Author: Rachel Hutchings

Rachel helps our authors cultivate and establish their digital voice. She’s committed to thinking beyond packaged branding and works hand-in-hand with Books Forward authors to ensure authenticity in their online presence. A quick learner and enthusiastic team player, Rachel continues to impress both our clients and team with her creativity, motivation and keen intuition. She is constantly finding innovative ways to promote our authors and their books.

Books to read if you love Only Murders in the Building

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

I don’t know about you, but I can’t for Season 2 of Only Murders in The Building! Watching all of the episodes in season 1 won’t take too long, so here are some great books to read if you are looking for more of the hijinks, mystery, and unlikely friendship that the show does so well.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The first title that came to mind was this hilarious murder mystery novel that takes place in a retirement village. Four septuagenarians get to take their true crime club to the next level when a local developer is found dead. Whether the female cop with her first big case wants the help or not, they are at her disposal as more bodies begin to drop. The mystery itself is great, but what really makes the book are the eccentric characters (reminiscent of Charles and Oliver) you can’t help but love.

​​A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

This book is for the Mabel lovers out there as it follows another girl who loves true crime. Pippa Fitz chooses to do her final year proect on a local murder case from five years prior, but the more she digs, the more dangerous it gets for her. A great murder plot with a determined female protagonist that Mabel would most likely be friends with.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

If you enjoyed those flashback scenes to secrets and partying that led to Oscar being wrongfully convicted of Zoe’s murder, you’ll love this book about four rich kids with something in their past they want to keep hidden. This book’s description: “A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive,” is very reminiscent of Mabel’s Hardy Boys gang. Complicated relationships, deception, and life-altering decisions are at the root of both of these groups of friends and the book itself is quite the page-turner.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

While the show deals with only murders in the apartment building, this book deals with only the murder in Blackheath Manor. Aiden is suddenly at the mercy of his own wit, as he finds that Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. You get to see through the eyes of all the suspects and crazy characters as he wakes up in a different body each day. Much like the show, it will keep you guessing until the end and you’ll have almost as many theories as Charles, Oliver, and Mabel pin up on their murder board.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

If you love the tone of the show, you will love this book about a curmudgeonly old man named Ove who finds his world turned upside down when a boisterous young family moves in next door. I honestly think Steve Martin would make a wonderful Ove. Much like you grow to love Charles more as you get his backstory, the same is true for Ove. It’s funny and heartwarming and has the energy that makes it feel like the story could exist in the same world as the show takes place.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

This book is a little different from the show in that instead of solving murders, the main character is doing the killing. A writer who is struggling to hold her life together and come up with a good book idea for her publisher, stumbles into becoming a hit woman and hilarity and ridiculousness ensues. Lots of twists and turns in this book and perfect if you were a fan of Jan.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

A classic for a reason, this Agatha Christie novel takes place in a big house on an island instead of an apartment building in New York, but the stakes of finding out who is doing the killing are the same. A who dunnit done perfectly, this book will have you changing yoour mind constantly and then you’ll still be surprised by who it turns out to be. Clever like the show, and a must read for anyone who calls themselves a mystery fan.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

An unlikely duo, Detective Hawthore and the author Anthony Horowitz who he hires to write about his life end up working together to figure out who killed Diana Cowper, the mother of a famous actor. What makes the story even more strange is that she walked into a funeral parlor on the morning of her murder to plan her own service. If you love the show, you love unlikely friends solving crimes and that is eactly what this book brings to the table.

 

What to read if you are trying to fill the Euphoria void

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

I know we are all still reeling from Season 2’s finale of Euphoria and everyone wants more immediately. Here are some books that will give you the same feelings while we wait (hopefully not as long as last time) for a new season. Check out these titles!

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizinni:

Mental health and the struggles that teenagers face are big themes in Euphoria and Vizinni captures those things beautifully in this story following a suicidal teen into a mental hospital. Craig meets other patients including a transgender sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio as he works through the events that led him there. The author’s own experience in a psychiatric hospital elevates the story just as Sam Levinson’s own battle with addiction impacts the show.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky:

Much like Euphoria’s narration from Rue, this book walks readers through the halls of high school through Charlie’s letters as he deals with the hilarity and devastation that can come with growing up – especially if you have trauma from when you were younger to work through. Exploring sex, drugs, and the search for the perfect song to feel infinite, this book is full of heart, even if it’s one that’s been cracked and bandaged back together a time or two.

