Kickstarter

Hi backers,

This will be the last update you receive via Kickstarter from me. For those of you in the $25 and up category, I will have your paperbacks to you THIS MONTH (!), so if you haven't yet, please email me your mailing address to shawndrarussell@gmail.com. However, if you live in the Savannah area (or feel like making the trip!), we are having a paperback pickup at The Rail Pub from 5-7 p.m. on Friday November 30 plus an afterparty to celebrate "officially" at 10 p.m. It's also my birthday celebration = double the fun!

It's also a bittersweet celebration because after this party, I will be shifting my attention away from Couple Friends and to my next book. So, this is the last push to get the word out about Couple Friends, and I ask that you please help me end this ride with a bang by:

1) Leaving a review on Amazon! This is the #1 way you can help a budding author. I only have 12 reviews so far and there are 71 of you. You can create a secret identity, use your initials, whatever, so no one will even know it's you (including me!): http://www.amazon.com/Couple-Friends-ebook/dp/B0092U7Y2G

2) Tell any of your friends and family that bought the book to leave a review (Broken record, I know). 

3) Let your networks know that after November 30, the price will increase to $7.99, so this is the LAST MONTH they can order it for $4.99.

THANK YOU so much for being a part of this wonderful journey. I hope for bigger and better things to come in 2013 for all of us!

Much love,

Shawndra

Hi friends, family and fabulous backers,

This Friday, my book club that I've been a part of for about three years will be discussing Couple Friends, which marks the first book club discussion about my book. It's pretty terrifying but also exciting. So, if you're in Savannah, I hope that you will come out Friday to Isaac's at 9 Drayton at 7pm as moral support and to ask questions and discuss the themes that are relevant to our "real" lives that I wrote about in the book: love, friendship, marriage, identity...

If you can't make it or haven't had the chance yet, PLEASE go to Amazon and leave a review. I could really use the boost to arm myself against any negative comments that might come out of Friday's discussion :) There's one person in particular that is usually pretty harsh that I'm bracing myself for...

So far, I'm 93 reviews shy of my goal of 100 reviews. Reviews are the #1 way that people will take a chance on an unknown author. The cool thing is, Amazon actually emails you whenever someone buys a book after reading your review, so you will get some feel-good karma too! Just as a fun experiment, go look up your favorite book on Amazon and see how many reviews it has. If it's popular, a bestseller, or has been made into a movie, I bet there's over 100 reviews. For example, The Devil Wears Prada has 1,064 reviews. Wow.

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday, and thanks for your continued support. Here's the link so you can leave a review if you haven't yet. THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!

http://www.amazon.com/Couple-Friends-ebook/dp/B0092U7Y2G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350223779&sr=1-1&keywords=Couple+Friends

Hi lovely backers! I sent a Facebook message out recently about my first negative review that was sort of heartbreaking but of course also a reality. Several people reassured me that you haven't made it until you get your first negative review AND not every single person in the world is going to love what I do. BUT it does make it SUPER important that you all leave a review if you've finished so that people aren't deterred from buying Couple Friends because of that one negative review. There are 71 of you, and my goal is to get 100 reviews (we're at 6 so far, 5 good and 1 bad). Please take 5 minutes this weekend and log in to Amazon and leave your review. You have all already done so much for me, and I hate to ask for more, but I'm not ready to give up on Couple Friends being a success and I know it can be with your help!

Also, I hope to get the paperbacks ordered and shipped this month. Please email me your mailing address if you haven't yet at shawndrarussell@gmail.com. Also, I've had a few non-backers ask for a paperback, so if you know of anyone that would like one, please have them contact me and I'll add it to the order. They will be $10--and would make a great gift for the upcoming holiday season...;) I'll sign every copy too!

Thank you again for your support and help. I have three events this month about the book (Kickstarter panel October 11 in Savannah, Kickstarter panel in Atlanta October 16, and my book club is reading and discussing Couple Friends for this month's meeting on October 19!), so I am REALLY hoping that October is the month that Couple Friends takes off which is possible because of all of YOU!!! Please join me at any of these events if you're able to or in these areas, and I am hoping to do a book launch party sometime this month too (will send details ASAP).

Much love,

Shawndra

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let y'all know that I am hanging out online all day today to help create buzz for Couple Friends and answer any questions anyone might have about the novel, my writing life, or anything else you want to know! Please share this message today if possible (since it's the online party day!) with friends and family via email and your social networks so that they can take advantage of the introductory price of $2.99 before it goes up on Sunday, September 23 at midnight (I extended it one week).

Remember, ANYONE can read an ebook on ANY device (computer, phone, tablets) by downloading the FREE Kindle reader app: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And here's the post link with information about the THREE free copy giveaways going on right now and the online party spots :) 

http://www.shawndrarussell.com/2012/09/16/links-to-join-the-online-book-launch-party-and-conversations-today/

THANK YOU!!! Have a wonderful day, and I hope you'll join me for an adult beverage at some point today on Facebook--I posted the a pic of the Bloody Mary I'm sipping on right now :)