Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight~ Shelli Stevens
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing.
A: I sold my first book Trust and Dare to Samhain last December, and it was just released at the end of July. I love Samhain and have been impressed with their author friendliness and vision for the company. I’ve sold two full length stories to them since.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I’m a big believe in just being friendly and having yourself seen as much online as possible. A big backlist also does a lot for marketing, because you’re bringing a reader base with you to each new book. Then of course there’s the usual promoting, ads, and chats. Also being active with my local RWA chapter helps, and going to Nationals. RT would be lovely…but I’d like to have a print book first and also would need to save up for that.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Make friends in the industry and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Read a lot of different genres to expand your imagination, and don’t be afraid to take chances. And finally, have patience, because you’ll do a lot of waiting! Waiting for an agent/editor reply, waiting for your cover/edits, waiting for your book to come out, waiting for reviews…there’s just a lot of waiting 
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: My latest release is Trust and Dare from Samhain. It’s a little funny and a lot of sexy. I love the chemistry between my Abby and Mason, the hero and heroine. This book was fun to write and in a way therapeutic. I, like the heroine, had my own mistrust of military men that I’ve finally moved past. This story was the final step in tearing that wall down.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I started writing in Jr. High I think. I wrote these books that were like a combination of Harlequin and Sweet Valley High. It was basically a bunch of teenagers having sex, but of course I wrote closed door love scenes (I was 12!) Seriously, they walked into the bed room, shut the door, and lived happily ever after. Then the computer started hiding and deleting my books and I quit writing, because I couldn’t handle the emotional abuse it was dishing out.
I started writing again when I was twenty-two. That’s when my parents reminded me that my dad’s cousin was a published writer of regency novels. And no, before you ask, I never got the regency bug. So she let me milk her brain on the industry and how to actually write a ‘real’ book. Her best advice was to finish the book. Don’t stop and start another one. Finish the book. Then you’ll know you can.
I took her advice, joined RWA, am a board member of my local chapter, and now busy getting my name out there.
Q: What types of research do you do for your books?
A: It varies. My next release with Samhain, Dangerous Grounds, I did quite a bit. The story focuses on a coffee shop owner whose life is in danger, and a sexy Seattle cop who needs to keep her safe. Since I knew nothing about owning a coffee shop, I decided to sign up for a one day class on how to open an espresso business. I learned a lot, but was the only one there with an ulterior motive *grin*.
There’s also a scene in my book where the heroine performs a strip tease for the hero. Alas, I was not gifted with the ability to do a strip tease and actually make it seductive, so once again, I signed up for a month long Strippercize class. I was a plus sized, single mom with no potential love interest. But let me tell you, I undulated my moneymaker like nobody’s business. All in the name of research of course
Classes are one way I do research, other times I talk to people in the field I need the information on, or even just Google it. Google is my friend.
Q: What authors inspired you growing up?
A: You know, the crazy thing is I rarely looked at names. I mostly bought covers. (Yes, I was one of those readers) I was an avid Harlequin reader because that’s what my mom read. As I got older, I started reading more Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz. But my biggest influence and I read everything she wrote, was Sandra Brown. I still enjoy reading her books.
LINKS:
http://www.shellistevens.com
http://www.samhainpublishing.com
http://www.naughty-and-spice.com
