Showing posts with label #epicfantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #epicfantasy. Show all posts

Sunday, June 7, 2020

The Ancestor's Secrets

New revised edition on Amazon

An alternative history fantasy series


Ilona resigns to live the simple life of a small-town doctor, but her life goes into a tailspin on her birthday. She finds out she was born into a secretive, ancient clan still hidden among us. She starts to develop unusual powers which she finds exciting as well as frightening. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Catch 22

It used to be so easy!


Publishing and selling books was a breeze back then, when I published my first book.
I didn't have to worry about marketing because the books sold themselves.

I published a book on the two selling sites that were available and the sales started popping up on my dashboard.
I posted the new release on social sites and on my website, and readers clicked to buy the book and if they liked it, shared the link with their friends.

Now the market is saturated and it's a no-win battle for authors to show their books to readers and sell a few copies.

What happened?


  • First of all, a lot of competitors happened. Everyone and their aunt started writing and publishing. Some of the books were great, but the majority... well, isn't. It's because the selling sites didn't check quality, only proper formatting and grammar. 
  • A lot of new selling sites formed and it was great at the beginning because it gave the authors and readers more choices.
  • But in a short time, so many books were published that aggressive marketing became a necessity. 
  • Then, the pirate sites started popping up. Ruthless people stole eBooks, stripped off the protection and converted the books to PDF to offer it free on their website. Some of them thought books should be free, others used the free downloads as baits to increase their website traffic.
  • Then the "book stuffers" came into light. They published "books" that were only a few chapters and filled hundreds of pages with repetitive garbage. They added a link at the beginning with a bait or promise that led the reader to the end of the book. The selling site algorithm then picked it up as hundreds of pages read and paid the cheaters for the pages read. Some of these so called "authors" had the nerve to boast about making thousands of dollars a month by cheating.
  • On social sites my book posts used to be shared by a lot of people and had hundreds of comments, but people burned out by the book advertisements and are tired of seeing book promo posts. When they see posts shared by their friends, they block the author pages.
  • Reader groups used to be great as well. Readers were happy to interact with authors and clicked on book links to buy the books. Now, mostly authors are tooting their own horns in groups and the posts rarely viewed and commented by readers.
  • Today there are thousands of book promo and marketing sites offering services for various prices. Some work, most doesn't because readers got used to getting books for free. Either from pirate sites or from authors competing with each other and giving their books away for free.
  • Marketing? It's harder than ever. A few years back when I did 99 cents promo days quarterly for my books, I had hundreds of sales. Now I have to pay and because authors who can afford high priced marketing keep raising the bids to be seen, those of us with limited budget stay behind. 

I touched only a few obstacles in the lives of authors today. It's not easy to bring the books to the attention of readers. Small publishers are struggling along with self-published authors because you know, the big fish eats the small ones.
~Erika M Szabo

Click on the link to visit my website and read about my books.
I write speculative alternate history fiction, romantic urban fantasy, historical suspense novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 2-14 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.


Sunday, March 3, 2019

I Don't Speak Spanish

But I Write Spanish



Nah, I don't dance Spanish either..
I never learned to speak Spanish and I know only a few words I picked up working as a nurse, but I love a sound and rhythm of this melodious, dynamic language.
And, of course, I love watching the Spanish dance as well.

You might ask how could I publish books in Spanish if I don't speak the language. Well, I met Carmen, an English teacher in Spain, on Facebook, and she mentioned that she needs to refine her English skills. So I asked her if she would translate some of my books. She agreed, and, of course, I paid for the translation because I value the work of others. 

First she translated two of my children's books and later my fantasy series.

A storybook for children 4-12
A little girl teaches her family and her friends how to relate to someone who is hearing impaired.

When Grandma Rosa lost her hearing, Sandra and her parents became frustrated and sad. They didn’t know what to do and how to learn to communicate better with Grandma Rosa.

They tried shouting, changing the tone of their voices or leaning closer to her ear when they talked, to no avail. Rosa could hear some sounds clearly, but certain sounds she couldn’t hear well.

