Steven Novak Puts Omegia On the Hot Seat

Click the banner for my interview with Steven Novak on Lit Pod.

Are You Ready? I Am: Book Promoting 101

It's here, it's finally here! What's that you ask? Time to gear up for one of my favorite things about being an author and that's book touring. Next week kicks off the beginning of year long touring for me. Though most people who tour generally cram everything into a few weeks or a month, I prefer mine to go the course from spring through winter. During this time I attend conferences, book festivals, libraries, schools, women's groups, book stores, have book club drop-ins and do tons of interviews in-between.

So, what did I do from January thru the end of March? Why prepare myself to promote my books of course. Deciding to tour isn't something you should jump into at the last minute. Not only do you need to have your marketing material but you will need to promote the event and get people excited about seeing you there. By promoting I don't just mean telling people on FaceBook or Twitter. I mean getting the word out to people who actually live in that area. They need to know you are coming. Think outside the box of placing an ad in the book festival guide or depending on whomever is hosting you to do it.  For more specifics you may want to read my book for authors, The Not So Common Sense Guide For Authors. But, don't rely on others to do it for your. Their promotion may be limited to sticking a flyer on the wall.

As you are touring I would suggest keeping your momentum going by sliding in a few interviews. I prefer mine the day before or the morning prior to an event. It adds a little something extra for you to talk about besides what's between the pages of your book. Plus, it boosts my energy level. I'm always excited about events and it spills out as I conduct interviews. If you are doing a tour for the first time I would suggest doing a Virtual Book Tour as well. This way you can also guest blog about some of your events and bring attention to the fact that you are indeed on a book tour.

Book touring as an author is essential for selling books. Not only do I get to meet wonderful people but my sales skyrocket. I am not talking about from the people who actually buy my books at the event either. I am talking about from all the people they run and tell about my books and the fact they got to meet the author. In some cases people don't even purchase my book at the event, but they sure do download it as an ebook. To me a sale is a sale and I am thankful for each and every one.

Now Spring in to Action (ha! I saw this on a sales add once and always wanted to use it). Get off your rump and gear up to getting your book into the hands of readers. In my case I prepare in advance, then grab my fellow author, sorority sister, and traveling buddy Tiffany A. Flowers and we go strong from now until December.

Until Next Time,

Omegia Keeys
Author
Publicist
Publishing Liaison
www.okeeys.com

The Lies Cinderella Told Me

With the release of Rise and Fall of a Track Star I have been fortunate to receive great praise for daring to tell my story. Along with it I have also been asked why no happy ending? No happy ending because my life wasn’t as such at that period of time. But, it got me to thinking about a lot of my other books. Only one in which the girl gets her man. 

I am not sure if it was a subconscious thing reflecting life as I saw it at the time or what? But, I have been a fan of not believing the hype of the Cinderella tale.  From a young age it is tossed in young girls face to wait around for the man to save the day. Well, by the time I was a teen the fantasy had fallen by the wayside. Why? Because it was not my reality. Back then all Disney characters were white and princesses. I was black and from the hood. To this day they haven’t gotten much better with their depiction. Oh you say what about Princess and the Frog? Did you watch the same movie I did? Princess Tiana wasn’t a real princess. She worked for a living—exact opposite of all the princesses and she was a frog majority of the movie. The prince didn’t save her. She saved him from himself. He lived the life of a self-centered jerk. 

Thinking about it as I finished up Single, Black, and Government Owned I came up with the root of my problem. How can one believe a fairytale or have a true relationship if they have never seen one? I come from a single parent household, my older brothers had extremely dysfunctional relationships, most of my friends’ parents were no longer together, Romance Novels didn’t feature woman like me, and then Disney had it out for me too. I was doomed until I learned how to make myself happy first. 

Until I learned to make me happy I would be in limbo. I would keep running into guys who weren’t about anything and try to make them something and wonder why the good ones didn’t act like them. The light bulb flicked on and the blinders were off. Relationships do not have to be about struggle and strife. You don’t have to be joined to the hip and he doesn’t have to be perfect, just perfect for me! Forget Cinderella and Disney, I will have my own happily ever after. 

Omegia Keeys

Starting the Year of Positive: My Interiview with Cyrus Webb

Sunday, January 1, 2012

PROFILE: Author Omegia Keeys

by Cyrus Webb

After being introduced to her work in 2010 I actually had the opportunity to meet Omegia Keeys the person in October 2011 while she was on tour with her latest book RISE AND FALL OF A TRACK STAR and what an experience it was. You can feel her confidence right away, but it is tempered with her gratefulnes for what she loves to do, and that's writing.

This is not something that was new to her. When we sat down to talk about her journey as an author and what led her to write the book that chronicles many of her personal experiences good and bad, Omegia shared with me that reading and writing were things that were encouraged years ago.

It all really began in 9th grade, she told me, thansk to a teacher that took an interest in a group of girls and started a book club with them. The girls were encouraged to write questions for the discussion of the book. Omegia came to the discussion with stacks of questions and ready for the next selection. Even before that, however, she was known to write dialogue for her paper dolls, planning out scenes for them and leading them on a journey of her choosing.

Today she is doing the same with her books, attracting readers not only across the United States but beyond as well. When I asked her what surprises her the most about her success, she thought for a moment and answered: "That people actually like what's going on in the mind of Omegia!" This along with the feeling she has of living her dream brings her joy.

