It’s hard to sell a book, and getting harder

Selling books for a living is hard. At Chapters Indigo, I met Yahaya, who was selling his novel, Struggles of a Dreamer. It’s a sugary mix of Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Richest Man in Babylon.

As shoppers passed by, he humbly asked, “May I tell you about my book?” That takes a lot of guts and time, and I respect the effort. Nice guy. I bought a signed copy.

Yesterday, I joined the Crime Writers of Canada. (Huzzah! It was long past time I got around to that!)

This morning, their first missive to me was a newsletter announcing, among others, the best crime novel set in Canada. Salt on Her Tongue looks great! I was immediately intrigued because I grew up in Nova Scotia, seven miles from the Bay of Fundy.

But here’s the rub: Published in June 2025, the novel has but one review on Amazon.ca. (Canucks, stand up!) Alas, no reviews on Amazon.com.

Best Crime Novel Set in Canada

Sponsored by Shaftesbury with a $500 prize

C.S. Porter, Salt on Her Tongue, Vagrant Press

Animated by the intense fog and turbulence of the Bay of Fundy, as well as the personal struggles of the varied characters who take the reader on this gripping journey, Salt on Her Tongue keeps the reader engaged through masterful pacing and startling revelations.

The jurors pointed in particular to how well the author evokes the geography, maritime life and weather that forms the setting, and how well it amplifies the conflicts and mysteries in the plot. Also, the characters, from salty locals disdainful of big-city practices to wealthy and powerful elites, are drawn with a clarity that brings them to life, making the reader see their unique perspectives. Notably, the detective’s self-awareness of her mental fragility helps the reader see inside her head, empathizing as she persists despite barriers, including that the people around her seem to be trying to hinder her investigation. Further, the scope of the plot is engaging, convincingly telescoping from local corruption to an unexpected plot twist sure to leave readers satisfied.

Looks great! But sadly, not visible enough. (Yes, I’ll be getting a copy. I’ll check my local bookstore today.)

Re: Marketing

I’ve been in this position, and it’s uncomfortable.

Vengeance Is Hers has been out a year and has stalled at five reviews in the States and seven internationally. I admit, I didn’t launch it correctly. I simply tossed it out there, sent some emails, and posted a few ads, hoping it would catch readers’ eyes and Amazon’s algorithms. Alas, that was not to be.

I love Vengeance Is Hers, but what does my love for my work matter when it comes to the book marketing side of the publishing business? People who read it tend to enjoy it a lot, but few have read it.

As I prepare for the launch of the new series, Fear-Death Experiences, I’m going at it differently. I’m looking into engaging a publicist, Booksprout, and a launch service with Reedsy. I’ll set up a pre-order as we hunt for more readers interested in getting advance review copies.

Meanwhile, Amazon has changed its review filters, probably in response to receiving false reviews, reviews written by AI, and too many AI books. If a book gets too many reviews all at once, for instance, the AI reviewer might flag the reviews for deletion. Way to go, Amazon. In your quest for more organic reviews, you’ve made it harder for authors to reach readers. The same wave floods all boats.

This is one of the reasons I’ve taken most of my catalogue wide. You’ll find most of my books are no longer exclusive to Amazon. Draft2Digital has my work on library services and book platforms everywhere now. (Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Tolino, you name it).

Whatever the struggles of writing and publishing, I persevere. It requires time, talent, persistence, business smarts, and stupid, blind optimism. It’s no great burden. It can be very frustrating, but I love the writing life.