Best Seller for a Day

I'd been reading about her you see. In fact I'd already written a blog about her a few hours earlier. That, and the release of Breaking Dawn, the new book in her Twilight series of vampire romances, made me realise just how successful she is - an out and out best seller if ever there was one.

I was feeling pretty dejected about the whole thing really. I mean, up to the release date of Breaking Dawn, she'd sold 7.5 MILLION copies of her books, and on the day of the release she got through another 1.3 MILLION.

I mean .... If that isn't a best seller, what is?

It makes my mind judder. I can't get my head around numbers like that. How does she do it? I know there's this theory about black swans and all that. I just wish I was a bit grey!

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In my wretched mood I turned to check the state of my novel on the Amazon sites.

My mood didn't lighten. No movement in the USA - well not upward at any rate. No movement in the UK - and all the time Stephenie Meyer was raking in more and more sales. It all seemed so grossly unfair.

Why do her books sell and mine not? I have good feedback, people seem to enjoy my book, so how does she get people to buy? What IS her secret?

I thought I already understood some of the principles - internet exposure - own website - running a blog or two - that sort of thing. So why was her campaign successful and mine not?

Disgruntled, I checked over the Barnes & Noble site. Still no movement. It seemed to me, no matter what I did, the public just weren't going to look at Without Reproach. It wasn't that it had bad reports. People just weren't buying. How DO you get Joe Public to rush out and buy.

I mean to say, if it was a badly written book, I'd understand. If it had bad reviews, I'd understand. But the few reviews it had were ALMOST raves - well they didn't say anything amiss - and they gave me top star points ....

Camilla Rose a prominent lawyer from South Africa even emailed to say she'd started to read it and thought it was "Awesome!" Well I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but she lifted my spirits no end, I'll tell you.

So why weren't more people buying?

I was getting more and more depressed, when I suddenly saw it. I'd clicked onto Amazon Canada and there it was. As beautiful as the most beautiful thing I can imagine.

I thought I'd seen it wrong.

I thought there should have been noughts after the Amazon ranking figure. But I'd seen it correctly. The book I'd sweated over, pored over and finally given birth to, was swathed in glory!

About the author

• ^{Anthony's short stories have been published since 1994 in magazines, summer specials and international competitions. His work has been broadcast on radio and recorded for audio books.}
• ^{Anthony's latest novel can be ordered online from Amazon, WHSmith and all good bookshops.}
• ^{Read Chapter One of 'WITHOUT REPROACH' free.}
• ^{Heartwarming stories - Short Moments}

Without Reproach had somehow or other squirmed it's way into the Canadian best selling list. at number 25 - not brilliant admittedly, but it was still there.

Why?

How and why weren't important, it had made it. I suddenly realised I LOVED Canadians.

It didn't last long - no more than a day to be honest. I've no doubt it's going to slither along and die quite soon. BUT forever I can claim I wrote a best seller.

I'll tell you what. It doesn't half make me feel good.

I'm not so envious of Stephenie now - well maybe a smidgen.

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