Does the title and length of a book influence sales?.

Last week I published the first of two Regency box sets. I already have two Duke Boxsets up on Amazon and these sold amazingly well -especially in the first few weeks. I was hoping for a similar result with my latest box set. Unfortunately this has not been the case - The Regency Boxset has not sold anyway near as well.
It has the same wonderful cover -is filled with three titles as good as the others -but has mad no impact at all. My conclusion -and I would be interested to hear your view on this -is that the title is the problem. A Regency without a duke in the title is never as popular.
I must elevate my lords to dukes for the fifth and sixth boxes - I was intending to call them 'Lords & Ladies Boxset One & Two -but maybe not.
As there were only around a dozen dukes around in the Regency it's amazing how many there are in fiction! In order to be a duke the family had to have been related to a King/Queen at some point in history.
Another strange thing that has happened is this. My sales in the US have fallen recently - used to be 60% US -and is now 30% - but my latest release, A Most Unusual Governess, has taken off in the US and not in the UK. The only difference I can see is that this book is a novella and nine of the others are full length books. My other 'best seller'  in the US was also a shorter book.  I'm hoping this is the case as my next few books will all be novella length.
Next week Anna Jacobs will be guesting here - can't wait!

Why More? The Allure of Sequels - guest post by Lindsay Townsend

This week I'm delighted to welcome Lindsay to my blog.  Go ahead, Lindsay, please tell us why you love to write a sequel.

Why more? The allure of sequels by Lindsay Townsend

Recently, Siren-Bookstrand accepted my historical romance 'A Summer Bewitchment'. This is a sequel to my historical romance 'The Snow Bride'.

I loved writing it. But why did I?

'The Snow Bride' is a complete romance in itself and can be read as a stand-alone title. Even so, when I had finished that story, I found the characters hard to let go. Magnus and Elfrida still had things to share with me and tales to tell me. Their differences in rank continued to intrigue me, also Magnus' battle scars and wounds begged the question, how deep did they go? I found myself thinking of them within their new home, in a summer landscape, and soon I had the first scene in my mind.

I was also drawn to write a sequel because I liked these people. I liked Magnus, his laconic, dry wit and rock-like dependability. I enjoyed the fact that he's the kind of Alpha male who doesn't have to yell about his masculinity all the time. I liked Elfrida with her fierce sympathy and deft skills, her courage and her self-doubt. They were challenging, interesting characters.

In 'A Summer Bewitchment,' the romantic conflict had to be different to that in 'The Snow Bride,' when the pair were learning each other and falling in love. Just as in real-life, Magnus and Elfrida have flash points in their relationship and I explored those. There were also new tensions I could build in. With 'The Snow Bride' I used the fairy story of Beauty and the Beast as an inspiration. 'A Summer Bewitchment' draws on the old, terrifying legend of the Pied Piper, who seduces youngsters away.

I am pleased with the resulting story, which takes Magnus and Elfrida to different places and different points in their relationship and marriage. I hope you will be too.

As a reader, do you enjoy sequels and series stories? If so, why?

As a writer, have you ever written a sequel to a story?

Links:

The Snow Bride:  http://www.bookstrand.com/the-snow-bride

A Summer Bwitchment:  http://www.bookstrand.com/a-summer-bewitchment

Lindsay Townsend website : http://www.lindsaytownsend.net

That was an interesting post -thank you Lindsay. Next week I am thrilled to have Anna Jacobs here answering questions about her writing.

Fenella J Miller

A Most Unusual Goveness

New title - out now.

I'm pleased to tell you my ninth book is now available on Amazon. This was written for D C Thomson and entitled 'A Dangerous Deception'. Two further novellas will be going up soon and a third box set next month.

Here is an extract -hope you enjoy it. This is a favourite of mine.

