the most disturbing comment made was "there's nothing wrong with providing a market for the fundamentalist Christian publisher." Buddy, there's everything wrong with it when you don't state this up front.

So in a bit you won't be able to order my books from ANY Christian bookstore. However denominationally discriminating CBA publishers can go anywhere they like.

And that my friends, according to Ingram is Marketing!

And they get away with it.

And yes. I'll shut up about Spring Arbor now but I will never refer to them as simply Spring Arbor ever again. They are officially Ingram's Christian Fundamentalist arm.

Good day.

Interviews with the First Ladies of Vampire Fiction--including Sue Dent!

Indeed I was asked this very morning if I'd like to be a part of "BLOOD AND ROYALTY: INTERVIEWS WITH THE FIRST LADIES OF VAMPIRE FICTION due out next May I believe [more when I learn more.]

No matter how big or small the publication is I ALWAYS consider it an honor to be included with the likes of Anne Rice and sooo many others!

Thanks Dave! ;D

I'll make sure the Werewolves aren't left out.

More on 2001 PW article on Spring Arbor

I have to confess, I didn't actually read through the PW article I posted a link to concerning who actually sold CBA's Spring Arbor to Ingram . . . but boy I should have. LOL

Here's a telling quote from the article:

Knapp told PW, "We think we can become the company that Spring Arbor used to be. We will reposition and reengineer Riverside from a niche, regional distributor to a full-line, full-service Christian distributor. No one's doing that anymore."

Become the company Spring Arbor used to be. Really? You mean make it denominationally discriminative once more? Well congratulations Mr. Knapp! You did it . . . at least according to the response I got from Spring Arbor in regards to having them provide me with a list of ALL their authors new releases including those authors who aren't CBA approved. According to that response from Ingram's Spring Arbor NO book that isn't CBA approved is a Spring Arbor title. Nine years later and you seem to have done exactly what you set out to do. Impressive.

No one has ever tried to "reposition and reengineer a niche market to look like something other than a niche market except CBA. Kudos on that too.

Love this:

He[Knapp] added, "We'll double the title base beyond what Appalachian and Anchor offer, shorten delivery times and do it without a multiwarehouse national network." Asked how, Knapp declined to give details.

Don't get me started on folks who "decline to give details."

Fiction continues to be the hot category, even independent of the Left Behind juggernaut. Last year the first Christy Awards for excellence in Christian fiction were established by a consortium of publishers--including Bethany House, Baker Book House, Broadman & Holman, Multnomah, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale House, Zondervan and others.

Left Behind juggernaut. A series that has non-CBA Christian readers running for cover when they hear another installment is out. Of course you get that kind of response when you attempt to feed niche market writing to the general market. Best to call it niche CBA work so folks will know before hand that they don't want to read it.

Made a comment to someone last night that it's sad that a denominationally discriminative award can operate and not have to say that the books up for an award are only from fee-paying CBA affiliated publishers. Sad INDEED! All the publishers listed above are CBA affiliated publishers.

The 95-store Lifeway chain is conducting a controlled study of the effectiveness of merchandising fiction by subcategory.

LOL Yeah. Right. They don't carry anything unless it comes through a CBA publisher. Well, not until the book sells enough to get their attention then they'll wave their magic wand and BAM you're in. And that's even IF you have Spring Arbor approval.

A new branding campaign was announced by Tyndale House, which has brought all its children's product together in one catalogue. Tyndale has also partnered with Dorling Kindersley in a new line of children's books that will carry both publishers' names and be sold into CBA by Tyndale and into ABA accounts by DK.

Why does this remind me of Pinky and the Brain? So CBA affiliated and denominationally discriminative Tyndale House will now get their denominationally discriminative work listed in ABA catalogue's because they joined forces with non-CBA affiliated Dorling Kindersley. They wouldn't have to do this if Spring Arbor weren't CBA affiliated . . . as they once were . . . then claimed they weren't but now are again . . . but they just don't say so.

Look for my book soon on the Spring Arbor and CBA's plans to "take over the world!" LOL No really. I'm writing a book. ;)

A Wisconsin librarian's encouragement!

Yep. No local library support to really speak of and that's really very sad in light of this report from Wisconsin.