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis:

This book follows Mickey, an injured high school softball player who gets hooked on painkillers, in a captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis. Much like Rue, Mickey alienates herself from friends and family along her journey to find a high from something other than the sport she can no longer play. If you want to read about the balance between addiction and hope, take a look at this book.

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert:

If you love Rue and her relationship with Gia, and find yourself rooting for them to have a happy ending, you’ll fall in love with Birdie Randolph’s journey as she navigates love and changing family dynamics. Birdie strives to be the perfect daughter, but things shift when she falls in love with a boy with a troubled past at the same time her estranged aunt Carlene moves into her family’s apartment after spending time in and out of addiction treatment centers. As she gets closer to them, secrets are revealed, which turns everything she knows to be true upside down.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera:

Euphoria is known for taking viewers on an emotional roller coaster every episode much like this book confronting race, class, and sexuality during one charged summer in the Bronx. In the month’s after his father’s suicide, Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness again until he meets Thomas. As his relationship with Thomas grows stronger, tensions from his friends and girlfriend also rise. In order to escape the tension, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. This story takes you from laughing out loud to full-on sobs and back again so definitely be prepared with a box of tissues.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver:

If you found yourself connecting to Jules, especially in her special episode where we delved into her story through her therapy session, you’ll love connecting with Ben De Backer as they find themselves. After coming out to their parents as nonbinary and being kicked out of the house, they find acceptance and the beginning of a new life while living with their estranged sister A growing relationship with the charismatic Nathan Allen who takes them under his wing, they finally start to enjoy the last half of senior year. Finding acceptance and young love are the themes of this poignant look at hope in the face of adversity.

Tweak and We All Fall Down by Nic Sheff:

Two books, both memoirs, follow Nic Sheff as he details his life from the first drug he takes to where he is today. Tweak gives a brutally honest account of his days as an addict and the emotional and physical toll he took on himself and his loved ones along the way. We All Fall Down focuses on his continued efforts to stay clean and gives an eye-opening account of rehab stays, relapses, and difficult realizations. Eventually inspiring the film A Beautiful Boy, these books provide a heart-wrenching story of addiction and hope without other storylines to distract from the reality of getting sober.

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins:

For those who loved the ensemble cast of high schoolers trying to find their own paths, you’ll love this story following four high school seniors as they strive towards their varying ideas of perfection. Whether that perfection is about looks, love, or the ability to live up to expectations, these characters have to decide what they are willing to give up in order to achieve their goals. Following their journeys and how they intersect feels very much like sitting down to watch a new episode or maybe sitting in the audience at Lexi’s play. While this book can stand on its own, if you love it, check out the first book in the Impulse series as well.

A Writer’s Guide to Goodreads

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

Readers and authors alike flock to Goodreads to find new books, enter giveaways, rate books, write reviews, and monitor stats of the unending sea of books that can be found online. So, what are the key things to keep in mind as a writer who wants their book to gain traction on Goodreads? We’ve put together a list of tips that can be helpful for first time authors breaking into this site.