It became an everyday struggle for the family, and they missed the comforting family conversations at dinner time.
Sandra finds a website for hearing impaired people that explains how deaf people communicate. They start learning sign language and to “talk” with their fingers. Sandra and Grandma Rosa find realize that with compassion, love, and hard work, they can overcome the obstacles of disability.
Sandra enseña a su familia y amigos a comunicarse con personas con discapacidad auditiva.
Este divertido libro ilustrado  lleva un importante mensaje para los niños, como aprender a no juzgar o burlarse de alguien sólo porque es diferente.  La vida de algunas personas con discapacidad no es divertida y vivir con una discapacidad conlleva muchos retos, pero nosotros podemos hacer sus vidas más fáciles en vez de más difíciles.
Cuando la abuela Rosa perdió la audición, Los padres de Sandra se sintieron frustrados y tristes. No sabían qué hacer  y cómo aprender a comunicarse mejor con ella. Ellos intentaban gritar, cambiar el tono de voz o acercarse a su oído cuando se dirigían a ella, pero no servía de nada. Rosa podía oír algunos sonidos claramente, pero otros no podía escucharlos bien. Para ellos se convirtió en una lucha diaria poder comunicarse y empezaron a echar de menos las reconfortantes conversaciones de sobremesa.
Bilingual storybook for children 4-12
Sarah, Emma’s mom, promised to bird-sit Pico for two weeks but soon regrets her decision because the noisy parrot keeps screeching and squawking all day, annoying her family and the neighbors. When Pico makes a mess of Emma’s room, Emma gets very angry, but her friends help her. Charlotte notices that Pico seems sad, and Pedro finds out why Pico is shrieking so loudly all the time. The parrot is frustrated because nobody pays attention to him, and nobody understands what he wants.
The purpose of this English and Spanish bilingual book is to show children the beauty of another language and that learning a new language doesn’t have to be boring, it could be fun. The story also delivers a message that when we don’t take the time to listen to each other, we tend to judge others quickly before we get to know them
Sarah, la mamá de Emma, prometió cuidar de Pico durante dos semanas pero pronto se arrepiente de su decisión porque el ruidoso loro se pasa todo el día parloteando y chillando, molestando a su familia y vecinos. Cuando Pico desordena la habitación de Emma, ella se enfada mucho pero sus amigos la ayudan. Charlotte se da cuenta de que Pico parece triste y Pedro averigua porqué Pico está chillando tan alto todo el tiempo. El pájaro está frustrado porque nadie sabe lo que quiere ni le presta atención.
 La propuesta de este libro bilingüe inglés y español es mostrar a los niños la belleza de otra lengua y que aprender un nuevo idioma no tiene que ser aburrido, y puede ser divertido. La historia también transmite el mensaje de que cuando no nos tomamos tiempo para escucharnos los unos a los otros, tendemos a juzgar rápidamente antes de llegar a conocernos.


Alternate history fantasy
Durante siglos, Morana esperó el momento adecuado para reunirse con su amado Joland y conseguir el poder necesario para gobernar el clan ancestral, que aún persiste oculto entre nosotros, con su estricta jerarquía, reglas mortales y tradiciones. Ilona no sabe que ha sido elegida para detener el malévolo plan de Morana. Tampoco sabe nada acerca de su legado personal ni de leyendas o rituales, cuando comienza a recordar las instrucciones de su madre, ocultas entre rimas. No es consciente de que su tranquila vida como doctora está a punto de cambiar y que se verá arrastrada a un peligroso mundo lleno de secretos. El descubrimiento de su poder de sanación y su capacidad de detener el tiempo son a la vez, emocionantes y aterradores. Aparece un hombre siniestro e Ilona relaciona su presencia con una serie de misteriosas muertes a su alrededor. Por otro lado, habiendo estado enamorada en secreto de su mejor amigo, de repente, se siente atraída por el extraño que aparece en su sueño, sintiéndose muy confundida por el fuerte sentimiento de atracción.

The series is also available in English

available as box set or 3 separate eBook and paperback on AMAZON

 When a young doctor, Ilona, starts to develop unusual powers, her life and her beliefs change. Thrown into a world of clan mysteries, traditions and secrets, she begins remembering her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes.
Punished by the ancestors long ago, Mora has waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland. Now, she seeks to gain the power to rule the ancient clan with a strict hierarchy and deadly laws that still exist hidden among us.
Ilona has been chosen by the ancestors to stop Mora and save the future of the clan.
She has been in love with her best friend but is also drawn to the stranger who appears in a peculiar dream.
Does she have the strength to fight evil?

En el libro 1, “Protegida por el Halcón”, Ilona ve como le es arrebatada su tranquila vida y se ve obligada a enfrentarse a lo desconocido, lo cual la lleva a descubrir secretos ancestrales de los hunos. En el libro 2, adquiere poderes inimaginables para proteger a su familia y el futuro de su pueblo. Ella puede usar sus poderes para el bien o el mal absoluto, la elección sólo depende de ella. El derecho de Ilona a ejercer como curandera se entremezcla con sus deseos de mujer y eso la lleva a tener que aclarar sus sentimientos acerca de los dos hombres de su vida. Viaja con Ilona desde los tiempos en que su pueblo era nómada, pasando por castillos del siglo 14 hasta la actualidad, mientras lucha por superar los obstáculos en su camino.
My books

Monday, January 14, 2019

Cover Reveal by Erika M Szabo at #OurAuthorGang

New covers for The Ancestors' Secrets Trilogy


Since I first published The Ancestors' Secrets, a speculative fiction series, in 2012, the story went through a few changes.

Being an artist I get easily bored with the same old covers, therefore, I have changed the covers every year. I like the new covers for a while, and then I change them again.

The story itself had been changed and re-edited a few times as well. A lot of authors after they publish a book, they don't change anything and move on to the next story. I think this feeling of never been truly satisfied with anything originates from my artistic abilities. I feel that there is always room for improvement.

