Hello everyone!
I was reading Kate Douglas’ newsletter and found a note about Delilah’s Save the Gallantry Series Campaign. Since part of running an author means supporting published and non-published authors alike, I thought that this was a cause worth taking up. While I cannot speak for the contest (it is solely your choice as a reader to enter), I can speak for the fact that series die all the time and it can be quite a sad thing. Clicking on the above image will take you directly to Delilah’s website.
The following is a reprint from her June 25th Blog:
I then entered college as an English major. I was going to be teacher and write during the summers. Even then I was a smart girl who knew I wasn't going to make jack and that I needed a job to support the “creative” one. Throughout all of college I wrote historical romances. One right after another. And kept submitting. And submitting. And submitting. And kept getting rejected and rejected and rejected. In the meantime, I got married. I had two kids. I joined RWA. I got critique partners. I did honed and honed and honed the crap out of my writing. And kept writing and getting rejected. I eventually racked up over 200 rejections and had written over 40 books in those 11 years of trying to get published.
Then the reviews started coming in about my series set in 1830 London England about a school that educates men on the topic of love and seduction. People loved it! Wow. It got nominated for awards. Wow. Readers are e-mailing me raving. Wow. Readers from France, Austria, Poland, South Africa and from all over the U.S and the world. Wow. It just kept getting better and better. I was beginning to feel as if every penny I spent was all worth it (even though my family and I weren't going on any vacations and were eating out of cans). Because all that mattered was that my publisher loved me and my readers loved my series.
I have to say this rejection felt more personal than any of the other two hundred and some rejections I'd received. Because it was no longer “Your book isn't good enough” it became “Your sales aren't good enough.” Since when is an author supposed to be a market guru AND a fabulous writer? Eck.
I love this series. The men in it make me laugh and it broke my heart to think that my readers will never get a chance to read about Lord Brayton, my glorious male virgin. The only alpha virgin I ever plan to write about. Then I realized something, why I am letting a publisher decide what is worth holding on to? Shouldn't that be a reader's job?
Ah. Herein lies the purpose of my post. I am challenging everyone, be they readers or writers to help me do something that's never been done before. Save a series from a death sentence given by a publisher. Can it be done? Who knows. But I eat challenges for breakfast and I hope you do to. Please join me in saving my series. Come August 4th, tell everyone you know (yes, even you're 72 year old grandfather) to buy the book, Lord of Pleasure. In doing so, you'll have a chance to win one of three $50 Visa Gift Cards. How? Check out my website for details at http://www.delilahmarvelle.com/
That said, thank you for all the support and love everyone has already shown me. Feel free to post and repost this to everyone under the moon and the stars. To all you readers out there, thank you for supporting us writers. To all you writers out there, don't ever give up on your writing. The moment you do, you give up on yourself. Which is why I'm not giving up on my series.
[Here’s what you’ll find on her website, if you click on the same image I have above:]
I'm hoping everyone can help by blogging, pitching, sending out newsletters, telling their brothers and sisters, ANYONE to buy the book when it comes out August 4th. It is a simple way of announcing that this series does matter. I am working on a new series, which I hope to unveil soon, however, my heart still lies with the School of Gallantry.
SPECIAL CONTEST: From August 4 until August 28, anyone who e-mails me at Delilah@DelilahMarvelle.com with the School's quote from Lesson 27 found in the book Lord of Pleasure, will be entered to win one of three $50 Visa Cards. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by September 10th.
Cheers and much love,
Delilah Marvelle
2 Moonbeams (comments):
Somehow I'd never thought book series might get canceled like TV ones. Hope it gets saved Delilah.
I just met Delilah today. There's a booksigning tomorrow; I'll have to try to get to that. Thank you for your encouragement Delilah, and I really love the book! It's so neat, and surprising, and fun.
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