My Second Anniversary for SFRB Showcase #SciFiRom

Welcome to the May Showcase of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade.

Remember to go back and read the posts from the other authors at http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html

See Promotion of >150 SciFi & Fantasy Books at the end of this post.

May 2016 marks the second anniversary of my journey as a published writer of science fiction romance stories. So, this month’s showcase is an opportunity to reflect on my progress. To date, I have published books in three series, a standalone novel and a novella. I’ll highlight the series here. Two of the books are only 99c.

Atrapako on Eden (2 books, published in 2014):

The Lady is Blue, Book 1 

Intrepid scientist solves mystery of scaly aliens.

Dr. Lucy Stannis leads a quiet life as the chief biologist in the remote human colony on Eden, until an alien vessel makes first contact with the colonists. She is thrilled to meet the spaceship captain, the impressive Blue, Sa Kamizan Veedak, despite the scaled bodies and sharp claws of the formidable Atrapako. Conflicts arise, threatening the whole colony as well as Lucy’s tenuous friendship with Sa Kamizan. Lucy must employ all her skills to discover their secret and save the colony.

If you like feisty heroines and mysteries where deceptions abound, then you’ll enjoy this science fiction adventure with a surprise twist at the end.

Buy Links

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K1N951Q

International: http://authl.it/B00K1N951Q?d

The Grand Master’s Trilogy (complete; published in 2015)

Grand Master’s Pawn, Book 1 (99c/99p)

One young woman challenges the super psychics ruling the galaxy, and finds an impossible love.

Young empath, Violet Hunter, dreams of exploring exotic planets as a Grand Master’s pawn. When life-threatening cracks appear in the teleportal web, Violet is tasked with investigating the disruption. Suspicions point to the twelve Grand Masters, and she must penetrate their curtain of secrecy to identify the culprit. Her challenges escalate when she meets the enigmatic man behind the griffin avatar. Armed with only her erratic powers and a mishmash of allies, she must challenge the most powerful beings in the galaxy.

Buy Links

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM

International: http://authI.it/B00MFY8A5Q?d

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1063569610

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grand-masters-pawn-aurora-springer/1121605722  

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/grand-master-s-pawn

Secret Supers (1 book, published in 2016)

Super Starrella, Book 1 (99c/99p from 3^rd to 9^th May)

The quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.

Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Captain Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans.

Buy Links

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/

International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

May 7-8: Multi-author Promotion of >150 Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels at 99c http://www.pattyjansen.com/promo

Aurora’s Media links:

Blog: http://AuroraSpringer.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Springer/885945434752937

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuroraSpringer

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101087717415198221200/posts

Super Starrella - Next Snippet for #WeWriWa

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

Today, I’ll continue the teaser scene from my new release, Super Starrella. Estelle was knocked unconscious in an explosion. When she woke, she was tied down in a weird cylinder and heard strangers discussing her. Then, a woman entered and gave her a drink. Read last week’s snippet here:

http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-solinar-veterinary-clinic-snippet.html

The second time she woke, Estelle grew angry, remembering what Dr. Netta had done. They had drugged her; she had to escape from this peculiar Clinic. This time, the transparent cylinder had vanished and she lay on what appeared to be a regular hospital bed. Her strength restored, Estelle sat up and slipped her legs over the edge of the bed.

She waited, listening for any sound from her captors; all was quiet.  

Gathering her courage, Estelle padded round the room and opened the cabinets, one by one. Her clothes hung in a tall cabinet on the back wall, next to a bright blue leotard and matching leggings. A shiver of certainty ran down her spine. As a child, Estelle had dreamed of being her favorite comic book character, Super Starrella, and flying across the sky chasing villains. If she wore the costume, her name would be Starrella.

Buy Links (99c until May 9th)

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/

International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

Blurb

Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse tackle villains in the skies of Atalanta.

The quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.

Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Captain Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans.

Young adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.

Soon, I'll switch to the next book in this series, which is coming together slowly. 

As always, your comments are welcome. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers. 

Historical #Mystery & #Romance - The Curious Profession of Dr Craven by R. Harrison

Description

What is a poor anatomist to do? Twenty pounds, wasted, up in smoke when a beautiful young woman wakes up on the dissection table. Someone has made a ghastly error. Dr Richard Craven, an ethical doctor, has but one choice, to nurse the girl back to health and restore her to her family. That’s when his troubles start. She can’t remember anything, only her first name, and she isn’t even sure about that. As his household helps her to recover her strength and her memories trickle, then flood back, their mutual attraction buds into a flowing passion.

