COLLABORATION: The Unclassified "C" Word!

By Author Sharon Hamilton

I think every author who wants to grow and get better learns that working with other authors can be not only fun and profitable, but it can also be a huge teaching opportunity.

I've had the fortunate experience to be in about ten boxed sets, several Kindle Worlds, and numerous joint cooperative ventures for name recognition and for cross-promotion. As good as I am, and I'm not claiming to be the best of the best, I just don't reach everyone. Especially not today, when FB and other social media outlets trim or control some of the "stickiness" and interfere with reaching out to the masses. They seem motivated to sell advertising, or boosting. How their algorhythms work is a great mystery and gurus and social media pundits have guessed at the many secrets.

Who knows?

But one thing I've discovered is that by working with other authors, I learn from them. I learn where they market, how they promote, where their advertising dollars are best spent, what genres they write, how long they write, what their fans say and how many of those fans like my books as well. We call this the great crossover effect.

No one knows how long it lasts, or when we have to stop and start working with new people and "give fresh blood" to new groups. But I think the bottom line is we always have to change.

I said never again to Boxed Sets and Kindle Worlds. I think I even wrote an article for this blog "I'm Boxed Out."Hitting lists is great. Making money is great. Learning new things is priceless. And I've made some of my very best friends this way, too.

So here are two new collaborations I'd like you to check out:

Duty, Honor & Love

Anyone’s happily-ever-after is never a given…it must be earned--something these military heroes have learned the hard way. 

Sink into this sexy collection of binge-worthy reads from eleven of your favorite New York Times, USA Today, and a few new-to-you authors. 

All proceeds will benefit the Semper Fi Fund (https://semperfifund.org), a non-profit organization that assists post-9/11 wounded and critically ill vets from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L5MTAES…
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/duty-honor-love-1
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1148317712
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duty-honor-love…/1124481558…

Sharon Hamilton, J.m. Madden, Elle James, Susan Stoker, Kathryn Le Veque, Marissa Dobson, Maryann Jordan, Elaine Levine, Ryleigh Rhodes,Geri Foster and Dana Marton.

This set is now live, and was originally going to come out on Veteran's Day. But why wait? We released it early. We did this set not for fame and fortune, but to give back to those who sacrificed, and continue to do so, so we can have the lifestyle we now have. So I can be a crazy writer.

St. Helena Vineyards Kindle World

Marina Adair, Wall Street Journal and #1 worldwide Contemporary Romance author, asked me to be part of her Kindle World: St. Helena Vineyards. I am finishing up my novella for the launch happening October 5th.

What makes this really exciting is the fact that her novel, Autumn In The Vineyard, was made into a Hallmark movie, and it debuts the same time as our launch, on October 8, on the Hallmark Channel. Marina got to go on set with the actors, watch several scenes being shot, and even meet "Larry The Llama", who wandered around the set and affectionally sought out hugs from the cast and crew when he could get away with it.

Today is my day to host the FB page, so stop by and say hello. You can learn all about the World and the other stories in this fun Small Town romance, featuring some of the most famous wineries in the world. What a lovely spot to fall in love, right?

My novella is entitled, Love Me Tender, Love Me Hard. Here's the blurb: 

His leg is the reason he’s off the SEAL Teams, but it’s his heart that hurts the most.

Derek Farley has a lot of time on his hands now, but what he really wants is to get into trouble. If he could just show Remy he didn’t need her he could perhaps walk away a free man. So what else does a bad-ass former Navy SEAL explosives expert do? Enroll in culinary school in St. Helena! He might make a great pastry chef, if he can get that arrow out of his chest.

Remington Bolt is a crack shot at lethally wounding every man who’s ever tried to tie her down. But her almost forever man comes back, stirring up the pot of sweet tasting memories and mouth-watering fantasies. He’s got her oven stoked. If she’s not careful she’ll be dessert.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/StHelenaVineyardKindleWorld/

And here you thought summer was winding down. With what I have in store for the rest of the year, I'm just getting started!