Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Tallulah Grace. She writes Romantic Suspense Novels with a Paranormal Twist.
Author Genre:
Mystery & Thrillers,Serial Killers,Suspense, Psychological
Website:
Tallulah Grace - Psychological Thrillers
Author's Blog:
Tallulah Speaks
Twitter:
@TallulahSpeaks
E-Mail:
grace.tallulah at gmail dot com
Goodreads:
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Facebook:
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Pinterest:
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Author Description:
Raised in the foothills of the mystical Blue Ridge Mountains, I attribute my love of beautiful landscapes and fascination with all things paranormal to my environment. The settings and characters in my novels reflect my appreciation for natural beauty as well as a desire to explore the what-if's of things unseen. Throw in a degree in Psychology paired with a strong interest in the workings of the criminally insane mind and you have a breeding ground for a psychological thriller.
Becoming an author was not a conscious decision; I've always been a writer. Channeling a passion for story-telling into my livelihood required a giant leap of faith, one that I'll never regret as I truly love what I do.
When I'm not writing, I enjoy antiquing, bead-weaving and sharing time with my incredible daughter and our two spoiled-rotten cats.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: Casanova Killer. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
Thanks, James. Casanova Killer is the first in a series of crime thrillers revolving around FBI agent, Jeri Forbes, and her team. I’m currently writing the sixth book in the series, as yet untitled. After releasing book five in December,
The Collector, I decided to change the format, somewhat, where Jeri and Ethan break away from the constraints of the FBI. Tentatively scheduled for release in March, 2014, the next book takes the series to a different level, where Jeri and her team continue their hunt for serial killers from an elite base of operations in the private sector.
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?
My twitter following has evolved with very little effort on my part, but I make a point to tweet something several times each day. Social media relationships can be vital for an indie author, but I’ve found that my newsletter seems to have more impact than Twitter or Facebook. I include a subscribe link in the front and back matter of my books, as well as on my website.
You do a lot of book signing, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? When and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?
Book signings would be a blast, but I’ve never done one; nor have I engaged in personal appearances. I interact with my readers via email,
grace.tallulah at gmail dot com, and through my newsletter. I do interviews online, like this one, but only a select few.
You have great covers. They carry a theme and your brand with them. 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?
Thanks, I work hard on my covers. The image and the title typically come only after I’ve completed the manuscript. The search for images is a time-consuming process, but it’s much easier after the book is written. I learned enough about Photoshop to build the covers, and find that I really enjoy that part of the creation process. As yet, I haven’t included my readers in cover development, but I may in the future.
You have several great book trailers. (See links below.) They look very professional. Do you know how much impact they have had on your book’s success? Tell us about the process that you used to create your trailers?
I’d love to have more trailers, but their impact on sales is negligible, as compared to the giant time-suck they can be to create, at least for me. Don’t misunderstand, I loved making them, but my time is better spent writing, at the moment. Not to say that I won’t make another one; just writing about it here makes me itch to put one together. My process begins with the script, which is really an extended blurb. Next, I search for images to fit the script, then find music that ties everything together.
Several of you novels have been converted into audio books. What has been the impact on your regular sales? Has the audio books gained a new audience?
The audiobook process was a major eye-opener for me. I don’t regret doing it, but I’m not jumping in to do more, anytime soon. From a sales standpoint, the audiobooks are negligible. As far as building an audience, it’s like anything else; you get out of it what you put into it. I’ve not had the time to promote the audiobooks as actively as I would like.
You have written several short stories. Can you tell us if they had an impact on the sales of your novels? Are shorty’s one of your styles of writing or are they created to give readers a sample of your work?
Both. My first short-story,
Trapped in Spaulding Manor, was simply a story that was rattling around in my head which needed to get out. My latest shorty,
An Extraordinary Christmas, was in response to readers wanting to know more about two of my characters. I’ve also placed a few shorts on my website, so that readers can experience my writing style. As for the impact on sales, I think that the shorts are more of an extension to my existing sales, rather than an avenue to find new readers.
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?
Far and away the best marketing strategy I have ever employed has been to give away the first book in a series. The first book in my Timeless Trilogy,
Fate, went free in January, 2012. After that, sales of the other two books in the Trilogy exploded, allowing me to create fiction, full-time. After I had written three books in the SSCD series, I made the first book,
Casanova Killer, free. Again, I’ve seen a distinctive surge in sales of the other books in the series, as a result of offering
CK for free.
