Where to find updates about my work (Where’s Meljean?)
One of the most important things I learned from the serial release is that I really don’t reach a lot of my readers — or perhaps they are following me on one social media site, but not another, so the updates they needed weren’t necessarily the updates they received. So here is a quick breakdown of all the places that I’m at on the web aside from my website, and what you’ll find there:
#1 – E-Mail Newsletter
I don’t send this out very often — typically only when I have a new release. This is the best place to find information about my work if you only need to know when the newest book is out. You can sign up for this here.
#2 – Twitter
Twitter is a mixed bag of content. All of my blog posts auto-tweet a link. When I’m not pimping a book, most of my tweets are replies to other readers and authors. Sometimes I’ll just post random stupid things, because I feel like it. For example, my first tweet this morning was:
Argh! #everydayistalklikeapirateday
— Meljean Brook (@Meljean) June 6, 2014
So if you don’t mind silliness mixed in with updates, Twitter is a good place to find me. It’s also a good place not to find me, because updates are often lost in the tweetstream. So unless you check my individual twitter account (https://twitter.com/meljean) page, you might miss some updates.
I always try to respond to replies. If you ever have a quick question and don’t feel like emailing me, Twitter is a good place to ask it.
#3 – Facebook
I actually have two Facebook accounts. One is my personal page (http://www.facebook.com/meljeanbrook) and one is my fan page (http://www.facebook.com/authormeljeanbrook).
My personal Facebook page is a lot like my Twitter account. All of my blog posts auto-post to my wall. I add stupid personal information and updates about everyday things. This week, the saga of my new French press has played out on my wall, along with links to new releases and a few reviews. I also said that if I ever wrote a MC romance, that it would basically be a 300-page fanfiction of this song from Grease 2:
So if you don’t want to know how many times I’ve watched this movie and how much I wanted to be Stephanie on that ladder, this probably isn’t the best account to follow.
My Facebook fan page is more book oriented and contains fewer personal posts (though I have been adding more, because readers have requested them. But although I will post about movies and such, I still haven’t been using it for my silliest updates. So if you don’t want to know that much about me, but still want to know about my books and book news, this is the best page to follow on Facebook.)
The drawback to Facebook is that the site limits the number of fans/friends who see each post. So if you want to make sure you get the updates in your news feed, please remember to go to the page and to select “get notifications” in the dropdown menu of the “Like” button. Otherwise, you might need to make sure that you visit the actual page (instead of just reading your newsfeed) to make sure that you’ve seen all of the updates.
I respond to almost all comments on both Facebook pages, and it’s also a good place to reach me if you don’t feel like emailing me.
#4 – Tumblr
I have a Tumblr! … but it’s really not great for book updates, because I feel that posting that information on Tumblr is basically spam. So it’s mostly random fandom reblogs and a few other things. I will probably be posting about different works-in-progress (like this one about a discarded Mara & Cooper novella cover) over this summer, because I like to play with Photoshop and I plan to teach myself to use Flash. But this blog reflects more of my personal interests and less book info, so if you follow me on Tumblr, you’ll almost never hear about my book updates.
#5 – Goodreads
I have a Goodreads account, and my blog posts automatically feed over to it. I review books (badly) now and then. I don’t really talk about the books I don’t like. The last review I added:
Yeah. This is why I’m an author, not a reviewer. Reviewing is a lot harder.
–I think that’s everywhere!
June 6, 2014 @ 1:02 pm
Thank you Meljean!
I use the website as my default (facebook is too much of an emotional commitment for me /shame), but I do admit that even the website gives me trouble now and then.
I have your blog posts followed so they show up in my blogger dashboard but sometimes the link defaults me to the main page of your site. It took me a while (because I am lazy) to figure out how to get to the blog by clicking on Extras first and then chosing Blog from the drop-down.
It sounds silly when I type it out but all the images and other options are so shiny and distracting it took some frustrating minutes of kicking my attention span into submission, trying to remember what the heck I came here for, and then going back to the main page to try to find the blog again. Seriously with all the covers and exceprts and Red Sonja and all the other fun stuff how am I supposed to keep track that I am looking for a blog post? /grin
June 6, 2014 @ 1:08 pm
Oh! you know, I forgot that I had moved the blog. It used to be one of the primary links in the menu above, but I was in my writing cave and wasn’t posting, so I moved it away from the main page (because I hated that my posts were months old; blogs that aren’t updated regularly suck).
