Last week my writing journey reached another milestone; the first book in the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy came out in audiobook. A few years ago I never dreamt this would be possible. Thanks to the wonderful narrator, George Ellington, Tei, Brogan, Farrell and the rest of the gang are here for you to enjoy.
The first review is up on Audible
5 Stars – ‘I first read this book on Kindle and I loved it, But when I found out it was being made into an audiobook I was anxious to listen. I know a good narrator can make a great story into an excellent story that is exactly what the narrator did in this book…’ Janalyn on Audible.
Check it out on audible to read more of this review.
Don’t forget if you have bought the eBook then you can get the audiobook at a fraction of the cost. I know this great discount works in Audible and I assume it’s now working on Amazon.
Take a look at this trailer for a tiny taste of what’s in store.
We are both so proud of this audiobook and would love to know what you think. Plus, book 2 is half way through production so it wont be long before you can listen to the first two parts in the trilogy. If you do pick up a copy, we’d love you to share a quick review to help others decide if it’s the book for them.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend everyone.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Yes, finally the audiobook is available and I’m really excited to share a sample of it with you now…
George Ellington has brought the characters to life and takes you on a magical adventure which I hope you’ll enjoy.
You can find the audiobook of The Lost Sentinel on Audible, Amazon and iTunes (link not yet available for itunes). And the great news is work is already going well on book 2.
I would love to get some reviews up, so if anyone is willing to give an honest review get in touch to discuss getting a free code.
Here’s the trailer I shared at the beginning of the week for another little taste of the book.
Title: The Sentinel’s Alliance (Silent Sea Chronicles #3) Author: Suzanne Rogerson Publisher: Independently published Genre: Fantasy Book format: Paperback
Sweet Strawberries: Description:Can new alliances save the islands of the Silent Sea from the murderers stalking their shores?
As the island of Kalaya and its people recover from civil war, a new threat surfaces. Invaders from the island of Elkena hunt the seas, butchering those who possess magic. Their scar-faced captain seeks the Fire Mage who it has been foretold will kill him and Tei and her people are in his warpath. Tei and a band of Kalayans travel to Stone Haven, the home of their new allies, planning to restore magic to the dead island. But the Stone Haven Council have abhorred magic since their people were massacred by Elkenan invaders twenty years before. Commander Farrell must persuade his people to accept magic again, but his plans expose…
I hope to be sharing the news of its publication very soon. You can check out the book on Amazon whilst you wait or see the reviews on goodreads.
I am now on the hunt for reviewers who are interested in a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review on Audible, Amazon etc. Please get in touch via the contact form or make your request in the comments.
The trailer was created by Laya and the link above will take you to her Youtube channel. You can also check out her website here.
The book tour for The Lost Sentinel ran from 6th to 12th of September. In case you’ve missed the details here was the line up…
Timy gave a great round up of the tour you should check out, but I wanted to do my own post to highlight the reviews and as my way of saying thanks to the reviewers involved. Please click the links to visit their blogs.
‘For those of you who enjoy romance and the like, I would definitely suggest giving The Lost Sentinel a read. Even as someone who almost never enjoys romance in a book, I was still able to see that it was written very well, and lead to some quite emotional moments.’
‘The magic system was really interesting and I love the idea that the island has magic that the Mystics must protect but the none magical people have forgotten and don’t look after the island ass they should. I really wish we had more stories where the land was actually alive with magic…’
‘I think this book would be a good read for those just getting into fantasy or who don’t read it often but sometimes want an escape from their usual reading as it gives you all the things we love about fantasy…’
‘THE LOST SENTINEL is a solid fantasy tale that reminded me of some of my most treasured fantasy comfort reads. The magic especially is very well done and spun with an alacrity that is hard to come by these days.’
‘A true fantasy is as good as the world it depicts. And this world is amazing! …the twists, the magic, the world make you loose yourself a little in this breathtaking fantasy.’
Wrap up interview with some asylum related questions that made me look at my book in a whole new way!
Plus there’s a song list I used whilst writing the trilogy and some super cool Youtube videos too, so be sure to stop by for a read and a listen.
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Thanks to Storytellers on tour and to all the book reviewers who took part. Being an indie author and reaching readers is really hard, so I appreciate your support in sharing my trilogy with your followers.
If these reviews have piqued your interest, this is the last chance to buy the box set trilogy whilst it’s on sale – Pick up the Silent Sea Chronicles for just £3.99 worldwide. Why not take a chance and let me know what you think. Amazon link.
Thanks for reading.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Fantasy is a genre close to my heart. I love to read and write it. As mentioned in yesterday’s reading update post, I’ve decided to dedicate a whole post to the Indie Fantasy books I want to read in 2020. I’ve only picked a couple as I don’t have much time left in 2020 to read them, but it’s great to be able to give a shout out to some fellow indie authors.
This post is inspired by #selfpubfantasymonth taking place during the whole of September.
