Posted by Mandy M. Roth on May 16, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Beverly Rae
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing.
A: I love having my books published by Samhain. I’ve had a variety of experiences with several different publishers, from the worst to the best. Samhain, I can truthfully say, is one of the best. The owner, the staff as well as my fellow authors are all great. They’re professional, courteous and have never let me down.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I like to use a tracking tool to see which online promotional sites drive traffic to my site. Additionally, I actively promote my books on Yahoo, Twitter and Facebook, among other venues.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Steady as you go! So many new authors think they’re going write one book, have a publisher love it and then rake in the money. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it happens in most cases. Take time to learn the craft. Take your time to learn where to submit. Everyone has to pay their dues. So start paying!
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: I have several releases coming out in 2012. The two next releases from Samhain are Sex with a Hex (Magical Sisters, book 2 – releasing Jan. 24th) and Betting the Moon (Cannon Pack, book 4 – April 24th).
Sex with a Hex continues the series about the Tristan sisters, each of whom have a special power. Allie is a succubus, Meg is a witch and Hilly is a shape-shifter.
Betting the Moon takes a character, Tucker Manning, from one of the previous Cannon Pack books and tells his story. He and a witch battle a vampire in a high stakes poker championship. But more is at stake than just winning the money!
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
I am writing my next book for the Cannon Pack series along with a new book for a different publisher. I’ll just mum about them for now. Why spoil the surprise?
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: As with most good things in my life, I happened to just fall into it. Just for fun, I took an online writing course with an editor running the show. I pitched a book idea to her, she loved it and asked me to send it to her. Of course, I didn’t tell her that I hadn’t written the first page yet! Within a month, however, I emailed her the book and she contracted it.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: I’m a very lucky woman. My husband has supported my writing, even when I didn’t make a dime. Thanks to him, I’ve always been a stay-at-home mom who could write whenever I wanted.
LINKS:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
00
Tags: author spotlight, guest author
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Apr 25, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: T. M. Hunter
Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Not much to say. I’ve had short stories and novels published for the past four years (give or take), and started into self-publishing for just over the past year or so. I mainly stick to space opera, featuring my space pirate Aston West and the various characters of his universe. Even my latest sci-fi thriller The Cure blends into his universe later in life (shhhh, don’t tell!). I have had some success with small press titles, including my first two Aston West novels Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed. My short stories have been published all over the web, including over at Ray Gun Revival, Residential Aliens, Golden Visions Magazine and Lorelei Signal. And as mentioned, over this past year-plus, I’ve been self-publishing various titles, including my novella Seeker, The Cure, and the first in a series of three-story bundles (Aston West Triple-Shots) featuring my new story “Dead Man’s Forge” and others.
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: Like many, I’ve followed several blogs where the idea of self-publishing books has been bantered about as a viable option for all authors. I’d had a poor experience with one publisher around a decade ago, which soured me on all publishers (and writing) for some time. I finally came around, got back into writing Aston’s tales, and ended up with small press Champagne Books publishing two of my Aston West novels, and another (ResAliens Press) who contacted me about putting together a short story collection (Dead or Alive). Self-publishing started becoming something of a “cool” thing to do around that time, and I started pondering the idea. I’d actually been sitting on an Aston West novella called Seeker, not knowing where to send it after an anthology call (which had been the catalyst for me writing the story) fell apart. I decided to dip my toes in the pool and self-published Seeker over on Smashwords and Amazon. I’d originally thought about submitting my next novel (The Cure) to agents, but after noticing that sales for Seeker were running about the same as with my small press titles, went ahead and self-published it as well. I’d been bitten by the bug now, and decided to conduct an experiment, bundling up three short stories (referred to as Aston West Triple-Shots) every quarter or so. All in all, I’d say I’m hooked.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: So far, I haven’t seen the stellar success some folks online have apparently had (no $100,000 months for me). I do have to say that sales have still been about on par with the sales from my small press titles. I’ve found quite a number of benefits through this brief stint in self-publishing. I earn more by doing it alone. I can get (almost) immediate indication of sales, and can match it up to promotional efforts I do. I get full control over things like editing, cover art, and pricing (if I want to drop the price of my titles to 99 cents, like I have, I can do it at will). It’s been a great experience, even if I’m not close to making enough to give up the day job. And of course, I have two more Aston novels in the pipeline, and unless circumstances somehow change, I’m more than likely going to bring out the next one on my own as well.
