Blurbs Sell Books

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Philip Rivera

Title: Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles

His minivan is his chariot. His mower is his weapon. Enter the whimsical world of suburbia's favorite underdog.

Meet the average Joe who’s a father to three, a husband to one... a hero to all. When he’s not fighting crime in his fighter-jet-cloaked-as-a-minivan, he teaches high school and patrols the ‘hood for story material.

In Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles, an ordinary guy conjures up extraordinary tales about his family, marriage, and teacher job. He's the man who's making mortgages, meatloaf, and the middle-class sexy again.

This is the anthem of those who envision mowing and mopping as legendary movie scenes. These comically self-deprecating short stories will inspire you to take a fresh look at the wondrous, valiant and touching moments in everyday life.

Dive into Suburban Luchador: The Cul-de-sac Chronicles and ride shotgun on a domestic road trip of epic proportions.

Humor is all about balance. Be mindful of when, where, and how often you add moments of relatability and ridiculousness. 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Caroline Muntjewerf

Title: Bel Amour

New love makes her feel uncertain. Buying her dream home makes her a target for murder. Can she silence the ghosts of the past and find love for the future?

When Kate Jennings arrives in Memphis from London to expand her business, falling in love with an upcoming Country Music star was the last thing on her mind. On top of that, her newly purchased home harbours ghosts. Literally. She could not have foreseen that acquiring this property would involve a 22 year old cold case murder. With the help of her cousin she starts investigating to silence the ghosts of the past for good, but the murderer's son is on a mission to silence her. But when she witnesses her new love passionately kissing another woman, Kate seriously starts to doubt if her latest venture on the other side of the Atlantic, was a clever move. In an impulse she rushes to the airport and, broken-hearted, flies back to London where fate follows her … 

If you like inherited secrets, unforeseen love, self-reliant women, then you’ll surely love Caroline Muntjewerf’s novel Bel Amour.

Spice up your blurbs with a few well-placed idioms.

Don’t forget to visit storyonthespot.live to check out all the hijinks!

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

(In the future) on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Elysia Nisan

Title: Deviants

She's disfigured. She's frightened.

...And she's powerful.

Left behind and cowering in the shadows, Rose is condemned to the ghetto of post-apocalyptic Lower Earth.

But when the enemy comes out of hiding, Rose must make a choice.

If she's takes action, she could be disappeared - or worse.

If she doesn't, an assassination could threaten the delicate balance that keeps Lower Earth at peace.

Despite the daily violence and ridicule of Rose's life, in her blood runs something stronger than perfection.

You'll be sucked into Rose's world where it's lawless in the alleys and fascist in the streets for this dystopian thrill ride.

Get it today.

What choice does your protagonist face? What consequences will follow their decision?

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

(Sorry about the audio issues! We had to cut out the first five minutes due to technical issues.)

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: A.J. Robinson

Title: Fighter's Heart

Lena

MMA superstar Jase ‘The Wrangler’ Rawlins is mouthy, conceited, and hot as f*ck.

Two weeks out from a championship fight, he’s landed himself in P.R. hell.

And now? He’s my problem.

My boss wants me to fix his image and make sure he isn’t arrested before he steps foot in the cage.

But there are only so many miracles a girl can work, and I can’t help someone who won’t let me in.

Jase

Lena LaFontaine is a walking fantasy.

All buttoned-up blouses and ass-hugging skirts with passion simmering beneath.

I want her—for more than making me look good.

The problem? She thinks I’m guilty of a violent crime.

And if mixing it in the ring has taught me one thing, it’s that trusting your team is everything.

If Lena can’t back me 100%, then she and her pouty lips are off limits.

Fighter's Heart is a standalone MMA romance with a cocky alpha hero and a sassy heroine who knows how to keep big egos in check. It has a HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.

Be aware of possible redundancies in two person POV blurbs. How can you present a common goal in two unique ways? 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Kate Jones

Title: Shadows of Darkness

Dark Revenge. An impossible task. A troubled teen who must find her belief in magic and in herself if she is going to live long enough to fulfil her destiny.

Charley is an orphan and a loner, bullied at school and with no real friends. When she loses everything to the beasts of the Dark Master, Moloch she has no choice but to follow a mysterious girl called Violet into a strange world where magic is powered by the forces of light and dark energy, and nothing is as it seems.

