Every month, I post sales and social media numbers in an effort to remain transparent with readers and fellow authors. I hope the gesture sheds light on the fact that every writer’s journey is different. There can be more to crafting a story and bringing it to readers than being a #1 Amazon bestseller for a week!
March was ROUGH for online sales. The only book I sold in all formats was a hardcover on Amazon (which is strange in itself). The book dragons, who love collecting hardcovers for their hordes (and I love them for it!), usually grace me with their presence at live events or via my website for direct sales.
The beginning of the year is regularly a low selling season for me. Since February, I’ve been settling into a full-time corporate job, which means a new routine, so my online marketing efforts were non-existent. One of my personal goals for 2026 is to be more consistent with that channel. The reminder, via low online sales, that I haven’t worked toward the goal is frustrating. Then a few fellow readers gave me another reminder which boils down to: That’s okay. Take care of yourself so you can continue to write.
This month I’ve planned a “Low-to-No Spice Urban Fantasy” BookFunnel group promo, so Alex will be beaming out to inboxes via author newsletters this month with a $2.99 (instead of $4.99) price for the Fear the Wolf e-book. I usually pair that with an online ad in a third-party, reader-focused newsletter. Hopefully that will give a bump in online sales.
March brought my first two live events of the season, Mona Shore Comic Con and Third Coast Book Festival. Both were fun, and I sold those books. I want to mention something here that I feel is important. Fear the Wolf: Alex Steward Book 1 was published in September of 2023. At these events, two and a half years later(!), I’m noticing that readers, who began or have read the series, are returning to my booth. They’re purchasing the next book in the series, bringing their copy of my book to be signed, or simply stopping at my table to say, “Hey, I wanted to tell you in person that I enjoyed your book.”
For me, that’s the good stuff. That’s success.
Here are the March numbers:
March 2026 Sales
- Audiobooks: $0
- Print books: $6
- E-books: $0
- Website direct sales + payment link sales (all book formats): $0
- Bookstore direct sales: $0
- Live events (all book formats) – 2 events: $503
- Total: $509
March 2026 Social Media Growth
- Author Stefanie Gilmour on Facebook: 337 (+2)
- Author Stefanie Gilmour on Instagram: 387 (+29) – mostly due to Third Coast & a Women in Horror Con I attended
- Author Stefanie Gilmour on “The TikTack”: 607 (0)
- Stef’s VIP Mailing List: 318 (-4)