Be sure to check out what they have coming next for their readers. I try to pick authors who are interesting studies and ask them unique questions for our Q/A section.
Check out the Showcase feature of the HBS Author's Spotlight. I have included those authors in this class. Thanks to the following outstanding authors for a great month.
Here is a summary of our March 2014 crew.
Cindy Blackburn
Author Genre: Mystery
Author's Blog: Cindy Blackburn
Website: Cindy Blackburn - The Cue Ball Mysteries
Twitter: @cbmysteries
E-Mail: cindyblackburn@cbmysteries.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: I’m giving the Cue Ball Mysteries a short break, so number five “Five Spot” will be out late in 2014 or early 2015. Right now I’m starting a new series, the Cassie Baxter Mysteries. The first book is “Unbelievable,” and will be available sometime this summer.
Social media: I love twitter! I love reading twitter bios and following new people every day. That’s how I built up my “followers.” I participate a lot. I love the back and forth with people. I look at twitter like a big party.
Support groups: I belong to Sisters in Crime and attend the meetings in Upstate SC.
Free books: I occasionally have put the first Cue Ball Mystery, Playing With Poison, for free (e-book only). It helps people find the Cue Ball Mysteries and give them a try... It’s a great tool for both readers and authors.
B ook launch: I use the internet and mostly twitter to alert everyone a new book is on the way. There are LOTS of steps in the process to create a book.
Blog: I use my blog—a funny, silly poem posted every Sunday—as a way to tell folks what’s been on my mind that week. It’s my “news” really. Time is a huge issue.
Reviews: Mostly I rely on my reading audience for reviews. But I also seek out reviewers who blog and specialize in reviewing cozy mysteries.
W riting novels and poetry: I look forward to time out from my mystery novel writing every week to write a poem. MUCH faster, more instant gratification on those little poems!
Author's Book List
Four Play
Three Odd Balls
Double Shot
Playing with Poison
For the rest of the story...View Cindy Blackburn - HBS Author's Spotlight
Carmen DeSousa
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Romance, Paranormal
Author's Blog: Romance.Mystery.Suspense. - Carmen DeSousa
Website: Carmen DeSousa - ROMANCE. MYSTERY. SUSPENSE
Twitter: @Author_Carmen
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: My Creatus Series has been popular, but readers have demanded to know more about the years leading up to Book One, so as always, I listen to my readers, as they are my 'real' boss. So, I've spent the last month writing a prequel to the series. It is with my beta readers, and if they say 'Go!', readers should expect to see it April 2014.
Social media: As I tell most people: one follow at a time. I love interacting with authors and readers, and it doesn’t matter if you have one follower or a million, I follow based on your profile and tweets.
Covers: All of the above. I have one designer I pretty much use for all my projects: http://estrellacoverart.com/ Viola Estrella. I tell her exactly what I’m thinking and she pulls the image right out of my head. I also run contests for suggestions and comments on future covers.
My first short story was a blog exercise. I wrote 500 words and then asked readers to give me suggestions, and then every week I’d add exactly 500 words to the story. IT WAS A HIT, and out of it, ‘The Pit Stop’ and ‘The Depot’ came about, but then something happened… As much as readers loved the stories, almost every one of them screamed for more.
Free books: Giving your books away free is good and bad… Good because you meet tons of new readers whom, if they love you, will go on to your other books. As a new author, I feel I owe it to readers...On the flipside, when you run a book free, readers often don’t stop to read the description. I can’t tell you how many poor reviews I have because my short story was ‘short’ or ‘a ghost story’, even though that’s the first words mentioned in the description. So, that part isn’t always fun.
Author's Book List
Creatus Rogue
The Library
Creatus
Split Decisions
The Depot
When Noonday Ends
The Pit Stop
Entangled Dreams
Land of the Noonday Sun
She Belongs To Me
For the rest of the story...View Carmen DeSousa - HBS Author's Spotlight
Lorna Dounaeva
Author Genre: Thriller, Romance, Mystery
Author's Blog: Self Publish Bible
Website: Lorna Dounaeva
Twitter: @LornaDounaeva
E-Mail: Lorna.Dounaeva@live.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: May Queen Killers is a very British psychological thriller set on the English/Welsh border. It will be available on Amazon from 28th May.
Social media: I have found Twitter to be a good way to meet readers and indeed reviewers. I’ve also found some good books to read on there. I have been active on Twitter for a couple of years now and mainly follow other writers, as well as people who read books in my genre.
