Jess C Scott - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Jess C Scott. She is the author of the Wilde Twins and the Seven Deadly Sins Series.

Author Genre: Psychological Thrillers, Crime, Contemporary

Website: Jess C Scott
Author's Blog: Jess C Scott
Twitter: @jesscscott
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Author Description:
Jess is an author / artist / non-conformist who loves original stories and seeking the truth. She writes psychological thrillers and blogs about Singapore's political history.

Her novel PLAYMATES received a Readers' Favorite Five Star Award (2014), and was described by Hell Horror as being "a great original masterpiece."

She is the founder of jessINK, a publishing company dedicated towards creating meaningful entertainment.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First things first. Let’s start with what’s next. Rumor has it that you have another series on the horizon called SURVIVAL TRILOGY. Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

I have a couple of other 'murder mystery' projects. I fell behind on schedule this year due to a busy personal life, but I look forward to re-focusing my creative energy in the near future. (It needed a bit of refreshment anyway.)

I hope to get to the Survival Trilogy next year, or immediately after I complete one or two murder mystery projects.

Here's the blurb for the trilogy:

"A psychological thriller featuring a female serial killer--and her insatiable lust for vengeance with the #LoveKills murder project. What would you do to survive?"

You have a good following on twitter. Since you started before the social media buzz, what impact has social media relationships had on your current success? How did you build your following in your niche? How much has it changed your book launch process?

I'm not on twitter all that much these days, although I do remember what it was like when I first signed up!

I've made several great friendships through social media (mostly through my blog and Facebook). I have not been able to utilise social media as much as I would have liked to, because a lot of my earlier written work fell into hard-to-define niches which can make discovery of the titles a bit harder.

With social media, I tend to go for quality over quantity. I only make a post or update if I feel like I have something interesting to share or say.

It has not changed my book launch process all that much because I spend more time on my close friendships and creative work. I use social media for some measure of online presence, but the substance of what I do and want to do lies elsewhere.

Do you maintain a reader list? What are the methods you use to find your readers and create the list and the relationship? Do you use social media, forums, newsletters and/or support groups to build your list?

I have a small newsletter list. My main method has been to focus on creating new material and building upon what I already have. A static website has been very helpful in terms of establishing brand identity. I recently re-organised certain sections of my website since I am currently re-branding my authorial identity (I'm making a shift from erotic fiction to crime fiction, for various reasons).

I occasionally check the Facebook demographics on my FB page, but I don't add email addresses to my reader list unless someone signs up to be on the list first.

Do you do any 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?

Sure, I love attending and/or participating in events where I can meet other writers along with readers. I don't have any public appearances in the near future, though I hope to change that in time once I have developed more new projects.

I list my interviews/personal appearances on the press page of my website. My social media accounts will usually make some mention of them too.

You have unique 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?

I sometimes create and design the book covers before writing the actual content. It depends on whether the book cover image I have in mind is strong enough that I can work on it straight away. I enjoy the DIY hands-on approach of creating my own book covers for now as I can maintain some level of coherence and originality (visually) that way.

I have gotten readers involved with the cover for Teen Guide. Many of them preferred the second image over the first image, so my co-author and I went with the second image.

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've heard from a couple of readers who said they bought a copy of my book because of the trailer. I find them fun to do because you have to distill the essence of the plot into a few slides. I usually write out what I have in mind on a piece of paper, in terms of keywords and images I'd like to associate the text with.

I think the most important thing of a good trailer is the music. If the music is the wrong pace or gives the wrong mood, it compromises how the viewer receives the message of the trailer.

You have written several novellas. 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? Do you feel short reads are a product of our email and smart phone age?

My erotic novellas certainly helped sell the anthologies. I enjoy writing novellas and short stories because they require a different approach as compared to writing a novel. They can be a good form to "try out" too before working on a longer project in a similar genre.

I think short attention spans are a product of our email and smart phone age. I've taken this to mean that people enjoy things that are easily digestible.

I like the idea of bundling a series of novels. You have put together a set of your novels called Wilde Twins Trilogy: Box Set. What was the impact on your other sales? What was your main objective in bundling your novels?

Many people like the idea as well. A box set can act as an incentive to try the whole trilogy or series at one go. I guess I wanted readers to have that option, instead of spending more money to buy each ebook individually.

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 never given a novel away for free permanently, and am likely not to. It works for many authors, but I prefer not to devalue my work that way. People will still pay for something they really want anyway (which is part of my job/challenge: to create something interesting and original that is enticing enough to warrant a purchase).

I have done giveaways occasionally. They can be very good in terms of increasing exposure and visibility. I didn't run into many obstacles. I did some research beforehand in order to decide which websites to do giveaways on, and how many copies to give away (not too many…).