  1. Use The Site
    This may seem obvious, but the most important part of entering a new digital space is understanding how it works. Participate as a reader and look at other author pages to build an idea of what your page might look like. Rate and review books, enter some giveaways to see how they work, check out the array of lists readers can vote books onto, and join the community. Integrating yourself first allows you to not only understand the site, but also understand the kinds of people who use it.
  2. Build Your Author Profile
    Create an author profile page that gives all the information you want to share with your readers to make finding you and your book easier. Include a short bio, a professional headshot, the genres you write in, and links to any website or social media accounts you have. You want them to be able to follow you easily across the web for updated book information so be sure to use links that are updated.
  3. Optimize and Claim Your Book Page
    In order for people to find your book, you will need to input its information. Be sure to include a good quality cover photo, an optimized description, and updated metadata like ISBN, publishing information, and price. Then you will need to claim the book as your own from your author profile so that it is connected to your account. If you are interested in what we can help with on the Goodreads optimization side, let us know, and we can tell you what we’ve done for our previous authors.
  4. Set Up a Giveaway
    One of the best ways to get your book in front of more readers on Goodreads is to offer a giveaway. You are able to list both print and online giveaways and you can set the number of copies you are willing to give. The great thing about giveaways is that whoever enters the giveaway keeps the book in their “want to read” list whether they win or not. This means that your book will be on their mind for future book purchases they will make, and it shows up in their friends’ feeds. It’s great exposure and can really help you gain interest.
  5. Add Your Book to Lists
    Goodreads has hundreds of lists that you can vote your book onto. Some fairly generic like “100 Must Read Books” and others that are hyper specific like “Fictitious Shipwrecks.” The more people that vote for the book on these lists, the higher they move and the more visibility your book has. Doing a mix of both broader and more specific lists is the best way to approach this aspect of Goodreads. Get your friends and family to help you raise your ranking and post about them on your socials to get readers involved.
  6. Engage with Readers
    Goodreads is a social platform so don’t forget to be social! Respond to positive reviews or post them on your other socials. Host Author Q&As on your Goodreads profile to answer questions about your writing process or your characters. Continue to use the site as a reader as well to stay current on what books and authors are popular at the moment. Social channels are always changing so staying up to date is your best chance for success!

 

How authors can support indie bookstores on Small Business Saturday

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

If you asked a group of people where they purchased their last book, chances are the majority of them would say Amazon. You might get a few people saying Barnes and Noble. But you will probably only get one or two who mention an independent bookstore. So what are some ways we can support indie bookstores so that they stick around alongside the bigger stores?

  1. The first one is obvious: Visit your local indie bookstore!
    Next time you get the book browsing bug, head to your local bookstore and purchase a book (or two) there. Chances are the customer service will be more personal than the big name stores or scrolling through Amazon. I find that the people working at my local bookstore are WAY more knowledgeable about the things on their shelves than other bigger retailers. Ask for a recommendation and you might walk out of the doors with your new favorite book!
  2. Buy through independent bookstores online
    Yes, Amazon can allow you to purchase a book from the comfort of your couch, but so do indie bookstores! If you don’t have a local bookstore to support, don’t worry. There are sites like IndieBound where you can find independent stores to support or sites like Bookshop.org who financially support indie bookshops with the money you use to purchase on their site.
  3. Participate in virtual or in person events
    Support doesn’t have to mean financial support — we know that sometimes that is not an option. But you can still participate in author events and share their events on any social media you might have! When authors see that independent bookstores have a lot of events with pretty good turnouts, they are more likely to come and have an event as well. Also, sharing that an event is happening gets the word out about a local bookstore some of your friends may not be aware of.
  4. Engage with indie bookstores across social media
    Follow your favorite independent bookstores on social media and sign up for their newsletters to keep up to date on events, book deals, and new arrivals. Also interact with hashtags like #AskABookseller where booksellers across the country are answering questions on book recommendations to questions on getting books stocked. Chances are if you ask, a bookseller will answer. This is also a great way to find indie bookstores to support who are interacting with customers online.
  5. Buy gift cards for the holidays
    The holidays are fast approaching and we all have book lovers in our family​​! Find out what their favorite local bookstore is or their favorite indie bookstore and get a gift card for them this holiday season. As a book lover myself, I can tell you that a gift card to buy more books is exactly what I want.

It’s so important to keep independent bookstores running and there are so many ways to support them. Supporting small businesses is something that we don’t always think about, but can make all the difference for those stores. So let’s all do our part next time we buy a book!

What to read when you’re still thinking about Mare of Easttown

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

I don’t know about you, but I became obsessed with Mare of Easttown and came up with all sorts of theories of how it would end. Now that it’s over and all has been revealed, my hunger for thrillers and crime are at an all time high. So if you are looking for something to fill the void, check out some of these books!