How do you start your book launch process for a new book? Give a brief outline of the steps you go through to get your book to market. What methods were the most successful?
I wish I could tell you about a magic formula, but the only things that I do, after publishing, are to send a note to my newsletter subscribers and post on FB and Twitter. If I remember, I do a blog post. I’m seriously a terrible marketer, but my readers are the best. Their loyalty helps push the books up in the ranks, so that others find them.
You have a blog subscription on Amazon. You do a great job keeping readers informed, marketing your books and providing useful information to other writers. What is your primary goal? And where in the world do you find the time to create great novels, take care of the social media and maintain your blog?
Thanks, James, you’re very kind. My primary focus is the writing, but marketing has to play a role, even though it’s not something I’m comfortable with, or good at. My blog gets the least amount of my attention, though I always have great intentions to communicate, but something always seems to take precedence.
I’ve been extremely fortunate to have found a group of readers who enjoy my work, and who like to share it. I attribute whatever small success I’ve enjoyed to them, as well as to creating books that are part of a serial. My marketing time and knowledge is so limited, that writing books which flow together, using the same core group of characters, has lessened the necessity for promoting each individual book. If I could offer any words of wisdom to authors, just entering the self-publishing world, it would be to set up a newsletter subscription first thing. I waited more than a year to create my newsletter, and missed who-knows-how-many chances to add to my subscriber base. Don’t wait; if I can do it, you can do it.
Author's Book List
The Collector
- SSCD Crime Thriller
A serial killer, twenty years in the making, terrorizes small communities in the Great Smoky Mountains, seeking trophies for his collection.
The FBI sends a unit from its Special Serial Crime Division to track the killer. Led by Jeri Forbes, with assistance from Ethan Barnes, the SSCD team face their most bizarre case yet; a sexual sadist who hides in plain sight, selecting victims from unsuspecting tourists who happen to remind him of a love, lost long ago.
Not for the faint hearted, this gritty crime thriller will take you deep into the mind of a deranged predator. Enter at your own risk.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Smashwords
Cliffs of Starsdale
- Stories of Starsdale
Seeking a fresh start after her mother’s death, Chelsea Bates lands in the picturesque town of Starsdale, California. Nestled amid the peaks of the High Sierras, Starsdale defines the term ‘small town’ with its mish-mash of well-meaning residents who always seem to know everyone else's business.
The one thing no one knew, could not have predicted, was the evil lurking beneath the surface of Chelsea’s ex-fiancé. Preston Beecher follows her to Starsdale with the intentions of taking everything she owns, including her life. Will Preston destroy her dreams before they begin, or will bonds forged in a small mountain town be the pathway to her future?
Chelsea’s attempts to put the past behind her leads to a new partnership with one of Starsdale’s most respected citizens, John Mills, a man who harbors secrets and an agenda of his own. With the help of John and his talented son, Mac, Chelsea turns a dilapidated building into a bed and breakfast showcase.
Join Chelsea as she learns the ways of a small town in this, the first book in the Stories of Starsdale Series.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Anson
- SSCD Crime Thriller
The twisted reign of a deranged serial killer threatens the low-country of South Carolina. Amid sweet magnolias, giant live oaks and ocean breezes, he stalks the heart of a close-knit family circle, seeking vengeance for his dead brother.
FBI agent Jeri Forbes and Interpol’s Ethan Barnes are all too familiar with the madman’s mission of terror. Together, they tracked him through the bayous of Louisiana, barely escaping with their lives.
As Anson brings the game to Charleston, Jeri and Ethan team up with old friends in an effort to catch the killer. Old friends become new targets for Anson’s revenge; no one is safe from retribution.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Casanova Killer
- An SSCD Crime Thriller
Catching the eye of a delusional serial killer known as the Casanova Killer signals the end for certain beautiful young women of San Francisco. True to his name, Casanova offers the women a taste of romance and unparalleled adoration before sending them to a bloody death.
The FBI Special Serial Crimes Division, SSCD, sets a trap for the killer with one of their own as bait. Agent Jerry Forbes pairs with Interpol’s Ethan Barnes to capture Casanova before another woman falls prey to his charms.
Jerry and Ethan soon discover that pretending to be lovers may be more dangerous than catching a killer. Follow their story from the moment they set up house to the abrupt end that Jerry does not see coming.
Is it love or certain death?