Anyone who has read Omegia's new book, RISE AND FALL OF A TRACK STAR, are introduced to a side of her life that is not always full of happiness or joy. We are able to see how she deals with abuse, being young and pregnant and the decisions she made that have enabled her to do what she is doing today. She told me that she wrote the book in about a month, and that the process was a liberating one for her. "I think I cried harder writing it than after the actual events," she shared. While she was going through the abuse she says she never went through the victim stage, never asked 'Why did this happen to me?'. "I was always a person that thought it could be worse," she says. This caused her to build a shell around herself and her feelings.

Today she sees the sharing of her story, the highs and the lows, as something that is good not just for herself but for others as well. "I think my life has prepared me for what Is next or ahead," says Keeys. "It takes alot to bother me now."

The attention she is getting for her craft is not something that she takes lightly. She told me that she sees her role as an author as being educational. The lesson for others to realize? When you don't make the right choices there are consequences.

There are some who might have folded under the abuse of given up, but Omegia says this was never an option for her. "I write about strong women because I came from a line of them. My grandmother had 20 kids. My mother had seven. Who am I not to be strong?"

She wants readers to be entertained but she also hopes the lessons she has learned and have incorporated in her books come through. "I don't want anybody to go through what I have," she says. "When you judge people you are victimizing that person all over again." Her key to success that she wanted to pass along? "Keep trying. Don't let the people that tell you that you can't do something influence you."

Following author Omegia Keeys' advice will definitely help you in your goal to begin living your life anew from the inside out.

To keep in contact with Keeys visit http://​fromthemindofomegia.b​logspot.com/ or http://​www.passionatewriterp​ublishing.com.

http://www.conversationsmag.blogspot.com/2012/01/profile-author-omegia-keeys.html?spref=fb   

Omegia Reading from Rise and Fall of a Track Star

What Authors Should Know about Advances

An advance is a topic brought up a lot in the publishing industry both by the publisher and by the author. Is it a thing of the past? No? Are they more selective on who is getting an advance? Yes. Do you feel you should be getting an advance? Probably. My question is, who the heck are you to deserve an advance? 

I say that not to mock but to make you think. Do you really know what an advance is? It’s a loan. A loan based on anticipated sales. If you are a first time author you haven’t proven you can sell anything. Now if you are a celebrity then that is something different all together. People are buying your name. Publishers know you will sell. 

Over the past year of book touring I have been asked numerous times if Passionate Writer Publishing, the company I work for, gives advances. All I can speak for is myself. I am on book number seven and no I have not been given an advance. But, I don’t want one either. So to the people who keep sending emails to the Publisher saying, “Omegia guaranteed I would get an advance.” Please stop the madness! Your book needs to be accepted first. Sorry, got a little off track there. I don’t want an advance for the reason I stated above. Advance=loan. 

Let me run some numbers for you.  Let’s say Publisher X really sees something in your work and gives you a $7000 Loan Advance. Advances are paid back off your royalties. I will go with the higher median and go with 15%. Royalties are based off net profit. Oh, you thought it was the actual list price of the book? No, someone has to pay a print charge and then those distribution discounts (see previous blog on book pricing for this). An average $15.00 book net profit is around $3.50. 15% of $3.50 is about $0.53. The author will need to sell 13,207 books! And that is just to pay back the publisher. If the author does not sell the promised amount of books within a certain time frame then Publisher X will be seeking legal action—meaning they can garnish you day job checks. I know three authors personally this has happened to. Two were published under Simone and Schuster and one is still under St. Martin’s Press. Yes, they may even drop you as an author.

You still want that advance? I would rather focus on selling books than losing my mind over how to make back money owned. From experience, the 15+ events I attended this year alone, it is much easier to sell books with no pressure than knowing you have to sell a certain amount. Authors under pressure come off like a used car salesman. On my last event at the Miami International Book Fair, a lady was in the booth next to me selling books via name your price. I watched her for hours and not one person took her up on her offer. I on the other hand sold over 40 of my titles and that is with me pushing other authors, under Passionate Writer Publishing’s, titles.

In the end if you are dead set on the advance know exactly what it is you are asking for. Also, make sure your book is worthy of it. 

Until Next Time,

Omegia Keeys

Rise and Fall of a Track Star

Publishing Liaison

Speaker

Youth Motivator  

Decatur Book Festival Excitement

I am counting down until Friday, the day I hop on the road for destination Decatur Book Festival. Though I have been to many events I must admit that this one tops all the rest. The atmosphere, the people, and of course the sales! The people of Decatur, GA know why they are coming out and that is to buy books. I have my Erotic Fiction and YA all packed up and ready to go. I will find humor in the men sneaking peeks at my books and be surprised when the old couples purchase with a grin (they are my favorite). Events like these make being an author all the more enjoyable. Look out GA here I come.

Passionate Playmates, Seduction.com, Can You Keep a Secret? for my erotic titles and Unloved and The Baby Girl for my YA. I will also be passing out flyers for Rise and Fall of a Track Star. Yes, it is finally in the final stages of publishing!! I am even taking pre-orders from my website. www.omegiakeeys.com.

So if you are in the area this Labor Day stop on by and pick up a great read by yours truly along with books by your other favorite author.

Until Next Time,

Omegia Keeys