Rebelious rules by Kristina Gallo

My new book will release on 16th June. Are you ready for a suspense thriller with war elements? A betrayal, revenge, and fatal women, all in one book. A short blurb: Twenty-four years after his grandfather was shot in gunfire, Amir joined the criminal group and seeks for revenge. He is working in Austria, coming home for weekends to his wife Jelena. She feels lonely, can't get pregnant, and suffers from anxiety. Dating gigolo Stefan will open Jelena to new possibilities. Hungry for adventure, she will move her boundaries. Meanwhile, a war criminal Aljoša escaped from prison. How is Stefan connected to him? Amir has an obligation to do, as a devoted member of his family. Trapped between two options, which he should choose? Check out this link for an e-book:   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VY6R9VG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i11 For paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Unfinished-business-Kristina-Gallo/dp/B0B3KB6XRZ/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I know that unpleasant surprise when you click on your Amazon link and the number of your reviews is getting smaller. Two years ago Amazon deleted my eight reviews. The author who made these reviews got removed account even she purchased the books. Amazon's logic is next: Amazon will get banned paid reviews. So, avoid paying promotional services for their reviews. They will delete biased reviews. They will delete reviews if there is no track of purchase or KENP read. They will delete reviews if they notice swapping. Also, abused and violated reviews will be deleted if someone reported them. Biased reviews are those reviews from your friends or family, where they praised your books. Amazon will see your connection and delete it. If you want to protect the review from deleting, purchase the book, or wait until the book will be free and click to download it. What is totally unfair from Amazon, and it is present a few years ago, are ratings without explanations. If you scroll around au...

The problem with indie authors is about the visibility of their books. Your book can be interesting and great, but it is not important if nobody is seeing your book. Indie authors are millions on Amazon. We are drowning in the crowd, hoping to get some crumbles in selling our books. How to jump out from the crowd? The main step is to create your community. If you think you will publish a book in Kindle and wait for sales, you will never sell the book. Some ways how to make your book visible? Create a newsletter. Your newsletter needs subscribers, and if you have many subscribers, you can notify your subscribers every week about news in your writing, interviews, videos, reviews.  Make an interview. I made four video interviews with various writers who were hosting me. Make a group for writers . Nothing connects people more than talking about common interests. Gain many followers on social media . Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. You never know how will read your books. Promot...

The book is done. It is published on Kindle and all you need is to sell it. That is the hardest part, because how to sell a book when millions of indie authors want to do the same? How to make your book visible? How to make your story jump out from others? I will mention seven ways I used to sell my books. It doesn't work the same way for everyone. Promoting your book on social media. Share your link on Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, and Pinterest. You never know who will see it. It is recommended to make a good, professional cover because buyers will buy a product that looks like a real book from the library. Make a selfie or video with your book. People like videos, living images, and trailers, so do it on Tik Tok or Instagram to make your own marketing. You can do a paid promotion on professional sites for book sales. These promotions have variable costs, depending on genre, you can invest 10, 20, or 50 dollars to promote your book on their site and share it in their ...

Greetings to my readers and everyone who will be my reader in the future.  I have a new book. This awesome cover is made by Red Cape Publishing. My thriller suspense is available on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GFZPLXH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 Treat yourself for Christmas and purchase my new book tomorrow, on the release day.  What is it about? The blurb: Living in different parts of the world, Dijana and Antonio would never meet. Dijana is a journalist who is looking for inspiration for a story. Antonio is a family man, a workaholic. When Dijana comes to Brazil to visit her younger sister, their paths will cross. The event from the past is hunting him. The act of burglary will wake up his fearful doubts and bitter memories. A reminiscence on the affair with a woman called Mermaid damaged his reputation. His family is in danger. Who is hating him so much to want him dead? Another victim will pay for sins, and whose turn is next? I have never been to Brazi...

Before three years I gave a lot of free books. I don't remember the number, maybe over 100. Did you guess how many reviews I got? About ten, not more. Also, some of my reviews were deleted by Amazon. The reason was: "there is no track of the book." What does it mean? When you see a mark above the review, that says "verified purchase", it means that your reader bought a book or got it with Kindle Unlimited. If your reader is outside of the USA, his review will appear also in one of the Amazon countries (16 in total), depending on which state he is in. Mostly my readers are from the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany.  When you ask for a review, as an author, you will offer ARC copy. That is a double-cross because you don't know will you get a review. If your reader is buying your book, it means you will probably get a review sooner or later.  Why is a verified purchase important? Amazon will not delete your review if this is a verified review. You are giving resp...

Someone bought your book? You got a review? This is excellent news. But, always there is some catch in having potential fans. I am happy when I can deal with normal people, who will buy and read my books, without asking for something extra from me. After all, I am not Agatha Christie, I am not rich and I can't donate my money. It was a guy in Goodreads who liked my profile photos and left a review on my book. Then he started to send messages asking for my private life. I cut this off. He deleted his review, disappointed in his treatment. I was in a position of the reader too and I was never interested in a sort of private communication with some handsome, male author. We can joke and exchange our writing experiences, but to annoy someone is a different point of view.  Often on Instagram, I met some guys who pretend they're interested in my book and then start with their "how are you? do you have a husband?" questions. Or, they ask where to find my books even I clearly...

