Cashing In On Christmas

My sister arrived back in the country two days ago from where she’s currently residing in Vancouver, Canada. It’s great to have her back with us – she’s probably the person (other than my husband) who understands and ‘gets’ me most, and it’s always fun to do those things we can’t do when we’re in different countries.

One of the things we love to do is watch Christmas movies. You know, the kind they stick on TV on Christmas Day in the afternoon, that usually involve a small town, snow, and two impossibly good-looking actors-I’ve-never-heard-of who fall in love in the Christmas season. (Bonus points if small children / carol singing / midnight church service / appearance by Santa are involved!) 

I love a good Christmas movie or novel / novella as much as the next person. (Probably more!) One of my favourite novella collections was last year’s Aussie Summer Christmas Collection by a number of Australian and international authors, including ACW’s Narelle Atkins, Meredith Resce, Andrea Grigg and Rose Dee. It was great to read Christmas stories set in the sun, with the beach a predominant theme – I found these stories far more relatable than those involving snowy landscapes, and characters rugged up in puffy jackets and beanies and gloves. It’s interesting to consider just how big the market for such things is.

Christmas-themed films and novellas is a huge industry. A quick scan of my (sister’s!) books reveals more than a few, such as these Barbour novella collections: Montana Mistletoe, A Bride by Christmas, Colonial Christmas Brides, A Big Apple Christmas, Connecticut Christmas, Christmas Love at Lake Tahoe, A Biltmore Christmas, etc, etc, with more releasing all the time. Hallmark Channel is this year releasing 21 NEW Christmas movies, with their ‘Countdown to Christmas’ promise of ‘Holiday movies All Day! All Night!’

It’s enough to make me wonder why. Is it the escapism involved, the chance to see a ‘happily-ever-after’ at a time so heavily promoted to be joyous, but which (cynical me believes) is often more stressful? Is it because they often have themes of second chances, that they suggest the 'magic of Christmas' where anything is possible? Is it the opportunity, particularly for North Americans, to watch a family friendly movie when the weather outside is frightful? For my sister and me, we enjoy the vicarious cooling effect of watching snowy landscapes when it’s 30 degrees outside – and playing guess who with the impossibly good looking actors who-we’ve-never- heard-of-so-we-need-to-learn- more-via-IMDB.

Hmm. It’s enough to make an author consider adding a Christmas element just to cash in 😊

So here’s a question for you: do you enjoy reading Christmas themed films / novels / novella collections? If so, what do you enjoy about them?

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked part-time as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, and The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, all available from Amazon, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

Connect with her:        www.carolynmillerauthor.com

                                     www.pinterest.com/camillering

 www.facebook.com/CarolynMillerAuthor/

 twitter.com/CarolynMAuthor

Marketing your book in a boxed set

By Narelle Atkins

Boxed sets have proven to be a lucrative way for authors to market and sell their indie fiction ebooks. Check out the Amazon Kindle fiction genre lists and you’ll find numerous boxed sets among the top 20 bestsellers. 

Last year I wrote a 3-part series on indie boxed sets for the Australasian Christian Writers (ACW) blog. The posts contained information on how to publish a multi-author indie boxed set.

The Benefits from Indie Publishing a Box Set Collection 

How to Write and Publish a Multi-Author Indie Box Set: The Beginning  

How to Write and Publish a Multi-Author Indie Box Set: Preparing to Launch

I write contemporary Christian romance (CCR). In this post I’ll be referring to the CCR genre for examples of boxed sets purchased from Amazon Kindle. 

History of Christian Romance indie boxed sets

The indie author boxed set trend in the CCR genre kicked off in late 2014. The first Christian/inspirational romance box set to hit the Amazon bestseller lists in the CCR genre was Red Hot Squeaky Clean ROMANCE collection (Boxed Set): Ten Shades of Inspirational Romance, released in October 2014. The stories in this box set covered a range of Christian romance genres including historical, mystery, suspense, and contemporary.

Mistletoe Kisses (Inspy Kisses Box Set Book 3) was released in November 2014. It was the first Christian romance boxed set to hit the USA Today bestseller list. Four of the eight books in the collection are CCR. 

Love Brings Us Home was also released in November 2014. It hit the Amazon bestseller lists in CCR and contained full length novels that were previously published as individual indie releases. 

