How Ventura author Connie Hood became an Amazon bestseller
is the topic for April 18 IWOSC/SPAWN VC meeting
at Newbury Park Library
What does it take to become an Amazon bestseller, continually selling books week after week? Venturan Connie Hood released her book “Islands of Deception” in January and worked at marketing it until she climbed the bestseller list at Amazon and continues to sell. Ms. Hood will discuss the steps she took, what worked, what didn’t, what guides she used, and explain how indie authors can do the same. The monthly IWOSC/SPAWN meeting takes place April 18 at 6:30 pm in the Newbury Park Library. “It’s hard work, several hours a day,” said Ms. Hood. “I talked to everyone I could meet who work in publishing, found a few great books, and then set off to market my book. But all the time and effort was worth it to watch Islands of Deception climb up the sales charts and then gain the Amazon Bestseller designation.” Ms. Hood will review:
How to create a marketing plan you can stick to
What reviews help sell books
Which e-book sellers boosted sales
What books or guides really helped
Why selecting the right categories on Amazon is so vital to success
And more…
“It’s important to promote local success stories,” said Kathleen Kaiser, president of the Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network (SPAWN) and the monthly meeting organizer. “I’ve watch Connie grow her sales, ask smart questions, and put in the hours required to succeed. Now she is willing to show others how she did it and what things to avoid doing. And she is still working the system to drive more sales.”
About Constance Hood…
Constance Hood inherited five filing cabinets of family memoirs – tales of war, adventure, and love affairs from an eccentric array of characters.
After many years of writing grants and textbooks, it was time to tell her own stories and explore the intrigues behind the collections of journals, letters and audiotapes.
Islands of Deception began with a thick envelope that arrived in the mail in 2003. In it were several closely spaced pages of notes from her father. He had been a Dutch intelligence operative in WWII, working for the U.S. Army.
The narrative in the envelope was now declassified. The firsthand accounts were compelling. A mismatch between his stories and those of his Amsterdam sister presented another puzzle. These distant and complex characters were moving parts of a much larger tale.
Artistry is a part of storytelling. Married to actor Chet Hood, work days often begin with improvisational theater work, building scenes before writing them. When the author is not digging away at parts of a story, she likes to swim in the ocean, travel, and play the viola.
In Praise of Islands of Deception…
A thrilling, sensitively conceived historical novel. Author Hood paints a vivid picture of war-torn Europe and the epistemological distance between those who see the inevitable and those who turn a blind eye toward Nazi aggression. Her knowledge of the period’s politics is broad and self-assured. The novel borrows from her father’s life, and her loving attention to her protagonist, beautifully drawn, is evident throughout. —Kirkus Reviews
You’ll be absorbed in the story from the beginning, but it was the compelling cast of characters that grabbed my attention, and the author’s unique knack for creating very intense and dramatic scenes. The writing is stellar and the plot so well paced it becomes impossible to stop reading. Islands of Deception features great literary elements and I particularly like Hood’s masterful use of suspense, developed around the switch in the plots. —Reader’s Favorite
Come join us at the Newbury Park Library meeting room at 6:30 pm. We are open to all authors, writers and people curious about publishing. Fee is $5 at the door, includes coffee, tea, snacks, and water.
We are taking advance reservations so the correct number of chairs can be set up in advance. When you RSVP, no need to sign in at the door, just pay the $5 fee.