So here is my list of books to read this year.
Emma Miles – Raven Storm book 3 I’ve read the series so far this year and loved them. Here’s my joint review of Raven Tower and Raven Coven – duo review.
I would love to catch up with Ian Gregoire’s series. Book 2 Apprentice in the Master’s Shadow which came our earlier in 2020. Here’s my review of book 1.
I’ve been wanting to read Talis Jones’ Otherworld trilogy for ages. I bought Crooked Raven book 1 in 2018 and still haven’t managed to read it. I can’t believe the whole trilogy is already published but at least that means I won’t have to wait for the release of the following books!
Now I know I wont have time to read any more books this year, but these are books I’ve picked up in 2020 and hope to read at some point soon. Click the book titles for Amazon links.
I’ve just reached my reading target for 2020, four months early! Ok, so I only set it at 15, but I have been really enjoying reading again and have to say the standard of the books has been so high. I’ve read a mix of fantasy, romance, spy-thrilllers and urban fantasy, plus a non-fiction book and a bio by Monty Don – Nigel.
What I’ve recently read
Book 1 and 2 S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy. I plan to do a trilogy review as soon as I’ve finished book 3, which I was kindly given a copy of via Netgalley.
Currently reading
During lockdown I’ve been taken with the idea of writing some Romance novellas so I’ve decided to always have a romance book on the go. I’m currently reading…
Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley.
and I’m almost finished reading Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas. It is such a lovely read and I’ll be sad to finish it.
As mentioned above, I’m reading book 3 in Daevabad trilogy, Empire of Gold. I hope to finish this asap and get the reviews up for all 3 books. It’s a such a brilliant series that I can’t wait to tell you about it.
What I plan to read over the next few months
My book group have chosen Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. I’ve been wanting to read this for the last few years so I’m looking forward to digging in before the end of September.
I would like to catch up with the next Carrie Harris book by GJ Stevens. I read the prequel a few months ago and couldn’t put it down. See my review here.
I also have plans to read some non-fiction books as research for my writing. Now the kids have returned to school I’m wondering if I’ll have more time on my hands to tackle these books;
I’d also like to revisit some non-fiction books I read last year and put into action their suggestions and hopefully review them this time!
By the end of the year I hope to support some of my fellow fantasy indie authors. I’ll share those books in another blog post in support of #Selfpubfantasymonth.
I think that is plenty of reading to be getting on with. Have you read any of these books? Are they on your TBR?
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Today is the start of the Book Tour for The Lost Sentinel! Here’s the line up…
Thanks to Storytellers on Tour for organising everything. I’m so excited for the upcoming week and hope you can join all these great bloggers and instagrammers.
The Lost Sentinel, an Amazon bestseller, is book 1 in Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy. To celebrate the book tour, the complete box set is on offer for only £3.99 worldwide.
Here’s a couple of Ads I’ve been playing with.
I’ll be sharing more information about the book tour during the week, so please pop back soon.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
I’ve been looking into advertising my audiobook (soon to be audiobooks!) but I’m struggling to find ways to do it.
Then I realised I haven’t posted about the book for a while, so I’d like to share it with you now and offer my readers the chance to listen for free. All I ask as that you consider leaving a review on Audible, Amazon, Goodreads, wherever you feel comfortable posting.
To tempt you here’s a sample performed by the very talented Guy Barnes.
Blurb
Two wizards, 350 years apart. Can they save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past?
An ancient darkness haunts the realm of Paltria. Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions of a city on the brink of annihilation. When his master dies in mysterious circumstances, the Royal Order of Wizards refuses to investigate. Helped by his childhood friend, the skilled tracker Varnia, and her lover Leyoch, Paddren vows to find the killer. The investigation leads Paddren down a sinister path of assassins, secret sects and creatures conjured by blood magic. But he is guided by a connection with a wizard from centuries ago – a wizard whose history holds the key to the horror at the heart of the abandoned city of Zarua. Can Paddren decipher his visions and save the Paltrian people before the dark menace of Zarua’s past is unleashed?
You can also buy the audiobook on itunes or audible where it’s free to listen to with your monthly credit.
If you don’t have a audible account, you can follow these links to set up an account and receive a free months trial
Last week I did something I said to myself at the start of my indie career that I would never do, I gave away a book for free.
I’ve done a fair amount of 99p deals and sales drops, but to set it to free and then pay to advertise it didn’t make sense to me.
But being the start of a trilogy it can be good business to give away book 1 for a limited period. If people enjoy book 1, they will hopefully go on to buy and read books 2 and 3. And, all going well I’ve gained a new, avid reader for future books. Still it is a risk and can be an expensive one too.
My Tactic
I set book 1 to free for the full 5 days allowed in my KDP Select 3 month period. Then I set book 2 and 3 to 99p each for the 7 days allowed starting on the same day as the free 5 day promotion.
