Marketing with Mandy~Aphrodite’s Apples Publishing Part III
A: That’s a tough one. Still being new in the publishing industry, I don’t have a huge amount of tips and tricks for marketing and promoting up my sleeve yet. Mostly, I blog. I have several of my own blogs, on blogger, MySpace, LiveJournal, and I have guest blogged at a few blogs, such as Mandy and Michelle’s Raven blog. I also have a website that is fairly new.
A: I’d say to them what has been said to me: Don’t give up. If writing is really what you want, then keep at it. Don’t let rejection take you off course. Talent will get you a lot of the way, but persistence will push you that last bit between you and your first published novel. And that finish line is definitely worth it.
Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?
A: My writing tends to go between romance and fantasy. I grew up on fantasy books and movie, and as a result, the first writing I put together was of the fantasy genre. Of course, this had the effect of me becoming pretty bored of the genre around the end of high school, and five years later, I’m only just starting to get back to it.
In any novel, whether I’m reading or writing it, the characters are often the most interesting part of a story to me. With that in mind, it was not so hard to make the move from fantasy into romance. It’s good to straddle both types of writing. With fantasy, there is less of a requirement for the conventional HEA story, and sometimes, you know how it is, you’re just not in the mood to write a fluffy romance fic. *smiles* Of course, if you ask anyone, I’m fairly sure you’ll find that very few people see my writing as “fluffy”.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: At the moment, I have just finished a manuscript that I am hoping will get picked up by Aphrodite’s Apples. As well as that, I am co-writing a novel with fellow Aphrodite’s Apples author T.Q. Kimber. The project is as yet untitled, and it is written in mind of the new GLB line that Aphrodite’s Apples has opened for us.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I don’t remember ever not writing. To begin with, I decided I wanted to embellish on a novel that I had finished reading and wanted to see more of. That was in primary school, and I think my concept of a novel length was about 4 pages back then. Since that time, I’ve continued to write larger and more detailed projects.
Q: How do you balance family and writing?
A: I don’t know if you have heard of them, but there are these new game boxes called ‘Xbox’. My partner’s addiction to this Xbox machine means that I have more than enough time to spend on my writing when I’m not spending time with him, or other friends. I like to make sure that I spread my time evenly between my writing and my friends/family. In the past, I’ve found I’m too easily prone to socializing exclusively or writing alone in my study to the point where I become completely oblivious to the outside world. That also makes me very glad that I do not live alone. Sometimes it’s good to have others around me to force me to come back from whatever world I’m writing in and back to myself.
LINKS:
http://www.nikkiwatson.110mb.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nikkiwatsonauthor
http://unity-of-hours.livejournal.com/profile
Marketing with Mandy ~ Regan Taylor
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Aphrodite’s Apples.
A: It’s been pretty mellow. In fact, they are one of the most mellow publishers out there in terms of low chatter and just doing the job. If there’s an issue it’s dealt with quickly and professionally.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: Well, I have one book out in print and have done several signings in Marin and San Francisco. It’s great meeting readers and potential future readers. I’ve signed with Carolyn Jewel, J.B. Skully, Rachelle Chase, Tawny Webber and Karin Tabke. I’m VERY excited to be signing with J.B. Skully, Monica McCarty and (this is HUGE for me) Candice Hern on August 26th in San Rafael, California. I have been a fan of Candice’s for years and after running all over my own words when I get her I finally got it together and asked her to sign with Skully and I and she immediately said yes.
I wouldn’t really call this a trick or a tip – in fact, I won’t see anything from it personally at least the first year because of my commitment. On August 1, 2003 my 19 year old kitty MaiTai crossed the rainbow bridge. When I was writing Treasures Antique Store: The Photograph I included MaiTai in the story – his character is Taister the black cat. Friends of mine who knew MaiTai and read the segments on Taister all agree that I managed to capture his personality. The Photograph, featuring MaiTai is being released on August 1st. So what does that have to do with marketing?
In June this two month old black kitten, now named Adam, was badly abused by two fifteen year old females. If you haven’t heard of him or his story it can be found (along with links) on my website www.Regantaylor.com. To honor MaiTai, I’m donating my first year royalties to Adam’s medical care. Many people from around the world are doing what they can to support this amazing little kitten and this is just my small part.
I also have character blogs for each of my series: The Bride Series, Spell Across Time and Treasures Antique Store.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Hmmm, I’ve tried to think of what I would have liked to have heard or what helped me. This will probably get me in trouble somewhere, but here goes. As soon as your editor starts telling you all the reasons he or she is too busy to work on your book, ask for another editor. It’s about you, it’s about your book and your editor is supposed to help you make it the best book possible. If he or she is constantly lamenting how their child is sick or their internet is down or they work a day job or they took on three other edits that they thought were going to be quick, move on, fast.
Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?
