Nancy Naigle - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Nancy Naigle. She is the award-winning, bestselling author of the An Adams Grove series. Nancy writes love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense.

Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Mystery & Thrillers

Website: Nancy Naigle
Author's Blog: Nancy Naigle
Twitter: @nancynaigle
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Author Description:
USA TODAY Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, writes love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense in hopes that readers will find an escape from their hectic day-to-day in the make believe worlds she creates.

The award winning novel, SWEET TEA AND SECRETS, is the first in the Adams Grove series.

Other Adams Grove novels include: OUT OF FOCUS, WEDDING CAKE AND BIG MISTAKES (You'll remember Carolanne and Connor from Sweet Tea and Secrets!), PECAN PIE AND DEADLY LIES, MINT JULEPS AND JUSTICE,and coming 2/10/15 - BARBECUE AND BAD NEWS. Nancy also co-authors THE GRANNY SERIES with Kelsey Browning. Honey, these are not your momma's grannies. These gals are more like Dirty Harry, only over 50, female and southern. Buckle up. The first book, IN FOR A PENNY, is available in digital, print, large print and audio formats. Book 2 - FIT TO BE TIED is out and Book 3 - IN HIGH COTTON will release in April 2015.

If you're tastes run toward young adult or mystery, you might also enjoy INKBLOT co-written by Nancy Naigle and Phyllis Johnson under the pen name - Johnson Naigle. Hugs and happy reading.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

Congratulations on your book: Life After Perfect. Rumor has it that you have another book on the horizon called IN HIGH COTTON. Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

Thanks, James. IN HIGH COTTON is the third book in The Granny Series that I co-author with Kelsey Browning. Its humorous women’s fiction and we like to say, “Honey, these are not your momma’s grannies. These gals are more like Dirty Harry…only female, over 50, and from the south.” In this book, a tree topples over onto Miss Lillian’s prized 1948 Tucker Torpedo, and the grannies are once again scrambling for money and keeping Lil in the dark. Lucky for them, they have their choice of two cases, but which to take—a suspected art forgery or mysteriously disappearing trash from the county landfill? As usual, nothing is as it first seems, and the stakes just keep rising!

Stay tuned for the cover reveal of IN HIGH COTTON in the next week!

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 social media relationships are critical. Funny you should mention newsletters. The truth is my social media builds my newsletter, not vice-versa. I’ve been active on multiple platforms for years, and built it slowly. Interacting with people is really the only way to build and get active followers.

You do a lot of book signings, 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?

Folks can stay up-to-date on where I’ll be when on my website www.NancyNaigle.com under OTHER STUFF or on my author page on Amazon. My next big event is at the Barbara Vey Reader Luncheon in Milwaukee, WI. The luncheon is sold out, but we also do Friday night Q&A and a Saturday signing which are both open to the public. I hope we’ll see some of y’all there.

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?

Thank you! I love my covers too. Just as important as the cover is the title and my Facebook fans are very active in naming my books. That is so much fun. I’m very hands-on in the cover process and my focus is on the image matching the feel of the book. I don’t worry so much about hair color and little details. Those are things my readers can imagine as the read the book. My readers don’t see the cover until the cover reveal.

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?

Book videos are a fun way to give people a taste of the story. I like them because it gives a more visual experience, rather than just words or a static book cover. I don’t make my own videos. I’ve worked with three different vendors. I got just as much impact out of the less expensive ones as I did the very expensive book trailer…so don’t break the bank.

I like the idea of Author bundles. You are a part of a novel collection called THE PERFECT 10 Bundle. What was the impact on your other sales? What was the main objective of bundling your works with other romance authors? How did you put something like that together?

I was asked by Dianna Love to be a part of THE PERFECT 10 and I was so thrilled to be with some authors that I really respected in that collection. I gained lots of new readers that wouldn’t have normally picked up my stories. I know that because they point blank said it in their reviews and letters. I thought that was really neat. The focus was to cross-expose our work and it worked perfectly.