1. The Trespasser by Tana French: French is a master of the genre and you’ll root for the tough female detective Antionette (very Mare-like) as she works to solve the murder of a pretty blonde who everyone assumes was killed by her lover.

2. The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup: This thriller is full of twists and turns as a kidnapping and a series of gruesome murders are found to be linked through handmade dolls made of chestnuts. The author is the creator of the hit show The Killing, and his ability to create suspense will leave you on the edge of your seat. I literally couldn’t put it down.

3. The Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves: These books follow detective Vera Stanhope as she works to solve various crimes in the seaside town she grew up in. All of these books are perfect for crime lovers wanting to connect with a character over time. The backstory of Detective Stanhope and her connection to the town are revealed slowly, much like the slow-burn of information about Mare in the show.

4. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: If you are looking for family drama mixed with murder, this book is right for you. Complicated relationships and past traumas come to a head in this book that was also turned into a television miniseries.

5. The Alienist by Caleb Carr: This is a classic crime novel all about young people being murdered and a group of people using profiling to come up with a suspect for the first time successfully. There are a couple twists in this novel that feel very Mare of Eastown that you will enjoy.

6. The Whisper Man by Alex North: Much like Mare of Easttown this book takes place in a small town, Featherbank, where past murders by The Whisper Man are brought back into the light as a young boy vanishes. The two detectives, Amanda Beck and Pete Willis, have to confront the past in order to save the boy before it is too late.

7. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite: This book also looks at the question: “What would you do to protect the ones closest to you?” as a sister grapples with the knowledge of her sister’s murderous habit.

8. And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall: This story follows Grayson Skyes as she relentlessly looks for a woman who has disappeared, Isabel Lincoln. The more she searches, the more she uncovers about Isabel’s past secrets. A cat-and-mouse game between two smart women.

9. If You Tell by Gregg Olsen: This one can be hard to read because it is the true story of three sisters living in a house with an abusive and murderous mother. Like Easttown, it evaluates the lengths people go to in order to protect themselves and their family. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

10. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware: A much more straightforward mystery novel with a female protagonist who is finds herself in prison for a murder of a child she swears she didn’t commit. The twist at the end is what makes it a perfect fit for this list.

reader newsletters

What are reader newsletters and how can they help me?

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

Authors are always trying to find new ways to reach readers and get their book to as many people as possible. There are a lot of ways to achieve this, but one of the more successful strategies is by submitting for reader newsletters.

So, what are reader newsletters?

Reader newsletters are essentially tools for book promotion. They are free to readers, and publishers or authors pay to have their book included. A newsletter is sent out to subscribers advertising books that are on sale, or even free, for a limited time.

The cost to have your book included varies based on the newsletter but it can range from around ten dollars to hundreds of dollars. This usually has to do with the audience you are reaching. 

These newsletters are all about offering bargains for their subscribers, which means that to run a book promotion through them, you usually drop your e-book price between $0-$3.99 for 3-5 days. This is what draws readers in to buying your book. 

It is a great way to gain exposure and get some sales. Often these promotions increase your standing in Amazon rankings, which also gets your book seen by more people. 

Many newsletters allow you to target a specific genre which means that the people seeing your book in the newsletter are the type of person who is most likely to buy your book.

It is important, however, to try and pick newsletters that often see good results. You ideally want to generate at least enough sales to pay for the promotion.

So, what are some of the best ones?

We submit for a full range of newsletters and the best ones do depend on genre and other factors, but here are some of my top recommendations.

  1. Bookbub: This always gets great results, but it is pretty pricey (can cost thousands of dollars), and they only accept 10-15% of the books that are submitted. If you are selected, it is a great opportunity and usually is one that recoups the money spent on the promotion itself. Just be aware that you may have to submit multiple times before you are selected.
  2. Bargain Booksy: This ranges from $10-$95 depending on the genre and is easy to submit for.
  3. Fussy Librarian: Easy to submit for, ranges from $10-$30 depending on genre.
  4. Book Lemur: I don’t just love it for the fun name, but it is a plus. This newsletter costs anywhere from $25-$55 depending on price drop price point and genre. They are easy to submit for and are very communicative if there is ever a problem.
  5. Just Kindle: This is a great one that is set at $43. There is no waiting around to get approved for this one. Everything is quick, and your newsletter ad is scheduled before you leave the website.

