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This week the Self-Publishing Roundtable is switching from romance to horror & welcomes author J. Thorn.
Despite being the very busy author of such titles as Demons Within, and Portal Arcane 1,11, and 111, James somehow finds the time to organize and launch multi-author promotional events. One of the projects he’s been working on is a new site for authors to promote their box sets.
We’ll be discussing the strategies James has found effective through the course of his Indie career, as well as getting the backstory, rundown and results of his various author events/promotions. Join us for information packed show this Thursday, May 29th.
As always we’ll embed the video into this post just prior to the show airing. The audio will be available for download shortly after the show finishes.
Thanks, Trish. I’m looking forward to it.
-J.
Ohai. It’s business time 😀
First time getting here live! woot
Hi PiaSparks, better early than late 🙂
PiaSparks Now, if only I could manage tagging into SPP live, I’d be happy. Can never seem to manage it, tho, with one thing and another.
CateMorgan PiaSparks that one airs in the wee hours of Saturday morning for me. I prefer to sleep 🙂
Let’s get to know one another. Where is everyone from and what genres do you write in?
BatmanErica I’m in Los Angeles. I write romance. 🙂 And you?
PiaSparks New Zealand and I currently write sci fi and fantasy romances.
BatmanErica It’s business time so I need my business socks… It’s business… It’s business timeeee.
BatmanErica PiaSparks CateMorgan I’m in Florida, and I write primarily fantasy, but lately I’ve been trying out contemporary, sweet romance.
BatmanErica I’m Carl. I’m a New Zealand born male who is also a citizen of the UK and a permanent resident of Australia. I’m well travelled. I like beards and geek related things. I’m an Aquarius and I write fantasy and science fiction. I also run the Self-Publishing Roundtable and Geekwalker podcasts. My favourite colour is grey, like my heart.
BatmanErica PiaSparks Fantasy is definitely my first love, tho.
CateMorgan BatmanErica PiaSparks Because it’s the greatest genre ever. Well tied with science fiction.
Carl Sinclair you forgot long walks on the beach in the pitch black, armed with a weapon suitable of deterring not only kangaroos from eating you, but also sharks.
Carl Sinclair CateMorgan BatmanErica PiaSparks Agreed. When I was twelve I spent a summer with a broken leg–read through all my stepdad’s classic sci-fi paperbacks. Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlin–the whole lot.
What’s up everyone? I heard things are about to get horrifying in here
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair Lazer sharks. PLUS – Firenados. In an upcoming episode of the Geekwalker I’ll be taking viewers through an actual firenado zone here in Perth.
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair I’m still baffled by meat pie floaters. They should be disgusting, but are somehow awesome.
Carl Sinclair thoughts? http://www.deadline.com/2014/05/mgm-warner-bros-reboot-stargate/
Carl Sinclair Speaking of your Geekwalker podcast, wherein you once mentioned the upcoming Gotham tv show, did you also see that Constantine is also being made. It looks fairly promising, if the trailer is anything to go by,
CateMorgan Carl Sinclair BatmanErica PiaSparks Asimov was a genius.
Carl Sinclair gonna watch Jermaine in http://youtu.be/Cv568AzZ-i8 ?
I have a question – what do you think Disney should do with the Boba Fett spin off movie? http://carlsinclairauthor.com/bobafett/
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair No. Really? REALLY? Holy Wow.
Carl Sinclair A Weekend At Boba’s: Watch as two young Padawan have the zaniest weekend ever while they lug around the dead corpse of Boba Fett.
RemarkableReads You rang?
xgranville Carl Sinclair I’d actually watch that.
xgranville ROTFL
RemarkableReads the summer of speculative fiction has begun…
xgranville Carl Sinclair No no–he’s gotta be in carbonite.
CateMorgan xgranville Carl Sinclair It makes it even more difficult. And therefore: funnier.
Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads I’m pretty good at speculating. it’s the facts that I have trouble with.
xgranville CateMorgan Carl Sinclair Especially if the padawans have to use the force to move him around, and are bad/clumsy at it.
Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads My favorite kind of summer.