I’d love to mention here that I’ll be in another bundle this year. I’ve got a novella, SAND DOLLAR COVE, included in the box-set called SWEET TALK. This one is Brenda Novak’s brain-child and ALL of the proceeds will go to Find The Cure For Diabetes. It will only be on sale in May and June. All of the authors included have written original work for this box set. I hope folks will go pre-order that right now. Details are on my website.

Your have co-authored several books, notable with Tracy March, Kelsey Browning and Phyllis Johnson under the pen name - Johnson Naigle. What results have you gotten from combining your audiences with the other authors? Now did you coordinate this and keep the story line going?

All three of those ventures were born out of ideas that I absolutely adored and believed in. So, the story came first and then we decided to work it together. It’s interesting too that the process of working with those authors has been very different in each case, but I’d call every single one a success.

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

I’m members of national groups like Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. They each bring their own ideas and styles to the table and I personally think the mix of all of those, along with my own ideas, is the perfect combination for me.

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 given away a lot of books for free, especially at Book Expo America where I do giveaways and book signings each year. The readers pay a fee to get in to the event and meeting them is totally worth the trade-off to me. I’ve made some great connections and faithful readers through Book Expo/BookCon. I think authors have to be careful about the timing of those giveaways though. When you have a pretty good backlist of work for a new reader to then purchase and catch up to the new work…it’s a great way to invest in the long tail income stream.

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?

Book launch…not an easy task or a quick one. I start early with the cover reveal, and getting the book video trailer created. My virtual assistant sets up my blog tour for me. Usually a dozen stops. Doing that early is critical because I’m not a great blogger. I swear I can write a book faster than I can write all those blogs! I get that work done early and tucked away for the release week. I go ahead and create all my other graphics at that time too. I’ll set up a goodreads giveaway for a couple weeks right before the book release, and pretty much do everything and have it staged and waiting for release week. The main reason for doing everything early is so that I can then enjoy the book release. I like having time to interact with the readers and say thank you to folks that are spreading the word.

Barbecue and Bad News, the sixth book in the Adams Grove series, just came out on 2/10. I’m watching the numbers, thrilled that I’m the #2 HOT NEW RELEASE in Romance series and chatting with readers. It’s a good day.



Author's Book List
Life After Perfect
Katherine Barclift had it all: the perfect job, the perfect car, and what she thought was the perfect marriage. But when her entire world collapses in one stomach-churning instant, she hits the road and keeps driving until that so-called “perfect life” is just a dot in her rearview mirror.

A chance encounter leads her to make a pit stop in Boot Creek, a drowsy little North Carolina town where she can call herself Katy, soak up the peace and quiet…and drink in the bluer-than-blue eyes of Derek Hansen, a local doctor still wrestling with his own painful past. Both Katy and Derek are wary about giving romance another shot, but they can’t deny the intense attraction between them. And if being in Boot Creek has taught them anything, it’s to take life as it comes and never pass up a chance at true love…no matter how wounded your heart may be.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Barbecue and Bad News - An Adams Grove Novel Book 6
Welcome to Adams Grove…where the barbecue isn’t the only thing that sizzles.

Savannah Dey politely agreed to attend her ex-husband’s wedding, but she’d be grateful for any reason to get out of it…which is why the speeding ticket from the handsome sheriff of Adams Grove is both a surprise and a reprieve. With one quick call to her editor, the aspiring columnist finds herself with a new assignment and the perfect excuse to get closer to the man who pulled her over. Now, all she needs is a way to deal with all the bad memories the small town dredges up…

Sheriff Scott Calvin can’t forget the woman who set off his radar, but he’s determined to send Savannah on her way. He’s done making bad choices, and this beautiful city gal is sure to leave Adams Grove once she finishes her story. By the time she’s stirred up a hornet’s nest, he’s already falling for her. Will trouble bind them together, or will her secrets tear them apart?