Short stories: So far my short stories have just been a fun little side project, more of a hobby, really.
I belong to the Author Social Media Support Group, which I would recommend to all authors as it is a valuable source of support and information.
Free books: I think giveaways are a great way to meet new readers and get reviews. I wouldn’t do it too often though. If you are constantly giving your book away, why would anyone buy it?
Book launch: For FRY, I had an online launch on Facebook and Goodreads. I also did some blog interviews, but not as many as I could have. Blog interviews are great, but they can also be time consuming.
Blog: Self-publish bible is aimed at other writers, although I do use it to market my work too. Writing a blog has been a good way to meet other writers and share ideas and get support
Reviews: To begin with, I was getting reviews through Twitter, but once I did a couple of giveaways, I found that I got lots of reviews that way.
Author's Book List
FRY
For the rest of the story...View Lorna Dounaeva - HBS Author's Spotlight
Lorhainne Eckhart
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult
Website: Lorhainne Eckhart
Twitter: @Leckhart
E-Mail: Lorhainne@LorhainneEckhart.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: Actually, I have two books coming out this month, one of them is Friendly Fire which is the second book in a new Western series, The Wilde Brothers…The Deadline, will be available March 13, and is the first book in a brand new spinoff series, The Friessen’s a brand new beginning.
Social media is a process that I started building back when I first published in 2007, and then seriously focused on building in 2011. It is not a process that happens overnight, but I have focused on Twitter, Facebook, building my newsletter along with writing two blogs, The Choice of Giving and Illusion.
Covers: Creating a strong book cover is so essential to the success of your book. I work exclusively with one professional designer, who understands what I’m looking for. And it took a while to find the right cover designer.
Short stories: Many of my readers enjoy the bridge short stories, and these short stories have contributed to the sales of my novels. I do enjoy writing short stories within a series, taking my characters on a side trip. And it does give new readers a sample of your writing style. For myself, I enjoy reading short stories from other Authors and I’ve discovered many new authors this way.
Bundling a series: Bundling Novels and short stories in a complete series is a great way for readers to read the entire series at a great price. Collections have been extremely popular and quite often readers will opt to buy the entire collection rather than the individual books.
Free books: I never considered giving books away free until I joined up with a group of successful authors and we began working together to cross promote on the Amazon platform. Giving books away on the same day and working together has contributed and been a major factor in my success for each of my books, and thus boosting my sales when coming off free. I continued every month for the last few years, giving books away free using the KDP select free days.
Author's Book List
Blown Away, The Final Chapter
Bounty
Lost and Found
The One
The Choice
VANISHED
Saved
The Wedding
The Unexpected Storm
Runaway
Secrets
The Awakening
Fallen Hero
The Forgotten Child
For the rest of the story...View Lorhainne Eckhart - HBS Author's Spotlight
Giacomo Giammatteo
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Non Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author's Blog: Giacomo Giammatteo
Website: Giacomo Giammatteo
Twitter: @JimGiammatteo
E-Mail: gg@giacomog.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: A Bullet From Dominic.
Book signings: I have never found anyplace to do signings. I tried getting into a few of the local bookstores, but they are adamant about not wanting indie authors. I find it a little ironic that most of the stores are crying about business and asking for people to support the "indie bookstores" but they won't support the indie authors.
Cover themes: For my mystery novels, I have three series. One of the series always has a church on the cover, and it is a church that has a part in the story. In my second series, Blood Flows South, there is always a bullet on the cover, and in the title…The third series is called the Redemption Series, and we started out with a picture of the Houston skyline, which is where these books take place.
Finding Family novella: I never intended to write a novella, but after A Bullet For Carlos came out, I received a lot of emails asking about one of the secondary characters in the book--Dominic Mangini. I decided to write a novella that tells the story of his background.
Blogs: I have two blogs: one for my non-fiction website, http://nomistakes.org , where I publish weekly tips on resumes and interviews and such; and the other is my mystery blog and the topics can range from my animals, to drug addiction, to writing, anything. My goal is not to sell books, but more to just let people know who I am.