The great Crystal of Light that protects Elorysia, has been broken into eight shards by the very people who are supposed to guard it, and the hunt to find the hero of an ancient prophecy has begun. Violet seems to think Charley is that person, but Charley is determined to prove her wrong; after all, she doesn’t believe in magic.

As she begins to discover the truth about her heritage, she must choose between the lesser of two evils—help Violet, or try to return to her old life. But, if Moloch is to be defeated, the shards have to be found and the great crystal artefact restored. Violet’s world is in grave danger and only one person can save it.

Will Charley learn to believe in herself and magic before Moloch destroys all light and turns Elorysia into a wasteland of darkness and death?

Shadows of Darkness is the first book in the exciting new Daughter of Destiny YA Fantasy series.

Fans of Hogworts, Narnia, or Mordor who are looking for a dynamic and modern twist on a fantasy, will want to grab a copy of this gripping and enthralling new series.

Don’t skimp on revisions! One small positive change can have a ripple effect on the rest of your blurb (but only if you can spot it).

(psst. Critiquing other blurbs is a great way to develop this “spotting eye”) 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Laurie Clark

Title: Cinderman

A woman haunted by her past. A man haunted by his gift. A demon determined to have his fun. 

Ryder has the power to send souls to heaven, whether they deserve it or not. As a sin eater, he can send them to a peaceful eternal rest, as long as they can pay him – an arrangement he has become increasingly uncomfortable with. When sadistic Isaiah Borden hires him to use his talents, Ryder finally draws the line. Or at least he tries to. 

Ashley has been living with depression and pain for over a decade, ever since the night Borden violently killed her sister. With Borden's death she thinks she might find some peace. But it is only the beginning of an all new level of hell. 

The Cinderman, like Ryder, is a sin eater. He could send souls to a peaceful, eternal rest, but as a demon he can’t resist sending innocent souls to eternal damnation – just like he can’t resist innocent yet tormented Ashley.

It is up to Ashley and Ryder to stop the Cinderman – but they have to defeat their own demons first.

Whenever possible, use two (or fewer) character POVs in your blurb. Oftentimes foils make great candidates for blurb pairings. 

Refresher: 

“In literature, a foil is a character that has characteristics that oppose another character, usually the protagonist. The foil character may be completely opposite to the protagonist, or very similar with one key difference. The foil character is used to highlight some particular quality or qualities of the main character.”

Visit www.storyonthespot.live to check out Jim’s awesome storytelling experiment!

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Rachel Ann Smith

Title: Secrets of Lady Lucy

It’s never easy keeping secrets…

Only her desire to crush the Crown’s enemies could induce Lady Lucille Stanford to endure another Season. For years she has worked secretly for the Home Office, and she has come to London with one purpose: foil the attempted kidnapping of a highly valuable target, identity unknown. Inconveniently, Lord Harrington—Lucy’s brother and guardian—has other plans. He won’t be satisfied until she is at long last married.

He never forgets a face …

After years on the Continent, Blake Gower, Earl of Devonton, returns to England in need of a wife. He should not be surprised when his best friend Harrington’s sister recaptures his attention. But there’s more to the woman Lady Lucy has become than the delightful girl Blake remembers. When she takes an unexpected jaunt to the country during the height of the Season, Blake is determined to know why—and to discover all Lady Lucy’s secrets.

Unwilling to give up her patriotic mission for marriage, Lucy is conflicted when she meets the enigmatic Lord Devonton. She never expected to feel this way about a man again.

When the ransom demand comes due—will it be for Lady Lucy’s heart?

Secrets of Lady Lucy is the first book in the steamy Agents of the Home Office regency romance series. If you like unconventional heroines, hero’s with hidden talents and romance with a twist, then you’ll adore Rachel Ann Smith’s fast paced series opener.

Download your copy to uncover the Secrets of Lady Lucy today!

Don’t be afraid to take a little time to set up series-spanning organizations, locations, premises, etc. in your first-in-series blurb. 

Want to see four thriller authors pitch story ideas live in a crazy competition?

CHECK OUT STORY ON THE SPOT!

