Category: Facebook

I have been reported by a Facebook "friend" #competition among #authors?

9/19/2014

So I have been reported for a picture that I barely think registers on the nudity scale. I have seen so much more. I mean I have seem my breasts (gasp). ....looks around...

But that's honestly not what has me upset. People have seen a rise lately and I have been told it is probably a rival author. I am very well known for promotion. I promote everyone and all genres.

My friend list is small on purpose. I don't friend easily. And this year in fact I have probably only friended 10 people and blocked at least 3 of those. This shows you how skeezy it can get or just plain inappropriate.

I don't put up with BS. I call people out: frauds, plagiarist, etc. I think as an author it is something we should be doing. Warning others of" policy changes and if need be the losers/stalkers and anything else book related. Raise each other up. Help each other out.

I have always said my skills are varied but there are times where I need someone to help me. No author, especially in the Indie world (but also in the trad pub world) can do it alone. Gone are the days that you have someone pushing and marketing your book. You first need to make a name for yourself.

And so in regards to that. My pages are really quite tame and I do that on purpose. I don't need all this drama and BS. In fact I plain an simple hate drama BS.

This report was because someone literally went through all my Suzy Ayers posts (and there are a lot) all the way back to December to find this picture. It is a promotion that I did that visually shows a sex scene in my story.

PS I did a test and not sure that this person knows this. I posted the picture for only my "friends". And My S Ayers pages was also reported. That narrows you down, coupled with the fact that you are new. GOODBYE!

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
In fact the income from my books was literally feeding my children at one point. I have since reached out and found other ways, but still I am struggling. People need to stop finding things on purpose to be hurtful of others. We need more good. More nice. More pay it forward. Not vindictive or hateful.

I want to thank all my readers and supporters.

Suzy

Oh by the way..if you by any chance want to read that HOT story. Here are the links to that FREE book. Be sure to leave a review and check out all the awesome authors too.

Thanks so much!

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Smashwords

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release event on Facebook #free books 9/19

9/18/2014

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Please come on over tomorrow September 19th for giveaways and fun at a release party on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/events/528393953972711/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_user_joined

Join right now so you wont forget!!

I will be giving away copies of my first piece of short erotic fiction, Cristal Blue. All you have to do is answer a simple question. Everyone gets a copy of this baby!

Also one lucky winner will receive a copy of my newly re-edited romantic fantasy Sara's Awakening! This book went through a huge overhaul and the series is filled with: magic, deceit, love, heartache and death.

***I am thrilled to say that both book one and two are now in print! I will be at a book signing in Worcester MA at the DCU Center on Oct 4th with these on hand!!***

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#SatSpanks Blue Bird #eroticfantasies What do little girls get for teasing? Author Anniversary #event $10 Amazon Gift Card & free book Cristal Blue

3/14/2014

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If you haven't found out by now my new release, Erotic Fantasies, well it's an anthology with 10 other fantastic authors, has been released it is free everywhere but Amazon (of course). So any help with price matching would be so much appreciated!!

This scene is a little after the other one from last week...

So they just kissed and Sir complimented her, stating she probably had other talents in the oral realm.

“Should we test it out now, sir?”

His teeth gripped my earlobe. “You are the tease I knew you would be. I promised no sexual contact tonight.”

I whimpered. “I’d like to take care of you. Please, sir, let me take care of this.” I grinned, as it twitched under my bottom, as I pleaded.

“I have half a mind to spank you until you are sore, for being such a cock-tease.”

“But, sir, I really want to-” My hand slipped between my thighs.

What do you think is going to happen next??

Buy links for the FREE Erotic Fantasies Anthology!
Also please help us Price Match

Grab a link
(copy B&N or All Romance and click on Amazon for price matching)

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/417296

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/erotic-fantasies-anthology-tonya-kinzer/1118904099?ean=2940045756563

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-eroticfantasiesanthology-1447671-362.html

AMAZON

On 3/24 it is my One Year Author Anniversary. So in honor of that I am having an event on Facebook. Please click on my Facebook Event for a free copy of my short story Cristal Blue. (Note: you have to be going). Also if you invite the most people (they have to click your name and be going) you will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card! CLICK HERE

I have another question for you...if you have have seen my free reads section and read my short story (The Visit), which is in 3 parts. I'd like honest opinions. If I cleaned it up a bit and added more depth, would it be a respectable piece to send to the BDSM writers con contest. I wanted to send Saving Lady J, but there is no category for switch. :( I might submit it to another publisher, because I truly think it's a great piece. Thoughts?

