Monday, November 11, 2013

S.R. Grey - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author S.R. Grey. She is the Author of the A Harbour Falls Mystery series.



Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery,New Adult

Website: S.R. Grey
Author's Blog: S.R. Grey's Blog
Twitter: @AuthorSRGrey
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Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
S.R. Grey is the author of the bestseller Harbour Falls and Willow Point, first and second books in A Harbour Falls Mystery series. She is also the author of I Stand Before You, the first novel in the new Judge Me Not series (New Adult/Contemporary Romance).

Ms. Grey resides in western Pennsylvania. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, as well as an MBA.

She is currently working on Wickingham Way, the third novel in A Harbour Falls Mystery series, to be released in January 2014, as well as Never Doubt Me (Judge Me Not #2).

Other interests include reading, traveling, running, and cheering for her hometown sports teams.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

Let’s start with what’s next. Rumor has it that you have another book on the horizon called Wickingham Way. Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

Absolutely! Wickingham Way is the third and final installment in my A Harbour Falls Mystery series. The release is on target for publication this January 2014.

The best way for me to tease the novel, without giving away too much, is to present you with the official synopsis:

When Maddy Fitch discovers there's a hit out on the love of her life--the handsome, but often secretive Adam Ward--she concludes life with such a powerful man may never be normal.

But who wants normal? Not Maddy--mystery writer and sometimes-sleuth.

The heart-stopping action begins immediately in Wickingham Way when an attempt is made on Adam's life, prompting the couple to seek refuge at a "safe house."

Tucked away in a cabin deep in the heart of Maine, Maddy and Adam fall deeper in love.

But their happiness is cut short when someone they care deeply for is kidnapped, by the same organization that wants Adam Ward dead.

Adam and Maddy return to Harbour Falls, and a dangerous cat-and-mouse games ensues. Twists and turns abound, keeping Maddy and Adam on their toes. But will the consequences of the decisions they must make prove deadly?

Only time will tell.

You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Did you use forums, newsletters and methods like that?

Social media relationships have been key for me in building a readership base. It takes time to build a following, but once you do it’s great fun to interact with your readers, other authors, and book bloggers. Linking accounts like Twitter and Facebook helps to build awareness that you’re out there. And I’d say participating in virtual blog tours is probably the single best method to get your social media links noticed.

Do you do book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

I’ve not participated in personal appearances yet. Though I’d love to do a book signing. In the online world, I’ve participated in several blog interviews and guest posts. I just completed a fantastic book blog tour with AToMR Tours for my Contemporary Romance/New Adult novel, I Stand Before You.

Readers can always find me on my Goodreads author page, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I also have a website but am upgrading to a new site soon. Until then, I can still be reached on the current site.

You have great covers. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

Thank you so much. Damonza (Damon) over at Awesome Book Covers is responsible for those great covers. I love them, too! Damon is incredible to work with. I give him a few key points to the novel and he comes up with these spot-on covers. It’s amazing.

I’ve never involved readers in the development, but that might be interesting to try sometime.

What writer support groups do you belong to? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

I don’t belong to any official groups, but I have a number of author friends. We’re very supportive of one another, but we all handle our own writing, marketing, and publishing activities.

Do you belong to any reading groups? Do they help you with feedback about your novels, provide reviews and increase sales? How can readers find you there?

The biggest reading group I belong to is Goodreads. I have a dedicated author page there, and all my books are listed, as well. I’ve built a number of great relationships with other members and we interact quite frequently. You can always find me on my author page on Goodreads.

Has the advent of ebooks changed anything in your writing, getting the book to your readers and the relationship with your readers and fans?

E-books account for about 98% of my total sales, so I can’t imagine a world without them.

Since I’ve begun publishing, e-books have always been available, so I can’t speak to any experience prior to their advent. I do believe e-books are the wave of the future.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

I’ve participate in several Goodreads giveaways where I’ve given away paperback copies of my novels. I’ve found in most cases the winner reads your book and leaves a review.

I’ve also given away a number of e-books via blog giveaways. I’ve found doing so increases visibility of your novel.

Does your business background help with the marketing and management details of your book projects or do you farm that out?

I’ve found my business background has been invaluable in marketing my novels. I’m very methodical in researching new opportunities to promote and bring awareness to my books. As a result, all three of my novels have spent time on a number of Amazon

Kindle Bestseller lists, including Top 100 Paid Kindle Books, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Women Sleuths, Coming of Age, New Adult & College, and Movers and Shakers.

What is your method of getting reviews for your novels? Do you seek professional reviews, use social media or do you rely on your reading audience to supply them?