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 occasionally use social media, although I find it more relaxing to leave my reading audience to supply the reviews as and when. I have sought professional reviews for the purpose of credibility. I highly recommend Readers' Favorite for their timely and generous reviewing program.



Author's Book List
Owned
Passion. Murder. Bloodlust.

Among these nefarious stories, siblings strengthen their bond by plotting against their aggressor; an animal lover seeks revenge on devotees of the exotic skins trade; and a psychiatrist gets what's coming to him when he abuses the trust of a jaded client.

These stories take readers straight to the scene of the crime, exploring just how and why people are driven over the edge--and driven to kill.

The OWNED collection is approximately 14,000 words long. A couple of stories contain a speculative element.

Stories Include:

1. Beloved Brother
2. Heart's Blood
3. My Chance Encounter
4. Skins
5. Ms. Zeri ("Misery")
6. Owned


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
Soulmates - Wilde Twins Series Book 3
As young adults, Tania and Trevor attempt a fresh start in terms of paying their debts to society. When the siblings both find themselves in unfulfilling marriages, they become increasingly drawn to each other for comfort and solace. The profound evil from their past is back to haunt them with a chilling reminder: You can get away with this, again…

Can Tania and Trevor trust each other with fighting their inner demons, or will they embrace their dark side to the bittersweet end?

Soulmates is the third and final installment in the Wilde Twins series.


Book Trailer: Soulmates

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
Bedmates - Wilde Twins Series Book 2
Follow THE WILDE TWINS in a twisted tale of love and loyalty. . .
BEDMATES (Wilde Twins, Book #2)

As teenagers, the siblings pursue random hookup romances in an effort to distract themselves from two things: their propensity for murder, and the burgeoning sexual tension between them.

What begins as harmless flirtation soon turns into jealousy and ruthless competition in a wild game of sibling rivalry, as Tania and Trevor seek to prove their undying love and loyalty to each other.

Book #2 in The Wilde Twins: a psychological thriller about an "evil twins" serial killing team--and their slow descent into amoral mayhem.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
Playmates - Wilde Twins Series
Follow THE WILDE TWINS in a twisted tale of love and loyalty. . .

PLAYMATES (Wilde Twins, Book #1)

As kids, Tania and Trevor's unsupervised play time offers a lifeline to sanity amidst the chaos of family dysfunction. When danger threatens Tania, Trevor isn't willing to stand by and watch his sister get hurt. The instinct for survival is only rivaled by the killer instincts the Wilde siblings encourage in each other. Instincts that turn into a deadly game igniting their first taste for blood.

Book #1 in The Wilde Twins: a psychological thriller about an "evil twins" serial killing team--and their slow descent into amoral mayhem.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
Teacher's Pet
SUMMARY: A truant student gets her lecturer's signature--and more--when she needs an official form signed.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Jack in the Box
* NOTE: Recommended for readers who enjoy erotica with a story (the author's brand of erotica is NOT defined by explicitness).

SUMMARY (novella): A sensuous business acquaintance breaks Drea’s stale fixation with her first love, Jack.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
The Other Side of Life - Cyberpunk Elven Trilogy Book 1
ONE-LINE SUMMARY: A thieving duo’s world turns upside down when an Elven rogue uncovers the heinous dealings of a megacorporation.

SUMMARY: Anya and Leticia are partners-in-crime who steal for a living. Their world turns upside down after a chance encounter with fellow rogue, Ithilnin—the enigmatic leader of an Elven band of thieves.

A scuffle to prove who’s “the better thief” transforms into more than Anya and Ithilnin ever bargained for. They retrieve the missing piece of an ancient poem, before getting caught in the secret dealings of a megacorporation. What they uncover threatens to alter the very essence of not just human life, but the other side as well.


Book Trailer: The Other Side of Life

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
4:Play
* NOTE: Recommended for readers who enjoy erotic fiction with a story (that is not defined by explicitness).

SUMMARY: A short story in which two guys see what's really in their hearts, with the support--and shining example--of two girls in the same predicament.


Book Trailer: 4:Play

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
The Intern - (Seven Deadly Sins) Book 1
Book #1 (Lust) in Jess C Scott's SINS07 "seven deadly sins" series--a teenage version of Dirty Dancing meets Punk'd.

SUMMARY: 17-year-old Suzie Q, smart kid and closet dance enthusiast, travels with a classmate to a world-class city for an internship program. She finds herself undeniably attracted to the suave hip-hop instructor, Jo.Zee, who recruits her into a dance fitness DVD he is producing. When Suzie sees (or thinks she sees) the real Jo.Zee, she must decide if she will trust him...or her instincts.

* SINS07 is a series featuring lighthearted tales that explore each of the seven sins in order, beginning with lust.


Book Trailer: The Intern

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - KOBO
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
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