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I’d highly recommend getting an e-reader, and also finding honest friends who own a variety of e-readers (and let you buy them free copies to test out). Trying out the files from Amazon, B&N.com and Smashwords has been an eye-opening experience on what the end-user is getting. Sometimes you end up scratching your head over how the converters ended up doing what they did.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I use most of the standard fare, promoting through my social networks (Twitter and Facebook, mostly) various online forums, and my website and blog. But as far as “tricks” I think the biggest promotional effort out there has to be pricing. All of my self-published titles are currently at 99 cents. My small press titles are around $2.99-$4.99, depending on title and location. “Bestseller” titles are running with inflated prices, to the point of being absolutely insane. I recently checked out the first in Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, and was astonished that the e-book (for Nook) was $9.99 while the paperback version was also $9.99 (this book has been out for well over a decade, and possibly around fifteen years now). Marketing is all about taking advantage of, and sharing your benefits. If the idea that you can buy all of my self-published novels for a third of what a “bestseller” costs doesn’t get people excited, then…
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: (Assuming they want to start self-publishing) I’d recommend doing an honest evaluation of your own writing skills, including spelling, grammar, character development and plotting. This doesn’t mean asking your friends and family what they think, but hinges on whether your writing is getting accepted in the marketplace on its own merits. I’ve been getting short stories published online for years, as well as the small press titles I mentioned, all before I ventured into self-publishing. All of that was an indicator that my writing had what it takes.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: The Cure is my latest novel. In a nutshell, scientist Mila Groso has lost her husband and daughter, and in her unbearable grief, she’s decided to bring them back, so researches a cure for death. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who wants to get her hands on such a miracle drug. Religious agents threaten her, trying to stop her work from negating their belief in an afterlife. The government sends a mercenary in, trying to acquire the technology for their own nefarious purposes. Fighting to stay alive, Mila discovers her cure may end up being a greater curse than she ever imagined.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s (works in progress)?
A: Well, other than trying to figure out the next three stories to go into another installment of the Aston West Triple-Shots, I’m also working on the third and fourth novels in the Aston West universe. Death Brings the Victory is currently in final (hopefully) edits, and features Aston returning to a war zone to escape his past, only to discover how far bloodlust will take him and those he loves.
Resurrection is still in first draft form, but the plot is set and it’s going to be a great one as well. Aston is presented with a unique opportunity to reverse the past mistakes he’s made, but to do so means going against everything that’s good and decent in his life.
LINKS:
Homepage
Blog
Facebook
0 0
Tags: author spotlight, guest author, indie author, marekting with mandy, self-publishing
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Apr 4, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Candice Gilmer
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Lyrical Press and Samhain Publishing.
A: Both companies really are a pleasure to work for. I’ve been fortunate enough to release four books with Lyrical Press, and two with Samhain, with more coming.
But, it is a job, and it is work. Just because you sell a book doesn’t mean the work stops. That’s actually when it begins, where your terrible habits as a writer get revealed. Me and homophones do not get along at all. Not to mention the “comma addiction” I seem to have.
And while I will admit a certain amount of protectiveness over my stories (read “babies”) I have found that editors really do have the best intentions with books, and they want to see the books do well, almost as much as I do. Fortunately, I have had pretty good luck with all my editors, and they have been as passionate about my stories as I have, and that always helps.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I do whatever I’m told, lol. No, seriously, though, I use Twitter and Facebook quite a bit, trying to post regularly from my Facebook Fan page, letting people know what I have coming out and when. I keep all my book covers and blurbs available there, as well as on my website www.candicegilmer.com.
Also, I try to do signings when and where I can—Michelle Pillow makes me, she’s so bossy. J I’ve also done some promotions in conjunction with review sites like Bitten By Books, because they’re incredibly author friendly, and are terrific about working with you to do a great release on a book.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Write every day. Every day. Every single day. Selling is hard work, promotion is hard work, and editing is hard work. Writing is the happy, joyous part of being in the business. Savor that.