Author's Book List
Finding Family
MURDER TAKES TIME
A Bullet For Carlos
Necessary Decisions
Murder Has Consequences
For the rest of the story...View Giacomo Giammatteo - HBS Author's Spotlight
Madison Johns
Author Genre: Sleuth Mystery,Cozy Mystery,Romance
Author's Blog: Author Madison Johns
Website: Author Madison Johns
Twitter: @madisonjohns11
E-Mail: madisonjohnswriter@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next up is book five, Treasure in Tawas... I also have a crossover mystery, Pretty, Hip & Dead, featuring Agnes and Kimberly Steele, a character from my novella Pretty and Pregnant awaiting a first edit.
Social media: Twitter is still a mystery to me. It’s not hard to find followers in my opinion; it just takes time out of you day to really interact on there. I much prefer to interact on Facebook. It’s there that I feel I have the biggest impact. I’m active on the groups and I promo on them.
Covers: In the beginning my covers were not like that and it took a long time before I found my cover artist. I use the same one Leighann Dobbs has, an author I greatly admire. I’m proud to say they all have a signature look and exactly what I wanted.
Short stories: I did a short story collection and it was the first sample of my work, but since then I went another way. My novella Pretty and Pregnant is good example of a way to test out the waters in another genre for me.
Box sets: I had in depth decisions about this very subject with fellow writers. Box sets are also very popular these days. Everyone seems to have one or should. I boxed my books to make it a good value for readers who might have just discovered my books. It has absolutely no impact on my single titles. My single titles way outsell my box set. Having a box set also has marketing potential down the road.
Free books: September of 2012 I did a five day free run on Amazon with the KDP Select with my book Armed and Outrageous. It was hugely successful for me as my book make it to number one for free overall…Amazon has made changes and now, it’s not so easy to get those residual sales after a free promo. I pulled my books out of KDP Select and no longer offer free books unless I give a book away for a contest. I think it works to find new reader or get yourself known, but there are many negatives too. People will pick up a free book and leave a scathing review because it just wasn’t a genre they’d like to read.
Book launch: I always chat up my book throughout the process. I do a cover reveal a few weeks before and post the book blurb on both my author page on Facebook and my regular page with a blog posting as well. Once the book is released, I send out a newsletter announcing it.
Book tours: I’ve done blog tours, but as for me, they just have never generated sales. I much prefer to do an occasional blog stop or interview. They are also a ton of work if it’s a big tour.
Author's Book List
Agnes Barton Senior Sleuth Mysteries Box Set
Armed & Outrageous
Grannies, Guns and Ghosts
Senior Snoops
Trouble in Tawas
Redneck Romance
Pretty and Pregnant
For the rest of the story...View Madison Johns - HBS Author's Spotlight
Marla Madison
Author Genre: Suspense, Mystery & Thrillers
Author's Blog: Marla Madison
Twitter: @MarlaAMadison
E-Mail: mam887@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: I’m in the process of wrapping up my third suspense novel, Trespass.
My social platform was driving me wild until I read an eBook called, Blog and Tweet – How to Make a Splash Online. Now, I know it’s possible to find a book that will support any point of view on any topic, but this book spoke to me. I was frustrated by trying to do everything. I enjoy using twitter because it’s manageable and I like blogging because it allows me to speak to my audience. So this book’s advice relieved me from a lot of needless pressure
Short stories: When I first started writing and had more time, I was active on a sight called Fanstory. It’s a great place for writers to post their work, enter contests, and get feedback from other writers and readers.
Free books: I’ve done the KDP free days for both books. They are not nearly as helpful today as they were two years ago when very few authors were using them. But they are still a good way to get some income (sales go up for a while after the promo) and an excellent way to get recognition.
Reviews: My early reviews tend to be from friends and acquaintances. I get the most when I do free promotions.
Author's Book List
Relative Malice
She's Not There
For the rest of the story...View Marla Madison - HBS Author's Spotlight
Matthew Mather
Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Website: Matthew Mather - tomorrow -- today
Twitter: @PhutureNews
E-Mail: matthew.mather@phuturenews.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: I'm working on my fourth book, tentatively called Bluebridge, that is centers around the use of AI in financial systems. It will be a tech thriller in the style of CyberStorm, and should be out pate this summer. I just finished a book called Dystopia, which is Book 2 in my Atopia science fiction series, and this will be released toward the fall of 2014
Covers: I used to work professionally as a graphic artist, so I tend to have a hands-on approach when it comes to covers. I tend to mock-up a few ideas myself, then pass them by my friends and readers, and from there get some more advanced help in creating the art and design. I think covers are extremely important in marketing a book.