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Benjamin August

Title: Perjure: Welcome to the Multiverse

A virus escapes from a lab and ravages an ancient kingdom in another universe, and Carter must help it spread if he ever wants to see the Earth again.

Your universe has died. The Earth has been destroyed. Everyone you love is gone forever.

That's the first thing Carter hears when he wakes up in a facility owned by the ultra-advanced Watcher Government. They tell him he's a Detached, doomed to roam from universe to universe, space-aged world to stone-aged world, for the rest of his life.

But Carter wants to go home.

When a sentient virus that controls its victims' bodies escapes from a Watcher lab into the primitive kingdom of Cribdahl, Carter is horrified to learn that he needs the virus's help to revive the Earth and all the people who died. Unfortunately, the Watchers are currently chasing it down with particle pistols.

How far will Carter have to go to see his family and friends again? Or better yet, how far is he willing to go?

Welcome to the Multiverse is the first book in the Perjure science fiction series. If you like futuristic tech in ancient settings, gritty realistic violence, and stories spanning across multiple worlds, you'll be obsessed with this epic tale.

Buy Welcome to the Multiverse right now to experience the biggest scifi world ever created.

For any “fish out of water” story, first establish your main character’s “water.” Consider how his or her expertise, experiences, and core beliefs clash with the new world. 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: Benjamin August

Title: Perjure: Welcome to the Multiverse

A virus escapes from a lab and ravages an ancient kingdom in another universe, and Carter must help it spread if he ever wants to see the Earth again.

Your universe has died. The Earth has been destroyed. Everyone you love is gone forever.

That's the first thing Carter hears when he wakes up in a facility owned by the ultra-advanced Watcher Government. They tell him he's a Detached, doomed to roam from universe to universe, space-aged world to stone-aged world, for the rest of his life.

But Carter wants to go home.

When a sentient virus that controls its victims' bodies escapes from a Watcher lab into the primitive kingdom of Cribdahl, Carter is horrified to learn that he needs the virus's help to revive the Earth and all the people who died. Unfortunately, the Watchers are currently chasing it down with particle pistols.

How far will Carter have to go to see his family and friends again? Or better yet, how far is he willing to go?

Welcome to the Multiverse is the first book in the Perjure science fiction series. If you like futuristic tech in ancient settings, gritty realistic violence, and stories spanning across multiple worlds, you'll be obsessed with this epic tale.

Buy Welcome to the Multiverse right now to experience the biggest scifi world ever created.

For any “fish out of water” story, first establish your main character’s “water.” Consider how his or her expertise, experiences, and core beliefs clash with the new world. 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]

Today on the show, author Jim Heskett and copywriting guru Abigail Dunard tackle an author-submitted blurb to dissect it and understand how to write killer sales copy. 

To watch video of this episode, view it on Facebook at Best Page Forward.

Here are this episode’s read-along selections:

Author: MZ Lowe

Title: The Case of the Wicked Web

A picture tells a thousand … lies

As plucky photojournalist in the Middle East, Ryanne Dax has negotiated with desert warlords and eaten sheep’s head. But nothing prepares this human/gremlin mix for the family’s real business.

At her aunt’s cryptic plea, Ryanne returns to the Alaskan hometown she fled decades earlier. Only to find her eccentric relative missing and accused of unleashing a lethal enchantment.

With the help of an intrepid welsh corgi, a vampire drag queen, and a garden gnome addicted to Shakespearean insults, Ryanne pursues every lead ignored by the sheriff.

Except, more bodies drop and the video evidence implicates her aunt.

Now, Ryanne must race to untangle the web of family secrets, while dodging her werewolf ex and comforting a haiku-spouting espresso machine.

Can this misfit photographer develop a clear picture of the truth before the artifact kills again?

The Case of the Wicked Web kicks off the HAVEN: Alaska series set in the Finders-Keepers story-world.

If you enjoy a colorful cast of kitchen appliances, small town shenanigans, and a middle-aged, non-witch sleuth with more determination than a corgi smelling bacon, then you’ll love this paranormal cozy.

Buy your next wholesome read today and solve the riddle with Ryanne.

Don’t just consider what you should cut from your blurb. Make every piece of info earn its place. 

Want to submit your own blurb for consideration? Fill out the form at www.bestpageforward.net/podcast or send an email to [email protected]