Chapter One

Cassandra had always known her name was unlucky and now she was sure of it. This morning her uncle had issued her with an ultimatum, she was to marry her cousin Peregrine or he would not be answerable for the consequences. Cassandra knew what this meant, her uncle, Sir James Digby, would not dare to incarcerate her in her room on bread and water, not after the last time he'd attempted it and she'd almost starved to death and still wouldn't capitulate. However, she knew that between them her aunt and uncle would make poor Perry's life a misery.

He was a dear boy, she loved him as a cousin, but if he had ever had two consecutive sensible thoughts, she would eat the cherries on her best bonnet. No – not even to save Perry would she be brow beaten into marriage with him.

She had no alternative. She would have to remove herself from Upton Manor. She had already formulated a plan for when this eventuality arose. The pressure on her to agree to become betrothed to Peregrine had been growing these past few months and now there was scarcely nine months to her majority, this was intensifying. Sir John was determined to get hold of her inheritance one way or the other.

Her companion, and governess, Ann Roberts had been summarily dismissed a year ago, but had found a small cottage in the village to rent. Cassie intended to buy a small estate as soon as she was one and twenty and then reside there with Ann, who had become, during the five years they had been together, her best friend and mentor.

She had no intention of getting married; she had been obliged to watch this institution destroy her parents' happiness. When they had both caught the fever and died whilst travelling abroad her mother had only been with her father because she had had no choice. They had been kind and supportive parents but had had made each other miserable. They had fallen in love, it was not an arranged marriage, but still it had been a disaster.

She had no intention of involving herself in such a union; as a wealthy heiress she would be courted for her money. Her intelligence and high spirits would be considered a necessary evil. A love match was also out of the question - look what it had done to her parents?

Quickly she donned her cloak and stout walking boots, then snatching up her oldest bonnet, a warm muffler and gloves she headed for the back stairs. The servants were on her side, and would not report her exit from the side door unless asked a direct question about her whereabouts.

A blast of cold November air whipped her cloak around her as she hurried, head down, through the park and out of the side gate which was the shortest route to the village. When she arrived thirty minutes later she was much warmer than when she had left. Her aunt did not allow her to have a fire in her chambers at Upton Manor.

She was almost blown down the short path that led to the front door of Ann's cottage. Cassie knocked loudly. Molly, Ann's sole servant, a young girl from the village, appeared, mob cap awry. The girl bobbed a curtsy and smiled.

'Come in, Miss Forsythe, Miss Robert's in the parlour and there's a nice fire burning, I can tell you. Shall you be staying for luncheon, miss?'

Cassie removed her cloak and other things and passed them to Molly. 'I expect so, for I shall get nothing if I go back.'

Ann Roberts, a woman with an unremarkable face but a neat figure and a pair of fine blue eyes, was in her thirtieth year. She had been with Cassie, first as governess and then as companion, until being obliged to leave her position. 'Come in, my dear Cassie, I didn't expect you today as the weather is so inclement. But you're most welcome indeed. I am sad company, I'm afraid, as I'm suffering from a severe head cold.' This last remark was punctuated by a series of sneezes and coughs.

'I had to come, Ann, it has happened as we expected.  I have to get away and am hoping we can now put the scheme into action.'

'I have been studying the advertisements in The Times this past week, my dear, and I think I have exactly the position for you. Look, one Jonathan Anderson Esquire, requires a governess - companion for his nine year old daughter. They live somewhere outside Ipswich, which I am reliably informed by the vicar, is in a county in the east of the country, called Suffolk. I'm sure you would be quite safe there for the next nine months.'

'Excellent. All I have to do is place the correct name at the start of the letter and sign the bottom. It will be a strange experience for me, being you. I only hope I have learnt enough these past years to bring the deception off successfully.'

'I'm certain no-one will suspect that you're not who your references say you are, my love. The dresses, and other things that you will need for your new life, are also ready. All I have to do is post the application this afternoon.'

'What if Mr Anderson rejects me? Or demands an interview? It would be impossible for me to get away from Upton to attend one. It will be difficult enough to do it once, but twice – never.'