Series: I originally wrote Atopia as one book of 500+ pages, but after getting rejected ... I decided to self-publish it. I went back and rewrote Atopia in a way that I could release as a series of stories. This allows the reader to get hook and slowly enter the story, without needing to commit for all 500+ pages up front… I always recommend new authors to use the serialized approach...it seems to work.
Free books: I think that giving your work away for free sometimes, at least to begin with, is the only way to go. I know it might seem counterintuitive, but the thing you need to remember is just how deep the pool of available readers is
Manage your plots for the Chronicles (Large book): I write ideas down on scraps of paper and start plastering them against the walls of my office, and then build up my plot arcs on large pieces of art paper. I am very detailed, though. Writing a book is like plotting a military campaign for me. I write down the plot in detail, and then isolate it down into 2-3 pages chunks, and write down a series of details bullet points for each section. I will write a 10-15,000 outline for a 100,000 page book before I even start writing.
Reviews: Once you start to get some sales volume, you'll notice that you get about 1 or 2 reviews per 100 sales. By writing a plea for reviews (good or bad) at the end of your book, you can usually get to the high end of this range--especially if you mention you are self-published.
Author's Book List
The End is Nigh
CyberStorm
Complete Atopia Chronicles
For the rest of the story...View Matthew Mather - HBS Author's Spotlight
Michelle Medhat
Author Genre: Mystery, Spy thrillers
Website: Michelle Medhat
Twitter: @theconnected1
E-Mail: michelle@forever-connected.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: I have just finished writing Connected: The Shift which is a sequel to Connected: The Call. At the end of Connected: The Call, a question mark loomed over a number of people… Connected: The Shift is expected to be released around April 2014.
Book trailer: I have looked at book trailers before, and I wanted something that was closer to a film with fewer words but maximum impact. The trailer was created by a professional filmmaker/animator from Oakbeam Pictures who really loved the book. I developed the initial ideas and a first cut storyboard, with the key messages I wanted to get over.
Free books: The main goal in engaging in free/low cost book promotion is to drive reach, and encourage as many people to read my book as possible. For any author, getting their book wagging on the tongues of readers is the best promotion of all.
Book launch: Before I start any process I always mind-map my way through. I find this is critically important to scheduling resource (my time) and investment, as well as where the interdependencies are that could affect my book’s marketing and sales performance.
Reviews: At the moment, it's a combination of professional reviews and readers. Some readers also tweet about my book which encourages others to review. Connected: The Call is getting good reviews.
Author's Book List
Connected: The Call
For the rest of the story...View Michelle Medhat - HBS Author's Spotlight
Dan Pollock
Author Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Inspirational Publisher
Author's Blog: Dan Pollock's Thrillerblog
Website: DAN POLLOCK THRILLERS
Twitter: @danielpollock
E-Mail: dbpollock@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: In April I plan to republish on Kindle DUEL OF ASSASSINS, a Cold War-era thriller originally distributed by Pocket Book (in the U.S.) and Heineman (in the UK).
Social media: Twitter is the only social media I spend time on. I don’t know how much it’s helped me sell books, but it has helped me relieve the isolation of my trade and enjoy the sympathetic company of writers all over the globe.
Covers: But one of the joys of indie publishing is that a midlist author like me is not shut out of crucial decision-making meetings. For my thriller covers, I have worked with a couple of talented graphic artists…
Free books: Like so many other indie writers, I signed up for Kindle Direct Publishing with an eye to making big bucks by giving away my books for free. Like so many other indie writers, I discovered that stratagem no longer works. But I have had a measure of success with 99 cent promotions on Kindle Countdown when combined with modest ads on various bargain-book email sendouts.
Reviews: The last-named method (“rely on your reading audience”) is definitely the best, but it’s only just happening for me after some months. For each new title I found it necessary to prime the pump with some arm-twisted reviews from friends and family…
Author's Book List
Orinoco
Lair of the Fox
The Running Boy
Precipice
For the rest of the story...View Dan Pollock - HBS Author's Spotlight
Norah Wilson
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult
Author's Blog: Norah Wilson
Website: Norah Wilson - Where danger and desire meet…
Twitter: @norah_wilson
E-Mail: norahwilsonwrites@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Next: My next solo project is a romantic suspense/mystery called Fatal Hearts, to be published by Montlake Romance. I don’t have a firm release date, but I think it’ll be August or September of 2014.
