I am a new Authour. I just published my second book, Broken, which is FREE to download from Smashwords and Okadabooks. Before that, I published my first, highly anticipated book, The Church Girl on the 1st of May. It is a double book, and it isn’t free.
I say ‘highly anticipated’, because as far as I am concerned, it was! It was originally a series on my blog, and was very popular, especially among my Facebook fans. From the second day of publishing the series, people were already talking about how I should make it into a book. It somehow became a long, never-ending series, when I decided to do an Extended Version, and it was the series that inspired my Seasonal Story Series, ‘A Small World’.
While preparing to publish my book, I opened a group for people who were READY, WILLING and ABLE to buy my book once it was released. The group currently boasts 340+ members (which is not great if you think about it, but if you believe that they ALL intend to buy the book, it is quite a huge encouragement). I continued to hype my upcoming book on my Facebook Page that currently has 11,000+ followers. I got lots of encouragement from my fans and friends about this book that they seemed as excited as me to see released.
However, reality struck when the book was released, and I got the opposite reaction than I had expected. I thought I had an army of fans behind me that will not only buy the books, but help me make it go viral within its first month! Maybe I was dreaming…
I pushed on despite the initial silence about the book and the lack of downloads and pre-orders. I asked people for feedback on why they were not getting the book they all seemed so excited about. One person said she doesn’t use email, and she only registered on Facebook with her phone, so she couldn’t open an account with Okadabooks. Another said the N2000 price is much for now. Everyone else was silent.
I read the Smashwords Secrets To Ebook Publishing Success and their Marketing Guide, and implemented most of their recommendations (still working on others). And yet the downloads continue to trickle in… It makes you wonder.
Yesterday, I reminded a friend of mine who told me she would pre-order at the end of the month. But it appears she didn’t understand the meaning of pre-order. She said she had already pre-ordered, and asked if the printed book was out yet. I asked her “if everyone is waiting for the print before they buy, how will I raise the funds to print?” and said “I need the support and encouragement to print“. She replied that she didn’t realise that my need for support and encouragement was the reason for the pre-ordering of the book.
It made me think… Maybe they just don’t know… I doubt she’s the only one who has been thinking this way, but I assumed it was obvious. I have had enough people congratulate me on the book, but make no move to download. I’ve had others promise to buy and review…and I am still waiting.
I know everyone has their life, and the things that they are trying to get on top of, but this was a real reality shock of the new world I have entered. Nobody really cares about your book as much as you do… There were many who pushed me to publish The Church Girl as a book, and I have to ask – where are you??? And those who said “Any book you’re printing, I’m buying” – where you de?
I don’t really know what I expect to achieve with this post… I know people love happiness, and can’t stand complaints. But heck, I am human, and this has always been my outlet, and my way of communicate with the world and those who I believed were my fans. So, please make me understand, if you care… Why aren’t you buying The Church Girl?
All that said, I want to appreciate those few wonderful people who took a chance and bought the book on Okadabooks.com. God bless you immensely. And those amazing specimens of humanity who decided to pre-order the book. It is coming. God bless you greatly! I will not disappoint you, so help me God.
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Categories: Issues of Life, Random Musings, The Latest
Grace and Truth 
I bought mine when it came out on okadabooks. Maybe because some people have read the series, they don’t want to buy the book. Tbh.. I have been meaning to read the book again but haven’t done. I’m guessing because I read it recently and it’s still ‘fresh’. I even read the review on bellanaija and I was expecting that it would interest more people. Anyway it’s a GREAT book!! And it will catch on by God’s grace!
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Thanks Tope 🙂 I look forward to your review when you get to reading it. There are five new chapters and an epilogue, plus I changed some things 🙂
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Awww life happened! It is so so normal. People have been giving false hope since 1900. It is to your advantage that people are getting to read ebooks now….imagine if you had to print them?
DW….they’ll come around but it won’t be from the group you expect. Well-done and congrats on the release of your book.
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Thanks Pelumi! Glad to have understanding and compassion. I’ve come to realise that the support I will get as an Authour won’t come from those who I expect, and who normally receive freely from me. There’s a whole world that doesn’t even know my corner exists… God will do what He does best.
God bless you. Cheers!
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evening dear daughter of God, I read through dis post and I must confess it’s really touching, I have read through all your series and kept visiting for new ones and would say your perspective is different and life changing though have not bought any of d book yet, my take is this and this is from experience many of those you expect to see are never gonna be there for you and like I tell people, keep enjoying what you know how to do best and keep doing it and don’t stop doing it and just know God would raise armies you don’t know for you just as he raised for David,,,, would do same like he did for Gideon so not your expectations but God’s expectations,, and a wise friend ones said when u start a venture and t begin Florish immediately suspect t so what am I saying is this keep writing for a time would come u loose count because you have paid d price,,, didn’t mean to talk dis much and am not one of those That’s good @ commenting but after reading and going through others comments I decided to say was in my spirit stay blessed
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I appreciate this, Marvel. Thanks 🙂
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Hi hun, i can understand your frustration and I can relate. I am a big fan of your writings but I must confess I am yet to read any of your story series. However, as I said earlier on one of the post, I would get the book to encourage you. I know what effort and time goes into writting an exhortation and can imagine the sleepless nights it took you to finish the whole book. You actually said it took a year!
Like someone said above, sometimes the people we are so passionate and optimistic about never really share the same sentiment and I am sure you have come to realize this, I want you to lift your eyes and heart to heaven and be assured that your help comes from God. That book is for generations to come and in your lifetime it will be a success together with all the other books you have written.
Be encouraged in the Lord Like David- And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. -1 Samuel 30:6.
You are in my prayers and trust me God is going to work all out for his glory. Shalom!
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Thanks Sister! I have only God, and God knows what is going on. He’s doing something, this I know, but for His glory alone. Blessings x
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Amen. He sure does sister! Shalom
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Apologies hun, went back and just realized ‘marriage ABC’s’ are part of the series, I often just click on the link sent to my email, but i love reading them and especially the gospel ones often resonate deeply with me.
Thank you for sharing your passion with the world.
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Thanks again. So you’ve read some of The Marriage ABCs?
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Yes hun. I have read some of it. You are an excellent writer!
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Thanks! I am surprised that you haven’t read my stories, because you said in your message on Instagram that they are definitely someone’s reality. It seemed like you had read them. At least you can and should read Broken. It is free, and very powerful 🙂 I’d love your thoughts if and when you get to reading it. God bless you!
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