OK, Ok, I've held you hostage enough. Please be sure to check out my spanky friends this week!!

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Self publishing is like being the Mad Hatter on Crack #advice for authors

3/9/2014

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If you don't know me, Alice in Wonderland is my favorite book of all time. ;) One of these day's I'll do it justice.

So, I was sort of laughing when someone brought up that a friend asked them what self-publishing/
indie writing entailed. First—let me insert here if someone asks that’s better than the latter…oh writing is so easy, write the thing and put it up there. It reminds me about each and every time a new writer asks me for advice on anything. I’ve had a few that said that’s too ridiculous (perhaps thinking, this girl has no idea what she’s talking about…lol).

Think of the Mad Hatter on crack…this is who you have to be.

What do you mean…all you have to do is write the story, right?

Let’s see here...hmm write the story. This is tougher for some, writers block, research, etc. My problem is the opposite. I have too many ideas and stories to keep up with!

Step two edit, step three edit, step four edit…haha, you get the idea. Too many people complain they don’t have money for an editor, well you better be damn sure you have an eagle eye and have critique partners. What is a critique partner? They are person who reads/writes in the genre you write and will read your story and edit it. I do track changes for my CP’s. Also, I have software that reads back my text. The good thing about eBooks is you can re-read it at a later date and upload a new version. And yes now that I have come along, I have found an editor. Editors: there are many different kinds of editors, find the one you need (content, grammar, etc). This is why a CP is like gold, they can tell you your “issues”.

After this is the cover, be willing to spend some money, but not an exorbitant amount. Some people spend $250 for a cover. This is crazy! I was under the naive notion that I could do my own. Um, did I mention yet that I am a control freak? It was a sloppy mess. I bought some covers from selfpubbookcovers.com and I was very happy with them. But I admit, I needed a better understanding of what sells. People clearly DO judge a book by its cover. I have made Bound for Pleasure, but not without help. I still struggled with understanding GIMP II.

Since then I have purchased the pictures for covers and had someone help me with them. I trade work in kind and basically say verbatim what I want. This isn't to say she isn't talented, I can't wait to show you one cover that blew me away. As I mentioned I think GIMP II hates me. You can't be good at everything and they sooner you realize that they better. I have been having http://www.satisfictionservices.com/ doing my covers for quite some time now.

Marketing: You need to be good with social media. Understand how they work and find circles and marketing sites on Facebook. Be sure to start with a “personal” Facebook and then an “Author” Facebook page off of that. The personal one helps you Market on other Facebook pages. Your author page is great tool for understanding your audience. A blog is another good way to market, but decide if you can keep up with it and what type of content you want on it.

Marketing is the biggest piece, growing your brand from your name to your following. People are tempted to buy followers, but why. They aren’t people, but rather robots and they don’t buy books. Also people putting “Bestselling Author” I’ve told this to a few people, make sure you are honest with your readers. Did you earn that title? Did you “sell” these books or where they free? Be sure to make that distinction.

Be sure to hype up your book before you publish it. Ask others for help, do a cover reveal, blog tour, Rafflecopter, Goodreads giveaways, there are so many things.

What not to do:

Don’t annoy the heck out of people. OMG I cannot tell you how many people I have unfriended on both Twitter and Facebook. These are SOCIAL places. Also politics and religion have no place here. You are selling books not your personal beliefs. Sure, readers love to feel a connection with you, but they don’t want to be offended.

Twitter:

Don’t say thanks for following me here’s my books in the same Tweet to me…I won’t look at it…guaranteed. AutoDM’s are the worst.

Don’t put my name in a Tweet with your marketing promo.

Facebook:

Stop promoting to the same pages every day. I try to do it once a week and I have many books. Most people in your circle are in the same groups as you. So you clutter up my notification’s feed. I see 45 notifications and 12 are from ABC person (unfriend, especially if that is the only reason you friended me). Also, don’t PM a link. A link and nothing else screams spam to me.

Damn, this girl is so mean you say. LOL Someone actually heard my whole spiel about Amazon. About certain covers and words not accepted. They said this is too hard, too much red tape and said forget it. You need to understand and be mindful of so much. I read a lot of books before I published my very first one. Arm yourself, ask questions and don’t go blindly. You will be hurting yourself in the long run.

Phew, are we ready to put the book up yet??