Social media: I’ve been building my Twitter following for a couple of years. It was slow going at first. I used to check out who was following authors who wrote in a similar vein, and I would follow their followers. Some of them would follow back and become engaged. After a while, you sort of reach a tipping point where your followers grow organically without any special effort.
Writing a Novella: Needing Nita was a bit of an experiment. Actually, it was an experiment twice. I wrote it initially hoping to sell it to Harlequin for their Spice Briefs line, but it was rejected. Experiment 1 = fail.
It languished for a while until it occurred to me that I could put it up for free as a sample of my work, and to try to drive traffic to the Serve and Protect series. I have to say Experiment 2 was a success.
THE PERFECT TEN Bundle: I think you’re either a bundle person, or you’re not. Some people would rather pay more for single novels than to buy an entire collection of novels for much less and read the ones that appeal.
Free books: Giving full-length novels away for free as a loss leader is my favorite promotion! It’s particularly effective if it’s a part of a series. Right now, I have a number of “permafree” novels – Saving Grace (romantic suspense), The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen (cozy mystery), and Comes the Night (YA Paranormal).
Reviews: I used to query tons of reviewers with each new book, but that process takes a lot of time, and my plate is way too full already. I know some self-pubbed authors who are joining cooperatives so they can afford to put a title on NetGalley, to try to get reviews without having to do all that legwork. So far, the results I’ve heard reported haven’t persuaded me to follow suit.
Author's Book List
Death by Cuddle Club
Comes the Night
Every Breath She Takes
Nightfall
Family Jewels
Ashlyn's Radio
The Merzetti Effect
The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen
Protecting Paige
Saving Grace
Guarding Suzannah
For the rest of the story...View Norah Wilson - HBS Author's Spotlight
HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Laura DeLuca
Featured Book: The Forgotten Pharaoh
Author Genre: Travel, Mystery & Thrillers, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Website: Laura DeLuca - Author of the Young Adult Novel Destiny
Twitter: @authorldeluca
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan and Player.
Author's Book List
The Forgotten Pharaoh
Hyde
Demon
Player
Morrigan
Destiny Unveiled
Phantom
Destiny
For the rest of the story...View Laura DeLuca - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Annette Drake
Featured Book: Bone Girl
Author Genre: Romance, Young Adult
Author's Blog: Annette Drake
Website: Annette Drake
Twitter: @annettedrake13
E-Mail: Write2me@AnnetteDrake.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Annette Drake is an aspiring writer whose work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences. Her debut novel, Celebration House, will be published this summer in e-book format for readers everywhere by Tirgearr Publishing.
She left high school after two years to obtain her GED and attend Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where she earned a degree in journalism. Annette worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Missouri and Kansas from 1987 to 1993. After earning a bachelor of science in nursing in 1994, she worked in hospitals in Missouri, Alaska and Washington for 18 years before returning her focus to writing.
Annette recently completed her middle-grade novel, Bone Girl, and is hard at work revising her steamy contemporary romance, A Year with Geno.
She is the mother of four children. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Annette loves libraries, basset hounds and bakeries. She does not camp.
Annette Drake’s work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences. Bone Girl is her second novel.
Author's Book List
Bone Girl
Celebration House
For the rest of the story...View Annette Drake - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Dianne Harman
Featured Book: Blue Coyote Motel
Author Genre: Romance and Literary Fiction
Author's Blog: Dianne Harman Author
Website: Dianne Harman Author
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Dianne Harman draws her stories and characters from a diverse business and personal background. She owned a national antique and art appraisal business for many years, leaving that industry and opening two yoga centers where she taught yoga and certified yoga instructors. Dianne has traveled extensively throughout the world, most recently dividing her time between Huntington Beach, California and Sacramento, California, where her husband was a Senator. An avid reader, Dianne brings the richness of her life experiences to her novels, Blue Coyote Motel and Tea Party Teddy.
An Award Winning Bestseller, Blue Coyote Motel was selected as a quarterfinalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award contest and Goodreads Psychological Thriller of the Month Book.
Her second novel, Tea Party Teddy, is a multicultural romance set against the political background of California. It is the story of Nina, who husband succumbs to the power of his office. Bigoted and biased, the ultimate irony occurs when she becomes romantically involved with the founder of the Republicans for Latinos and in the process, discovers herself.