Also, I would remind them that publishing is the SLOWEST business in the world. Even with email, it still takes forever to hear from agents and publishers. It’s a hurry, hurry, hurry, wait game.
So write. Write as much as you can, every day. Set a word count or page count goal. And hit it, every day. Don’t take days off. The story will just go stale if you do. Just keep at it.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: My latest release, Rescuing Rapunzel, April of 2012 from Lyrical Press, started, actually, as a request from my 9 year old daughter. We had been reading the original Grimm’s fairy tales, and when we finished reading the original Rapunzel, my daughter turned and looked at me and said “Mom, you can write a better story than that.” So I did. It was supposed to be a short, ten page story about Rapunzel, but it wound up stretching far bigger in scope, because I wanted to know what happened to Rapunzel when she got out of the tower. There was so much more story that needed to be told.
As I worked on the story, I found that my hero, Nick, had two best friends, Penn and Bryan, and each one of them wanted their own story as well, and poof, The Charming Nobles series was born.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: Right now, I’m deep in my Charming Nobles series, working on both the second book, Catching Cinderella, and the sequel, Finding the Frog Prince.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I’ve always told stories. It’s like a requirement in my family. Everyone tells stories. There’s no short, one-liners in my family. Writing became a natural extension of that. Also, in school, I had a lot of bad grades, and I would be grounded from everything—tv, radio, books, my car, the phone, anything I enjoyed doing. So I would write my own stories to pass the time.
As I got older, I wrote fan fiction, trying to learn how to really craft a story and write dialog. Eventually, I started writing my own stories, focusing on the relationship between my hero and heroines, and a romance writer, I became.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: I have a really supportive family. Granted, I heard the “you better not quit your day job” a LOT before I got published, and still do, to be honest, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without their understanding. Even my little three-year-old understands that “Mommy’s working now.” We put up the “force field” in the kitchen, blocking him access to Mommy, and that works. For now.
Also, I have probably the most awesome husband ever. He’s my biggest cheerleader, and my best supporter. He’s incredibly understanding when I have to work, and watches the kids when I need to hunker down and get my job done.
I wouldn’t be able to do this without his amazing support. And the fact that he goes ghost hunting almost every weekend, giving me the house to myself. That’s always a plus.
LINKS:
Homepage
Facebook
Twitter
0 0
Tags: author spotlight, guest author, Marketing with Mandy, Who Can It Be Now (Guest Blogger)
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Mar 21, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Cynthia D’Alba
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing
A: Texas Two Step my debut book. I feel so fortunate to be with Samhain Publishing. Solid reputation in the industry, wonderful comments from their authors. My editor is Heidi Moore. She has been a dream to work with. Smart. Clever. Supportive. Could not have asked for better. And my cover? OMG! What a dream cover by Scott Carpenter. My experience has been what I wish for every new author.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I wish I had a fountain of promotional tricks that I knew worked. I’ve put a lot of time getting ready for my debut blog tour; although I’m told they rarely sell books. I’m trying something I hope stimulates interest in the tour and the book. I have quite a few friends who donated books for my tour (so I could give them away since I don’t have a backlist), jewelry to give away, gift certificates, etc. Also, I’m writing a prequel to Texas Two Step that will be blogged in segments as I go through the tour. I’m hoping the prequel will made people want to read more about my couple.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Make sure you really want to do this! If so, grow rhino hide as this business can be tough. Contest judges, critique partners, book reviewers, reader reviews. Not everybody will love your characters as much as you do. And write what you love to read!
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: It’s book one of a proposed trilogy – Texas Montgomery Mavericks
Book 1 is Texas Two Step, which comes out on Feb. 28, 2012.
Here’s the book blurb: After six years and too much self-recrimination, rancher Mitch Landry is ready to admit he was wrong. He’d loved Olivia Montgomery but commitment wasn’t high on his list back then. That was his first mistake. He’s just divorced his second, and he’s set to do whatever it takes to convince Olivia to give him another try.
Through hard work, determination and more than a few tears, Olivia survived the break-up with Mitch. She’s rebuilt her life around her business and the son she loves more than life itself. She’s not proud of the mistakes she’s made—particularly the secrets she’s kept—but when life hands you manure, you use it to make something better of yourself…lest you get stuck in it.