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Bayou Butcher
- SSCD Crime Thriller
Haunting memories of an imperfect childhood shadow Agent Jeri Forbes, a unit leader in the FBI’s prestigious Special Serial Crimes Division, as she stalks the man responsible for destroying families along a sleepy, Louisiana bayou.
Jeri soon learns that the man her team hunts is the puppet of a much more insidious serial killer, intent on a personal quest to destroy Jeri’s life, and that of her lost love, Ethan Barnes. Together, Ethan and Jeri work to resolve their past, while fighting for their lives, and their future.
Follow this fast-paced thriller through the swamps of the Louisiana low-country, as Jeri and her team match wits against a brilliant master of destruction and his all too willing protégé.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
The Littles
- SSCD Crime Thriller
The mountains of rural Georgia will never be the same after a series of vicious murders rock the area to its core. Not only does the killer target children, his gruesome murders are designed to inflict the ultimate agony upon their parents and to instill extreme terror within the small communities.
An SSCD team, part of the FBI's Special Serial Crimes Division, accepts the case and the conditional Governor's liaison, a prosecutor with more baggage than anyone realizes. Travel with them over the hills of the mystical Blue Ridge Mountains as they hunt the psychopath stalking the innocent. Can they capture him before he strikes again? Will he turn the tables and ensnare one of their own in his devious trap?
This psychological thriller delves into the mind of a deranged serial killer as it follows the twists and turns of an SSCD manhunt. Action packed and filled with suspense, The Littles takes readers on a thrill ride they will not soon forget.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Precipice
- Stories of Starsdale
Standing on the edge of insanity, one man’s quest for vengeance threatens the love and lives of a couple torn apart by secrets.
In Book Two of the Stories of Starsdale, Sharon and JB deal with old heartaches and fresh guilt as they find their way back to each other. Neither one realizes that the biggest danger they must face hides beneath the masque of friendship.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Smashwords
Cascade
- Stories of Starsdale
Jade Kingsley had run out of options. Surviving a disastrous marriage, and subsequent divorce, her life had dwindled to not much more than a shadow existence within the four walls of her tiny apartment. When her friends, Robert and Dana, invite her to move to Starsdale, she packs up and takes a chance on a new life.
Nothing could have prepared her for the spellbinding attraction she feels for Justin Devereaux, a friend of Robert’s with plans to develop Starsdale. Jade and Justin discover that, sometimes, love is a freefall; the only choice you have is to go along for the ride.
Romance is not the only thing in store for Justin and Jade. Will an ordinary business trip turn deadly, ending their chance for happiness? Lives balance precariously as Mother Nature unleashes an unexpected storm, threatening to change relationships in Starsdale forever.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Smashwords
Destiny
- Timeless Trilogy, Book Three
Cassandra Locke’s dreams have the clarity of remembrances, the pain of love lost and the essence of future connections. Who is the man that haunts her, nearly every night? Could they truly have been lovers throughout centuries past? Will they have another chance?
Follow Cassandra’s bittersweet journey towards finding and keeping the love of her life.
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Spellbound
- Timeless Trilogy, Book Two
What would you do if you discover that you’re a witch? Not just any witch, but a powerful enchantress descended from a line of impressive magickal healers. Roni Myers, beautiful, talented and passionate about finding natural remedies from herbal mixtures hides her insecurities behind a charming, gregarious façade.
Follow Roni’s journey as she learns secrets that she never before imagined were possible and finds love in the most unexpected place. Can she learn to trust the magick of her birthright before evil claims it as its own? Will she open her mind and her spirit to the power of three in time to save her legacy and her life? Acceptance, faith and love are the keys to her salvation, if she can only believe.
The Timeless Trilogy heroines, Kristina, Veronica and Cassandra, each deal with paranormal abilities as they discover and rediscover eternal love.
Book Trailer:
Spellbound
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
Fate
- Timeless Trilogy, Book One
Is precognition a prescription for happiness or disaster?
The good things in life are coming together for Kristina Collins. She’s found her ideal home, her career is on track for mega success and the man of her dreams has finally come back into her life.
In Fate, the first installment of the Timeless Trilogy, Kris Collins discovers the benefits and risks of having precognitive visions while being stalked by a serial killer. Her friends can’t help her, the FBI can’t save her; she must save herself.
The Timeless Trilogy heroines, Kristina, Veronica and Cassandra, each deal with paranormal abilities as they discover and rediscover eternal love.
Book Trailer:
Fate
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:
eBook Author’s Corner and
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
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