Author's Book List
Tea Party Teddy's Legacy
Coyote in Provence
Tea Party Teddy
Blue Coyote Motel
For the rest of the story...View Dianne Harman - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Melissa Eskue Ousley
Featured Book: The Rabbit and the Raven
Author Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Website: Melissa Eskue Ousley
Twitter: @MEskueOusley
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Melissa Eskue Ousley is the author of The Solas Beir Trilogy. “Sign of the Throne,” the first book of this young adult fantasy series, will be released on September 14. She is currently working on the second and third novels in the trilogy, “The Rabbit and the Raven” and “The Sower Comes.”
Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and their Kelpie, Gryphon. When she’s not writing, Melissa can be found swimming, hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, or walking along the beach, poking dead things with a stick.
Before she became a writer, she had a number of educational jobs, ranging from a summer spent scraping roadkill off a molten desert highway to years spent conducting research with an amazing team of educators at the University of Arizona.
Author's Book List
The Rabbit and the Raven
Sign of the Throne
For the rest of the story...View Melissa Eskue Ousley - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
HBS Bundle Showcase
Featured Set: Murderous Beginnings
Available at Amazon: Murderous Beginnings
Title: A Deadly Blessing
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers - Women Sleuths
Website: Kathy Bennett
Author's Blog: Kathy Bennett
Twitter: @kathywriteslapd
E-Mail: KathywritesLAPD@sbcglobal.net
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
Kathy Bennett is no stranger to murder and mayhem. A veteran of many years with the Los Angeles Police Department, her authentic crime experience results in arresting stories.
Most of Kathy's career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, Kathy was assigned as a Senior Lead Officer, with approximately five square miles in the San Fernando Valley her responsibility regarding crime and quality of life issues.
Kathy also served as a Firearms Instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the 'War Room', a Field Training Officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. She was named Officer of the Quarter twice, and Officer of the Year once.
In addition to working on her next novel, she writes a weekly blog that can be found on her website, and writes a monthly column for the North Valley Community News, in Northridge, California.
She's married to a Los Angeles Police Officer, and they have one daughter and one granddaughter. Kathy has written two romantic suspense manuscripts and is currently revising her third book - a suspense novel.
Title: A Dead Red Cadillac
Author Genre: Mystery, Romance, Humor
Website: R.P. Dahlke
Author's Blog: R.P. Dahlke - Infrequent Blog
Twitter: @rpdahlke
E-Mail: rp@rpdahlke.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
R.P. (Rebecca) Dahlke was raised on her father’s 80 acres of Almonds & crop dusting ranch south of Modesto, California. She’s been writing since 1994, first with a writing group in the East Bay Area and then when she and her husband went sailing, via the Guppies of Sisters in Crime, National.
When they settled in Southern Arizona, Rebecca started a chapter of Sisters in Crime and A Dead Red Cadillac was published by Treble Heart Publishing.
She was doing the rewrite on her second Lalla Baines Novel, A Dead Red Heart when her son, John Shanahan, died in a tragic crop dusting accident in California. Writing about anything, much less crop-dusting became too painful and she stopped writing until 2010.
I sort of fell into the job of running a crop-dusting business when my dad decided he'd rather go on a cruise than take another season of lazy pilots, missing flaggers, testy farmers and horrific hours. After two years at the helm, I handed him back the keys and fled to a city without any of the above. And no, I was never a crop-duster.
Title: Love Thy Sister
Author Genre: Suspense, Nonfiction, Mystery
Website: Murder Italian Style
Twitter: @scrittrice
E-Mail: mariagswan@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Maria Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona--but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan?
As a young girl, her vivid imagination predestined her to be a writer. She won her first literary award at the age of fourteen while living in Belgium. As a young woman Maria returned to Italy to design for--ooh-la-la--haute couture. Once in the U.S. and after years of concentrating on family, she tackled real estate. These days her time is devoted to her deepest passions: writing and helping people find happiness.
Maria loves travel, opera, good books, hiking, and intelligent movies (if she can find one, that is). When asked about her idea of a perfect evening, she favors stimulating conversation, Northern Italian food and perfectly chilled Prosecco--but then, who doesn't?
Maria has written short stories for anthologies, articles for high profile magazines and numerous blogs tackling love and life. She engaged her editorial and non-fiction skills for Mating Dance: Rituals for Singles Who Weren't Born Yesterday. Her romantic suspense novels Love Thy Sister and Bosom Bodies are available at Amazon.com.