Sue,

Sorry for not getting back to you for so long . . .But I'm back and today someone checked out your books and it reminded me that we had been talking . . . Just FYI, in our small library if a book gets checked out about 5 times in the first couple of years that we own it, we consider that a success. Your books have been checked out 18 times each and I know that several people have read them more than once. Hope that will help motivate you to finish the next book. :)

I am motivated Kara and thank you sooooo much for sharing this with me. I do hate to share that it will be tougher for ANY libraries to get my books since both the small traditional publishers who picked me up have fallen to "the Black Pearl" if you will. I will finish Cyn No More just have to consider that I'm once again on my own with this series. But hey, that's nothing new for me. ;D

You and your library in Wisconsin RAWK and this, now back-to-the-little-league author, (as far as distribution goes)appreciates it.

Love ya'll.

Def. need to come meet my fans. ;D

Tell those readers to post here about what they enjoyed the most about the series. If enough of them post, Hmm . . . say ten, I'll work to schedule me a trip up to y'all's library!!!

Love it!!!

Read what Dogarta had to say about Never Ceese (of course they meant the paperback version.)

Found at Cafe Libri: reviewing books and more.

Yes. That's what it's about. ;D

Same reviewer on Forever Richard at Cafe Libri: reviewing books and more

Give them enough rope!!!

I love it when a plan comes together. I was recently given a sign-in and password to Spring Arbor/Ingrams Ipage. This is supposedly where Christian (meaning CBA and non-CBA affiliated stores) go to get information on titles etc . . . I was given a login and password because I was looking for a list of titles of all the non-CBA affiliated books out there approved by Spring Arbor. You know, from the mass of publishers and authors that seek Spring Arbor approval to get into Christian bookstores. Of course no list exist as such or none that I could find so I sent a question off those who run Ipage.

Well, well, well, here's the response I got back. Crack open a 6-pack (of your preferred drink of course) and enjoy:


Sue Dent,

Thank you for contacting us. Books that are not CBA approved are not designated as Spring Arbor titles however, those titles may be available via other Ingram channels.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide such a list however, an Ingram Top 100 Sales list is available under Featured Shortcuts in the left hand margin of the ipage homepage.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Regards,

Ingram Book Company
Customer Care


Come again! Books that are not approved by CBA, a fee-based, denominationally discriminative affiliation that represents a very unique and closed market of Christian readers (and no others) are not designated as Spring Arbor Titles?

Well hidy-ho!!!!

CBA never sold Spring Arbor to Ingram. Spring Arbor is still only for CBA publishers. Good one CBA. Way go Ingram. What a crock!! So if any of you seeking Spring Arbor approval, who don't belong to CBA, think you'll actually gain anything for doing so . . . guess again. You gain nothing!!!

Never Ceese, Forever Richard, Cyn No More could be yours!

Since I'm busy getting my third book "Electric Angel" for Black Bed Sheet Books ready for a "Christmas" release, I've little time to field rejections from literary agents or publishers. So if any of you literary agents or publishers decide you might be interested in my Thirsting for Blood Series, give me a shout. I own the rights to all three and am ready to deal!

At least I don't have to look at any stupid rejection letters this way.

Never Ceese - Short listed for a Bram Stoker Award in 2007 for Superior Achievement in a First Novel, Book club choice for the month of May 2007 at the American Christian Fiction Writers; 2009 Pluto Award Finalists.

Forever Richard - Made the long-list for a 2010 British Fantasy Award and 2009 Pluto Award

Cyn No More - May possibly never see the light of day, if so, will probably be through LSI or some other POD distributor.

I know, right?

But there you have. Let's make a deal! Let's make a deal!

My dream home for sale!

Ya'll don't make me hurt you. My dream home has gone up for sale on Pensacola Beach Florida. I think that I could throw some really nice umm . . . shin-dings here for all my writer friends!!! So scrap all your funds together and send them to me or you could just buy a whole mess of my books through ME! Either one will do. Having a publisher that wants to pay me for what I do might be nice as well but well, since that doesn't seem to be on the agenda . . . though hopefully on the horizon, the other two options will have to do for now. ;D

Wow! I guess Spring Arbor is CBA.

I went to SpringArbor.com to find out where or if I could get a list of books coming out through publishers who didn't pay for or write with in denominationally restrictive guidelines or rather weren't affiliated with the highly discriminating CBA market (you may visit cba.org to find out who their market actually is) and I found this wording under Technology Tools.