USA best-selling author Hallee Bridgeman was an author in Love Brings Us Home and Red Hot Squeaky Clean Romance. Hallee is our international guest speaker at the upcoming Omega Writers Conference in Sydney, October 28-30. 

Market research on boxed sets in CCR genre 

I put together a spreadsheet based on a sample of CCR multi-author boxed sets I’d purchased in the last 2 years. 

My research included: 
14 boxed sets in the CCR genre 
105 books (with only 1 duplicate title in 2 boxed sets)
45 authors – a combination of indie authors and hybrid authors who are traditionally published
7 titles by Marion Ueckermann
6 titles each by Kimberly Rae Jordan and Valerie Comer
I also sourced book release information from the Inspy Romance group blog (established in February 2014 for CCR readers)

My multi-author boxed sets I included in my research

SPLASH! (released in June 2015, retired in November 2015) 

Love Blossoms (released in January 2016, retiring soon in late October 2016) 

An Aussie Summer Christmas (new release in September 2016) 

Other CCR multi-author boxed sets in my Kindle account or on pre-order (minimum 6 books in each set) 

Candy Cane Kisses

Falling For You

Christmas Blessings

Immeasurably More

Snowflakes and Mistletoe

CCR boxed sets in my Kindle account that are no longer available for sale

Whispers of Love (USA Today Bestseller)

Home for Christmas

Summer of Love

Love’s Gift

Love Brings Us Home

Mistletoe Kisses (USA Today Bestseller) 

The boxed sets ranged in price from US0.99 to US2.99. I paid between US14.00 to US20.00 to purchase the 14 boxed sets (most were priced at 99 cents). As a result, the average price I paid for an individual book is between 15 to 20 cents. 

Is the price for boxed sets too low? 

The answer is yes and no, depending on your perspective. Traditionally published ebooks are often priced higher than indie ebooks.

If you’re a reader, bargain priced ebooks combined with the ability to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited (US9.99 per month to borrow an unlimited number of ebooks) is appealing. Avid readers can indulge their favourite past time without hurting their bank balance. For many readers Kindle Unlimited has replaced their use of public libraries (and free print book borrows).

If you’re an indie author and can place your book in the right boxed set in your genre, at the present time you can make a reasonable return on a competitively priced boxed set due to volume sales and page reads in Kindle Unlimited. Please note this strategy for success could change at any time due to the rapid changes that constantly take place in the publishing industry. 

The bestseller lists are your goal

For many readers the Amazon Kindle bestseller lists have replaced the physical bookshelf in stores as the place they browse for books. Book exposure on the bestseller lists and in the hot new releases lists is critical for reaching potential readers. Paid advertising, for example Bookbub, can help ebooks rise to the top of the bestseller lists. 

Boxed sets can help authors reach new readers who are fans of their co-authors in the boxed set. 

Bestseller lists provide both the platform for finding new readers and the visibility to gain ebook sales/page reads that generate income for authors. 

Successful authors place series books in boxed sets 

The large majority of books in the 14 boxed sets I researched were part of a series. If a reader falls in love with your writing, they may buy your entire backlist. 

Repeat books in multiple boxed sets

We need to think like a reader when we’re marketing and promoting our books. How would we feel if we purchased a boxed set containing repeat books we’d already bought and read in previous boxed sets? From my sample of 14 CCR boxed sets, the only repeat title was published in boxed sets with release dates of more than 12 months apart. 

Traditional publishers reprint their bestselling books and sometimes update the cover art. When I used to work in retail on the returns desk, the most common reason for customers returning print books was due to an accidental repeat purchase.

If you have a brand new story to place in a boxed set, it would be wise to seek a boxed set opportunity that will be marketed as brand new stories. 

Have you participated in a boxed set or anthology collection? Do you enjoy reading boxed sets? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

This post is being shared on the Australasian Christian Writers blog and the Christian Writers Downunder blog.

If you’re looking to connect with writing groups online, you can join the Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group and the Christian Writers Downunder Facebook Group.

Omega Writers Inc. provides helpful resources and membership benefits for writers who live in the Australasian region.

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia. 

Her latest novella release, Seaside Christmas, is available in An Aussie Summer Christmas boxed set from Amazon for 99 cents. 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com

Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Novellas: the perfect length

by Nicki Edwards, author of heartwarming Australian romance.

Love to read but don't have time? Want to try a new author? Or a new genre? Don't have lots of money? Why not consider reading a novella?