At a hot, muggy Dallas wedding, they reconnect. Olivia’s first instinct is to play it cool, but after one devastating kiss things flare out of control, real fast. Maybe a quick roll in the hay will get him out of her system once and for all. Funny thing about hay though, once it’s tangled in your hair, getting it out risks revealing things that were never meant to see the light of day.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: Working on Book Two of Texas Montgomery Mavericks. The working title is Texas Tango Tangle. (Kind of a tongue twister, isn’t it!)
Here is the quick blurb: Travis Montgomery thinks Caroline Graham’s idea to stage a fake wedding to appease her dying grandmother is nuts. But Caroline holds the deed to a piece of land Travis has coveted for years. The only way to get his hands on the land is to go along with this crazy plan. After all, Caroline will only be in town another six months and she’s promised to quick claim the land to him when she leaves.
Neither of them is expecting to be attracted to the other. Caroline doesn’t want to put down roots and Travis doesn’t want another wife. Unfortunately, an obscure state law throws their perfect plan out the window. Can they confess their love before it’s too late?
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I retired in 2003. I read over 1000 romances that year. My husband said he was tired of watching me read. He suggested I try my hand at writing. I thought, why not! How hard could it be? Yes, I can hear all the authors reading this laughing! SO FREAKING hard. So much tougher than I ever dreamed.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: I have no children so I don’t have to balance that aspect of family. I am lucky to have a husband who fully supports me in my writing. And my dogs? I boot them into the backyard when they become too pesky. But don’t feel too sorry for them. We have a huge fenced yard and live on a lake. They have it good.
LINKS:
Homepage
Twitter
Facebook
0 0
Tags: guest author
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Mar 7, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: SM Blooding
Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Well, the first thing is that SM stands for Stephanie Marie, but only associates and family call me that. Friends call me Frankie, which is a funny story for another time. LOL! I live in Colorado next to my lovely Rocky Mountains. I love to hike, bike, and I’m trying to learn to play the guitar. That’s…not going well.
I’ve dated a werewolf, almost married a vampire who was also a US government assassin…@_@… and am an investigator with Colorado Paranormal Rescue. Boy, do I have stories!
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: Well, I’ve been down the published route with a few books back in 2005 thru 2007. Then I got the hair-brained idea to traditionally publish my books. I sold the first three books of my Demon Talker series to TLT Publishing in 2011, but I still have more books than I can contract!
I have friends who have self-published and are doing a phenomenal job with it, so I sat down with myself and said, “Frankie, what’s going on here, girl-child? You have all these books and even if you tried a gajillion years, there’s no publisher in the world that wants them all.” But they’re all good stories with characters that I loved enough to write about and I want and need to share them with the world.
So I pulled myself off my lazy butt and came up with an insane publishing plan and I’m just going to do this! The industry is really in our favor! Who would have thought that a year ago? Not me.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: CRAZY! I sat down and came up with a business plan that should be doable and I think my readers will be happy with it. But to start off, I’m doing almost everything by myself.
I had to sit down and take a very hard look at my budget. As a self-published author, the expense is on me and my $0-checking account. So I had to ask myself: What can you afford to farm out? What are you good at? What do you suck at? What’s worth the money? There are a lot of people out there offering services that really aren’t worth the investment. But there are other things that, OMW, you really need to find someone else to help with.
Then you have to look at the schedule. *looks heavenward* There are so many things to do! And you need to make sure you have time to do it all without stressing. I quickly found out that the writing is the easy part. LOL!
It’s not just about the writing. There’s the edits that you have schedule in, and the promoting, and the socializing, and the reading, and the reviewing (which is essential to staying on top of the market while helping your fellow authors) and then there’s the helping other authors because the indie authors are a GREAT source for socializing and helping you get word of your books out there. There’s just. So. Much. Work.
But the people in the indie side of the industry are fantastic. Whenever I have a question, it’s usually followed by, “Oh, Frankie, that’s so easy!” LOL!
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I was really fortunate to have some friends who went through this in 2011, so I had a really good idea of what I needed to do and when.