Spring Arbor supplies the most comprehensive book data in the CBA industry and we offer a variety of electronic tools designed to help you more efficiently do your job.

Okay. What about book data for all of the publishers Spring Arbor has approved who don't pay to belong to CBA? Why can't CBA do their own data base since the CBA market is an entirely different market who doesn't allow Spring Arbor's other publishers books into their bookstores?

Ipage provides 24/7 access to title information, real-time stock checks, order tracking, account management, industry news, and much more. companion, our CD-ROM based tool, provides the most robust search engine available and allows you to manage customer contacts.

All title information on all publishers and authors approved by Spring Arbor or just information on CBA affiliated publishers and their titles?

So far I've not seen any way to get a list of titles of Spring Arbor approved books that is anything other than CBA affiliated titles. Therefore Spring Arbor is CBA and might as well still be owned by this discriminating Christian market. So sad.

Yes. This is for aspiring authors/publishers.

Aspiring authors and publishers interested in learning ALL about the Christian market so they don't get burned, that is.

Not that long ago a poster on one of my blogs called me on supposedly saying that CBA actually sold Spring Arbor to Ingram claiming that this broad statement was inaccurate. Fair enough. I do my homework. So here's the skinny pulled from a VERY interesting article I found on PW. Well, it's interesting if you understand anything about the "Christian" market:

. . .(his father, Tom [Pigott], sold Spring Arbor to Ingram in 1997).

Sorry. I know nothing else about why this transaction happened or why CBA ever thought Ingram wouldn't approve books that didn't come through a CBA affiliated publisher (or rather a publisher who doesn't pay CBA a fee so they can actually show up inside a larger Christian Bookstore and who is bound to write for a particular and specific audience of Christians and not the broader audience.)

I do know that Spring Arbor approval means nothing in the entire scheme of things. Larger Christian bookstores still only allow affiliated publishers into their bookstores both on-line and Brick and Mortar with the only non-affiliated Christian authors getting in if they sell a lot of books on their own and the theme is close enough to consider acceptable. You know, like The Shack.

I also know that Spring Arbor can't MAKE larger Christian bookstores carry books approved by Spring Arbor so what's the point of seeking Spring Arbor approval?

Also, on an interesting note, today I called Spring Arbor to ask if there were any marketing programs they offered approved authors and was told that no, they weren't aware of any but they'd check and call me back.

The next thing I get is an e-mail from Lightning Source [my POD publisher] that tells me LSI is aware I called a buyer at Spring Arbor [incaccurate. I called a marketing representative] to discuss having a book approved for the CBA market [inaccurate. I'm not stupid enough to ask for something that can't be done.] LSI then told me to contact them with further questions regarding matters such as this?

I'm pretty sure I won't be calling LSI with questions about Spring Arbor! LOL

The above story of today's experience is merely indicative of how much of a hold one fee-based, denominationally restricted affiliation has on an entire market.

To quote a line from a famous movie:

"There is no Dana. Only Zuul." Ghostbusters

or rather

"There is no Spring Arbor. Only CBA."

Excerpt from Forever Richard.

"Ahem." The doctor already on board protested, "It's against hospital policy for unauthorized personnel to use the elevators during an emergency." They paid no attention.

When the doors closed Rodney said, "There's no emergency. I set off the fire alarm. We needed a distraction so we could get our friend out of here." He indicated Josh with a quick nod of his head. "See, he's a vampire and he's going to need blood real soon."

The elevator doors slid open at the fifth floor. Those inside rushed out--except for the doctor. Cassie said, "That was a brilliant performance. Perhaps you should've told the doctor a little more."

"What do you mean? I told him everything."

"My point exactly."

"I also told him the truth, so you should be happy."

They took the first corner with watchful eyes; they didn't want to draw any more attention than necessary. "It doesn't matter if you tell the truth if you don't know when not to."

"I don't know what you're so upset about. It doesn't matter what I told him. If he believes what I said about my setting off the fire alarm, which is plausible, he'd also have to believe the part about Josh being a vampire, which is implausible. What are the odds?"


"Pretty good I'd say," Kyle remarked after looking back over his shoulder. "Here comes the good doctor now and it seems he's met up with a few security guards."

I apologize.