  I have a long TBR list. I made it by myself, nobody pushed me, even some people tried :) The point is, I support some people.  I support books I like, these deserve my attention. If I don't like a book, I will not review it. Recently I saw Goodreads deleted my 10 ratings. Even though I don't prefer Goodreads, I support this decision because ratings come from people who did not read my books. That leads me to the question: Why do some people rate books automatically, even if they did not read them? Do you think you are helping authors? No, you are spamming. I saw three profiles on Goodreads who did it around. My 12 books got a 5-star rating without explanation.  I feel the same as they got 1 star. Because I click on these profiles, I saw they rated over a thousand books with 5 stars, again, without explanations. I understand not everyone is a book lover. Some people want to seek attention, claiming they are reading books. They want to be present in the author's world....

  Dear readers, I have awesome news.  My thriller suspense, Hanging on the roller coaster is in preorder and the release date is 17th August. If you want to have a book at a discount, here is the preorder link. https://www.amazon.com/Hanging-Roller-Coaster-Kristina-Gallo-ebook/dp/B092VW8GRQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1622191940&refinements=p_27%3AKristina++Gallo&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Kristina++Gallo This story happens in Verona, Gardaland, and partly in Pula, Croatia. While riding the Roller Coaster at the amusement park Gardaland an accident happened to Adela. She fell from his seat and finished into a coma condition with brain injuries. Soon doctors discovered she was under a drug influence. Her fiance Dominik is seeking answers. The track will lead him into the world of the mafia and debt collectors. Some people don't want Adela to wake up because she knows secrets that will ruin their lives. If you read my books before, you know that I write without l...

Getting an Amazon review is the biggest accomplishment for an indie author. Your book will get noticed as many as you get, especially if these reviews are from successful authors. Here is a catch: you need to spend 50 dollars a year on books to be a reviewer. Also, you must be careful what you post as a review. Your review is under conditions. You can't insult the author. You can't abuse the author. You can't be an author's friend to praise his work, you must be objective. Your review can't be a tool for revenge, to ruin the reputation of other's writers. If you don't follow the rules, you will be reported and Amazon might delete your account. Also, if you beg other authors for a swap, Amazon can forbid you to review. So, many readers will not spend 50 dollars on books. They will not have terms to leave reviews. Amazon is cleaning reviews once a year, their algorithm checking eligibility.  Also, some readers expect you will pay for their reviews. Some don...

Many authors will give their books for free for the purpose of promotion.  Their expectations are: Many KENP readers, because the book is free. Many reviews, because the book is free. With many ratings, the book is free. Reality is not so dazzling. People will grab a free book, but many will not read this. Some of them will give bad ratings or bad reviews, and the minority will give a read. When you see something free, your first thought might be: well, this is not worthy it. If this is a quality, it will be priced. Giving your book free might give a wrong impression : This is an author I never heard about. This is a low budget. This is a trashy read. When you give your book for free, it should be targeting the audience.  You expect a reader's circle, so the blurb must be well described, the cover must be professional and the story must be edited. Also, if you have more books, let other books have a price.  You are offering a free book but as a representative pattern of y...

Let's assume people want to support your books. There are some genuine souls who really want your success and they would love to help you. Good intentions are not enough, you need to know are those people are your readers or this support is only formal. What kind of readers you can meet? Some people will share your book links but never open them. There is no use, they do it automatically. People will congrats you, but they are not interested in what are you doing. This is a usual phenomenon, people want to support you for some reasons, but your books are not interesting them. Maybe a guy wants to approach you to flirt, maybe your friend wishes to support you, but their real intention is to be close to you, not to read your books. People will support you expecting you to do the same. "Read my book I will read yours" is a common deal, but not always recommended. You read his book, he never returned. Or he pretended to read, but you can see from the review it is only formal....

Hello authors. I bet this is the question you ask yourself very often? What is wrong with my book and why is not selling? Why others are selling books and I can't manage it? Now is a year since I am selling my books. Croatian bank was not in the American bank system so I had to wait 3 years to get my money from Kindle. So, there are worse things than passive readers, agree? I will not lie, it is not an ideal position, and I am not Stephen King or John Grisham.  I learned a few things and I want to share them with you. The cover. What is the first thing that attracts the reader? Your book cover. If you want to buy the book in the library, I am sure you will take the one with an interesting cover. The same is with e-books, you will pick a book by the cover. Professional covers are expensive, but sure you can invest some money and find a suitable price.  The blurb. Now, you want to know what is a book about, before you buy it, isn't it? That is similar to a movie, you will read...