Compared to novels, which are usually more than 40,000 words, a novella is between 17,000 and 40,000 words, with an average length of 25,000 words, making them the perfect length for busy people who like to read a book in one or two sittings. Or perfect if you're wondering if you'd like a particular author's 'voice' or style. And of course, the fact most novellas are usually 99 cents or less makes them a super affordable way of reading.

When I started writing, I'd never heard of a novella but once I discovered them, I found how much I love reading them because I'm so time-poor. I then decided to try my hand at writing one.

Operation White Christmas came out last year to great reviews (and was the winner of the Romance Writers of Australia Contemporary Romance Cover of the Year).

I loved the experience so much that a few months ago I wrote a second novella, Operation Mistletoe Magic, which comes out at the end of October. 

In case you're not sure what a novella is, it is basically a short book. It involves multiple characters and multiple twists and turns but due to the constraints in length, there are often fewer conflicts than in a full length novel with the focus being on the main character's personal and emotional journey rather than an in-depth story line with lots of sub-plots.

For example, when writing a romance novella, the author has to get to point quickly, which means the hero and heroine have to interact quickly, usually from the opening chapter. That can have issues when it comes to sweet romance which generally develops over a longer period of time. 

I got around this problem in different ways in my novellas. In my first story, Hollie and Jim meet literally by accident on the side of the road and due to circumstances, end up getting to know each other. In my second novella, Melissa and Chris are childhood best friends who meet up again unexpectedly and rekindle their friendship which slowly develops into a romance.

There are positives and negatives about novellas for both readers and writers.

As an author, I love the way I can contain the entire story in my head and get it written in a short time frame. (Operation Mistletoe Magic only took me six days to get the first draft down.) And of course a shorter story meant my awesome critique partner Andrea Grigg could get it back to me quickly and edits didn't take as long. But I missed being able to really explore the characterization and have more in depth sub-plots to the story. 

From a reader's perspective, one of the negatives of novellas is the stories are too short but I take that as a good thing when readers complain the story ended too soon and they want to know what happens next. I have received so many emails from readers asking me to write a full length story for Hollie and Jim. 

Because of that, I'm contemplating writing some short stories or novelettes next year that tie in with the characters from my Christmas novellas so that readers can catch up on the happy ever after endings of my characters and find out what happens after the stories ended.
Another big negative of the novella is that they're only available in e-book format. One day I hope to bundle my novellas together and have them available in a paperback version.

By far it seems Christmas novellas are the most popular. These stories are usually set in North America (such as mine, which are both set in Canada), but recently four Aussie Christian authors (Narelle Atkins, Rose Dee, Andrea Grigg and Meredith Resce) collaborated with two international authors to write Christmas novellas for a box set that is set in Australia with a very Aussie Christmas flavor. 

I urge you to check them out as I've had the privilege of reading some of them and they are very, very good. Of course my favourite is Andrea's, but perhaps I'm biased!

Their Christmas box set, An Aussie Summer Christmas is available to pre order now and will be released on September 27th. My novella, Operation Mistletoe Magic is also available to pre-order and will be released on October 25th.

A word of caution, many authors are now publishing their novellas in multiple box sets so be careful you don't end up buying the same books twice!

What do you like to read the most?

•  Short-Stories

•  Novelettes

•  Novellas

•  Novels

Nicki Edwards writes contemporary medical/rural romance and women's fiction for Pan Macmillan. When she isn’t reading, writing or dreaming about rural life and medical emergencies, she can be found working as a Critical Care Nurse where many of her stories and characters are imagined.

Nicki and her husband Tim reside in Geelong with their four teenage/young adult children where Tim is in full time ministry. 

Announcing ... An Aussie Summer Christmas

By Meredith Resce

(A cross-post from International Christian Fiction Writers.)

The Christmas season—as we call it in Australia—is always a favourite time of year for me. As a kid we would have the various school graduation services, Christmas parties, and end-of-year breakup parties all at one time. December was crazy. Living on the farm, it was also harvest time, and though it was getting hot, we would struggle to find someone to take us to the next town, where the district swimming pool was located. December is beach weather, but there was less chance of making it to the coast, an hour’s drive away.

Instead, we would spend that week before Christmas decorating the house, putting fake frost on the windows, watching Christmas movies that featured snow and sleds, and hanging Christmas lights that we couldn’t switch on until late because of the long summer days. I had no idea what Christmas in the cold must be like, with long dark nights, snow, fires and hot drinks. We had those images on our Christmas cards, and joined in with Bing as he sang ‘White Christmas’.