Unfortunately one of the things she’s conveniently forgotten was her arranged engagement to a vulgar, but wealthy son of a Northern industrialist. Not only that, but there is some deep dark secret about Dr Craven that her father believes makes him completely ineligible.

Resolving the resulting tangle in this sweet historical romance takes the combined efforts of the doctor’s once profligate brother, the Earl of Craven, a displaced French Royal, le Duc de Bourbon, and the visit of a mysterious French Baron to the sacred floor or Almack’s. 

99c Deal

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AAYVDA6

Excerpt

Dr. Craven meets his fate. He just doesn't know it yet. He's preparing to dissect another body when things come undone.

In the meantime, the boy undid the bandage that held the woman’s jaw shut tight. As he pulled it off her, her mouth opened and she gasped for air.

He ran to his father and the doctor, shouting, “I tell you, Doctor, she’s alive!”

Jonas and the doctor walked back to him, carrying a decanter of the brandy with them.

Dr. Craven said, “Can’t be, Lad. That must just have been gas escaping from the body. They do that, you know, as they decompose.”

The elder resurrection man nodded, “I’ve seen it before, many times.”

His son replied, “So have I Dad, but this wasn’t that. She gasped for breath when I undid the bandage.”

Dr. Craven said, “I’ll prove she’s dead. Put her on the table.” The resurrection men lifted the body from the floor and put it on the examining table. This cadaver was light for the two of them to lift. It having once been a delicate young female; they were gentler with it than they were usually.

The doctor gave his hands a quick rinse. Something he did more for superstition than any rational basis, and then he examined the body.

“She is warmer than I’d expect. The decomposition must be advancing rapidly. I’ll need that ice.” He paused. It, no not it, she breathed. It was a gasp, a weak one at that, but a breath.

“Brandy!” He shouted, “and be quick about it, man. She’s alive.”

The youngest resurrection man ran for the decanter and returned as fast as he could. “Here, sir.”

The doctor took some and moistened the woman’s lips with it. She gasped again and stirred. “She’s cold, bring a blanket and a warm brick.” He immediately unwrapped the winding bandages from her body and untied the bindings on her legs and arms. “Come man, rub her legs. We must get the blood flowing.”

Between the warmth, the brandy, and the commotion, the woman’s eyes suddenly opened, and she sat up. She saw this handsome dark-haired man looking at her. His concern for her was evident in his face.

“Is this Heaven?”

“No. England.”

“Close enough.” Then she lay back and closed her eyes again.

  

The Solinar Veterinary Clinic - Snippet from Super Starrella for #WeWriWa #Superhero #Technothriller

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

Today, I’ll continue the teaser scene from my new release, Super Starrella. Estelle was knocked unconscious in an explosion. When she woke, she was tied down in a weird cylinder and heard strangers discussing her. Then, a woman in a white coat entered and spoke to her. Read last week’s snippet here:

http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/04/can-i-go-home-snippet-from-super.html

The last sentence was “Can I go home?” Estelle shivered, afraid she was an unwilling participant in some outlandish experiment. 

“Not yet; we need to run more tests to ensure there are no unpleasant side effects. We have informed Mrs. Dawson that you are staying at the Solinar Veterinary Clinic.”

The name raised new questions in Estelle’s mind. Wary of her captors, she asked, “Who are you?”

“You may call me Dr. Netta,” the woman tapped the side of the table, eliciting a series of clicks. The top of the cylinder swung open and the straps loosened around Estelle’s ankles and wrists. Free to move, she rubbed her eyes and wondered if she were trapped in a nightmare.

Dr. Netta removed a bulb from a cabinet, twisted off the top and offered the bulb to Estelle, “Drink this; you will gain energy.”

Estelle squeezed the bulb and the cool liquid slid down her throat. Seconds later, her head swam, mist coiled before her eyes, and she fell down a dark hole.

If you are anxious to learn more, the eBook is available at

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/

International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

Blurb

Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse tackle villains in the skies of Atalanta.

The quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.

Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Captain Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans.

Young adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.

As always, your comments are welcome. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers. 