This time I put the story into Lorraine Carey's capable hands and she just finished the editing of the third book in the trilogy. Lorraine is not only a great author of many books, but being a teacher for many years, she spotted a lot of mistakes that were missed with the first and second rounds of editing. Thank you Lorraine for the great job! You can find her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lorraine-Carey/e/B00ELQBUHQ/ 

I've been re-reading the story and I must tell you, I still enjoy it. Okay, I'm biased, but really, I'm amazed that I came up with this interwoven, complex storyline and secret society structure. You might not like magical realism stories, but this genre is my favorite so naturally, I enjoy it. However, I'm changing small things in the story as I go such as a few better fitting words or the reaction of characters.

The updated version of the trilogy box set will be available by the end of January but if the story piques your interest, you can purchase the books any time and it will be updated on your reading device when the updates are available.



When a young doctor, Ilona, starts to develop unusual powers, her life and her beliefs change. Thrown into a world of clan mysteries, traditions and secrets, she begins remembering her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes.
Punished by the ancestors long ago, Mora has waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland. Now, she seeks to gain the power to rule the ancient clan with a strict hierarchy and deadly laws that still exist hidden among us. 
Ilona has been chosen by the ancestors to stop Mora and save the future of the clan.
Her birthright as a Healer runs alongside her desires as a woman. She has been in love with her best friend but is also drawn to the stranger who appears in her peculiar dream.
Ilona must save herself and her family from Mora’s evil plans, uncover ancient tribal secrets, and find her Destiny Box… the box that contains the message of the Ancestors. 

Does she have the strength to fight evil?



After her twenty-ninth birthday, Ilona’s life was turned upside down. She learned more about her ancestry and herself in three days than in her entire life.
Mora sends a man to destroy Ilona. His hateful, cold stare sends icy chills down the spines of all who see him. Ilona is no different. She feels a foreboding of evil and senses a dark force commanding him to destroy her. 
Ilona loves both her best friend and the stranger in her dreams, but which one is her true love?
In her quest to protect her family and the future of the clan, Ilona must activate her Chameleon side to obtain unimaginable powers. She can use her powers for absolute good or absolute evil; the choice is up to her.

Can she keep her sanity when discovering her magical abilities? 


 Ilona is a doctor and heals people, but the healing powers she inherited and the magical abilities she obtains are exciting as well as frightening. Mora desperately fights to stop Ilona from fulfilling her destiny and saving the clan’s future. But the evil Mora won’t give up her plan of changing the future and to gain power. In the final book of The Ancestors’ Secrets Trilogy, Ilona travels through time from the early years when her people were nomads, to the castles of the 14th century, to present day as she struggles to overcome the obstacles placed in her path. She finds the Destiny Box that contains the messages of the ancestors. Will Ilona accept her destiny? Can she find true love? Will she use her unimaginable powers for good or evil? 

Ilona is the main character of the trilogy.
She's a humble, honest, and in a way an innocent young woman who's about to discover that she inherited unimaginable powers.
 Bela is her best friend and Zoltan the stranger who captures her heart.
Which man will Ilona choose?
Mora had been exiled by the ancestors centuries ago and separated from her true love.
She's cursed with eternal life and lost her beauty but has the ability of mesmerizing people into not seeing as she is today, a shriveled, skin and bone old woman. If the Chosen One will be successful in changing the present and future of the Hunor clan, Mora will never have the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland and her beauty will never be restored. She will do everything in her power to stop her.

I write alternate history, romantic urban fantasy, historical suspense novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 2-14 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.


COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo via Google+

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
New covers for a trilogy
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Lorraine Carey

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
I enjoyed each of these books. The legends will keep readers mesmerized for quite some time. Szabo's knowledge of ancient Hun legends spiked my interest. Can't wait to see these released.
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Thank you Lorraine!
 
+Erika M Szabo You are most welcome. Top Notch Literature!

Stephanie Ling

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Very appealing and inviting. They make me want to pick up and dive in. Great job!
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Thank you Stephanie! Hopefully the updates will be done by this week and I'll change the books on the selling sites :)

Joe Bonadonna

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
A great post about a wonderful trilogy, Erika. Love the new covers, too!
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Thank you Joe!
 
+Erika M Szabo You're welcome!

Chris Weigand

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Great books. I highly recommend them.
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Thank you Chris!

Cindy Smith

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congrats on the new look and improved storyline.
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Thank you Cindy!

Eva Pasco

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Congratulations on the new covers and tweaks!
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Thank you Eva :)

Tricia Drammeh

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
I love the new covers, Erika!
 
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Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
AMAZING new covers revealed today on #OurAuthorGang! Love magical realism? Here you are!!
 
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Ruth de Jauregui

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Wow, these are amazingly beautiful covers! Congratulations Erika!!
 
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Rick Haynes

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Excellent covers, Erika and a great post to go with them.
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Joe Bonadonna via Google+

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today on #Our Author Gang, Erika M. Szabo​ reveals the new covers for her fantasy series, "The Ancestors' Secrets" and talks about her trilogy.
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Chris Weigand shared this via Google+

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Cindy Smith shared this via Google+

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Toi Thomas via Google+

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today, Erika M Szabo reveals the new covers of her, The Ancestors' Secrets Trilogy. #OurAuthorGang
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Stephanie Collins via Google+

2 weeks ago  -  Shared publicly
Erika M Szabo originally shared this
 
New covers for a trilogy
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