Learn all the places you want to pub, understand the good and bad of each. There are formatting and cover rules for each of them. Then press that button. Sigh you are done, right? Wrong! Market, get reviews and guess what…you better be working on your next book. ;)

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#event #rafflecopter for #free books ~ Miranda's Amulet #Coverreveal

2/13/2014

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After much ado...it's here. My hot new cover for the second book in the The Before World series! I am psyched. It's hot because the heat is starting to increase in the sex department in this title. Find excerpts on the ELEMENTS Facebook page and my event going on until 2/16 when this book will be released. Also The first book is 99 cents until then as well, so grab your copy below.

Also a rafflecopter. I know so much excitement. Ok I am just a geek who's excited. ;) Come play with us at the event.

Miranda's Amulet working blurb:

Princess Sara Rosen must learn her role as Thomas’ wife and juggle being a new mother. Happy to be where she thinks she’s meant to be, believing she’s completed her destiny. However her fate and her dark dreams have barely begun.

Her powers have grown exponentially; as she uncovers a frightful new burden she must bear. Additionally, she questions Thomas’ fidelity and her own. Trusting no one and not even herself at times, she must protect a new secret and her family.

Continue on the journey with Sara and the Rosen family in this: sci-fi, futuristic, romantic fantasy… in the name of love, loss, and magic.

This book includes: Shapeshifters, visions, premonitions, magic, spells, poisons, Sorcerer’s, a Wizard, Witches, death, sexual situations, and is considered to be a book for adults 18+.

Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for free books and I hope you come play with me at the EVENT!

So far...
Saturday - get to know the books, excerpts

Sunday - zodiac, horoscopes. Which ELEMENTS character are you?

Monday –Tattoos. Post your own (keep it clean) why you got it, your inspiration. What the Tattoos mean in the books and the ELEMENTS Tattoos

Tuesday – Witches What does a Witch even look like? I posted some cool pictures and iconic ones. As well is our Lucinda.

Wednesday – Family Pictures of the Rosen men (YUM!) and Sara’s beautiful sisters.

Thursday – Cover Reveal and steamy excerpt!

Hmm wonder what is in store for Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

Sara's Awakening Book Description:

This book is already an Amazon Bestseller! A low fantasy book heavy on romance, with a feisty heroine.

After apocalyptic storms, Sara finds herself forced to live separated from her family, inside the castle which belongs to the newly imposed monarchy run by The Rosen Family, due to a deal made without her knowledge.

Sara is armed with powers she did not know she possessed; bearing the mark of a mystical tattoo that everyone is interested in, and is haunted by dark dreams that seem more like premonitions.

Determined to figure out what is true, what is real, and if magic exists again. She must navigate through the lies and deception, while she explores the question of love. Could her first love be her true love? Or will his Jekyll and Hyde personality push her away?

Join the 19-year-old Sara in this: sci-fi, futuristic, romantic fantasy... in the name of love, loss, and magic.

BUY LINKS for Sara's Awakening.
Promotional price of 99 cents until the release of Miranda's Amulet on 2/16!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA
Smashwords

ENTER the Rafflecopter below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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#event #rafflecopter for #free books ~ Miranda's Amulet release party, grab book 1 Sara's Awakening #99PROMO #fantasy #romance

2/10/2014

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Book 1 is on a 99 cent promo until 2/16!!

I am super excited to be releasing my next fantasy book "Miranda's Amulet" in my The Before World series within a week! I guess I better hurry up on my listening edits (smirks).

This is romance and magic people. It's nothing like my erotica, so don't expect explicit.

Miranda's Amulet working blurb:

Princess Sara Rosen must learn her role as Thomas’ wife and juggle being a new mother. Happy to be where she thinks she’s meant to be, believing she’s completed her destiny. However her fate and her dark dreams have barely begun.

Her powers have grown exponentially; as she uncovers a frightful new burden she must bear. Additionally, she questions Thomas’ fidelity and her own. Trusting no one and not even herself at times, she must protect a new secret and her family.

Continue on the journey with Sara and the Rosen family in this: sci-fi, futuristic, romantic fantasy… in the name of love, loss, and magic.

This book includes: Shapeshifters, visions, premonitions, magic, spells, poisons, Sorcerer’s, a Wizard, Witches, death, sexual situations, and is considered to be a book for adults 18+.

Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for free books and I hope you come play with me at the EVENT!

So far...
Sat - get to know the books
Sunday - zodiac, horoscopes. Which ELEMENTS character are you?
Monday -Tattoos...

Click HERE for the EVENT on my Facebook page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sara's Awakening Book Description:

This book is already an Amazon Bestseller! A low fantasy book heavy on romance, with a feisty heroine.

After apocalyptic storms, Sara finds herself forced to live separated from her family, inside the castle which belongs to the newly imposed monarchy run by The Rosen Family, due to a deal made without her knowledge.