CateMorgan xgranville Carl Sinclair We’ve nailed it. Shall we pitch it to Disney? Could the Rock be in it? Disney love that guy.
CateMorgan xgranville Carl Sinclair They need to be good at enough just enough to spring for a sequel.
xgranville CateMorgan Carl Sinclair Weekend At Bobas 2: Han YOLO!
Carl Sinclair CateMorgan xgranville I think The Rock should play every role, Carl. Let’s stop beating around the bush, here.
Carl Sinclair CateMorgan xgranville I’m in!
xgranville Carl Sinclair CateMorgan He’s so good he could play the shark in Jaws.
Carl Sinclair xgranville CateMorgan Jawsfleck.
xgranville Carl Sinclair CateMorgan Affleck literally can play anything. He was the bomb in Phantoms.
Carl Sinclair xgranville CateMorgan Dear god–we’re going to be millionaires. o.O
Evening all.
LET’S SHINE A LIGHT ON THE DARKNESS
JayChastain Who let the JOOSE out?
xgranville JayChastain Chastain, try not to embarrass yourself
RemarkableReads xgranville JayChastain IMPOSSIBLE. He’s my kind.
RemarkableReads xgranville JayChastain Do or do not, there is no JOOOOSSEE!
BatmanErica London, Ontario. Working on writing sci-fi mostly with some thriller/horror elements.
Am I here??? Did I make it?
Carl Sinclair CateMorgan BatmanErica PiaSparks This is also when I first discovered McCaffery. *bliss*
michelleread No
PatrickStemp What up Stemp?
JayChastain michelleread Dammit
RemarkableReads PatrickStemp Reading and writing. Pretty much all my life consists of if I’m not at *yuck* work *gross*
If you refresh now the video should be in the post.
Neighbour’s cat he has decided to come watch the show with me
WAAAAASSSSUPPPP People!!
ArcherCaldwell WASSSSSSSSAAAAAAp
BatmanErica That’s me…shh
ArcherCaldwell Hey Archer. You gonna drop a post later on your big life decision?
JayChastain BatmanErica Not only can you be in two places at once, but you have the power of CAT!
JayChastain you’re a fat white cat with some black spots that eats things off my floor?
xgranville RemarkableReads JayChastain I can always embarrass myself. You just have to try harder.
ArcherCaldwell Sir Archer….
BatmanErica JayChastain Sounds about right
BatmanErica Charlotte, NC – I write mystery and thrillers (or at least try to). Still working on the prep work for my current project
We’re just about to go live.
JayChastain called Mickey and owned by a 6 year old girl?
BatmanErica I’m from Tulsa and I write about moms with super powers. Whatever genre that is, I have no idea.
PatrickStemp ArcherCaldwell working on it. decision not final, but i’m leaning in a definite direction
BatmanErica JayChastain Still sounds correct
JayChastain BatmanErica Being a cat makes it easy for you to get attention on the Internet. I wish I’d thought of being a cat.
PiaSparks JayChastain well Mickey is a big attention whore that lets me rub his belly.
PiaSparks JayChastain BatmanErica Yeah. I’m pretty genius.
BatmanErica PiaSparks JayChastain Yup. I was correct. That is definitely me.
BatmanErica Toronto, Ontario. I write a lot of mixed genres. Currently I’m finishing up two books, one, a neo-noir sci-fi satire called Dinosaur Noir (featuring a T-Rex like private investigator), and two, a psychological horror book called Now Hiring about a man who applies for a job that is nothing like it was advertised.
Carl Sinclair BatmanErica you’re an aquarius too. Tottenham. Beard. We must have been separated at birth.
Woah, Kevin is on the show. Special treat.
KEVIN IS ON! WHAAAAAAAT!
JayChastain LET’S FREAK OUT!
xgranville JayChastain Arhhhhhhh!
J THHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
JayChastain JJJJJOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE!
ArcherCaldwell Carl Sinclair BatmanErica Brother, my brother.