Title: Sweet Masterpiece
Author Genre:
Website: Connie Shelton
Twitter: @connieshelton
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
...Every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day, somewhere in the world, someone downloads a Connie Shelton mystery...
A personal Thank You to all my readers who make this little statistic possible. Having fun with my writing, and connecting with readers--that's what being a mystery writer means to me. And I LOVE what I do!
It began in 1985 when I started writing my first novel, without much clue how to go about it. Two years and 500 pages later, when I finally typed 'The End,' I felt a huge rush of excitement. That book took third place in the Southwest Writers competition and began making the rounds of publishers. I simply started writing my second, and then my third books.
After publishing ten of my Charlie Parker mysteries, I decided to branch out with a second series and I created the character of Samantha Sweet. One of the ways in which I earned a little extra pocket money during my high school years was to bake and decorate cakes--hence, a career for Samantha based on my own experiences.
In 2009 I switched publishers and was off on a new adventure, seeing all of my books made available for Kindle and the other ebook devices that were just beginning to take off in the book world. It's been an exciting time in publishing and I'm loving the new formats and the ability to personally connect with readers all over the world via my newsletter and my website at connieshelton.com.
Title: In For A Penny
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Romance,Suspense
Website: Maggie Toussaint - Romance Danger Mystery
Author's Blog: Mudpies and Magnolias
Twitter: @MaggieToussaint
E-Mail: maggie@maggietoussaint.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
Award-winning southern author Maggie Toussaint is published in romance and mystery genres. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America.
Maggie uses real life inspiration to flavor her books. Her rich scenery and colorful characters have received much notice, but at heart, she tells a darn good story.
Featured Set: 9 More Killer Thrillers
Available at Amazon: 9 More Killer Thrillers
Title: JET
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Website: Russell Blake Suspense Writer
Author's Blog: Russell Blake - Author Spotlight
Twitter: @blakebooks
E-Mail: books@russellblake.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Russell Blake is the bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including the thrillers Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, King of Swords, Night of the Assassin, Revenge of the Assassin, Return of the Assassin, Blood of the Assassin, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, The Voynich Cypher, Silver Justice, JET, JET II - Betrayal, JET III - Vengeance, JET IV - Reckoning, JET V - Legacy, Upon A Pale Horse, and BLACK.
Non-fiction includes the international bestseller An Angel With Fur (animal biography) and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated), a parody of all things writing-related.
Blake lives in Mexico and enjoys his dogs, fishing, boating, tequila and writing, while battling world domination by clowns.
His blog can be found at RussellBlake.com where he publishes his periodic thoughts, such as they are.
Title: Irretrievably Broken
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Short Stories
Website: Melissa F. Miller, Author of Fast-Paced Thrillers
Twitter: @melissafmiller
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
I'm Melissa F. Miller, author of the Sasha McCandless legal thriller series and a practicing attorney. When I'm not in court or on the playground with my three delightful children, I'm hard at work on my next novel.
Title: Never Go Home
Author Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Website: L.T. Ryan
Author's Blog: L.T. Ryan Newsletter
Twitter: @LTRyanWrites
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Lee "L.T." Ryan lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA with his wife, three daughters, and one slightly psychologically unbalanced, but lovable dog. He enjoys writing fast paced suspense thrillers. When not writing, he enjoys reading, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and spending time with the ladies in his life.
Title: The Critical Element
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Religion & Spirituality, Fiction
Website: Meet Author, John L. Betcher
Author's Blog: Self-Publishing Central
Twitter: @JohnBetcher
E-Mail: betcherjl@q.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Amazon TOP 100 Bestselling Author, John L. Betcher, holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. He has practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. Mr. Betcher has published an award-winning series of "Becker" suspense/thriller novels. The first five are THE 19TH ELEMENT, THE MISSING ELEMENT, THE COVERT ELEMENT, THE EXILED ELEMENT and THE CRITICAL ELEMENT. He has also authored the award-winning spiritual phenomenon, A HIGHER COURT.
