Jan 11

A Bright, Shining And New Opportunity To Sell Western Books In 2019

A brand new year—and a brand new chance to see how Westerns will evolve. It’s always a pleasure for me to start a new year. I don’t know what happens, but I get excited all over again. It’s like that feeling of Christmas, but it doesn’t go away. It never fades, because every day is an opportunity to bring new books to a readership that truly cares.

What will happen in 2019? Well, to start with, there are a lot of new adventures coming to you—the reader. Adventures from names such as Robert Hanlon, Scott Harris, Douglas R. Cobb, C. Wayne Winkle, Paul L. Thompson. David Watts, Dave Sebeslav, and the rest. There are also new books coming from authors you probably won’t have heard of before. More on that later. A new box set from Clint Clay, a brand-new set of Western classics, something new and exciting from Fred Staff—heck, I can go on and on!

The trend. Each year around this time I start to wonder about the trend of the year. Last year’s trends may not, necessarily, be the trend of this year. For example, will the new golden sky covers take off and become major hits? It seems to be doing the trick for Paul L. Thompson’s latest novel. Will it work for Charles Ray and his brand new series?

I think it’s interesting that folks get all depressed around this time of year. “A new year for me to deal with,” they say. “I don’t know how I’ll do it.”

Well, they will—they better get used to this 2019 because it’s not going anywhere for several months yet and there’s readers out there waiting for new books to read.

But what if you didn’t see any success in 2018? Hard to believe, isn’t it? That you didn’t see any success during the most successful Western sales year for a long time. Don’t worry—2019 is your opportunity! It’s a level playing field right now. Last year’s successes have to prove themselves all over again, and you—yes, you!—You should be ready to get your book in front of readers to claim your rightful place. Get that book ready and roll, roll, roll with it.

Now let’s roll! There’s a lot of new books to come out, as those readers are getting restless! As usual, if you’d like to get in touch, or ask questions about your Western and how to make it move, just drop me a line through the form below. I’m always happy to hear from folks!

 

Jan 09

The Blazing Guns Of Justice: Coming Soon: A New Hit Western From Jim Burnett

Life in the west was wild and dangerous on the frontier, and some men, like they’ve done since the time of Cain of the Bible, believed they could make up their own laws and kill anyone that got in their way, using a fast gun, sharp knife, or anything else they could lay their cruel hands to. There were a few that made a lifestyle out of doing such. For these devils, the Good Lord had his sword of vengeance to do his bidding, a man by the name of Jedidiah Justice. He was the bounty hunter of the badlands.

Justice was no stranger to the misery violent men brought to the homesteads, ranches, and ranges of the frontier. His ma and pa had been gunned down outside the front door of their cabin during a range war. He was only six years old when he found their bloody, slain bodies lying limp on the ground. These killings and the ones that continued to happen around him afterwards would provide the tinder for kindling a fire of righteous indignation in Justice. For the next four decades this man was on a heavenly mission to capture or kill the worst of the worst. There was no place he would not go to find his bounty, no place. And there was no man Justice would not hunt if he deemed him a worthy candidate, no man. His courage was of God as were his uncanny skills that allowed him to succeed where other man hunters failed.

Coming soon from Jim Burnett!

Jan 08

David Watts Scores First Hardback Release For Dusty Saddle Publishing

"Aren't these new hardback editions gorgeous," Watts commented on recieving the first Dusty Saddle Publishing hardback release.

“Aren’t these new hardback editions gorgeous?” Watts commented on recieving the first Dusty Saddle Publishing hardback release for Christmas 2018.

 

In the tradition of Truman Capote’s A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, this little memoir chronicles the quiet and memorable traditions that, years ago, ramped up during the period leading into Christmas in a small Central Texas Town. Football, Cheese Batter Buns, Christmas lights, chopping down the cedar tree over in Farmer Ishy’s pasture–this is the substance of a heart-warming nostalgia and a testament to the powerful, sustaining effect of the family. Perfect for fireside Christmas reading. This is the brand new David Watts hardback for Dusty Saddle Publishing.