JayChastain PiaSparks
CateMorgan Carl Sinclair I did see that. Looking forward to that… in theory. Flash is coming too.
xgranville JayChastain Who’s Kevin? (Don’t let Kevin see this)
michelleread xgranville JayChastain The other guy with long hair
BatmanErica JayChastain PiaSparks OMG! It really is him!
JayChastain michelleread xgranville Yes I figured that!
ArcherCaldwell PatrickStemp You decided to go girl or stay as a dude?
Question for Monsieur Thorne: Are you still coding your mobi and epubs using HTML all old school and whatsit? Have you tried any other methods for compiling/formatting in the past year?
I had to let JayChastain out of the house, he was dribbling everywhere and it smelled funny >.< PiaSparks xgranville
Carl Sinclair ArcherCaldwell PatrickStemp can’t reveal here. working on a post. the art of the tease
michelleread JayChastain xgranville Kevin is a long time fan of the show, previous guest on episode number 39 in a very popular keywords show. He’s also blogged for us here on the website with some great info for authors. Go check them out on the blog page.
Anyone else having buffering issues with the youtube?
Carl Sinclair michelleread JayChastain xgranville In short, Kevin be Da Man.
Carl Sinclair michelleread JayChastain xgranville Oh yes yes yes!! I remember! He IS the man.
“I wanna do it because I love it.” …. Fucking beautiful.
Just signed up my box set on premiumboxsets.com :0)
Looks like I’m gonna be refreshing every few minutes. Dude, I got internet connection referred to as ‘warpspeed’ wtf?!
I’m a newbie so it probably won’t get approved, but it never hurts to push submit!
michelleread is the boxset all of your own writing or mult-author?
BatmanErica michelleread Multi author I went for the first page
BatmanErica Happens to me sometimes
michelleread Carl Sinclair JayChastain xgranville I’m no one. My cat has trouble remembering who I am.
BatmanErica michelleread I’m working on finishing the second book in a three book series and wanted to get another product out there betwixt titles. So I went in with another newbie.
michelleread how did you set that up? contracts, company specifically for the boxed set, etc?
How have the box sets affected the sales of your own books?
michelleread BatmanErica It’ll be a good experiment no matter what.
BatmanErica Handy that button.
What were the early mistakes (if any) you made in the process of getting authors together or getting the box sets together?
BatmanErica michelleread The other author wrote up a one page contract that said “I not a crazy. You not a crazy. Let’s do this.” And I signed it. We’re using her Paypal for all the sales and she’ll pay me half. I don’t know her, so I’m trusting a stranger, but we’ve been talking for a while about our similar-ish books.
Carl Sinclair xgranville JayChastain I think I just pooped my pants.
JayChastain The question is the bomb.
If you sell a whole whole bunch then .03 X a million billion is a lot.
xgranville michelleread BatmanErica That’s what I thought! It’s a measuring stick. So far it’s been fun. With only a few headaches.
how many authors are too many authors in that kind of collaboration?
Carl Sinclair have rebooted, so far so good.
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair xgranville JayChastain I was just telling my husband “It;s only a matter of time before someone says poop.” You are tonight’s winner!
Is that multi writer project what you were having people sign up for to brainstorm with you on your site?
A stack of previously published now unpublished novels because of mistakes. Same here.
What if no one is on your email list! (just kidding….that’s probably a question for another episode.) I’m gonna go pout now.
If you were going for shorter format stories, would you attempt to push print copies since the books could be smaller? Obviously a set of full length books would be a massive paperback.
michelleread We should do a mailing list show… good idea.
JayChastain and what are you doing to fix that? 🙂
BatmanErica JayChastain drink a lot of joooooooose
BatmanErica JayChastain Burn them and drink booze. That’s what i do.
BatmanErica JayChastain Writing different books instead of fixing those. 🙂
BatmanErica JayChastain Consume more Joose.
My husband wants to be involved in my laughing and fervent staring and listening to this laptop. So from the hubs I say “Balls.”
xgranville BatmanErica JayChastain You are all bad for my drinking problem.
michelleread Good response.
Carl Sinclair michelleread Yes. Do a show for how to get more than 5 people on your mailing list haha.
