Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

Alas, poor Facebook Ads! I knew them, Horatio…

I've used Facebook and Instagram as my primary ads platform for 9 years now, not in hopes to make big profits, but to share stories I love with as many people as I can. Over the last two years, I've noticed a steep decline in readers (1/60th of what it was 9 years ago, despite having 25x as many books!)

Currently, ads have absolutely no impact on books sold, regardless of ad copy, audience selection, and multiple trialed book blurbs. This is across Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Bookbub, Amazon Marketing Services, and more. This is unprecedented in my experience. In Facebook's case, either Facebook's audience targeting is getting worse, or my Amazon product page blurbs suck. Considering they're the same blurbs I've been using all along, I suspect the former.

I've considered posting stuff on Tiktok, but I can't body-roll (I've tried), and honestly the thought of taking videos of myself is, as a Gen-x-er, akin to removing my skin with a dull, rusty carrot peeler. My wife insists I could do it, but she's a damn Millennial, so it comes easy to her (as does body-rolling, incidentally).

I considered hiring a marketing or social media expert to do the dirty work for me, but the book marketing business appears to be 99% scams and 1% well-meaning folks who try their best but don't have any magic juice either.

I'll still publish at my usual pace of 2-4 books a year, for the love of telling stories. Freed from concerns about making graphics and ad copy and A/B testing ad campaigns and building a readership in general, I may even publish more! But given the cost of audiobook production ($3-5k per book), and that fact that I've used (dwindling) book revenue to pay for that production, I will no longer be able to produce audiobook versions of future books.

All right, enough of that. Back to writing!

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

Added “Current Projects” to the site!

I’ve added a “Current Projects” page to the website. This shows the books I’m working on right now, with progress bars to show how far I am toward finishing them. Check it out!

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

Malek the Godslayer Audiobook

The audiobook for Malek the Godslayer, book 2 in the Blade of Hylon series, has finished production and is currently in processing by Audible and iTunes. It should be available in a week or two!

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

Crown of Hylon Published!

Book 3 in the Blade of Hylon series is now available!

With King Hylon's armies spreading across Farum to annihilate anyone who opposes them, Damian must use his newfound power as the god of sacrifice to fight back. With the ability to forge magical weapons and armor from his own blood, he creates the Sword of Sacrifice, a blade so powerful it might just be able to turn the tide of the war.

Now Damian must lead an army of his own, not only to take back Farum from the invaders, but to strike back against the kingdom of Hylon itself. For King Hylon will never stop until Farum is conquered...and Damian is made to be his slave!

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

New Book Published: Sword of Sacrifice!

WHEN A GOD DIES, they are reborn somewhere in the world...and deadly warriors calling themselves the Keepers begin The Hunt to find and enslave them. For their divine flesh can be harvested to create magical artifacts of extraordinary power. Artifacts the kingdoms of Man will stop at nothing to possess.

Trained by his father to excel in the art of combat and crafting weapons, 16-year-old Damian’s life takes a deadly turn when the Keepers invade his hometown. Wielding weapons that can cleave time itself, the Keepers are on the hunt for Korban, God of Sacrifice. Problem is, they think Damian is Korban...and will stop at nothing to capture him!

Now Damian must choose to spend the rest of his life running from the Keepers, or to fight back against them and win his freedom. If he fails, he’ll be enslaved...and will suffer a fate far worse than death!

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Betrayer of Legends now available!

Betrayer of Legends, the 5th book in the Fate of Legends series, is now available!

When Hunter lands his first client as a Seeker, he sets off on a mission to stop a terrorist organization called the Black Crown from usurping the king of Ifriqiya. Straightforward enough…or so Hunter thinks.

But when he starts investigating the Black Crown, he soon discovers a dark underworld filled with terrifying secrets…and the deadly, fanatical worshippers of Masafugula, the legendary Serpent God.

Now, to complete his mission, Hunter must descend into a terrifying world unlike any he’s ever seen, and face an enemy so powerful that it threatens to destroy not only him, but the entire kingdom!

Experience the 5th book in this epic, action-packed fantasy series!

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

Runic Series Boxset!

The Runic Series ebook boxset is now available! Get the first 3 books in the series for about 50% off the price of each individual book:
https://www.amazon.com/Runic-Trilogy-Books.../dp/B079LZ86DD

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Clayton Wood Clayton Wood

January 2023 updates!

Happy New Year everyone!

I’ve got a lot planned for this year…including publishing Furiously Inappropriate Magic, the 7th book in the series. I should have it available in February…and after that, I’ll begin work on Epically Inappropriate Magic. My wife just so happens to be an audiobook narrator, and is busy recording audio for each book in the series!

I’ve also got plans for a fifth Fate of Legends book, and a sixth Runic series book. Not only that, but I’m a quarter of the way through The Mask of Kakoro, and I’m brainstorming ideas for a 4th book in the Magic of Havenwood series!

I’ll keep you posted as usual, mostly with my progress graphs on my home page.

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20BooksVegas!

I’m here in Las Vegas for the annual 20BooksVegas conference! Having a great time meeting other authors and narrators and book cover designers. In between meeting new people, I’m working hard on Furiously Inappropriate Magic, The Mask of Kakoro, and the sixth book in the Runic series!

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Cover Reveal: The Mask of Kakoro

I’m busy working on The Mask of Kakoro, the sequel to Elazar the Magician, and the 2nd book in the Masks of Eternity series! Once again, my cover designer James Egan has come up with a fantastic cover. I’m planning on releasing the book this fall!

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