Sara is armed with powers she did not know she possessed; bearing the mark of a mystical tattoo that everyone is interested in, and is haunted by dark dreams that seem more like premonitions.

Determined to figure out what is true, what is real, and if magic exists again. She must navigate through the lies and deception, while she explores the question of love. Could her first love be her true love? Or will his Jekyll and Hyde personality push her away?

Join the 19-year-old Sara in this: sci-fi, futuristic, romantic fantasy... in the name of love, loss, and magic.

BUY LINKS for Sara's Awakening.
Promotional price of 99 cents until the release of Miranda's Amulet on 2/16!

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA
Smashwords

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How to get a large organic #following on #Twitter

2/6/2014

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So I have been bugged enough, I am spilling the beans…LOL OK, honestly, I like to help others that are struggling with something that I figured out.

How did I amass a huge organic following on Twitter?

So let’s go back to the newbie me. Mid-Feb 2013, everyone was telling me ‘you need to be on Twitter. That’s where you need to market.’ I was completely confused by this thing. I am a Facebook girl. And to be honest that has better Marketing benefits to reach readership. You find more Author / readers on Twitter. Some regular readers, but it’s really not the same. So, as I mentioned I didn’t know how to even Tweet. I knew nothing.

Ok, so I used this PDF that was free on http://www.selfpubbookcovers.com/index.php There was a small section on there to help me sort of start my way into this social media time sucker-I mean great place to market myself. Tee hee.

After about a month I had 1k followers, 2 months 2k. I was amazed and others were too. I kept saying I would make a post about it so here it is. First, I have to admit having a picture of me; a real live person probably helps.

Tips/Tricks

How do I know if I should follow them?

My “personal” ways of going about this are, look at their profile. Are they a reader, writer, do they have something in common with you. Genre is a big factor. I try to spread it out so I don’t just follow everyone in erotica, since I write in many genres.

Follow book review people. This will skew your numbers a bit, but oh well you never know who will pick up your book.

Now, here is another tidbit and it might be a little confusing. The numbers: followers vs following. Are they even going to follow you back? If the numbers are close, perhaps they might. If they have low numbers and their Twitter remarks are “hey baby you’re hot” or “here’s my newest book”. These are the first things they say to you…um no. Twitter is a SOCIAL MEDIA SITE. Remember no one wants their first introduction to be a smack in the face with your book.

Now do you always care about the numbers? No. Follow EL James or my mentor Shoshanna Evers if you want some of their followers to perhaps see you. Now, how would these follower see you? You know, on that side panel: follow these people thing-yeah that one. I don’t really follow the “untouchables” though. The anti-socials that would never respond, celebs, etc. However, Neil Perry from “The Band Perry” follows me, perhaps he thought I was cute. LOL I love music that’s no secret.

Are they a bot? Should I follow?

“I just got 1000 followers..” yeah I mark as spam…move on.

They have one tweet and followed 87 people. Nope don’t follow.

They are a locked account with no bio. Now these are tricky. I pretty much follow and find myself unfollowing most of them. Some locked accounts are people with families, others are D/s relationships and others are just, well, who knows.

Following back

There is this unwritten rule to follow back within 3 days, so try to keep pace or note in your bio.

Your Bio

I changed mine about 50 times. Work on it, tweak it, and change it when new things come up. ;) Be honest. I actually told a writer putting Bestselling Author in his bio should mean he actually “sold” the book. I think being honest with your readership is the best way to gain and keep them. He has a Bestselling book that reached #1 in free. Yay! I mean I haven’t even reached #1 in free. Just my opinion perhaps. :/

Oh and typos, if you are a writer and there are typos in your bio…yeah there’s a problem there.

What not to have on your Twitter feed! (What I don’t have)

Politics, naked pictures (unless that is what you want to promote—we all have our own thing and our own brand), and really any hot button issues. You want this to be a place for marketing your brand then keep your brand fun, happy, and interesting. No bashing or self pity party’s people. Nothing wrong with a bad day, we all need support and as a community we will be there with our shoulders.

Also I do not have Auto DM’s I hate them and I will never open a link. I delete all that.

Use all the tools you can

1. Hashtags – Twitter gives you ones in a little dropdown.

2. Use a catchy phrase not, here’s my book or here’s my Amazon page. Excite people; make them want to click on your link.

3. Picture – Use your book covers as an advertisement. Twitter has changed this up a bit, but a picture will take up space and make your Tweet stand out.

