Ruth Kaufman - Award-Winning Author and Romance Writer
Ruth Kaufman is the author of My Life as a Star, My Life as an Extra, My Once & Future Love, The Bride Tournament, Follow Your Heart, At His Command and other books.
A buzz word in self-publishing right now is discoverability. You can have an amazing book in a popular genre, a stunning, stand-out cover, even some great reviews and/or a major contest win and some press/social media, but very few sales. So how do you make your book discoverable?
Why? As of this writing, there are more than 1.1 million novels in Kindle ebooks alone, and more than 90,000 new releases in the lat 30 days. There are dozens if not hundreds of ways to browse on Amazon alone. By subgenre, best sellers, daily deals, countdown deals and of course author and title, just to name a few. There are of course other sites, libraries and even stores.
Here are the top three ways that have helped me: [Read more…] about Discoverability: Make readers aware of your books
I’ve been blessed (or cursed) with curly hair. It’s easy to maintain in a curly style, if a bit frizzy or unruly on occasion. Yet there’ve been many times when I’ve felt the need to or been told to straighten it to be considered for on-camera work.
At one point, an agent would only accept me if I straightened my hair. When I used to do extra work (aka background), hairstylists on more than one major motion picture and a network TV show spent at least a half hour straightening my hair…after I’d already spent the hour or so and multiple products and processes it takes me to do it. [Read more…] about Perception of Curly Hair in Movies and on TV
At this time of year, most of us look back before we move forward. I like to prepare for the new year by doing the following:
1) Asking questions, such as:
3) Reviewing the tools of my trade. To improve my home recording setup, I just bought new, comfy headphones and more soundproofing. Not long ago, I updated my acting and voiceover site, www.ruthtalks.com. New headshots are next.[Read more…] about New Year’s Resolutions of the Gainfully Unemployed
Hello! Thank you for stopping by my blog as you follow A Royal Christmas 12 Author Hop. I hope you’re enjoying your journey.
I’ve released four medievals and a medieval novella, and over the years have collected hundreds of books about 15th century England. My favorites (such as Private Life in the Fifteenth Century and the medieval craftsmen series offer fascinating details about castles, knights and and life during that time period, which I love learning about. Something else I love is when sources say, “No one knows what happened,” because I think it’s fun to combine actual history with imagination.
What do you love about historicals and why? [Read more…] about A Royal Christmas 12 Author Hop
What makes us want what we want…what blend of genetics and environment makes some people love to play or watch sports and others subscribe to the opera, while others don’t understand the allure of either? There’s wanting…then there’s craving, defined by thefreedictionary.com as “A consuming desire, a yearning.”
Look how far many people go to get tickets to the World Series or Hamilton…. How much they’re willing to pay beyond the norm. I’d call that craving. Because, for the Cubs, it’s probably once in a lifetime? Because Hamilton is a truly great show supported by extensive hype (it seems every day a Facebook friend posts the now-requisite Hamilton selfie)?
I crave something not once in a lifetime, not on occasion, but almost every hour of every day. It’s legal, affordable, and almost everywhere I go: sweets. The craving is strong, demanding, making me fight it many times a day. Such as, but not limited to, whenever I:
Lately, I’ve been avoiding making a few life and career decisions. One is whether or not to move. I’m leery of making the wrong choice and/or making a mistake…especially after spending significant time and effort. Yes, I know that no decision is a decision in itself. And that wrong choices/mistakes can often be corrected.
In case I do decide to move, I’ve embarked on a project: going through all of my stuff. I don’t consider my place cluttered, but do have hundreds of books and many closets. Being a writer, I love my research books and those on keeper shelf. Then there’s the to-be-read shelf. It hurts to donate any of them, but some must go. Being an actor, I never know what I might need to wear for an audition or a booking, so I have a wide variety of options. Yet surely some things can be added to the pile.
This morning I worked on my coat closet, organizing bins holding hats and gloves. I came across this pair of green leather gloves with gold and metal decoration. I don’t know where I got them or if they were a gift. I’ve never worn them, because they’re that nice, and enjoy admiring them from time to time. Keep? Try to sell them on e-Bay? (I’ve been looking up a few items and am surprised by the low prices. How does an individual make enough money to make it worth the time to take pictures, post and follow the sale, and pack and ship the item?) Or actually wear them? [Read more…] about Clear your closets & clear your mind?
I’m excited to announce that my novella My Enemy, My Love is now available as part of Kathryn LeVeque’s Kindle World, World of de Wolfe Pack!
Kathryn asked me to tell the story of her hero Sir William de Wolfe’s best friend Paris de Norville’s parents. Her book introducing Paris, The Wolfe, starts at the end of 1231 AD. So to make him the right age, my novella needed to be set around 1200 AD. I like to incorporate some real history, so I searched for events around that time. And chose King Philip II’s 1203-4 siege of Chateau Gaillard. [Read more…] about My Enemy, My Love releases today in Kathryn LeVeque’s Kindle World!
In addition to writing romance novels, I’m an actor. Because I usually don’t get more than 24-hour notice of auditions or sometimes even VO and OC bookings, I don’t always have control over my schedule.
I might set aside an afternoon for my work-in-progress only to learn I have an audition for, say, a national TV commercial, at 2:55 the next day, and may have lines and/or specific wardrobe and/or hair to prepare. Often the specs and storyboard or copy don’t arrive until the end of the day. Of course I’m thrilled for every opportunity to practice my craft. [Read more…] about Prioritizing when your schedule isn’t in your control
I’m honored to announce that AT HIS COMMAND won BOTH the Best Historical and Best First Book 2016 Booksellers’ Best Awards.
And this week a reader wrote, “I started reading ‘At His Command’ and didn’t stop until I was 20% in. Wow, what a wonderful story!!! I was actually angry at the clock for passing so quickly. I can’t wait to return to it but wanted you to know I LOVE it so far!!”
Yet despite such wonderful accolades and praise, and though I’ve (temporarily?) reduced the price to .99, I’ll share that sales have dwindled to a trickle. [Read more…] about AT HIS COMMAND: Double Booksellers’ Best Award winner!?
