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No Amazon reviews? Meh.

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I have had my first book, the fantasy fiction The Kenryk Series: The Avaris #1 out for a few months now. When I published the book for me it was for the "I did it" feeling. Then I started getting caught up with the numbers, the rankings, and the endless need for reviews. I was desperate. I wanted to be recognised.  It took the writer's block I've finally overcome to realise, that "I did it!" I published my book all by myself. I sourced the illustrator, the book cover designers, the formatter, the printer, and the distributor. I made it into bookshelves. Granted, I have not yet seen my book on shelves, but they are available in other provinces in the country. However, I did get reviews. A teen who has been badgering her father about when I will release the second book and my primary school friend who cannot get enough of Korin.  These are people in South Africa who want to read the next book. I got so caught up in gaining external validation, I forgot why I h

Still Stuck

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W hen I made the decision to self publish my first book, I didn't think anyone would buy it. Since I have been writing books since I was 10, I was driven by that "I did it" feeling. And I did it. I got my book published. It became available in book stores and online and there were sales. Then I got caught up in the numbers, the rankings, the sales, the reviews. I was consumed by what I could and should be doing to get higher sales and a higher ranking. I forgot why I had started writing in the first place. As a result, I have hit a major writer's block with Book 2 of the series: The Rise of the Emoryk. I forgot why I did this in the first place. Not even music could help until I had to pause and remind myself why I started. I compared myself to others. I started feeling inadequate. I just wanted to reach that level. What Level? That is the question. What level am I hoping to reach? Like my main character Amari in The Kenryk Series, I had worked towards a goal- to be a

My book characters have turned against me!

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The date is set.  May 2022, The Rise of The Emoryk, Book 2 to the Avaris will be released! Sounds exciting. Yay! Er Nay? Korin, Amari, Forde and Arteryn are refusing to cooperate with the storyline I have created for them. Nope, their fates will not be determined. I am struggling to finish the fourth draft of the book before it goes through extensive editing. So, what do I do? I'm giving them the silent treatment. I haven't written in 4 days because they insist on deciding what should happen. The problem is, where they want to go will change the whole story. So, I am locked in a battle with my characters. I am ready to delete the 2 chapters I just wrote that Amari and Korin took over.  In other news, I am officially available on South Africa's biggest online store. You can now get your paperback of The Kenryk Series the Avaris on Takealot  . Do not panic when you see the cover and blurb. That was the original cover and blurb before the cosmetic makeover. You know the book c

I'm in book stores!

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  Yes!!!! That 10 year old in me is in tears! I am officially in book stores. Not only is my book available on various online platforms such as Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple books etc, but I can now be found at  exclusivebooks  ,  Bargain Books  ,  Protea Books  ,  Uppercase Books  and  Wordsworth . I am beyond excited. The best part? I heard the news on my birthday, December 29.  This is an achievement for me, an achievement for that little girl who read Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Babysitters Club, transitioned to The Client and kept wanting different endings until she decided to write her own book. I am officially in book stores. (crying emoji. twerking emoji. dancing emoji- yes, I'm too lazy to look for the actual emojis 😆) The next update will probably come in 2022. This has been an exciting 6 months as a self published author. There have been a lot of ups and down. A lot of learning. A lot of sifting between everyone's advice and finding what works for me. Please continue

I have a new cover...ish!

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I published my book in August 2021. I received a few sales and then...well...not so many sales. The book  trailer approach did a lot towards marketing the book, but something was missing. Mmmm. Maybe an updated book cover? Will that work? Yes? No? I went with the former! And lo and behold! A new cover. I am keen on your opinion of the new-ish cover.  I didn't want to deviate too much from its original branding, but it was missing something. So with the help of Nerisha from  NDesigns , I updated the look of my cover.  As I am still in a brace for a sprained wrist, book 2 is trudging along slowly. However, the fourth draft is done, so on to the final draft. The question remains- will Amari choose to be a Sage Warrior or an Avaris. If you read the first book The Kenryk Series: The Avaris (available on all online platforms in ebook format and on Amazon in ebook and paperback- you know I was going to plug this,  Kobo , Barnes and Noble , Apple , Tolino , Vivlio , and Overdrive to name 

I have a book trailer! Whaaaaat????

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It took me 2000 years to learn there was such a thing as a book trailer- pardon the hyperbolic declaration. I thought those things were for movies. It turns out- nope- you too can have a book trailer. You're getting a trailer, you're getting a trailer! Everybody gets a trailer!!!! All right, fine! I got too caught up there for a second. Ahem. Where was I? Oh, yes. I have a book trailer. After a month of just 2 sales, I had to do something. And I thought? A book trailer? Why not? I wanted to study filming when I was young. Uh, so obviously, this will not be competing for an Oscar for its cinematography. However, I do believe it will make you buy the book. Go on, click the link  The Kenryk Series  and buy the book.  Anyway, without further ado, behold! The Kenryk Series trailer!!!!  P.S. If you visit all my social accounts @welakabane on Instagram and twitter and Wela Kabane on Facebook and Goodreads, you will see more.

Accio Reviews Again! No? Sigh

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Day something of me a self-published author... All right. It has been three months. I've sold a few books online and physically. I got my first royalties, though they are under $20. I still have zero reviews on Amazon on Goodreads. Disclaimer, I have a sprained wrist. I am typing with a brace on and cannot guarantee a typo-free experience. So, here I am, 3 months later. Having sold over 45 books and no reviews. I thought maybe my blurb wasn't catchy enough, so I reviewed that. I re-reread my story. Oh, the horror! There were so many typos I had missed during the editing process. So, maybe that turned people off? Is the story not engaging enough? Is it too long? Is it this or that? My teeth have been ground so finely from clenching my jaw with anxiety, I question my ability to chew right now.  I have decided to review my manuscript. I am not changing the story itself. I am giving it... a cosmetic uplift along with the cover. Remember, this is book one and understanding the chara