You Can Either Be a Voyager or a Voyeur

Thank you very much for featuring me here during my Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour, which launches my contemporary romantic suspense, Lancelot's Lady. Today I'm going to talk about taking risks―or not.

About a month ago, author JA Konrath blogged about doers and watchers and I'm sharing with you my response to his post. You can either be a voyager or a voyeur. Or as I said on Konrath's blog, you can be a doer or a rubbernecker. But you won't get far by just watching.

Back in 2003, I decided to take the plunge and take some huge risks. I quit my job and dedicated myself to writing full time. I took another huge risk and self-published my first novel, Whale Song (written under the pen name of Cheryl Kaye Tardif).

Whale Song is now not only a national bestseller and an Amazon bestseller, it's had a lot of movie interest, it's used as mandatory reading at a women's shelter in Georgia, it's used in a NATO school in Europe for novel study as well as some Canadian and US schools, and it was recently endorsed by actress Jodelle Ferland, from Eclipse fame.

And all because I went out on a limb and did something that many thought was "wrong". So many people told me self-publishing would "ruin" me as an author, that no one would take me seriously. I was constantly being told that I'd never get picked up by a traditional publisher and that no agent would touch me.

But I'm a doer. I never let other people's perceptions get in my way. I WAS picked up by a traditional publisher and a very respected New York agent took me on. He's now pitching three of my novels and is very supportive of everything I do, including publishing my own ebooks. Every risk I took has paid off. Every obstacle people told me I'd have has been overcome.

As soon as Amazon opened its Kindle Store to Canadian authors a few months ago, I jumped in with both feet. I now have 5 Kindle ebooks out and another coming out on September 27th (Lancelot's Lady). While I'm not selling at the level JA Konrath is, I've seen a steady increase in sales each month.

There are two kinds of people in the world: those that do and those that don't. In other words, those that do and those that just think about doing. Life's too short to just think of doing anything. If you have a passion, follow it; life's too short not to. As Nike says, "Just do it!"

Not only do I "do it", I teach other authors how to do it―how to get published, market their books and follow their dreams. Dare to dream...and dream BIG! That's been my motto for years.

Lancelot's Lady ~ A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.

Lancelot's Lady is available in ebook edition at KoboBooks, Amazon's Kindle Store, Smashwords and other ebook retailers. Help me celebrate by picking up a copy today and "Cherish the romance..."

You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com. Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

Are you a voyeur or a voyager?

Leave a comment there, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

ellen george suggests you take the plunge and read Lancelot's Lady!  Cherish (Cheryl Kaye) is right - Too often we sit back and let others do what we only dream about. Take the plunge and enjoy!                                                              ellen george

From Cherish D'Angelo