JayChastain xgranville BatmanErica since when is drinking a problem?
RemarkableReads JayChastain xgranville BatmanErica It’s a solution.
Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads JayChastain xgranville BatmanErica Obviously Jay, you are a problem for your drinking.
xgranville Carl Sinclair michelleread At least these two people will listen.
How does Thorn feel about Box Sets effects on the horror genre? Does he feel that it is helping grow the genre because of the box’s success?
I think a box set of horror would be an amazing purchase. I’ve never read a horror book, but I could get a box set and just stay up for a whole week being scared.
How far do you go with the themes for your box sets, as far as the “prompts”? Do you ever do indepth prompts, or are they lax like “dark horror” or “cyber-thriller” (more genre specific)?
Another huge fan of mutli-author boxed sets here! I did 3 back to back from April 1-May 5 and all three hit the NYT and USA Today lists (USA Today 6 times, NYT 3). We moved, like, 25-30K copies in the first week of each release and all are closing in on or have surpassed 50K copies sold each. Two were brand new novella-length collections and one was already published novels. 6-8 weeks out, I’m starting to see sales of related books rise and my newsletter signups are through the roof. These were also limited-time collections of 5-12 weeks. We used trackable links in one boxed set (Alphas After Dark) so we could track how far readers were getting in the set.
I had previously done a boxed set of my HRP series with a Bookbub ad that shot my sales through the roof. In romance, at least, boxed sets and bundles seem to still be a fantastic way to reach new readers.
RoxieRivera Thanks for sharing that Roxie.
xgranville I know you want him to answer…..but I took Kevin’s advice and put my book in Occult Suspense, and labeled our box set “Occult Suspense for Mothers Box Set” I would never have thought of that if it weren’t for kevin.
Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera great bit of info. i’m particularly interested in boxed sets with brand new exclusive content.
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera What do you mean by exclusive
Who here is going to organise a multi-author boxset after watching this? Also, what genre? 😛
michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera I used the wrong wording. New material that is first released in a boxed set
RemarkableReads michelleread Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera limited time exclusivity.
BatmanErica I want to write some more of whatever just to be in another one! He makes it sound so good.
BatmanErica Too much work. You do it 🙂
michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera In our Alphas After Dark and SEALs of Summer sets, we wrote brand new novellas around a certain theme (alpha males/motorcycle hunks and Navy SEALS) and agreed that the stories would be *exclusive* to the set for 4 weeks. After that, we were able to launch the books anywhere, any way and at any price. I think it really helped push sales. My readers, especially, really, REALLY wanted that first Albanian mob spinoff that I wrote for AAD.
RoxieRivera michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair I saw it did really well. Congratulations.
Carl Sinclair BatmanErica I’m getting interested.
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair BatmanErica scifi one perhaps..
J Thorn is my hero.
RemarkableReads RoxieRivera michelleread Carl Sinclair Thanks! 🙂
Carl Sinclair why do you think I’m asking who would organise one 😛
RoxieRivera RemarkableReads michelleread Carl Sinclair Yes, congratz.
Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads BatmanErica I’d only do one if it was new exclusive content for the set.
Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera RemarkableReads michelleread I’ve noticed an influx of motorcycle romance/erotica out there. Is this the new thing?
xgranville Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads BatmanErica don’t make me write new shit
xgranville Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads BatmanErica I think some new exclusive content would work well. SM Reine had an exclusive title in a box that did very well.
RemarkableReads xgranville Carl Sinclair shouldn’t you always be writing new shit?
RemarkableReads xgranville Carl Sinclair BatmanErica You don’t want in a scifi box with the team?
HAHAHA
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera RemarkableReads michelleread it definitely is. It’s been all over the Top 100.
JayChastain You’ve been Chastained.
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera RemarkableReads michelleread I don’t think it’s new. It’s been a thing for a while. Reaper’s Property (holy hot damn was that a good book!) was one of the first. Then Bella Jewel, Sam Crescent, etc started writing really great, gritty, alpha sexy hawt MC books and it exploded.