I stacked ads for each day to maximise the reach of my free book offer. This was great for achieving downloads but it has meant I’ve no idea what ads were any good. (List of ad companies further down in this post).
I did use the tactic of using the biggest hitter for my genre (Book Barbarian) in the middle of the promo period, which helped me reach no.1 in the US. See more on this below.
The Results
Downloads of The Lost Sentinel over the 5 free days 10th to 14th August = 3862
Purchases of books 2 and 3 over the 7 day KDP free days = 143
KENP – pages read through Kindle Unlimited since 10th August to date = Over 5K
Reviews and Ratings. So far I’ve received a 4 and 5 star review, and a 5 star rating. I’m hoping to see more popping over over the coming weeks. I’ve also gained a few new followers on BookBub which is always good.
Amazon 5 Stars. Captivating… ‘I’ve been reading fantasy and SF for over fifty years. I recognize a born story teller when I read one. Suzanne Rogerson held me spellbound. The author is destined to become a legend.’
Goodreads 4 star – ‘Very interesting premise… The world building was amazing. The lands of Kalaya and Tei’s powers of astral projection were so vividly described that it was beautiful to read about it. Tei’s journey and the twist in the end added to the enjoyment of the story. Liked it.’
The Cost
I spend a few hundred pounds setting this up and have so far earnt back nearly half of what I laid out in advertising costs. That’s not bad, especially if it continues to help people discover my books and they keep reading them through Kindle Unlimited. Who knows maybe in time it will have broken even.
This experiment wasn’t so much about the money, but about reaching readers. I’m happy to have been able to reach 3862 new ones across the world!
The BIG BIG Benefit
The Lost Sentinel reached No.1 in three countries and in some cases held the spot for two/three consecutive days.
No. 1 best seller in US – Categories = Romantic fantasy, Woman’s fantasy fiction, Action and Adventure Fantasy, New Adult and college fantasy. At various times The Lost Sentinel held spots 2 and 3 in Epic fantasy, Sword and Sorcery and Coming of Age Fantasy.
The top sales rank it reached across all free kindle books in the US was 83 and it reached no. 4 in the top free fantasy books. That really made my day.
No. 1 best seller in UK – Categories = Low Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy and Action and Adventure Fiction. It also reached no.2 in Coming of Age fantasy and Epic Fantasy, and 3 in Sword and Sorcery.
The Lost Sentinel also reached No. 4 in all free fantasy books and was no 5 in all sci-fi and fantasy free books in the UK.
No. 1 best seller in Canada – Categories = Coming of Age Fantasy. Placed 2nd in Epic and 3rd in Sword and Sorcery.
Top sales rank of all free books 29. No. 4 in top free fantasy books in Canada.
No.2 in Australia for Epic fantasy and 73 across the whole of free books in Australia.
As well as these four countries, The Lost Sentinel was also downloaded in Brazil, Germany, India, Netherlands, France, Spain, Japan, Italy and Mexico. I achieved high rankings in many of these countries too.
I’ve tried to do some research to understand the numbers but all I can find out is that there could be around 6 million ebooks available on kindle. I don’t know how many of those are free at any one time, but those are big numbers and I’m so proud to see my book reaching such heights.
Would I recommend running a free book promotion?
100% yes. But I would only do this for book 1 in a trilogy or the start of a series and I would wait until the rest of the books are available to hopefully encourage follow on sales and read throughs.
A Warning
Watching the downloads come in and getting to No 1 is quite addictive, so don’t plan on doing much else whilst your promotion is running.
It’s a heady experience, which means the come down is hard. When it’s all over you’re left feeling deflated. And it is a shame to see the ranking disappear after the free promo is over. My advice is to take screenshots so you can look back and say it really did happen!
Would I change anything?
I wish I’d booked more ads for the last day of the promo period. After all the excitement midway through, the last day felt like a let down with dwindling sales. It would have been great to go out with a bang.
Ad companies I used in my free promo.
Note – I can’t say for sure where the downloads came from. I’m just providing you with a list of the ad companies I used. There are so many to choose from that you should do your research and learn from trial and error.
Day 1 – Just Kindle Books, Book Reader magazine, Pretty Hot books (119 free downloads, 8 sales)
Day 2 – FKBT, Awesome book promo, James H Mayfield VA services (551 free downloads, 15 sales)
Day 3 – Book Barbarian, BK Nights (1291 free downloads, 57 sales)
Day 4 – Book Runes, Awesome gang, eReader IQ, Book Cave (1426 free downloads, 31 sales)
Day 5 – Book Doggy (475 downloads, 24 sales)
Day 6 and 7 after the free promo ended. 8 sales.
A big thank you to Bklnk.com This is a great resource to check what categories your books are in and their rankings across Amazon in the US, UK and Canada.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Description: Can new alliances save the islands of the Silent Sea from the murderers stalking their shores?
Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author 