There are many newsletters out there and they all have benefits!

So, what do you need in order to submit for them?

Each website is a little different in the information needed to book an ad. Here are some of the things that are often required:

  • Title of the book and author name
  • Email
  • Original price point and discounted price during the dates selected
  • ASIN
  • Book cover image
  • Short description of book (Pay attention to character count required on each site)
  • Author bio
  • Number of ratings/star rating
  • Dates of price drop
  • Date you want the ad to run

Some newsletters require all of that information while others only want a subset. It is important to have these things on hand so that the submission process can be quick.

So, is it worth it?

Reader newsletters can be extremely beneficial in getting your book on the radar of a new set of people. Having these ads go out to people who love your genre can boost sales and your ranking on Amazon. As an author, exposure is likely one of your top priorities. Running these ads and these discounts is a perfect way to catch the reader’s eye. This is a low time commitment way to see maximum results.

 

To Promote or Not to Promote: The Pros and Cons of Facebook Advertising

Posted on | by Rachel Hutchings

Authors are always doing what they can to get their books in front of more people. But the real goal should be to get your book seen by the most people in your target audience. Number of eyes doesn’t mean anything if they are not likely to turn into sales.

That’s where targeted Facebook ads come into play. Advertising on social media is an extremely effective strategy for promoting your book or building up your social media accounts. As always with promotion strategies, there are pros and cons to Facebook advertising.

The Pros

  1. Targeting a Specific Audience: Blanket advertising is not always the best strategy when trying to get more people to purchase your book. You want there to be a larger click through rate on your ad, which is more prone to happen if the audience seeing the ad is interested. By using the data on Facebook, you can target people based on their interests, gender, age, and location. You can always change these parameters as well, depending on how well an ad is performing.
  2. Number of Users: You can reach so many people on Facebook. There are currently 2.7 billion users on the platform, so even with targeting you are reaching a wider audience than you would on other platforms.
  3. Different Ad Options: There are multiple types of ads that you can run depending on your goal. The ads fall under three different categories: awareness, consideration, and conversion. You can choose what you’re wanting to accomplish (more traffic to a website, more page likes, more sales, more brand awareness, etc.) and Facebook will run an ad tailored to that goal.
  4. Comparison Opportunities: Facebook allows you to run multiple ads at a time, which allows you to monitor which ads are performing better than others. They allow you to set up an ad with an A/B Test which means the same ad runs with two different ad sets (different target demographics/psychographics) so you can see which audience is responding more. This allows an efficient way to monitor who you should be targeting and can save you money by only spending money on the ad that is giving you the most engagement.
  5. Easy to Change: Facebook ads are also easy to tweak if needed. You can go in and change the target audience at any time. You aren’t locked in to the ad set you originally create. Having the ability to change demographics as well as the image/copy at any time is helpful in making sure you are getting the best results possible.

The Cons

  1. Costs: While you can set up a Facebook ad with any size budget, the bigger the budget the better an ad will perform. This doesn’t mean that your $5/day ad won’t generate more engagement, but if you want substantial numbers, it could become expensive. Also, if your targeting is off, it can be a lot of cost for not enough return.
  2. Limitations to Facebook: While you are reaching a wide amount of people, it is only Facebook users that you are reaching and a lot of people who have accounts have started to move on to other, more progressive social platforms. This fact could lead to lower numbers of engagement on your ads. But again, a lower percentage of 2.7 billion, is still a pretty large number.
  3. Diminished Organic Views: Only a small percentage of your customers will stumble onto your post organically since the Facebook algorithm limits brands visibility, so to reach more people you may have to boost your posts.

Marketing your book can definitely be overwhelming, and understanding your options is key. It is important to take all of these things into consideration before creating an ad, however the pros usually outweigh the cons when it comes to advertising your book or your brand as an author on Facebook.