Dec 18

Looking Ahead To Making Your Western Book Sell In 2019: Are You Looking For A Stronger Sales Year?

Well, here we are, looking 2019 in the face—it’s just a skip and a hop past Christmas. I’d like to take this time in December, the slowest sales month of the year so far, and talk about a brand new year of achievement for us to hit head on. 2018 has been the kind of year one dreams of in many ways. We’ve had Western action on all fronts—book releases from some of the great authors of the genre, great sellers, award-winners, new and interesting projects and so forth. Truly exciting stuff. Phew.

But let’s not forget that this is a time of year for reflection on things that are to come—and I can’t wait to meet whoever I am set to meet in 2019. A brand new year for new hitmakers. I had a dream several years ago. I wanted to spend my life in one place doing something useful, and I was directed to help authors sell books. Western authors. Back then, the genre was poorly promoted. Most Westerns had a hard time getting any kind of sales recognition, and the readership was said to be dead. That readership, lo and behold, was found to be very much alive and kicking. Once new authors—a new wave—were placed in front of those readers, they became voracious, wanting more and more stories from their newfound favorites.

And here’s the point—you—yes, you the author who released a Western this year and have few sales—yes, YOU—next year could be your year, just as 2018 was the year for many of the current crop of hitmakers. If you have a Western story, and even if you haven’t had a single sale yet, don’t lose your head. The readers are out there, and they are waiting for your story. They may not know it yet, but they are.

That’s the wonderful thing about our genre and industry. There’s always room for more writers, more hitmakers and more Western stories. It doesn’t matter if on Monday your book hasn’t been read by anyone… By Friday it could be top of the charts. Just ask those wild sellers like Paul L. Thompson, Scott Harris, Dave Sebeslav, D.L. Bittick, C. Wayne Winkle, David Watts, Cherokee Parks, Robert Hanlon, and the rest. Once upon a time, their books weren’t selling, and now they are. Maybe in the future your books will be at the top of the Western bestseller chart!

Now, take some time and look at your book and figure out why your book isn’t selling. Is it due to the cover? Keywords? Title? Does it need advertising? Does it need a good old push? What is the problem? Then take a look at the THREE Cs.

The first C is Consistency. This is something all authors have to practice. Consistency in book promotion is the only way a book will move. You have to consistently promote your book. You have to always be doing something, always looking to get more attention for your book, always running little ads, or trying to get more reviews. You have to be consistent on your journey towards success.

The second C is Commitment. We all have commitments in our lives, and those commitments sometimes seem like a problem. But in reality, a commitment is just achievement in process. As an author, you have to commit to your book and commit to its success. If you don’t commit to your book, you won’t be able to be consistent (the first C), and you will find it harder to be successful. Commitment gives you the grit needed to get the job done. I ask all my clients to be committed to the promotion of their book. I ask them to answer interviewers, to write blog articles, to be involved, because unless you love your own baby—how can you expect anyone else to?

The third C is a very special one. One that a very, very talented author mentioned to me. This C stands for “cool,” and it’s true—you have to be cool to be successful. You have to keep a level head and not become depressed when your book isn’t discovered on day one. You have to be cool when you are interviewed, and cool when you are reading a bad review. You have to keep cool, and… be committed… and be consistent.

So, to everyone who is reading this, what a fabulous year 2018 was—but 2019 will be better than all the rest! Just holler over if you have any questions, but keep in mind that this is a time for celebrating, so you may have to wait a few minutes before I reply.

 

Dec 14

Why Christmas Cheer Is High And Book Sales And Pages Read May Be Lower Over The Holy Season

Christmas is strange month for book sales and those all-important pages read. During the early part of this Holy month, many authors have been seeing a reduction in the number of pages read of their book per day—even though their rankings have remained high, and their books have remained highly visible. For some, this could be seen as something of a disaster—pages read dropping during the first half of the month? How can this happen during the biggest selling month of the year?

“It’s unexplainable,” one author told me. “I can’t understand why people aren’t reading my books like they were in November!”

