I’ve been watching and reading news about how digital books, such as the Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader etc are (read are already) going to change the way readers purchase and read books. This change from the printed page has brought an interesting shift in how people view the end product, my stories, my life’s work.

There are some readers who think that books should be free or cost very little. The ease of obtaining books in the form of a digital electronic file makes easy to get, makes it seem like air, free, I guess.

This mindset is hard for me to understand since I spend 6-12 hours a day writing and dealing with the business of writing. I think that most readers don’t understand this, the writing life. And don’t realize that just eliminating the paper, ink and postage from the product, my book, doesn’t mean that the product is worth nothing. Or be given away free.

Few except those of us in the “bizness” understand the commitment and the mental strength and emotional determination it takes to write not just one story, but many. And in addition, to stay viable or salable in the public and very competitive market of books. I’m hoping that this frank discussion of what it takes to be a writer and stay a writer may help others understand what I do everyday. And why it’s important that authors are allowed to benefit from their labor.

First of all, I’d like to give you some idea of what I receive in $$ for my work. It takes me 6-12 months to write a book from the first ideas about it till the final manuscript is written and in the hands of my editor and finally accepted by the editor. That’s a long time and there are many stages in that process which I will be writing about on the Tuesdays through March and April on my blog.

So talking about $$, have you ever wondered what a writer earns from a book? Drop by my personal blog http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com next Tuesday and I’ll give you the real deal. GRIN

The prize? The first copy of my June book, Her Abundant Joy.

I’ve made one resolution for the new year. I’m not going to let the crazy details of the writer’s life drive me NUTSO.

I mean I have no control over anything except what writers I associate with, what editors I submit to and what I write. I can’t control anything else!

So I’m going to ignore the frustrations of this crazeee bizness I decided to get myself into.

Wish me luck!

Her Patchwork Family, my second Love Inspired Historical was released yesterday. This is a new line from Steeple Hill. I’ve truly enjoyed writing this book about a woman who loves children more than herself. And the man who falls in love with her. If you’re interested, drop by my homepage www.booksbylyncote.com and read all about it!

If you’re not already a member of Chapter A Week, now’s the time to join and invite a friend! Here’s the link to join. Then read on about one of the periodic book giveaways and how to be included.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChapteraWeek/join

Christmas is just around the corner! So we’re giving away another ten-pound box of autographed Chapter-a-Week books to one Chapter-a-Week member. If you get a friend to sign up (and they mention your name in their email) you’ll be entered twice! The more friends you sign up the more times you’ll be entered!

Simply send an email with “Chapter-a-Week Christmas Giveaway” in the subject line to cawcontest(at)gmail(dot)com and you’ll be entered in the drawing. We’ll draw the winner November 27th, the day after Thanksgiving so the books will arrive in plenty of time for Christmas!

Get your entries in and be sure to tell your friends to sign up for Chapter-a-Week!

To qualify, the return email address must be on the Chapter-a-Week membership list. Continental U. S. residents only, please. Industry professionals should refrain from entering, and though we’d love you to share our books with your friends, these books are not for resale.

Thanks and happy reading!
Your friends at Chapter-a-Week