And Mama has never been happier to one-click her way through the whole niche. 🙂
James: Do readers have a way to easily find or buy more books by authors they enjoyed within a box set? (i.e. Calls To Action)
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera michelleread I think my eyes bugged out when I saw one book about a chick that serviced a whole motorcycle gang and they then let a woman into the gang and said to their chick, don’t worry she’s a lesbian 😉
Side stepping box set questions for a moment, you re-did your covers awhile ago. Did you see an increase in sales once you upgraded? What cover artist did you use?
JayChastain how has Too Dark to See doing with its new cover?
Carl Sinclair xgranville RemarkableReads BatmanErica I have like 8 pen names. I’m not an octopus here. There’s only so many hours in a day.
Carl Sinclair xgranville RemarkableReads BatmanErica I think exclusivity builds a drive for readers to buy the set. If you can’t read that story without getting a bunch of other author’s books, you’re driving readers to connect with the other authors while cementing your own relationship with the reader.
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair xgranville with 8 pen name you can release your own boxset 😛
On the mailing list thing: we did staggered mailing list noticed with all three of our boxed sets. We would do two big lists in the morning, a couple smaller ones in the middle and then big ones at night. It really kept the momentum going and got us into the Top 20/Top 10 on BN and Amazon.
Oh and ads! We did a lot of ad stacking. This is probably easier in romance? There are so many good, fairly cheap ads you can buy and spread out over that first week. Also teasers graphics, FB launch parties, etc.
BatmanErica JayChastain I don’t think I will see any change until I do my promotions and get exposure. Right now I’m in lala land so no one will see it.
xgranville Carl Sinclair RemarkableReads or you piss them off 😛
The book covers question is a great question. Don’t they usually just have spines that you can see?
We have about 10 minutes to go… final questions…?
This might be a silly question, but do you upload to B&N, Kobo, Amazon separately? I currently have mine uploaded through KDP and then Smashwords distributes through the rest. I see I sell as many on Kobo as on Amazon…and am wondering if there’s a more professional way to do that.
michelleread A lot of people do still use Smashwords. Others use Draft 2 Digital for that service. I think a lot of people are trying to go direct to the stores themselves if they can as well.
How did you very first get your name out there? You said you don’t do paid advertisements….
BatmanErica RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair RoxieRivera michelleread How have I never read this one?! LOL. Now I’ve got to get my Google-Fu on to find it…
Carl Sinclair michelleread smashwords is really slow. it’s easy to maneuver through the direct nook pres, kobo writing life, kdp, etc…
RoxieRivera RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair michelleread I think I saw it on Smashword’s main page a few days back. I always have a look at the main page before I check my own dashboard.
What more solo writings can we expect from you this year, Monsieur Thorn?
BatmanErica RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair xgranville not when they are eight different genres.
RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair michelleread I go Amazon and Kobo direct, but use Smashwords for everything else as I can’t go direct for Nook, etc.
Carl Sinclair michelleread Draft 2 Digital…I’ve never heard of that, thanks Carl! That’s my golden nugget of the day.
BatmanErica RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair michelleread Good idea….Kobo writing life, is that a thing/website?
michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair http://www.kobo.com/writinglife
BatmanErica michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair You’re my favorite. Thank you :0)
michelleread Carl Sinclair I think they take a little more of a commission than SW does.
BatmanErica michelleread Carl Sinclair Does it cost or is it free like SW
michelleread you can’t say that when you include five names like that o.O 😛
michelleread Carl Sinclair free, they just take some of the money earned like SW does.
BatmanErica michelleread hahaha Erica’s my new favorite everyone!
BatmanErica michelleread Carl Sinclair very good
michelleread yay me! 😀
michelleread BatmanErica Carl Sinclair They are easier to use than Smashwords is the bonus.
without expectation is my motto for approaching this whole thing. Excellent stuff!!
Carl Sinclair michelleread I was already established on SW so didn’t move to D2D as it would mean I’d lose my sales ranking / reviews, etc and be starting from scratch. Also SW was the only way to get free in B&N until recently.
Maybe it’s giving pictures of yourself in the mail to people……
JayChastain no. it’s not.