Ann patted Cassie's hand. 'Don't fret so, my love. You will not be expected to travel all that way. My papers are impeccable – he would be mad not to snap you up. I'm certain not many well qualified governesses would wish to work so far away from Town.'

'I pray that you're correct. How long will it be, do you think, before we hear?'

'A week, perhaps a little longer. Can you endure for that long, my dear?'

Cassie sighed. 'I have no choice. Perhaps if I appear to be weakening in my resolve it will be bearable.'

'In that case, Cassandra, you must forget all about your problems and look forward to your future.'

New Titles - New Beginnings

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to being a grandmother for the third time. Charlie is certainly my darling. Having a new baby in the family is a wonderful thing and something we never expected to be blessed with. My granddaughter is at Oxford University and is 20 years old, my other grandson is 15 and taking his GCSEs. I shan't be quite such a hands-on grandmother this time although we will see him several times a week as my son and daughter-in-law live locally.
I'm afraid that writing and editing have been put to one side of the past few days but I have these two novellas almost ready to be published on Kindle very soon.

This is out next month.
(It should read ' A Mistress for Stansted Hall')

My new grandson - four hours old.

A Most Unusual Governess was previously published by DC Thomson several years ago and then was available through Regencyreads. A Mistress at Stansted Hall has the same history. There will be a third novella available at the end of July. I intend to have all my books published on Kindle by this time next year. The second part of Barbara's War is on my list of things to do before the autumn. I have already got a detailed outline of the book and started the research: I haven't written anything entirely new for over a year and I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to it or dreading it. As Barbara's War is receiving excellent reviews, and has also been given 'The IndiePENdents' Seal of approval, I think it important to provide my readers with the promised second, and final, part.  I am also going to attempt to put Hannah's War, Miss Bennett & Mr Bingley and Barbara's War on other platforms. I'll let you know when they are available elsewhere.

This book is coming out next week.

Jean Fullerton reveals the secret of good historical research.

Today I'm delighted to welcome Jean Fullerton to my blog. Her new book, 'Call Nurse Millie' is out on 23rd May. I was fortunate to be given a copy by Jean for my birthday and I read it in a day and a half. This book about the life and loves of a post-war nurse is her best book so far - and all her Victorian books were very good. Over to you, Jean:

As historical authors one of the things my good friend Fenella and I are constantly struggling with is how much historical detail to put in and how much to leave out of a story. It’s a conundrum and no mistake. After all, isn’t it the history that the reader is after? Well up to a point yes, but if they wanted just pure history then surely they would be better off with an history text book of a non-fiction account of a particular period of event?

Although, readers of historical fiction quite rightly demand that historical fiction be accurate to the time, place events and social attitudes of the period the story is set. And the operative word there is ‘story’. Even if based around actual people and events historical fiction is still fiction and it’s over all purpose is to entertain.

Now of course, the best historical fiction also educates and challenges you along the way but if it has failed to do what it says on the tin and you’re bored ridged by chapter three then…well, there’s probably too much history.

As I can get historically interested in a 1960s London Underground ticket for me there can never be too much history but when I’m reading I want the protagonists’ story to predominate.

I can understand why historical authors fall into the trap of squeezing in history and squeezing out the story because you do find out some brilliantly interesting period details.

The research I undertook for Call Nurse Millie had two strands one was the period the story is set in, from VE day 1945 through to December 1947, but also my own profession, district nursing. After gathering together and reading dozens of 1940/50s nursing and medical text book and nurse biographies I understood the various techniques and procedures used by the profession in the 1940s.

For example: I knew the way district nurses set out their equipment on a table before dressing a wound and the method for boiling syringes to give insulin to a diabetic patient but how to include this in the story without holding up the narrative with big blocks of description by telling the readers all the minutiae of the procedure. That’s the trick.

Well, the answer is that as a fiction author you have to build the historical world enough to ensure the reader stays in the period as the story twists and turns but not so much as they feel they’re in a history lecture. The secret is to slip in the details so the reader doesn’t’ even notice. Talk about the wireless not the radio. Your heroine picks up her meat daily from the butcher, vegetables that are in season – something we never think about today.