4. Spacing/objects – Don’t be annoying, but you can be crafty with spacing and objects (arrows) that are eye catching.

5. Someone comments, respond, draw more attention to your Tweet. Also each connection helps you more visible in the main feed and perhaps gains you more followers.

6. Be bold and say things like I did “Wow, I am almost at my 1k (2k or 3k) follower, I think I had like 10 to go. This person will get a free eBook of mine their choice” I tweeted things like this. I also said virtual kisses, but I didn’t tell you that. People like silliness and winning nothing. I Tweeted the heck out of the winner and they were happy. Telling everyone to follow my latest follower, therefore getting more followers. (Make sure they are a valid person not a bot)

RT - ing

I tweeted/RTed daily. I would follow and RT those that RT’ed me. I had a nice community of people. I was spending 30 minutes, soon it became and hour. Suddenly, it was reaching hours. I was doing it multiple times a day. I always left my 4-6 promotional Tweets at the top. I found my hand was hurting and it was taking up so much time that I wasn’t really doing what I wanted, writing. At this point I was at close to 4k followers.

So, I looked for a solution. I wanted to still have control over who I followed and unfortunately I RT some porn, but overall I am very happy that I am able to still Tweet additionally and never go over my limit. Previously, I had been put in jail a few times for my RT-ing an not even been allowed to post my own promotions. Now what was the sense in that?

I use Begaware, Tweetdeck, FB autoposts for me and Tribber feeds.

Auto RT sites like Roundteam, Begaware, TweetDeck, etc

Auto RT’s. I don’t recommend this to you unless you already did everything above. Get a good following going, this takes work. Buying followers, which I have heard is robots, dead accounts, etc. Isn’t adding any value to your Twitter.

I now use Begaware for auto Tweets and ReTweets. It helps me to still be able to talk to people, write and just be me! I sometimes toss a question out into Twitter and see who responds. I find out who answers and make new friends. Again you need to remind yourself it is a social media site. Ask for help sometimes you never know who will respond.

So the sites I use:

Begaware

Tweets : http://begware.com/alogin.php

RT’s: http://begware.biz/member/activate.php

The RT one is good for say the ones you want to block, porn pics for example, or perhaps larger authors that don’t RT. My mentor doesn’t RT, but I like to tweet her stuff. This puts you in the eyes of others that read her work and similar stuff that you write. ;)

TweetDeck: https://tweetdeck

I use this to set up auto posts since Begaware only allows 20 set ones. Also, I can do one’s anything new happening: a new release, a cover reveal, a blog hop, etc. Plus I do great followers or favoriters. People like spotlights shown on them.

Triberr: http://triberr.com/

Triberr is for bloggers to meet others; you need to be faithful in reblogging here. This feeds to my Twitter. I actually don’t know much about this except that it helps get your blog posts out there across Twitterdom. ;)

Sometimes I find remarks of people not reblogging “enough”, but honestly I feel like no one lives in each others lives. No one lives in my shoes. I promote the hell out of people, I don’t run and jump on Triberr daily, people would prefer if I helped them sell books (my opinion). If you do it and promote others I think that’s sufficient. And sometimes I feel like we need to learn to have more respect for other people sometimes.

Unfollowers.com

Lastly, I use this (on Twitter, it’s free) to unfollow people that don’t follow me. Again I keep book reviewers and those that might give me a larger following, but I remove people that haven’t followed me in at least 5 days. I don’t follow the 3 day rule. And anyone that unfollowed me.

I have met so many great friends and supportive people and I can only hope to help and pay it forward just a little bit. I truly hope this post helps people. Marketing takes work and time. If you don’t put effort into it like you do writing, you are honestly writing for no reason. It would be like making a lemonade stand and then setting it up inside your house and not telling a soul about it. Think about it, no one else is going to sell you better than you.

Perhaps, I will do another post about Facebook or blogging one day. But that’s for another time. Please share and comment if this was helpful.

xx Suzy

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I have been reported by a Facebook "friend" #competition among #authors?

release event on Facebook #free books 9/19

#SatSpanks Blue Bird #eroticfantasies What do little girls get for teasing? Author Anniversary #event $10 Amazon Gift Card & free book Cristal Blue

Self publishing is like being the Mad Hatter on Crack #advice for authors

#event #rafflecopter for #free books ~ Miranda's Amulet #Coverreveal

#event #rafflecopter for #free books ~ Miranda's Amulet release party, grab book 1 Sara's Awakening #99PROMO #fantasy #romance

How to get a large organic #following on #Twitter

SUZY AYERS

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