The Authors Hideout: May 2022

Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a one-month book tour and book giveaway for Naked & Not Ashamed: The Transformational Devotional Experience by Chanelle Coleman. The book tour will run May 2- 27, 2022.

ISBN: 979-8985407600

Genre: Spiritual

Chanelle Coleman Wesley is a native of Milwaukee Wisconsin. She is the creative powerhouse of CeCi’s Ink, an innovative storytelling company that conveys stories through poetry, books, playwrights, blogs, fashion, and motivational speaking. Chanelle is significantly inspired by her late mother’s, Brenda J. Coleman, penchant for prolific storytelling and developing a strong sense of faith. As a survivor of abuse, Wesley believes in passing on the communication skills she developed to cope in those environments. She is also an accomplished playwright with her latest project, a gospel stage play entitled The Beautiful Truth About an Ugly Lie to be released soon. She strives to empower individuals who have lost their ability to advocate for themselves by challenging them to recognize the power of their voice. Her greatest accomplishment, however, forever remains becoming a mother to her six beautiful children and “GiGi” to her two adorable grandchildren.

Naked & Not Ashamed is a transparent conversation between Sisters. One that allows both the writer and reader to expose themselves without fear or sense of condemnation. It’s a journey towards healing that allows us to dialogue without masks, charades, or pretense. We explore familiar stories of women in the Bible. These powerful narratives of trial, triumph, failures, and flaws show the resiliency, redemptive and transformative power of encountering Christ. I also reveal personal experiences of my own Christian walk with all its ups, downs, twists, and turns. But the most amazing part of these chronicles is you! Right now, you are writing your story. Are you living with pain, grief, and regret that needs to be released? This book is designed to help you see your own undeniably powerful narrative. I want to challenge you to see the hand of God in your life and urge you to find the ability to tell your story. We accomplish this through journal prompts, activities, prayer, etc.

Tony instantly began screaming and yelling. I continued to bite down harder. I continued biting and grinding my teeth until I couldn’t bite anymore. I let go. He fell back onto the bed. I jumped up out of the bed, my heart was pounding, terrified I opened the door, and I was met with darkness. Hurriedly I ran out past the dining room, through the hallway to the kitchen. Panicked, I reached the back door. I began pulling on the door, but it was locked. Fear seized me as I began fumbling with the knob trying to unlock the door. The latch finally twisted up and I raced up the back-hallway stairs. At last, there was light. I ran as fast as I could through the open kitchen door. The light continued to welcome me as I forged ahead running through the hallway past the bathroom and my aunt’s and grandparent’s bedrooms, the dining-room and into the living room to the couch where my grandmother was sitting. I distinctly remember her shocked expression as I pounded towards her as she sat there speechless, on the couch holding my baby brother. I felt relieved and a sense of security momentarily came over me until my grandmother spoke. She stared at me, with her mouth opened in shock. She screamed, “Chanelle, you’re naked! Where are your clothes?” Momentarily, I had forgotten that I was naked, but the awful realization of my nakedness began to cover me like a garment. It was the evidence of my pain, humiliation, and fear. I stood there breathlessly as I gasped, painting for air, naked and ashamed, I told her my story.

10 Things I’ve learned since becoming an author

Before you begin to write, know your target audience. Who is this book intended for? Are you helping them solve a problem? What aid can you give them? This will help you in the writing and marketing process.
Don’t wait till your book is published to begin talking about it. Start sharing information about it at its conception, the moment you decide to write, and continue until the idea of your book becomes a reality.This way your readers will have the chance to accompany you on the journey. They will feel invested in your book.
Begin building relationships and networking with authors. If you truly want to become an author then you must begin to put yourself into the same environment as your counterparts. Seek to establish genuine connections with authors who write in the same genre, share an identical target audience and have a similar size following on social media platforms as you. You may be able to develop opportunities where you can share each other's platforms, cross promote, co-author a book together, etc.
Begin identifying seven streams of income you will gain from the book. It could be anything including but not limited to workbooks, journals, merchandise, courses, workshops, speaking engagements, audiobooks/ebooks/ or the book is translated into other languages etc.
Join groups and begin to give value to these communities. By the time your book is published and you announce the launch date, you will have acquired an audience that you have established a very important marketing principle with know, like and trust.
Begin developing your email list immediately. Start a blog or vlog. Use it to create an interest in joining your list. This list will become extremely valuable to you as you begin to market your book.
Be intentional about getting reviews. Reviews are extremely important to writers because they are important to readers. It provides a first-hand account of what the experience of reading your book was like. Readers pay close attention to the sentiments expressed by fellow readers.
Use a sales funnel. Create a lead magnet that will allow you to establish, know, like and trust within your target audience. Your freebie should give an enormous amount of value. Strive to exceed expectations for your freebie. The freebie should allow you to add the consumer to your mailing list and lead them to want to purchase the bigger ticket item that compliments the book this may be a one-on-one mastermind call, enrollment into a paid group, a course, workshop, training etc. By adding the person to your email list, you can convert the contact into a brand consumer later.
Seek opportunities to write guest posts on blogs. This will introduce you and your book to potential connections.
You're writing a book. Shout it from the rooftops! Get comfortable with talking about your book. When the book is released, you'll appear to be a pro.