Weekend eBook Deals from 8 Authors #Romance #Mystery #Fantasy #YA

8 Great FREE and 99c eBooks for Readers

Free April 22-24^th

SciFi Fantasy & Sweet Romance, Super Starrella by Aurora Springer

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/

International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

Free April 23-25^th

Historical Romance, The Curious Profession of Dr Craven by R. Harrison

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AAYVDA6

Free April 23-27^th

Historical Romance, Belle of Charleston by Jerri Hines

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q8M1EYK/

Murder Mystery, Just Different Devils (Book 7 Hetty Coffey series) by Jinx Schwartz

http://amzn.to/1qBNndD

PermaFree:

Young Adult Mystery, Grade A Stupid by AJ Lape.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A4CHNL8/

Fantasy, Storm Crazy, Destiny Paramortals by Livia Quinn

http://amzn.to/1Synmau

99c:

Sweet romance with a paranormal twist, The Ebb by Effrosyni Moschoudi

http://amzn.to/1qQIueg

SciFi Fantasy, Born to Magic, Volume 1, Tales of Nevaeh by David Wind.

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QTYHVTO/

International: http://authl.it/B00QTYHVTO?d

Can I go home? Snippet from Super Starrella for #WeWriWa Superhero #Mystery

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

Today, I’ll continue the scene from my new release, Super Starrella. Estelle was knocked unconscious in an explosion. When she woke, she was tied down in a weird cylinder and heard strangers discussing her.

Read last week’s snippet here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-wake-cycle-snippet-from-super.html

I’ve skipped a couple of lines, and punctuated to fit:

Soft footsteps crossed the floor and a woman with sharp green eyes hovered into Estelle’s restricted view. The woman wore white overalls, and the severe oval of her face was framed in short brown hair. Leaning over Estelle, she asked, “How do you feel, Miss Wright?”

“I’m okay,” Estelle’s voice was hoarse and her throat felt dry. She whispered, “What happened to me?”

“There was an accident. We kept you overnight for observation and we’ve seen no evidence of physical damage.” The woman waved a stubby stick over Estelle’s body. The tip of the stick lit blue and Estelle imagined it was a magic wand.  

“Can I go home?” Estelle shivered, afraid she was an unwilling participant in some outlandish experiment. 

Blurb

Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse tackle villains in the skies of Atalanta.

The quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.

Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Captain Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans.

Young adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.

Buy Links

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/

International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

As always, your comments are welcome. I may be running late this week since I'm away celebrating my wedding anniversary. 

Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Strategy for Promoting Books in a Series #IndieAuthors #Marketing

As an Indie author, I appreciate free promotion. But, how well does it work? 

I summarize a strategy for a standalone novel in this previous post: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2015/10/can-free-promotions-help-indie-authors.html

This month, I tested a strategy for promoting the three books in my Grand Master’s Trilogy. Using free sites only, I promoted Book 2 FREE from April 1-5^th with Book 1 set at 99c.  

Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM

Grand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8

Grand Master’s Mate: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S

Listed on the Following Sites

http://bookangel.co.uk/submit-your-book

http://askdavid.com/free-ebook-promotion

bookscream.com

bookhearts.com  for 4/1/16

bookpraiser.com

http://theereadercafe.com/promote-your-books/

http://www.freebooksy.com/editorial-submissions/ 

free99books.com

Ebooklister 

bookbrag

http://www.frugal-freebies.com/p/submit-freebie.html

Bookhippo (unlikely since only 1 review in UK)

Bookzio (tried)

Readersgazette

Patty Jansen’s Promo (Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror) for April 2-3 (pattyjansen.com/promo)

Ranking:

Book 2, Grand Master’s Game, hit top ranks of #2 FREE in First Contact and Space Exploration subcategories on Amazon at different times on the second day of the promotion. 

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)

• #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Space Exploration
• #3 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > First Contact
• #3 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Superhero 

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #452 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)

• #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > First Contact

It reached the Amazon Best Sellers Rank of #388 Free in Kindle Store.

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)

• #4 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > First Contact

  

Book 1 Grand Master’s Pawn (99c) showed the best rankings of:

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,630 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

• #101 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Superheroes
• #103 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Superhero
• #149 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > First Contact

Here are the results:

Sales over April 1-5th

Book 2: A total of 1796 FREE copies given away.

Book 1: 47 sold at $0.99

Book 3: 8 sold at $2.99

Profit (All ROI) = $31 plus KU reads and continued sales over the next few days

Would I do it again? Yes! This free promotion worked better than the paid one I ran in earlier this year and the books achieved temporary prominence after weeks of little action. 

Thoughts: 

The boost is temporary.

Discounting to 99c helps to track the results and brings in more readers. 

What strategy works for you?  

Secret Weapons

I acknowledge help with tweets and retweets from the members of the eNovelAuthorsatWork group. 

and also cross-promotion by authors in Patty Jansen's Promo.