I should move it out again. WordPress is good about still being able to find the link, so it shouldn’t be a problem for your feed.
June 6, 2014 @ 7:00 pm
Since I am reading this directly in your blog, it seems ironic that it isn’t a numbered option! After I realized that I can get notifications for a Facebook page I am using that more, but I used to primarily just go to the blog page. And you have an RSS feed right? So that’s a sixth option.
June 9, 2014 @ 9:28 am
Oh, it’s just because I think of the website as the default? So this is definitely an “aside from my website” list.
June 7, 2014 @ 4:24 am
Finally someone else actually admits (in public, no less!) to loving Grease 2 as much as I do. It is an outstanding movie and some day I will introduce my daughter to it so she too can dream of being Stephanie on that ladder. And while Johnny is a complete drop kick for most of the movie I do quite enjoy it when he does his “Hey Paulette,” bit in Score Tonight. Good times, good times. Anyway, while I’m here, keep the stories coming, you are an amazing writer. Anyone who has given you less than 5 stars on any review clearly doesn’t understand the genius of your work. I was lucky enough to stumble upon a review on the All About Romance website for Demon Forged which was the first book of yours I read. Irena and Alejandro are still one of my favourite couples. Gotta love that strong,silent type. Although there is also Hugh and Lilith…….and Rhys and Mina…..and Yasmeen and Archimedes……just don’t stop writing ok? I might have a breakdown if you do. And while I should be going to bed now I’m actually going to visit youtube and find a few Grease 2 songs to admire and possibly even act out.
p.s. thanks for Ariq and Zenobia too. Just keep it all coming……..
June 9, 2014 @ 9:32 am
lol, I agree! Less than five stars and they are totally missing my genius! 😀
That genius was probably shaped by Grease 2 more than I like to think about, lol. Especially the “Let’s Do It For Our Country” song. Oh my god, so bad yet SO GOOD.
And I’m so glad that you were able to pick up Demon Forged and still enjoy it! That’s always a constant worry with ongoing series — can a reader come in after the first book? Because even though we (writers, I mean) try to include all of the information needed from the earlier books, there’s always the danger that a reader will feel left out of the jokes and references to earlier episodes.
I will try to keep it coming as long as possible! 🙂
June 11, 2014 @ 3:24 am
Ok, 3 things:
1. Can I just say how special I feel that my favourite author actually replied to me? And loves the same movie I do? Very very special. Thank you.
2. What the heck are you replying to me for? You should be off writing something else for me to read!
3. I am known for jumping into a book series wherever I feel like it. If book 5 gets better reviews than book 1 then I’ll start there. And if I don’t like it then I won’t go back and read all the others. In regards to Demon Forged I spent half of my time going “Wait, I don’t understand,” and the other half going, “Wow. Wow. Really? Wow.” Then I went and bought everything you’d written up to that point and read it all in a few weeks (I would have done it in a few days but I did actually have to look after my kids at some point. Sigh. They really cramp my style). To be honest it was much better when I read it in context with everything else but I think it did actually help me understand what was going on in Demon Angel (because boy, that’s a complex book!). And then once you do understand what’s happening, it’s amazing.
It’s a fine line between writing what you want to write and making it accessible to people at the same time, particularly when writing a series. Sometimes these things coincide and it’s all fine, and sometimes a bit more explanation is required. Definitely your Iron Seas books are a lot easier to dive into at any point but the Guardians are absolutely worth the initial struggle. And obviously (from reading reviews on Amazon) some people have struggled, especially with Demon Angel and Demon Moon. I think that some people don’t like thinking too much when they read and you had to pay a lot of attention in both those books. For me, the romance in each book was enough to carry it until I knew what was going on (you write the romance VERY well :o). Clearly you need to sell your work and also clearly, you’re smarter than the average bear. But honestly you couldn’t, and shouldn’t, write any other way than the way you do. People will either get it or they won’t and those of us who do, absolutely love it (and the others are idiots). You are an exceptional writer. Just keep doing what you’re doing.
Also I recently saw an interview with Michelle Pfeiffer where Grease 2 was brought up and she refused to even say the name of it! It broke my heart a little bit to see her ashamed of what some people (well, you and me) consider to be her finest work. How could anyone be ashamed of ‘Who’s That Guy?’ and my own personal favourite ‘Reproduction?’ I’m not actually allowed to watch the movie in company anymore because I say all the words. All of them…