I pretty much rely on the reading audience. But, of course, social media has been very important.

It’s vital to let readers know your novels are out there, and sites like Twitter, Facebook, etc… allow you to do that. Once readers find your books, reviews usually follow. I’ve also found participating in book blog tours is a great way to accumulate reviews. It’s also an opportunity to host giveaways, write guest posts, and give author interviews.



Author's Book List
Harbour Falls - A Harbour Falls Mystery #1
Amazon Bestselling Book
Top 100 in Kindle Books (#27 ~ May 2013)

Best-selling author Maddy Fitch, while researching material for a new novel, returns to her hometown of Harbour Falls to investigate an unsolved disappearance that has haunted the tiny Maine coastal town for the past four years. Although the case has gone cold, Maddy soon discovers that the prime suspect, Adam Ward, is hotter than ever.

The sexy, secretive Mr. Ward now makes his home on an isolated island near the coast, so Maddy takes up residence nearby to find out why this enigmatic man lives in such a secluded place. Is it because the missing person at the heart of the case, a young woman, was engaged to Adam at the time of her disappearance? Did the prime suspect perhaps move to escape the town's scrutiny, or is he hiding something much more sinister?

As Maddy plunges into the case, she and Adam are drawn together. Should she fight her growing attraction to a possibly dangerous man? The mystery deepens, and the list of suspects, people who all had reasons for wanting to see the missing young woman gone, grows. Maddy hopes that by solving the mystery Adam will be proven innocent of any involvement, and they can then move forward with their relationship. But as she uncovers clues that begin to lead suspicion away from Adam, new secrets emerge that leave her questioning everything. Maddy continues to close in on the truth, threatening to blow the lid off the whole mystery. But what she doesn't realize is that she's actually caught up in someone's very dangerous game.

Lies, secrets, deceptions. In Harbour Falls, nothing is ever what it seems. This steamy novel immerses the reader in an intricate storyline that will keep them glued till the very last page.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
I Stand Before You - Judge Me Not #1
When it comes to tattooed bad boys, Chase Gartner is the real deal. Partying, engaging in meaningless sex, getting into fights---Chase indulges in it all during his late teen years, thus firmly solidifying his status as a heartbreakingly gorgeous but way-too-dangerous-to-trust guy in his hometown of Harmony Creek, Ohio. Then, following one fateful night of reckless decisions, Chase's actions finally catch up to him and land him in prison.

Now, four years have passed and Chase finds himself a free man. He returns to Harmony Creek, ready to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding his shattered life.

Things are off to a promising start when he meets Kay Stanton, a young woman with a tragic past of her own. Despite a powerful attraction, Chase and Kay are naturally hesitant to become involved. That's why friendship feels like the safest option. But when passions ignite and love blossoms, a relationship that is destined and meant to be can only be resisted for so long. When Chase and Kay finally succumb to their feelings they realize being together feels more right and true than anything they have ever experienced.

But their love is soon tested. Chase's wild past still haunts and tempts him, and Kay is keeping a secret that could tear them apart.

I Stand Before You is a journey of hope and forgiveness, coming to terms with the past and moving forward. But mostly it's a story of two damaged people who take a chance, open their hearts, and find true love.

New Adult/Contemporary Romance genres. First in a series.

This novel contains graphic sexual situations, drug use, some violence, and profanity. It is recommended for readers 17 and older.


Order the Book From: Amazon
Willow Point - A Harbour Falls Mystery #2
****Willow Point is book number two in A Harbour Falls Mystery series, but can be read as a stand-alone novel.****

With the Harbour Falls Mystery solved, author Maddy Fitch hopes secrets and lies are behind her. But a cryptic letter from her former best friend would seem to indicate otherwise. Is the man Maddy fell in love with while solving the Harbour Falls Mystery, the gorgeous and rich Adam Ward, keeping a damning and potentially dangerous secret from her? Only the writer of the letter, Ami Hensley, knows for sure. But Maddy is hesitant to confront her, since the last time they saw one another Ami tried to kill her.

But if Maddy wants answers--ones that could potentially save Adam--then she must face her fears and visit her former friend. Unfortunately for Maddy, Ami is currently locked up in the creepiest place in Maine, an old gothic structure that houses the criminally insane, known simply as Willow Point.

Will this new mystery tear Maddy and Adam apart?

Who else is in on Adam's secret?

And will Maddy find the answers before it's too late?

Another heart-stopping page turner from the author of Harbour Falls. Willow Point promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.

2nd in A Harbour Falls Mystery series - Romance/Mystery/Romantic Suspense

*contains mature themes and adult content*


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

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