The biggest thing I learned was from Denise Swank. Write a business plan going in and, boy, am I glad that I did. Granted, I’m just starting out, but I feel confident in what I’m doing and the only real anxiety I have is whether or not the readers are going to like my work. Which is exactly what an author should be worrying about.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I’m still learning those. Really, it’s all about who you know and what kind of a socializer you are. The people I know of that are successful indie authors 1.) write a LOT of books and 2.) talk a LOT on Twitter and Facebook. And…people talk about them a lot on Amazon and Goodreads.
I think the best tip though, is to remember that it isn’t just about you. There’s a whole world of authors out there trying to make it with you. You support them. Hopefully, they’ll support you.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Do. Your. Homework!
And…You ms might be your baby, but even babies need discipline sometimes.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: Try Taking Her Down was originally published in 2005 and was written on a family vacation to Mt. Rushmore. Oh, the things we do for our characters, but it was a long drive. Hello, Wyoming? *head desk* LOL!
After Angel’s sister commits suicide with Angel’s three young children, she swears that things like that will never happen again. She appoints herself vigilante of a group of New York street urchins. Someone has decided these kids need to die. But why? What’s the common thread between all these kids? Is it for money or information or something different? And why is it that no one but Angel seems to care?
Except for Detective Kevin Stephens, he’s not giving up on this case until he finds out why people would want to kill all these children. But will Angel welcome his help? How many more children will disappear without Angel and Kevin’s help?
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s (works in progress)?
A: Oh my word! This is a crazy year for WIP’s. I’m currently going through my final pass through of As Night Falls, which will be launching in March. It was another book published in 2005 and actually made it to the top 10 Erotica Sci-Fi book on Preditors and Editors. Raven’s a vampire trying to ensure his race doesn’t become extinct in the President’s New Order. Becca holds the key to their survival, but she’s afraid that if she helps him, she’ll lose who she is and is terrified of what she could become.
Another one in the editing stage is The Dustman, which currently has a May launch date, is a cute Urban Fantasy Romance about a dustman who needs someone to believe in him, and a single mother who needs a little less reality and a little more whimsy. Together, they must save Dreamland from being forgotten.
And the last one I’ll mention today is The Hands of Tarot, my Steampunk novel which is tentatively scheduled for release in July/August. Captured by the House of Wands and kept as the Queen’s pet project, Synn has to find a way to escape before he becomes the secret weapon the Hands can use to take control of all the resisting Families.
The Demon Talker series should be launching this year, too. It s a fantastic series. Demons Are Jackasses has been done for awhile and we’ve just completed the edits of book 2, Those Damn Angels. I should have book 3 finished in the next couple of months.
Can you say INSANE?! LOL!
LINKS:
Homepage
0 0
Tags: author spotlight, guest author, indie author, self-publishing
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Feb 22, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Cat Johnson
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing.
A: I find Samhain does a lot of effective things to promote their authors. Probably the biggest thing recently was when they made the first ebook in my Red, Hot & Blue series free on Amazon.com. That put TREY on a few best-seller lists on Amazon and bumped up the sales of my entire backlist dramatically, as well as gave me huge hits on my website.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I try to interact with and spread my name to fans of the subjects in which I write (IE supporters of the military, fans of rodeo/bull riding) as much as I do with romance readers. I also signed on to be a blogger at a site owned by a chef who writes aphrodisiac cookbooks. I thought people who like sexy food might also be interested in what an author of sexy books has to say. So far, I was right. Thinking out of the box as far as marketing expands the pool of potential readers wider than your usual romance readers.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Never stop learning. This business is changing faster than anyone can keep up with.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: TEXAS TWO-STEP: COWBOY SHUFFLE is a February 2, 2012 exclusive release from All Romance eBooks (though it will also be available at the iBookstore). In 2011 ARe invited a select group of authors to write for their Perfect Strangers Valentines Day promotion and I was lucky enough to be one of those authors. My title from 2011, TEXAS TWO-STEP, was a site-wide top 10 best seller. For this year’s Perfect Strangers release, I’ve written the sequel.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIPs?