It’s not unexplainable at all. Folks have lives outside of buying books. People are living their lives and getting themselves ready for the big day. Presents are being purchased, wrapped and placed under the tree. Ah, the tree! The tree, of course, has to be put up and decorated. Cards are being sent. Writers are saying they can’t find the time to write books—well, readers, I’m sure are struggling to find time to read. Those good folks who two months ago were whiling away their evenings reading books are now hotly discussing who gets to cook the turkey!

That said, the month certainly has commercial value. Even though readers aren’t voraciously buying and reading every book they come across— there’s still enough readers left who are buying books and putting them into good positions on the bestseller charts. A Western launched today could climb the charts quickly and reach a good position in time for the readers to return en masse, and they will. After Christmas we should see all those readers returning to their favorite pastime—reading Western fiction.

December is an excellent month for launching new Westerns and getting them positioned for the new year. December can even be an excellent month for sales after the big day is done and folks are easing into the quiet time that comes after Christmas Day—but if you’re seeing lower pages read and sales during these days of December, don’t despair. Readers are human too, and they have a lot going on.

With Christmas just around the corner, I would like to take this chance to wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas. It’s a pleasure to know you all.

 

Dec 13

Patch: United States Marshal: Wanted Dead: A Classic New Western Action Adventure From Russ Towne!

This is the latest novel from Western adventure bestseller Russ Towne! With gun, and badge in hand—Marshal Patch blasts his way through the bad guys to bring peace and justice to the Old West!

U.S. Marshal Arliss “Patch” Elkins sets out to bring to justice a rich 14-year-old boy accused of murdering his parents. When someone puts a $100,000 bounty on their heads with a single stipulation—kill them—Patch and his prisoner must fight for their lives. The journey to bring the boy to trial turns into a bloody gauntlet from hell when every murderous thug within five hundred miles goes after them for the bounty money and the hunter becomes the hunted.

Grab this new Western adventure from one of the most popular Western authors of today!

 

Dec 11

For The Whole Family: The Star Podcast With Judy Mastrangelo: A New Activity Book For All Ages!

 

Judy Mastrangelo discusses her new paperback “The Star.” A brand new book the whole family will enjoy. You can learn more about Judy Mastrangelo by visiting her website at www.judymastrangelo.com. You can purchase “The Star” from Amazon by clicking this link!

Dec 10

Three New Western Releases You Won’t Want To Say ‘No’ To Reading!

You’ll be seeing a lot of new releases hitting the charts over the next few weeks. I thought I’d share three of the most interesting releases heading to market over the next few days...

This new one from Hanlon pulls together books five and six of his impressive “Timber: United States Marshal” series. You’ll likely see this one in the charts very soon.

This is the brand new Western release from W.M. Montague. Montague, who has been writing for sometime, looks likely to have a smash with this action-packed adventure. 

Who happens to be one of the biggest Western sellers of today? Scott Harris! This new release pays tribute to his success– Western authors from around the world have penned stories with Harris as the lead character. The first volume of tributes to Harris saw some great success earlier in the year!

Dec 07

New, Exciting Western Releases From Dusty Saddle Publishing This December…

(COMING DECEMBER 2018)

(COMING DECEMBER 2018)

Dec 05

The Brand New Western Hit From Pastor Jim Burnett: “Jedidiah Justice: Bounty Hunter of the Badlands”

Across the frontier rode a breed of men that was so dangerous and animal-like that even some lawmen and bounty hunters refused to hunt them, regardless of the large reward on their heads. They were killers without a conscience with an insatiable thirst for blood. They were the worst of the worst. 

But there was a man, Jedidiah Justice, who vowed to rid the world of their kind. He was the bounty hunter of the badlands. There was no where he wouldn’t go and no man he wouldn’t hunt. He was God’s long arm of judgment that reached far and wide into the wastelands and lairs to extract these killers. 

Ride along with Justice as he beds some of them down and brings others to trial. 

If you love Westerns written by Robert Hanlon and Scott Harris– you will love “Jedidiah Justice: Bounty Hunter of the Badlands“