A: Time travel. I’ve enjoyed writing my Spell Across Time series, I’ve had more fun and flights of fancy writing time travel. Treasures Antique Store: The Photograph is my first. My second is Traveling Bride, which is actually book 4 of the Bride Series. I’m normally a very linear person and when I read a series I HAVE to read the books in order. I thought I’d be that way in writing, but I wrote book 1, Indentured Bride (coming from Awe-struck) and felt driver to write Traveling Bride, which is Rick, the sheriff’s story and a time travel. I recently finished writing America’s Hero which is looking for a home.
Q: What types of research do you do for your books?
A: It depends on the book. For the Spell Series, even though I worked in law enforcement for six years, there are aspects of other agencies I just don’t know. One of my friends is a deputy sheriff and she has critiqued The Pentacle for factual accuracy and I ask her questions for the different scenes that deal with the Sheriff’s side of law enforcement. Through another friend, I have a BATF agent looking at it (one of the main characters is a BATF agent). I have a third police officer I know who was on the major crimes task force and I brain storm scenes with him. For America’s Hero I had two F/A-18 pilots review the flight sequences for accuracy. Factual accuracy, even in fiction, is very important to me and there are subtle nuances that while the average person probably wouldn’t care, someone in the profession would see it and not enjoy the story as much.
For America’s Hero, for the scenes taking place at the OK Corral I rented all of the old Wyatt Earp movies as well as a few others depicting the time period to get a feel for the era. There are also scenes on the space shuttle and several years ago there was a program on From Earth to the Moon for which I have the complete series on tape so I watched those. I really entertained myself writing the sex scenes taking place in weightlessness.
I have several books on Native Americans and used those for The Photograph.
So I ask questions, watch films from pertinent time periods to get in the mood and go through some research/text books I have for other elements.
Q: How do you come up with your ideas?
A: I dream the books. Each one will start with a dream where all I really remember the next day is a feeling, something on the edge of my consciousness. Then I start to have more and more dreams that come to me as the book. I’m fortunate in that after years of writing my dreams down, I do wake to journal them and have good recall. I get up, write the scene and go about my day and wait for the next one. After it’s done I go back and look at what’s missing, what doesn’t flow and flesh it out.
Q: What authors inspired you growing up?
A: Alexander Dumas (I love how he did revenge), Charles Dickens (he wrote books that bring the characters into your everyday life), Kathleen Woodiwiss (her passing was, for me, a loss of one of the greats), Rosemary Rogers (Steve was alpha before there were alpha males) and Johanna Lindsey (I still sigh over Warrior Woman).
LINKS:
http://www.myspace.com/regantaylor
http://spellacrosstimethepentacle.blogspot.com
http://treasuresantiquestore.blogspot.com
http://brideseries.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for having me!
Look at the list of the great prizes Aphrodite’s Apples and its authors are offering for their Marketing with Mandy Spotlight week! To be entered to be one of the winners (that will be announced on Sunday) all you have to do is comment on the blog on one or more of the Aphrodite’s Apples posts all this week.
Alisha Steele – one copy of The Summoner
Sultry Summers – one tote bag featuring the cover of Trojan Gold and stuffed with a few promo goodies
Regan Taylor – Bookmarks from Regan — and several other authors such as JB Skully, Candice Hern, and Monica McCarty — all signed
LA Taylor - one copy of either Azar or Solar Sensations, along with one copy of Miss Taylor’s rare, out-of-print children’s book “The Treasures of Trinkamalee”
Nikki Watson – one copy each of Spiral and Masquerade vol 2
Yolanda Sfetsos – one copy of HellBlaze
Tyree Kimber – one copy of Apocalypse Woman and a $10 gift card from Borders
Aphrodite’s Apples publisher prize – one 10 percent off coupon on any Aphrodite’s Apples purchase, a set of bookmarks, and one of HS Kinn’s beautiful Czech glass bead bracelets that she mentions in her interview!
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Great Interview NIKKI!! I love your cover the girl is very pretty
Opps! Self-comment! That is an actual photograph of MaiTai on the cover of The Photograph. He would have enjoyed that.
Have a fun day today Nikki!
Great interview!
Hi Regan and Nikki.
Great interviews, and Regan – how cool that you can dream your work. I’m jealous. Lol.
xo
Alisha
Great interviews! Love learning about new authors.
Great interview. Wow nice lady to donate your royalties to something like that.
Hi PamK — thank you. Little Adam’s story really caught attention from around the world. If you have a chance, read his story — he is such a demonstration of courage and keeping going no matter what. You can find the link to his story either through my website on Adam’s page or by googling Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County.
Alisha, yeah, it’s kind of cool to dream them — until I have to leave for the day job and still have more to say!
Fantastic interview, Regan! It was a pleasure to be up here with you today.
Thank you so much Crystal, and all others who have been here today. It has been such a pleasure!
Nikki, I have to say that your man sounds just like mine! He games (OMG, Halo 3 just came out here) and I write and it all works out very nicely.
:stwrs:
And Regan, I have to say, some of my best stories ideas were dreamt up, literally!
Hah! Fantastic Heather. I’m glad it works as well for you as for me! *high fives*
I enjoyed the interview.