A: I’m currently writing Book 5 in my Studs and Spurs series (with Samhain). I’m finding through this series that there are a lot of stories in the world of professional bull riding to be told.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I’ve written my entire life, but my first paid contract was 2 weeks out of college when I got hired onto a YA series. I was an English major so writing seemed like a perfect fit.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: Not well. I’m a terrible housekeeper. I take care of what really needs to be done—like feeding my animals so they don’t kill me and eat me in my sleep, and doing laundry so my husband doesn’t leave me, but things like vacuuming tend to fall by the wayside (a little cat hair on the carpet won’t kill anyone LOL).
LINKS:
Homepage
Twitter
Facebook
0 0
Tags: author spotlight, guest author, Marketing with Mandy, Who Can It Be Now (Guest Blogger)
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Feb 1, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Self-Publishing: Leigh Ellwood
Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Thanks for having me here. I am Leigh Ellwood and I mainly write romance and erotica, though I take on other genres under another name. I have been writing all of my life, but didn’t publish a book until 2001. When I’m not at the day job helping clients with social media, I’m writing and reading, and hope to complete at least one novel a year.
Presently I have works out with Phaze Books, Samhain Publishing, Loose ID, and a number of works pubbed myself through an co-op imprint, DLP Books.
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: There are a few reasons. Early in my writing career, I had a few non-erotic books publish and quickly fizzle. I didn’t know much about marketing back then, and the publisher of the first book unfortunately had little experience, too. When I got the rights back to these works I noticed few publishers were willing to take on the reprint rights, so I published them myself through DLP. To my great pleasure, those titles are selling better now than they had with their original publishers!
As for new material that I self-publish, the works are mainly genres that didn’t interest some of my target publishers. I have a number of F/F erotic stories, which were once hard to place with pubs. After publishing them myself, though, I’ve noticed they sell well.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: I find the experience is good. I like that I get to keep most of the spoils when the checks are cut. The challenge for me is time to handle all of the marketing in addition to the writing. It’s expected even when you’re with a legacy publisher, yes, but publishers do relieve you of some of the book production that now falls on you.
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I know cover art is very important in terms of making the package attractive to readers. I feel I have grown as a self-publisher in a sense because I know where my weaknesses lie in the process. I can produce an “okay” cover, or I can invest in a professional to create something more visually appealing.
Also, I wish I were a better accountant! Just a note for those of you new to this: keep track of EVERYTHING you buy – ad space, stock photos, etc.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I believe content is king. I find that blogging and guest blogging (blog tours) are the way to go to get your name out there. I am planning one for my next work and hope to do one for every release going forward. I do also play around with Twitter and Facebook, but mainly for personal purposes. Your name needs to be where the readers go, and I think readers are more inclined to check out the book bloggers for recommendations.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Write, revise, and revise some more. Find a good critique partner who will stick with you and be honest about your work – one who tells you when things don’t work. If he/she doesn’t, a reader just may tell you later.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: My latest, ODD, is a M/M short out through All Romance’s Perfect Strangers imprint. It is a contemporary, humorous short about two partygoers who meet at a most unusual event. It is available exclusively through ARe along with others from the line.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s (works in progress)?
A: I am also finishing up a full length M/M work, tentatively titled Act Daring. This story is about an actor who makes a bad career move and leaves Hollywood to recover. While visiting his parents, he falls for a small town man directing a play and looking for inspiration. I hope to announce a release date soon.
Author LINKS:
Homepage
Blog
Twitter
0 0
Tags: guest author, indie author, Marketing with Mandy, self-publishing
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Jan 25, 2012 in
Marketing with Mandy 
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Trinity Blacio
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Ravenous Romance. (insert publisher name here or if self-published put self-publishing here).
A: I first started working with Ravenous Romance four years ago. Lori Perkins brought me on board. Everyone at RR has gone out of their way to work with me. Holly Schmidt, Allan Penn, and Lori Perkins are always working on promoting their authors, getting Ravenous Romance books out there to uncharted waters. If you have a suggestion they listen and they are always on the lookout for more talented authors.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: Short and sweet. Do not step on toes, follow the rules when promoting. Interviews, blogs, radio shows, anything that gets your name out there. Carry business cards with you and hand them out when you do your errands. They might not be interested in what you write, but they will be telling others they met an author and that could get you a sale.
