Marketing with Mandy~Aphrodite’s Apples Publishing Part V

Marketing with Mandy ~ Yolanda Sfetsos

 

Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Aphrodite’s Apples.

A: My experience with Aphrodite’s Apples has been fantastic. Everyone, at every step of the way, is lovely and helpful. And the other writers are great too, it’s like we’re all part of a writing family. It’s a great place to be.

Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?

A: As far as tricks go, I don’t actually have any up my sleeve yet. Tips… well, the one that was given to me was great – set up a website. I also think that a monthly newsletter is a great idea to keep everyone up-to-date. I also pick a random prize winner every month, and take part in The Romance Studio Book-a-Day Giveaway.

Chats are also a great way to promote, and meet readers as well as fellow writers. They can be a lot of fun too.

I’m still pretty new to the marketing and promotion side of writing, so I’m learning as I go along.

Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?

A: As far as the writing goes, I would tell them to concentrate on the actual writing. Get that story out of your head and on paper/screen until you get to the end. Turn off that inner-editor for a while and just have fun writing.

If they’re thinking of entering the e-publisher side of things, make sure you do your research before submitting. If you start out and get one rejection after another, don’t worry, just keep writing and keep submitting. Never give up.

Q: What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

A: I love to write paranormal stories with a touch of darkness. No matter how the story starts, this is usually the path I wind up taking with my characters in tow… well, that’s probably not accurate because most of the time, they’re the ones leading me. But either way, I like to delve into the darkness while exploring attraction, passion, lust and love between the characters.

Q: What types of research do you do for your books?

A: I love doing research for my books, and have to confess that most of it is done online. I particularly like Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Mythica. I do have several reference books that I refer to as well, but I find the internet a fascinating place to look things up.

Mostly, I look up Greek, Norse and Celtic Mythology, the paranormal, and the occult. I love to read about whatever topic I need at the time, take notes, and then run with it. Sometimes I change things. Other times I mix them up and most of the time, I make up some to add to the mix. I love the process.

I’ve also been known to get actual ideas while researching online.

Q: What authors inspired you growing up?

A: My greatest author inspirations came to me in my teens.

In high school, I took an interest in reading any SE Hinton book I could get my hands on. I loved her work and was introduced to stories that had such emotional depth that I would be sucked in until the very end. Then, in my late teens, I stumbled on Clive Barker and my eyes were opened to a new world filled with dark desires and creatures that lingered in the shadows of life and the human psyche.

Ever since, I’ve been writing about these dark and otherworldly creatures myself… with entangled lives and problems. I love every minute of it.

Q: How do balance family and writing?

A: I’m married, have a six-year-old daughter and a seven-month-old cat, so there’s always plenty to do. I spend most of my day writing, from the time I drop my daughter off at school, until it’s time to pick her up. I try to do the bulk of my actual writing when I’m home alone with the cat.

I take most weekends off. Unless I have edits to do.

My husband’s great with my writing. Very supportive and actually reads every story before I send it out anywhere. And my daughter loves to check out the covers and gets excited about my characters. Though of course, there’s heavy editing involved when she asks questions.

LINKS:

Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/

Blog: http://ysfetsos.blogspot.com/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/yolandasfetsos

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yolandasfetsos/

HellBlaze: http://www.aphroditesapples.com/hellblaze.htm

 

 

 

 

 

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!