I personally pay for server space, own my domain name and do all the programing for www.neverceese.com. My current publisher offered me free server space and paid for my domain name for www.foreverrichard.com even though I still do all the programming (by choice.) While I can take care of anything that goes wrong with www.neverceese.com, I can't take care of much of anything when something is wrong with www.foreverrichard.com and currently you can not get directly to the site.

You can get there by typing www.thewriterscafe.com/foreverrichard/index.html if you just want to visit but I must say that I'm hard-pressed to update it since I've never any real idea that it will be up.

Also my current publisher's site has for the most part gone dormant and I don't even know how to tell you to buy books from them. So . . . just buy them from me at www.neverceese.com or www.suedent.blogspot.com or buy them from anywhere else in the world. It's not like they're hard to find. ;)

BP's oil spill estimates and Amazon's rankings.

I've read quite a few articles about how rankings on Amazon are calculated and in light of the recent controversy over BP's inability to accurately assess the amount of oil that has been spilled from their leaking well and the amount still spilling, I've come to this conclusion: neither Amazon nor BP have any real way to calculate either the oil spill or rankings that show well your book is selling (or not selling.) Depending on what day you ask, you'll get an entirely different answer and it will generally come from someone else other than BP or Amazon (as we all know Amazon doesn't own a phone. ;))

Recently an author told me their book's ranking went from like 1,000,000 to like 20,000 overnight. I told them this meant they'd sold one book. They seemed to believe way more must have sold but I assured them this wasn't true. I know this because my rankings do that all the time and I know EXACTLY how many of my books I sell. I told them to be patient it will drop back down just as fast.

Also only books sold through Amazon make the ranking change. None of the books sold through other vendors do this. So if you're an author and you fall into the trap of thinking jumping up so many places at once means something--it does. It means you sold a book. That's it. ;)

Year old review of Never Ceese.

There are many such reviews of Never Ceese and Forever Richard that you won't find on Amazon. So don't think going there will tell you all there is to know about a book. Most legitimate reviews are everywhere else. ;)

This was from fellow writer Susan Kirkland who later published her book Higher Honor AND mentioned Never Ceese in it! Needless say I was honored. That too is a dang good book and you should READ it!!!

So on with the "year old" review. LOL


Never Ceese presented an interesting problem for the Kirkland household. You see, pre-Ceese, we lived in a smaller house. Yes, I’m going somewhere with this. To be precise, the bathroom. We had one bathroom in the little house and all good reads went to this multifunctional library. That way, EVERYONE had a chance to read a book at the same time.

But, then we moved to the "big" house -- which has 2.5 bathrooms. I spent a great deal of time hopping, legs crossed, through the house, screaming "Where’s THE BOOK?" as if it were some sort of requirement for bathroom duty. I argued several times with my husband, who was also reading it, about why I needed it to go to the bathroom. Fortunately, I’m a fast reader and finished it, accident free, in just a few days. That just left my husband and our two teenagers to fight over it. More than once, we’d sneak upstairs to check on the kids and find our 14yr old, asleep using an open Never Ceese for a pillow. And we have been loud, outspoken, and feverent recommenders of Never Ceese since then -- and that’s been over a year ago.

I could talk about how deep and complex the characters were, as well as how thought-provoking the whole book is on matters of grace and mercy. I could tell you how this was a good, easy read for teens through adults, even with its depth. I could tell you about it being short listed for a Bram Stoker and ACFW Book of the Month, but you’ll read all those acolades at other sites (because you will visit them) But I’ve said enough and now I need something to read as I hop to the bathroom. . .


The Kirkland household is eat up with Richard and Ceese. ;)

Love ya'll!

Christian Horror Genre.

An intriguing question was asked of me last night during my interview with the wonderful Leo Steel (too bad if you missed it) and company concerning the genre of my book. I was asked about the genre Christian Horror! *gasp*

Sadly, I was asked this when there was very little time left to explain as this takes quite a bit of explaining ever since the Christian Booksellers Association (fee-based affiliation formed in 1950 by a group of Baptist bookstores) and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (CBA publishers affiliation formed in the seventies) came along.

Before CBA and ECPA, publishers whose writers wrote with any sort of religious slant to their work were simply put on stores shelves and categorized by the usual genres. Yes. There was Christian Horror then, if you will, there just wasn't any REAL reason to separate it out and create a "genre" for it.