Leave free stuff at your local library’s, book stores, and colleges.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Never give up. Any business you go into there are ups and downs. Cut throat people who will try everything to discredit you and your stories. So believe in yourself, talk to other authors, most of them would be willing to give you any advice they can. They can even point out some do’s or don’ts.
Also you find a great place on the internet link it, write it down you never know when you’ll need that place again.
Ask authors to do interviews for your website, other authors also bring different readers to your websites. Plus, you help others, others will help you.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: My latest release is Book seven in my series, Running In fear: New Beginnings Jubilee, and yes it is better to read the books in a row.
They have a new world, a new beginning: now all they need is for their enemies to drop dead and leave them alone. Jaycee LeBlathe, Suzanne Hazelfield, and Lissa Elam have no idea how to be the first ladies, to be queens, let alone rule over anyone. All they know how to do is survive, until now.
Nikola, Dominic, Remi, and Dane have decided it is time for their female companions to live again, to love, and to know what a family unit is all about. Their people now brought over, settling into new homes on a new planet, everyone waits for the word that the war on Earth is over. Are their mates truly safe now? Or will this New Beginning Jubilee be put on hold?
The previous titles are as follow, which all can be found at Ravenous Romance:
1. Running In Fear: Escape
2. Running In Fear: Abandoned
3. Running In Fear: Coming Home
4. Running In Fear: Cupid’s Venom
5. Running In Fear: Dragon’s Den
6. Running In Fear: Ghost Warrior
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: Right now I’m working on the first book for my witch series called, Rapturous Celestial Sanctum. The first book, The Triad Warriors.
In the year 2020, vampires, witches and warlocks, shifters live among the human race, trying to survive. A peace has settled among the races, but the witches and warlocks still trust no one. Prosecuted throughout time, the gods have stepped in to set up havens for said witches and Warlocks.
Fourteen Sanctums are scattered across Earth. Each one is run by an ancient warrior, protector of witches and warlocks, giving them a haven from those that would kill them or use them for evil purposes. Each Sanctum will have at least three novel-length stories. The Sanctum is hidden behind the image of private BDSM clubs.
What better way to hide, to fuel their powers, and to shore up alliances for the threats against their people in a private club of sex?
A: Q: How did you get into writing? A: Actually, my mother encouraged me, after seeing some of my college papers printed in the local newspapers and such. Ever since then I haven’t stopped. I’ve wanted to, believe me especially after the first set of bullies came along. Yes, there are authors who are bullies in our world. Just have to learn how to ignore them.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: I work when ever and where ever I can. Making supper I’ll be running back and forth to the computer when I can writing, but the majority of my writing comes in the early morning hours, when all is asleep or in school.
LINKS:
Author HomePage
Author Twitter
Author Facebook
0 0
Tags: guest author, Marketing with Mandy
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Feb 6, 2008 in
Raven Radio Join us LIVE today 11 am -12 pm EST!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ravenradio
Guest authors Mary Wine and JC Wilder join us to talk books, talk romance and talk ghosts. Our idea of the perfect night! They’ll take LIVE reader calls and questions from raven radio chat room!
Listener dial-in number during LIVE shows
(646) 595-3998 (New York number, long distance charges apply)
There is also a LIVE chat during the shows. Follow the link below and look for CHAT LIVE buttons! You can type your questions or comments in there during the chat and we’ll ask/answer them on air!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ravenradio
0 0
Tags: guest author, Raven Radio
Posted by Mandy M. Roth on Jan 23, 2008 in
Raven Radio Raven Radio Today 11am-12pm EST
Author Desiree Holt joins us! She’s managed rock and roll bands and organized concerts. Been the only female on the sports staff of a university newspaper. Immersed herself in Nashville peddling a country singer. And she’s penned some smokin’ hot books! She joins Mandy and Michelle today 11am- 12 pm on raven radio!
Listener dial-in number during LIVE shows
(646) 595-3998 (New York number, long distance charges apply)
There is also a LIVE chat during the shows. Follow the link below and look for CHAT LIVE buttons! You can type your questions or comments in there during the chat and we’ll ask/answer them on air!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ravenradio
0 0
Tags: guest author, Raven Radio