Title: The Dark Path
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Website: Author Luke Romyn
Author's Blog: Luke's Blog
Twitter: @LukeRomyn
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
Luke Romyn spent many years, over nineteen in fact, working in the security industry. From doorwork in some of Australia's roughest pubs and clubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers, Luke has worked throughout Australia and internationally in a vast array of roles. He's done close protection for UK celebrities in Fiji and chased feral pigs and snakes out of the jungle film sets on Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hank's epic: The Pacific. There are few things Luke hasn't seen. With all this experience behind him, it would have been tempting to write a set of memoirs. Instead, Luke utilized it to fuel his own expansive imagination and began writing fiction. Initially starting with short stories, Luke rapidly progressed onto novels. All three of Luke's books have been category best sellers on Amazon, with over a quarter of a million copies being distributed to date.
Title: Thirteen to None
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Website: Claude Bouchard Books - Crime Thrillers and other Stuff...
Twitter: @ceebee308
E-Mail: claude@claudebouchardbooks.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
I was born in Montreal, Canada, where I still reside with my spouse, Joanne. I completed my studies in human resources, accounting and management at McGill University and worked in various management capacities in the fields of HR and finance for a handful of firms for what seemed like decades, because it was. I should also mention I love pizza, but who doesn't and, in my opinion, nothing rocks more than cooking on the grill.
My first stab at writing was in 1995, the result being my first novel, Vigilante. This was subsequently followed by The Consultant (1996) and Mind Games (1997), all of the same series. Professional obligations and other creative interests led me away from writing for a number of years but I found myself busy at the keyboard in 2009 with The Homeless Killer after having finally published my first three novels. I then followed up with 6 Hours 42 Minutes in 2011, also part of the Vigilante series born from Vigilante. In July 2011, I released ASYLUM, my first stand-alone novel and Discreet Activities, my sixth Vigilante crime thriller was published in January 2012. In October 2012, I penned and released Something’s Cooking, a faux-erotica parody and cookbook under the pseudonyms Réal E. Hotte and Dasha Sugah. My eighth novel and seventh installment of the Vigilante series, Femme Fatale, has just been released. I think I'm really starting to like this writing thing.
Besides writing, editing and promoting my work, I also spend some artistic energy with my five guitars, oil paints and watercolours. Other passions include cooking (big time with fine wine to go with it, of course), reading, traveling and working out just enough to stay fit. It should also be noted that following several years of practice, I now excel at being cat furniture for Krystalle and Midnight, or so they tell me.
Title: The Devil's Cauldron
Author Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Website: Michael Wallace - author of the bestselling Righteous series
E-Mail: m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Author Description:
Sign up to Michael's New Release Mailing List here: bit.ly/10ZDLZ2 (Simply cut-and-paste that address into your browser) and receive a free copy of the Righteous novella "Trial by Fury." Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
I've trekked across the Sahara on a camel, ridden an elephant through a tiger preserve in Southeast Asia, eaten fried guinea pig, and been licked on the head by a skunk. In a previous stage of life I programmed nuclear war simulations, smuggled refugees out of a war zone, and milked cobras for their venom. I speak Spanish and French and grew up in a religious community in the desert.
Title: Crazy Days in Big Lake
Author Genre: Murder, Mystery and Suspense
Website: Gypsy Journal
Author's Blog: Just a Gypsy
Twitter: @GypsyJournal
E-Mail: nick@gypsyjournalrv.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Author Description:
Before becoming a fulltime RVer, New York Times Kindle bestselling author Nick Russell published daily and weekly newspapers in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona.
He and his wife Terry, are the publishers of the popular Gypsy Journal RV travel newspaper, and Russell presents travel seminars at RV rallies across the country.
Nick Russell is the author of Highway History and Back Road Mystery, Meandering Down The Highway - A Year On The Road With Fulltime RVers, Work Your Way Across The USA - You Can Earn A Living And Travel Too!, The Frugal RVer, Overlooked Florida, Overlooked Arizona, and the bestselling Big Lake mystery series.
Title: The Delilah Complex
Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Website: M.J. Rose
Author's Blog: M.J. Rose
Twitter: @MJRose
E-Mail: mjroseauthor@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Author Description:
M.J. Rose (www.mjrose.com) is the international best selling author of thirteen novels and three non-fiction books on marketing. Her most recent novel SEDUCTION (Atria/S&S May 7 2013) is an May Indie Next Pick and had gotten a Library Journal starred review and an RT Top Pick.
THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S March 2012) was chosen as one the ten best in several categories including mystery and fantasy by PW and Amazon and was chosen to be on the March Indie Next List as well as a summer main selection by the Pulpwood Queens Book club.
Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.
Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com
The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.
She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.
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