BatmanErica JayChastain Oh come on
JayChastain yes it is. do it.
JayChastain only if they are your cat ones.
Don’t say BookBub!! No!!
Ooh story bundle!
Story Bundle site http://storybundle.com/
BatmanErica Just looking at that.
BatmanErica Love that site.
Carl Sinclair me too. Only problem I have though is I never get around to reading the books I buy from there. Not because I don’t have time, but more because I don’t really feel like it. I think I just support the site/authors as opposed to reading their books.
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair you’re so nice. you can just give me money.
For those of you interested in James’s horror podcast. http://www.thehorrorwriterspodcast.com/
AFTERRRRR PARTYYYYYYY!
Carl Sinclair subscribes to a box.
After party interest?
Carl Sinclair derh yes. Add me 🙂
Carl Sinclair Yes please
BatmanErica Carl Sinclair Soitenly.
michelleread Carl Sinclair what’s your email michelle?
CateMorgan BatmanErica Carl Sinclair need your emails if you want invites and you haven’t been before.
Carl Sinclair DUHHHHHH
Carl Sinclair michelleread pft. I don’t know. try michelleread03@gmail
Carl Sinclair me please
Carl Sinclair CateMorgan BatmanErica metoo! readpiasparks@gmail.com
Carl Sinclair cstcross@gmail.com
Carl Sinclair This guy.
My drinking has become a trope on SPRT. I think I’m going to put that in my author bio.
JayChastain He is best known for his drinking on the Self Publishing Roundtable Podcast. Joose.
Okay all of the invites are out. There are only 10 spots so you need to hurry!
CateMorgan Carl Sinclair invites are out. You may need to be on your G+ page and the hangout side window to see the invites.
CateMorgan Carl Sinclair or it may show up in your gmail. It’s hard to say. Google does what it wants.
Here is the frightening cast of tonights SPRT afterparty hangout…
Here is a link to the news podcast I spoke about – http://sellmorebooksshow.com/
RoxieRivera michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair Hey Roxie, I’ve been watching the SEALs of Summer box set fly. I’d love to pick your brain on the promo you’ve used there, although we’ve talked to Zoe about it a bit. 🙂 Congrats on the sales.
Trish McCallan RoxieRivera michelleread RemarkableReads Carl Sinclair Hey Trish! I’m happy to share what we did on the 3 boxed sets that were crazy popular. You can contact me on FB or my contact form at the website (roxierivera.com).
I actually have a doc that I just finished up for another group of gals doing a boxed set that goes step-by-step through the promo we used. I just modified that the boxed set launch for my last book (Sergei II) and got that book into the Top 100 at Amazon on release day—->ridiculously giddy. 😉
RoxieRivera Trish McCallan ooh ooh, me too! I mean, can I see also pretty please?
Very reassuring to know I’m not the only geek out there formatting books in html/css. Though I tend to do it in epub format (Sigil), and let Amazon handle the conversion to mobi, which tends to work out quite well. Interesting to hear about working with mobi files directly.
I want to sincerely thank the hosts of SPRT for having me on the show last night as well as all of you who tuned in to the live broadcast (and joined the after party). I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and I hope you heard something useful. I promised Trish I’d come back on and discuss my mult-author novel project that I hope to have published sometime this summer. Thanks, everyone.
JThorn Thanks for sharing so much info!
Carl Sinclair Great episode guys. And thanks so much for the shoutout!
JThorn Thanks James. Looking forward to your eventual return.
Bryan Cohen Carl Sinclair Thanks Bryan. Enjoying the sellmorebooksshow. I’m glad someone is covering the news in depth, as I said, we enjoyed doing it but it was a lot of work to keep up with for all of us. Glad you’re now doing that work : )
BatmanErica RoxieRivera Trish McCallan Sure! Just hit me up at my contact form (roxierivera.com) and I’ll send a copy to you. I can include some examples of the teaser graphics I used, if you’d like. 🙂
Truth. It’s all for the greater good I suppose 🙂
The audio for this show is now live on iTunes.
Hello everyone