Updates

Hey everyone- 

It has been a while since I posted, but I have been crazy busy publicizing The Sawyer Shepherd Chronicles: Rites of Passage!  I am learning a great deal about marketing a book and reaching an audience.  The process is slow and tedious, but I am really enjoying the learning process.  I have found things that work (getting newsletter promotions and good reviews), things that kind of work (Facebook ads) and things that, well, don't really have a huge impact (Twitter hashtags to other writers- lots of likes, not a lot of results).  I am about to start some promotions that will incorporate all of these plus a few interviews here and there.  Check out sites like Indie Book Butler and Self Publishers' Showcase in the next few months for these items.

​I have also learned a great deal from Reedsy and will hopefully get some reviews and notifications from Reedsy Discovery  It is a great tool for connecting writers with editors, reviewers, promoters, and designers.  Plus, they offer great free courses on various aspects of writing.  

Now that the book is out, I am anxious to hear from you about your experience with the book.  What you thought of characters and events, where you think things are going, what you liked and didn't.  I have lived with some of these characters in my head (in one version or another) for twenty years- I cannot wait to see how you feel about them!

I wanted to reach out with some news about how the book is doing, and some upcoming contests to win some stuff.

1.
First, how is the book doing?
I did a free Kindle giveaway and over 500 were claimed!  In regards to actual sales, it's not a bestseller by any means.  But between Kindle and paperback, I've sold around twenty copies.  Reviews are coming in, and so far the feedback has been unanimously positive!  It's all five star reviews on Amazon and general comments on social media and in person have been positive as well.  So thank you to everyone who has read the book.  If you haven't, well....

2.
There is a giveaway coming on Twitter this weekend!  If you purchase the Kindle version (no Kindle, that's cool- there is an app on Android and iPhone!) for $2.99 and take a picture to prove the purchase, then reply to my thead(s) on Twitter, you will be entered into a chance to win a signed paperback copy or a signed paperback copy AND a Sawyer Shepherd Chronicles t-shirt (they do exist)!  My Twitter is @ChadLehrmann.

3.
I am currently about 130 pages into the second book in the series, called Red Hand Rising.  I wanted to share a sneak peak of some of the book, so here it is!  (Obviously, there are spoilers in a broad sense, but hopefully nothing too huge).

So, there you have it.  Sawyer Shepherd has survived the first book of The Sawyer Shepherd Chronicles.  

I do hope to get back to posting some short stories soon.  I may also start posting some reviews of Indie author's works eventually.  

See you later!