Neither CBA nor ECPA affiliated publishers recognize the horror genre though they do call some of the work produced by some of their authors Christian horror (as they tag the label "Christian" onto everything they put out even though their work is very targeted and their affiliation is fee-based and denominationally restrictive.) But technically the work isn't horror at all. I know this because the affiliated publishers I contacted, Thomas Nelson, Waterbrook/Multnomah and quite a few others, explained that they would never stray into producing work that would fit into the classic "horror" genre as their core market readers wouldn't stand for it.

Yet both CBA and ECPA affiliated publishers apply the label Christian Horror to their work thus confusing and creating great chaos and forcing writers like me to explain just what Christian Horror is and more importantly, what it isn't.

On another note, publishers are allowed to put their book in whatever genre they feel it fits into without regard as to whether it fits or not which is really fine since bookstores can change this at will. To prove this point I will tell you that my first title was initially marked by my publisher as young adult (that's actually a genre believe it or not.) And even though this publisher did not pay to belong to CBA or ECPA but called themselves a Christian publisher my title (about a vampire and a werewolf, first showed up, when it did show up, next to Chicken Soup for the Soul in a non-fiction section at B&N.

Why? Because that's where B&N decided it needed to go. And I was through a small publisher so they didn't really care.

Do keep in mind that there is a ginormous difference between books approved for distribution to the Christian market by Spring Arbor and books put out by the fee-based CBA with the biggest one being that no publisher not affiliated with CBA or ECPA will ever show up in larger Christian bookstores on-line or otherwise because these stores are all supplied with books by CBA. They can order books approved by Spring Arbor but they won't carry them as a rule. There's an affiliated Lifeway Bookstore a stones throw from my house. When my books were approved for distribution to the Christian market I went back to tell the manager. He happily called Michael Robbins, (book buyer for all Lifeway stores at the time and I believe he still is) and was told by Mr. Robbins that Lifeway had not plans of carrying my work.

Wow! Just wow!

Calling my work Christian Horror for the most part is harmless so long as you keep in mind what I just wrote above. ;)

Sue Dent-You Nosy Rosey!

Well ever since Lightning Source told me that despite what their contract/pdf files STATES, that they do not ever send the publisher the returned-from-the-book-store book back no matter what, I've found myself "paranoidedly" checking all instances of Never Ceese the paperback being sold as used.

Technically, since I've made the book non-returnable (to avoid the travesty of having returned books NOT destroyed but in fact resold by LSI to some other entity,) there should NEVER be a surplus of USED Never Ceese paperbacks yet both Amazon and Barnes & Noble specifically have sellers selling the paperback as used. Hmmmm . . . what's that mean I wonder?

So yes, I'll be calling anyone who has a used copy of Never Ceese for sale in an effort to find out where they got it. Why? Because I have too much time on my hands. HA!

Not so actually. I'd much rather be writing but I'll not write until I know my work isn't be stolen from me even as I do so. I must say great fun. ;)

PuritanWorks.com in da house!!!

Buy Never Ceese and Forever Richard here if you don't want to click on my links instead!!! Yep. As of today, this wonderful bookstore orders directly from S D Enterprises and gets the same discount that Ingram's Spring Arbor offers. At least they will very soon--as soon as the link is fixed. Either way this is one book selling site where I actually SEE the money that is made.

All you other bookselling sites should take note. You really should. I've [S D Enterprises] "gots" books and I ain't afraid to sell them.

Let's make a deal! Let's make a deal!

That's what the publishing industry has been reduced to anyway. Everybody makes money but the bookstores and the authors.

Thanks Thanie for hanging in there and helping me out. You RAWK!!!!

Just remember if anyone is selling Never Ceese the paperback as used that the chances are I don't see that money. Never Ceese is now a non-returnable POD available through Spring Arbor via Ingram's POD. That means it's printed when an order is received. No big on-line seller can have used copies unless they acquired them during the short time I had them marked as returnable. And of course that would mean that LSI is lying that they actually destroy all returned books but instead resell them to companies that deal in returned-from-bookstore books. And no, I did not just call LSI a bunch of liars. I'm just saying that this is the only way ANY bookstore can have a large number of actual USED copies of the paperback. And by large number I mean greater than five.

Did I mention they were local? At least on the state level.

Support 'em!

