Starting this week, I'm going to start introducing you to some of the friends and family we'll start seeing in my Heroes of Grant's Crossing series. Wayward Guilt - Heroes of Grant's Crossing Book 1 has been out for a month, and Safe Now, Book 2, will be out in early 2024.
In the meantime, I'd like you to get to know some of the characters you'll meet in that novel.
Amazon has something called Kindle Vella, which allows authors to tease our readers by telling stories one chapter or one scene at a time.
For my part, I'll be introducing characters with my Grant's Crossing Family & Friends series on Kindle Vella, starting with Tara Bailey. Born and raised in Grant's Crossing, Ohio, Tara is one of Ken and Helen Bailey. One of four siblings, all with names that start with T (I couldn't resist!), she's a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she roomed with her best friend, Celeste, whom you'll also get to know.
The story starts with Tara living and working in Chicago, IL, for an organization that helps rescue and revitalize small, family-owned businesses, much like the bookstore her parents own back in Grant's Crossing.
Click the picture above to be taken to Tara's story and while you're there, please click the follow button.
In the meantime, while you're mind is trying to grasp what I mean by episodes, let me tell you about Kindle Vella.
Kindle Vella is a platform where authors who don't wish to publish an entire novel at once. It's meant to be episodic, much like Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories he originally published in the Strand Magazine back in the day. Don't get me wrong, there's no way I'm comparing my stories to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, but hey - the format is the same.
I plan to post Episodes 2-3 days per week - once I figure out how far in advance I have to do that. I'm still figuring that out, to be honest. I'll drop several in the first week to get you all started.
Click here to check out Kindle Vella.
Here are the basics:
- Authors publish stories made up of a varying number of episodes.
- Each episode is 500-6000 words. That's 2-20 pages each, more or less.
- The first 3 episodes are free.
- After that, readers unlock episodes using tokens they buy via Amazon. Prices range from $1.99 for 200 tokens and up. The number of tokens required per episode is driven by word count.
- Give or take, my episodes for Tara Bailey's story will range from 600-2000 words.
- Most episodes end with a quick poll to allow for interaction between authors and readers.
This is a screenshot of my token count. When you visit Kindle Vella for the first time, you start with a handful of tokens. (I can't remember the exact amount). There are also occasions where you can claim additional tokens, which is what I've done. I'll try to keep you posted as that happens, but I currently have 700 tokens, and so far, they've all been free. I've only read a handful of stories so far, so I'll keep you posted on that as well!
As an author new to Kindle Vella, I don't know how this is going to work out, but I like the idea, especially for secondary characters whose stories don't always get told. I like it for deleted scenes, much like a printed version of deleted scenes you see on DVDs. I like it for short stories with a handful of characters I plan to include in every book, but who might cause shenanigans over in Vella.
(Ahem... the Tres Widows. Good ol' Berneta, Lizzie, and Abigail. They were mentioned in Wayward Guilt, but you'll meet them in earnest in Safe Now! Heh. Heh. Heh.)
Please try out my Grant's Crossing Family & Friends on Kindle Vella. My first episodes drop on Tuesday, August 15. For those of you who have tried Vella already, what do you think?
That's it for today! Please follow me online and pick up your copy of Wayward Guilt - Heroes of Grant's Crossing Book 1. Links are all below.
