Seasons Change and So Do We!
Change is inevitable and it isn't all bad. Some is necessary like what I'm attempting to do today.
I've been a published author for over twenty years now. It has been a roller coaster. When I went Indie, it was great to begin with...until I got hit with a troll or trolls as it was. Not an experience I ever want to repeat but it showed me that to be an Indie author it was more than writing a book. It was that simple.
But like so many other things in life, the publishing world can and will devour you. When the trolls hit, I was in an Indie group with a lot of successful writers. As soon as the attack began, the head of the group dropped me like a hot potato.
I was told— "It's a buisness decision."
A business decison ~ the words stung. They feard that being associated with me would get the trolls after them. Moreover, I didn't know how to handle the situation. To get your books in the hands of readers, you can't have these trolls after you. Those trolls were a force of nature. I understood their business decision. I didn't want them after me either.
But a couple of things happened at that time. One—my husband told me to take a penname. I did~ Colleen Connally. I made the book permafree. Second—Bookbub took the book. The book had over three hundred thousand downloads in a short period of time before the trolls realized that it was me. By that time, I had enough reviews that the trolls' reviews didn't hurt as much. (But negative reviews certainly never help a book.)
For that reason, I will always be loyal to BookBub. If they hadn't picked up my book, I wouldn't have continued as a writer and writing is what I love to do.
But now, there comes the realization that I need to go back writing under one name. I'm finding it difficult to promote under two different names. Also, there is no need to run from a troll anymore. Somethings are better left in the past. That's why I'm beginning to put all my books under my Jerri Hines name starting with the Secret Lives series. They are the same books. I'm also in the process of making Seductive Secrets perma-free again.
Under Colleen Connally, I published nine books: three historicals, three mysteries, and three fantasy. So, it makes sense to start with my historicals. Secret Lives is slightly different from my other historicals. Secret Lives is set in England whereas my others are American Historicals, but they all contain intrigue, mystery and romance. Secret Lives series also contains a tad of paranormal.
Secret Lives is a special series to me. It holds my most read book —Seductive Secrets. It also has my only book that was a #1 Amazon Historical Romance ~ Broken Legacy, which is also one of my favorites.
So here is the new look for the series all in time for the new release — The Waking Bell. I have to acknowledge the best cover artist ever — Erin Dameron-Hill. She is absolutely the best!!!
Appreciate your blog postt
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