Another local on-line and physical bookstore is The Book Shelf in Ridgeland. You can go there or shop on-line here. They have copies and can provide copies of Never Ceese the hardback [my remaining stash] Never Ceese the paperback and Forever Richard.

The local Barnes & Noble doesn't even offer this even though you can order from ANY B&N on-line. So sad to have accomplished so much as a local author but not be supported by your larger local bookstores. Yes. That's right neither myself or the other author have yet to be paid for the booksigning we did at the Renaissance B&N OVER A YEAR AGO. Hey! I could've bought a Starbucks coffee with that money!!!!

The local Books-A-Million still has some copies of Forever Richard you can run and pick up but I'd prefer you not buy from them on-line as that money I'll probably never see anytime soon if ever. I'll continue to provide you with venues that are selling my books where, I, the author actually make money and keep you posted. Because after all, I'm pretty sure not making money is out of the question. HA!

Sue Dent guest of Leo Steel on 6-15-10

WQQQ 103.3fm in New York,

So. Mass. and Connecticut.

WQQQ.com

8-10pm E.S.T.

That's right Leo Steel, author of Naked at the Mic pictured here will be interviewing me Sue Steele-Dent, (I know right?) on his show Tuesday night. And get this, he wants to actually talk about my books and NOT about how I went about getting published etc, etc . . .

And I think it's a call in show so who knows what can happen. Rumor has it that Nicholas Grabowsky of Black Bed Sheet Books might call in (or be called if ya'll are lucky) or even Richard the vampire. I will warn you though, if Richard does call in he usually doesn't let his English accent show much so as to remain anonymous.

Do know that if you'd like to order either Never Ceese THE OFFICIAL PAPERBACK ISBN: 978-0-9769947-0-1 or Forever Richard you may purchase them both through my sites at www.neverceese.com, www.foreverrichard.com or my blog at suedent.blogspot.com. If you want to purchase the books through amazon you can do that as well only you have to be very careful when ordering Never Ceese or you'll end up with the hardback that I make absolutely NO MONEY off of. Used sellers of the paperback can't be trusted either as Never Ceese is through Ingram's POD. There shouldn't be any used copies. DUH! It's Print on Demand.

Both books can be ordered through any bookstore on the planet as well. You just have to order them most of the time. And yes, with Never Ceese the paperback, you have to give them the ISBN or they'll tell you they can't get it.

So yes. I'll be talking about my books including the new one coming out through Black Bed Sheet Books. A story I've not talked much about yet. I'm very excited. I hope you'll join Leo and I. ;D

Literary Agents -- myth busted!

*Sue whispers out-loud.* There's no such thing.

I was talking with a young man last night (you know who you are ;) ) about how to get started in publishing. His first thought, based on what he'd heard over the years, was to seek a literary agent. His understanding was that literary agents help "new" authors get hooked up with publishers. In return the agent gets a cut of the "deal."

First of all, it's harder to find a real literary agent than it is to find a real publisher. If you can get to one via e-mail or phone then they aren't going to be anyone who can help you. Finding a literary agent is like finding a needle in the haystack . . . where the needle has actually been removed.

Big publishers don't take submissions. They direct you to the elusive "literary agent" setting the new author up for trap after trap after trap.

So should new authors seek out a literary agent to help them find a publisher? Of course they should and then they should contact me for that cheap swampland . . . aw, I think you get the idea. ;)

Sue Dent told herself that she wouldn't . . .

. . . get caught up waiting to see if Forever Richard made it from the 2010 British Fantasy Award longlist to the sortlist but sadly -- SHE GOT CAUGHT UP. :D

*Sue biting nails.* It's June and well, June is the month. And well, dagnabbit, inquiring minds want to know. And in some way they don't want to know. :O Either way I'm just so darned pleased to have been considered. It's not going to be until the end of the month is it? Ho hum.

Good luck everyone!

Oh good Lord. I got bumped for Barbie!

That's right. I got bumped from my book signing Saturday on 6-5 by Barbie--Basset that is, another local author who went through a local guy here to publish her biography or at least some non-fiction something. LOLROFL

The disappointing or perhaps frustrating element is that my second publisher is actually traditional in every sense of the word and should be able to get me into bookstores the same way larger authors get in. The one who set up up my book signing though didn't tell me it was simply something he was doing on his own otherwise I would've known it could've been so easily stomped on. No biggee really and the Sunday signing went just fine. ;D

Watch for next big signing with Blood Mobile maybe even in your area as Richard needs to keep his supply steady.