It was all part of the season.

The best part was Christmas Eve. We would go into town to the little church and sing those precious old carols, accompanied by my grandmother on the old pump organ. Then we’d go to the main street where the locals would gather to sing carols out the front of the shop. Santa would arrive on the back of a ute (that’s Aussie for truck), we’d all get an ice-block and lollies (candy/sweets), and then tie ourselves in knots of excitement waiting for Santa to come visit. Of course he would visit us in Australia first, as we are a good ten to fourteen hours ahead of other countries. (He’d drop into New Zealand first, of course.)

So when I was asked to be part of this Christmas box set that had an Aussie theme, I was excited to have the opportunity. Just as I’m not familiar with the white Christmas, I’m guessing there are a number of readers out there who would not be familiar with our warm, summer Christmas.

We also have a beach theme. 

Luckily, I have had some experience with the beach since my childhood, so I’ve chosen one of the world’s most popular surf beaches—Torquay, Victoria.

In this set we have four Australian authors, and you will get a great mix. Two of the authors, Rose and Andrea, are from Queensland, a tropical region that is always warm and humid. One of the authors is from Canberra, the nation’s capital city. Canberra is nowhere near the coast, but Narelle has set her story in Sydney. I’m from the region known as the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, but I’ve set my story in Victoria.

Then, as part of the set, we have international authors, Lacy Williams and Marion Ueckermann. Lacy lives in Oklahoma (that’s a mile or two away from the Australian coast), and Marion lives in South Africa. I’ve read their Aussie stories, and felt they did a good job of representing those of us from Down Under.

During the proofing process I got to read each of the stories included in this set, and you are in for a treat: some engaging characters and great plot lines, with that added element of visiting Australia during the Christmas season. We don’t say ‘holiday season’ because we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and Halloween. But we sure do celebrate Christmas and New Year. Barbeque, back-yard cricket, trips to the beach, and the odd case of sunburn.

Join us this holiday season, and take a trip Down Under.

About Meredith Resce

Meredith Resce is a popular Australian Christian fiction author, who has had novels in the Australian Christian market since 1997. She is proud of her Australian rural heritage, and is looking forward to sharing with readers from the international Christian Fiction community.

Her story, Falling for Maddie Grace, is set against the back drop of Australia’s number one spectator sport, Aussie Rules football. Maddie Grace, Australia’s first professional female umpire, gets caught up in an on field incident that sees her clash with a player, Zac Beecham. The accidental tangle brings about more than a trip to the hospital. The over-imaginative press decide there is a secret love affair between the two – a situation that, if true, compromises Maddie’s position and Zac’s reputation.

The other stories in the collection are:

Melbourne Memories by USA Today bestselling author Marion Ueckermann

Escaping his dangerous past, former British rock star Justin “The Phoenix” Taylor flees to Australia. Intrigued by the bearded stranger visiting her coffee shop, Ella Anderson decides to discover his secrets. But when Justin’s past collides with their future, Ella must decide whether they have a future at all.

Next Door Santa by USA Today bestselling author Lacy Williams

Will Harris is proud of his no-complications life. So why is he drawn to his upstairs neighbor, who seems obsessed with Christmas? Can Bridie soften Will-the-Scrooge’s heart in time for Christmas?

Seaside Christmas by Narelle Atkins

Political advisor and former bad boy Gus Donovan is intrigued by Chelsea Somers, the girl he didn’t call after their one and only date, six years ago. Chelsea is impressed by the new Gus, but can she trust him with her family secrets ... and with her heart?

A Christmas Resolution by Rose Dee

Breeah has avoided returning to her Australian coastal hometown of Kiisay Point for ten years—avoided the mistake that changed her life, ruined her friendships, and soured her first love. She’s never returned to Resolution, the island where it all happened. But now she’s back, and having to face up to the childhood she loved, the man she can’t forget, and the future that won’t start until she lets it all go.

All is Bright by Andrea Grigg

Amy’s always been a good Christian girl…except for being in love with her brother-in-law. Josh is looking for love again, surprised to find it with his late wife’s sister. But will a mountain of guilt and an unexpected letter stop them from making it to the altar?

Preorder An Aussie Summer Christmas from Amazon.com