A CALL TO ACTION!

Benajah's Keeper springs from project I began while in high school. It originally spanned no more than 60 pages and had a very youthful plot. Six years ago, I decided to revisit the document. Now it well surpasses 300 pages, and the manuscript has also received very positive reviews by both beta readers and professional editors.

As you have read (or should read!) here Benajah's Keeper is set in a world where vampires govern man, beginning with a prologue entitled “Genesis." The plot arc begins when the reader is introduced Evanna, the heroine of the story. To quickly describe her “adventure,” Evanna leaves her beloved vampire guild (Benajah) to complete a bloody assignment; while on this mission she is introduced to the realm of human beings on an entirely new level, plagued by dreams of a past life, and finds controlling her emotions a difficult task. While incorporating many of the characteristics of Urban Fantasy novels today, Benajah's Keeper also touches on the importance of loyalty, family, and being true to who you are. I like to call it a “coming of age” story...with vampires.

However, the publishing world today is somewhat difficult to penetrate. It's not simply a matter of finishing a manuscript, sending it off to a publishing company, and having a published book. There are agents involved who you first have to convince to represent both you and your work. Then they find a publisher. It is a long, time consuming, frustrating, and difficult path. 

I have decided to self publish with a company that offers global distribution, availability online, in bookstores, on the Kindle, and other e-readers. The main downside to self publication, however, is the marketing of your title relies greatly on self promotion and word of mouth. That is where you come in.

That being said: I need your help!

What I am asking: Read my book!

It can be purchased from Amazon in both hardcopy and digital form (coming soon); when you've finished, leave a review. Secondly, I am hoping to form a “street team.” It's fairly simple: you let people know about my book.

Here are some ways you can help:

• You could go through your contacts and contact people you think would be interested in reading my book.
• Social media: like, tweet, share, or submit to your favorite sites.
• Stop in at a local library or an independent bookstore and see if they would be interested in carrying my book. Just ask if they are open to self-published work and if the genre fits with their customer base.
• If you REALLY wanted to be more involved, I am considering putting together promotional packets which would have flyers, bookmarks, etc...that you could leave at local coffee shops or post on public bulletin boards.

These are only the few simple ideas I have come up with, but I am sure there are more. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know. I can't guarantee a reward if you choose to become involved. I am not giving out prizes or money for new readers; it is my hope that my work will be enough to convince you to help me. However, I would gladly compensate you by returning the favor on any of your endeavors.

I truly believe that I have written an entertaining novel that people will love and it's my goal to simply get exposure. With your help, on some distant day, you might be able to say to any stranger on the street that you “knew that girl when...” or you “taught that girl to read/write/live...”.

If you want to get involved, have any questions, suggestions, please reply or send an email to aeryn.dougan@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your time!