For the nursing detail I have Millie putting old newspaper under the bed sheet to absorb moisture, soaking her glass thermometer in Dettol, re-corking the bottle of iodine and rubbing surgical spirit on a patient’s sacral area to toughen the skin.  I also have her standing up when the matron walks in to the room and worrying if Alex Nolan, who she’s terribly keen on, will think she fast if she lets him kiss her on their third date.

Weaving in period details is very difficult and can tie you in knots. I wanted to show how important radio was in everyday life during the late 40s and spent hours searching for the correct timing for programmes like Workers’ Playtime and ITMA. There is always the temptation that instead of showing through dialogue how pregnant and nursing women had green ration cards, is to just explain the way the war-time rationing worked. If you want your reader to lose themselves in your story you have to wrap it around them like a warm blanket so they never what to leave.  

Thank you, Jean, for your fascinating insight into writing a historical novel.

 

The Hythe to Wivenhoe Railway Line - 150 years.

Wivenhoe Station Garden

 This week saw the anniversary of the arrival of the railway in Wivnenhoe. The mainline arrived in Colchester in 1843 and a branch line build by Peter Bruff in 1847. By 1859 the Tendring Hundred Railway Company was formed and the plan was to take the line to Clacton. The bill for the Wivenhoe line went before parliament in 1860 but legal wrangles and money problems delayed the railway until 1863.
Wivenhoe was already an active port for Colchester as vessels too large to dock at Hythe ran lighters to and from the Hythe from Wivenhoe. This was time consuming, hard work and expensive. The river was deepened in 1854 which meant Wivenhoe began to decline as a port.
The new branch line established Wivenhoe as a yacht building centre in 1870s and also as a major packing centre for oysters and sprats which arrived at the wharf in the Wivenhoe Smacks.

Wivenhoe from the other side of the River Colne.

The opening ceremony was marred by the death of 12 year old Emma Sainty who fell off a trolley and was killed when the wheels ran over her head. She is probably a relative of the well known Wivenhoe family of that name.
On Friday 6th may a single track opened and carried six passenger trains a day between Wivnehoe and Colchester. By October the shareholders were celebrating the line's success. It had already carried 11575 passengers and 1460 tons of goods, mostly fish.

Lady Mayor of Wivenhoe in Victorian costume.

Wivenhoe Station in 1950s.

Wivenhoe Quay today.

Steam trains.

1945 -Wivenhoe Quay.

New Covers - New Titles

Amazon £0.99

 I'm thrilled that my latest Regency romantic adventure, "A Runaway Bride" is now available on Amazon.uk and Amazon.com. This book was the last title I sold to Robert Hale and it was called, "Two Gentlemen from London". Not a very catchy title and I think the new one is much better.
'When Colonel Robert Sinclair and his friend Major Simon Dudley arrive unannounced, Annabel Bentley is greatly displeased. She and her mother, Lady Sophia, have been hiding from her stepfather, Sir Randolph Rushton, for years. Unfortunately Rushton is well-known to the colonel.
It is only a matter of time before their whereabouts are revealed and Rushton arrives to snatch them back… unless the two gentlemen prove to be more than chance acquaintances.


My second box set , The Duke Series Boxset Two, will be available next week. I'm just finishing the editing and then Jane Dixon-Smith will do the TOC for me. Two of the three Regency romances have been popular among hoping that the other title, The Duke's Deception, will become a firm favourite as well. I love this book as it is set in and around where I used to live. Great Bentley Green no longer holds horse races but it's considered to be the largest green in Europe.

The Duke Series Boxset Two.

House of Dreams
in supermarkets and W H Smith.

My fifteenth novella for D C Thomson is in the shops now. My Weekly Pocket Novel rebranded last year but this experiment failed to take off and they have reverted to the original format. However, the books are now categorised and mine, of course, is an historical.