  I decided to write a book in a series after I read reviews for part one, "The Seller of Sins". It inspired me to spread the word further. In first book, a married couple is described in detail, their stories are parallel, and the present and past are tangled. What made Karolina cheat, and what made Filip do the same, is explained in the first book. In the second book "Redemption", I made more details. The mysterious character, Blanka, deserves an explanation, as the end of part one was uncertain. Readers can interpret the story in different ways, to judge Filip or to judge Karolina. Karolina wanted a child, and Filip wanted to taste the life of a playboy, so their conflict was inevitable. Adriana is a new character who is moving the plot.  In the role of Karolina's virtual lover, Omer will get an important part in the second book. Now, their meeting is real, so they will have more possibilities. If you were judged by the community because you don't have a...

I was scrolling through profiles on Goodreads. Many of them look like trolls, they read about 200 books and rated them with 2 or 1 star.  Now, I am wondering, are those people just haters, do they throw books in the trash or is it something else behind this? As a reviewer, I always like to explain my choice. If I give a bad mark, I will tell you why I think so. I will never be a person who will just rate a book without explanation. Even worse, some people rate book on Amazon, you can't see who did it, there is just this one star, like an egg to your face. Tell me that my book is a piece of trash, it is boring and terrible, but don't be an invisible troll who is just bragging about numbers. You remind me of a kid who throws a rock at a neighbor's window and runs away before he finds out who did it.  To be objective, I don't like five stars rating without a review, too.  Someone wants to help me, but he did not read a book?  He did not buy a book but he brags it is exc...

Every writer wishes to sell his books. We want primary purpose, to reach an audience, readers who will buy our books. What makes difference between amateurs and professionals, is how they talk to the audience. If you hit an unknown internet user with a message "Hello! Will you review my book? I kindly ask you to read and review my story.", there is a big chance that you will get blocked. No wonder, you remind the reader of a beggar who is standing in front of your door, asking a favor.  Reviews are the main tools for sale, but how to get them? Why should someone read your book when you have millions of indie authors and books online? Why should someone buy your book when you have free books online? From my experience, how you represent yourself is the key to your sales. I have twelve books, various genres. How to - self-help books. I don't have an intention to lecture someone. I transfer my personal experience. In this way, I clean my soul from my mistakes and give you s...

  When the woman said NO, a man must stop his intimacy. Natalija said NO even though she fell in love with Denis, but he did not stop. This is a blurb of my new book. This is not a classical story about rape and revenge, this is a psychological analysis of the victim and her rapist. Natalija is spontaneous and naive, and Denis is a spoiled son raised in a rich family, he is the one who thinks the world is under his feet. His appetite will be bigger, but it is not enough to possess Natalija, he wants to earn money for her because she is the authentic victim.  Natalija's boyfriend Bruno is not someone who would protect her, he was not a man enough until he was pushed to the edge. His priority is his sister Maja, their parents died so he wants to be a father and brother at the same time. In these circumstances, he forgot about his girlfriend who needs attention and he turns her back.  Natalija stays alone, she is struggling for survival, and her appearance is her tool, she w...

I am scrolling through social media and notice many indie authors on Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. When you ask people are they reading books, many will say without shame they don't read. In the age of technological progress, people are so busy that they have no time to read. Hear and see, those actions have an advantage over reading. Tik Tok is based popularity on videos and teenagers will brag they don't read. If they read, they wish to read about how to make money or get famous. I made a poll on Tik Tok, 70% of people said they don't read indie authors. Based on the teenager's pattern, they probably think about how reading is a waste of time.  This makes my next question : Why write and who will read? First, you must reject the old stereotype of how the author is an old man with glasses or authoress is an old lady who is boring and not pretty.  Nowadays, authors use social media, and technology and they look great. More than ever, your appearance is impo...

  My book "The Seller of Sins" got a silver badge in the content of TCK Publishing, with 170 votes. Thanks to my followers and friends who voted for me, I got second place in the category of general fiction. My book is a mix of drama and erotica, filled with sarcasm. I wanted to write an unusual book about marriage that struggles with routine, misunderstanding, and dealbreakers.  Filip and Karolina are not a usual couple, they have different plans and they look in different directions, but they are staying together as long as there is a chance to make a progress. After some reviews, I decided to write a sequel, to polish my characters because some readers said the end was rushing.  My cover gave a hint, the background is tragedies, depression, and the impossibility to deal with life. What comes next, you will find out in February 2021.

Many indie authors offer their books for free in the hope of getting reviews. It is a noble guest and generous, but there is no profit from this in the long term. Why? People will get a book free, and then they will not leave a review. Sometimes you can get a review if you repeat you need it, or if a person is your friend, but unknown people are not obligated to review, so in general, they will not do it. If you show your audience they can get every book for free, you show they don't need to pay for your work. It is not about money, it is about your rating. You invested in your book, cover, formatting, and editing, and now you should give a book for free? Indie books are cheap. The E-book is between 0.99 cents and 3.45 dollars, and this is small money. Kindle will take their percentage, and you can't get much. But, your product must have a price, you are not a charity. Even if this price is symbolic, still your product is marked for sale. Ask people, do they remember how much m...