*Sue chuckles* Bumped by Barbie! Oh HA!!!!!

Monthly Sales Report from LSI

Just got my monthly sales report in from Lightning Source and would like to thank the one person who bought my book. HA! That's right if you see any store on-line or otherwise that says they have Never Ceese the paperback in stock, guess again. They don't. Never Ceese is Print on Demand and no bookstore orders it unless an order is placed. If a store says it's sold out they're technically lying. They never had the book and won't order it unless it has been ordered. You can't sell out of something you never had.

Why would saying this hurt an author? Because it gives the impression the book is selling when it isn't. Also since I've made my book non-returnable because LSI WON'T return my returned books to me even though their contract states they will, no bookstore will even order it unless there's an order.

Ah, the life of a small publisher gotta love it! No. I didn't want to make a living writing. Perish the thought. LOL

Got Blood?

From Never Ceese the paperback by Sue Dent:

He took the cup [of blood] from the microwave, carried it to the computer and sat it carefully beside the keyboard. Then he [Richard] settled in and started typing.

My dearest Mother requires a transfusion. Her blood type is AB positive and she is in desperate need. Any assistance you could give would be welcome.

He added information to legitimize his e-mail, asked to have the blood shipped directly to the castle. It had taken a little trial-and-error to figure out how to get the fastest and best results but he'd learned a lot over time.

The Mississippi Blood Mobile will be taking donations at my signing Saturday. Actually, I'm signing and selling books at the Blood Mobile in front of the Barnes & Noble at the Renaissance in Ridgeland Mississippi. Please come by and donate so that Richard's mother has a good supply. ;)

See you there.

Book Signing Renaissance Barnes & Noble 6/5 at 1-4 P.M.

What? What What?

In front of the Barnes & Noble
Renaissance Shopping Mall
BLOOD MOBILE (have to make sure Richard has enough of a stash to feed from. ;)

One dollar off each book if you donate blood and oh yeah, the blood pouch energy drink offer is still good. First four who buy both books gets one of these:



Blood Mobile needs at least 10-15 people to donate blood to make their trip successful. You don't have to buy a book to give blood. But you have to give blood to keep Richard or Ceese from coming after you later. LOLROFL

Don't y'all make me look bad and NOT come give blood. Both Ceese and Richard would definitely have something to say about that.

Oh. People to thank.

Ridgeland Mayor Gene Magee for giving me information that landed me this parking lot. ;)

The property owner at the Renaissance for giving BLOOD MOBILE permission to park.

ONE OF MY BESTEST AND DEAREST FRIENDS IN THE WORLD, Dee Dee Tate-English.

Oh and B&N for promising not to throw rocks or pitchforks at me from their store. LOL Aw, they were more than gracious and if I run out you can go in and order either book from them. ;)You could buy one from them but I was told they only have one copy of the Never Ceese the paperback and three of Forever Richard on order. Pretty sure they won't be there for me to sign but you can get first dibs on them.

So for all you reunion folks in town, come on out and see what Ridgeland's all about and give some blood while you're at it.

Love me some PayPal!!!!

So I sell my books through Paypal too. There are links on my two websites www.neverceese.com and www.foreverrichard.com as well as here on my blog www.suedent.blogspot.com. I was so very excited when I looked to see I had a payment this past Sunday and rushed right over to see who'd ordered what.

Well some lucky customer had just purchased Forever Richard. :)Since I'd just set up my shipping options based on weight I was so very curious to see if they worked. Oh they worked all right. The lucky customer was indeed lucky. They got Forever Richard with NO SHIPPING because they were from Germany and I'd not selected the "block all receipts from non-us paypal accounts." LOL So actually they get a free book when you consider I'll be paying shipping as well.

BUT paypal so rocks. Right away I found the number to call them right there on the screen in front of me(Amazon take a lesson from that why don't you) got a LIVE voice on the phone who didn't transfer me once. Answered my question, helped me fix my problem and even volunteered to send the purchaser an e-mail to say there was a mistake and postage wasn't added. HOW DANG COOL IS THAT!!!!!

I'm not adding the postage of course. It was my fault. I'm sending it out but PayPal is so very awesome . . . at least so far. :)