This local author is grateful for readers

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 15, 2017

I am a sophomore again — at least when it comes to books.

On Jan. 17, my second young adult fiction novel, “Damaged Goods,” greets the world. “Scarred by her childhood spent in captivity, Blanca struggles to recognize friend from foe.”

“Damaged Goods” is the sequel to my first book, “Genesis Girl,” which came out last year. Both novels are published by Month9Books, a publisher in North Carolina.

If I created a T-shirt line, it would say “I Heart Herald Readers” because so many of you have rooted for me on my path to becoming a traditionally published author. You email me, tweet me, follow my Facebook page, invite me to your book clubs and libraries, and most importantly (at least when it comes to publishing) have left reviews for “Genesis Girl” on Amazon and Goodreads.

One question I am frequently asked is “How many copies of ‘Genesis Girl’ have you sold?” The truth is, I have no idea and will not find out until I see my first royalty statement.

Since Month9Books is a small publisher, “Genesis Girl” is not automatically stocked at major retailers like Barnes &Noble. It is available to order if you request it, and some independent bookstores like the Edmonds Bookshop have been incredibly supportive, but most sales happen online. What this means is that I will probably never be a New York Times bestseller, but that “Genesis Girl” still seems to be doing quite well based on other factors.

OK, this is the part where I brag a little. Foreign rights have been sold to Turkey! “Genesis Girl” and “Damaged Goods” will both be translated into Turkish. Plus, if you look on Instagram and search for the hashtag #GenesisGirl, you will see pictures of my book that readers from all over the world have posted.

On YouTube, there are video reviews of my book as well. But the best thing, at least regarding numbers, is that “Genesis Girl” has 110 reviews on Amazon.

I do not know exactly how it works, but in my imagination, there is a gorilla who works at Amazon and wears a bowtie. Every time a new review comes in, the gorilla throws bananas at his monkeys and shouts “Activate the secret algorithm! Let’s promote this book!”

The more immediate reviews a book gets, the better the chances for making those monkeys dance.

Authors from big publishers in New York City have a much easier time getting reviews because some publishers send out hundreds, if not thousands, of advanced review copies before a book releases. Still, reaching that golden 100 Amazon reviews number is a huge deal, even for authors from big publishing houses.

So the fact that “Genesis Girl” is holding its own — at least when it comes to Amazon reviews, is an accomplishment.

Most of the time I am a stay-at-home mom, but sometimes I am a dreamer.

Many people have helped my dream of becoming a traditionally published author come true. Thank you, Herald readers, for supporting your hometown girl.

Jennifer Bardsley is author of the books “Genesis Girl” and “Damaged Goods.” Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as The YA Gal.