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
FIT TO BE TIED - The Granny Series Book 2
These gals are like Dirty Harry...only over 50, female, and from the south.

Lillian Summer Fairview is settling right nice into the federal pen. She’s even making peace with Big Martha, the toughest broad on the cellblock.

After hearing Lil’s granny friends recently took down a swindler, Big Martha asks Lil for a favor. Her niece has fallen for a guy she met online, and Martha’s convinced Mr. Too-Good-To-Be-True is up to no good. All Lil’s friends have to do is a little look-see on the guy and report back. But when they poke around, they find the guy doesn’t really exist, and that triggers a wild ride through the world of online dating.

Meanwhile, a cantankerous septic system on Lil’s family estate in Summer Shoals, GA has the grannies fit to be tied. If Summer Haven isn’t in shipshape before the historic society’s inspection, they’ll be in deep you-know-what. Big Martha sweetens the deal by promising to fix what ails Summer Haven if the grannies can find the elusive Romeo.

Will the grannies track him down before the inspection, or will they find themselves in trouble right up to their granny panties?


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Mint Juleps and Justice - An Adams Grove Novel
I’m a big-city girl through and through. But curled up with Mint Juleps and Justice, I wished I were from a small town. My cozy corner of choice? Adams Grove, Virginia, the heart and soul of Nancy Naigle’s book.

What I love most is that the town is a character itself. In Adams Grove, Nancy has created a warm, spirited place where the ladies shop for family BBQs at the Piggly Wiggly as they trade gossip in the aisles. Where sweet-smelling honeysuckle grows on picturesque, winding Old Horseshoe Road. Where the scones at the local bakery are as fresh as the romance. It’s a place where I actually wanted everyone to know my name.

The truly special part? Nancy made Adams Grove a town where people can’t help falling in love—including Brooke, who retreats here after her divorce. She crosses paths with Mike, who’s trying to heal his own war-torn heart. They pair up to figure out who’s been lurking around (and snooping inside) Brooke’s home. Once they do, Adams Grove—and their love—becomes a safe haven for the couple, a place of solace and protection that they never expected to find. Even if their neighbors are on the nosy side.

Welcome to Adams Grove…where wrongs are righted with just desserts.

Luck abandoned Brooke Justice during her nasty divorce. Desperate to escape her malicious ex-husband, she relocated to the small town of Adams Grove, Virginia. When someone breaks into her new house, she suspects her ex bears the blame for the crime. With no evidence and little help from the police, she asks a private investigator to take her case—a private investigator whose sexy broad shoulders and stunning blue eyes make her question her decision to swear off relationships forever.

Mike Hartman fled Adams Grove when a devastating loss left his heart in pieces. After years overseas in the military, he’s finally returned home, determined to start anew as a private investigator. Then Brooke walks into his office, awakening something he hasn’t felt in years. Can they both move on…into each other’s arms? Or will the pain of the past—and the dangerous threat lurking in the present—destroy their new beginning?


Book Trailer: Mint Juleps and Justice

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Out of Focus - An Adams Grove Novel
NEW COVER - This edition of Out of Focus was previously sold with a different cover. We hope you'll enjoy all of the Adams Grove novels.

In OUT OF FOCUS, Kasey Phillips thinks her biggest problem is deciding whether to photograph Cody Tuggle’s honky-tonkin’ tour, until an accident on Route 58 claims the life of her husband.

In a desperate race against time as a hurricane threatens the eastern seaboard, they search for her three-year-old son who is missing from the wreckage.

A community and friends rally to help, but someone knows more than they are telling.

~~Don't miss Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies, Cody Tuggle's story and the next in this series!


Book Trailer: Out of Focus

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
inkBLOT
Johnson Naigle Pen Name: Nancy Naigle and Phyllis Johnson

Eighteen-year-old web entrepreneur Ronnie Wright owns the virally popular website, inkBLOT. Determined to sweep local newspaper reporter, Chelsea Pressman, off her feet, he tries to wow her with his internet success.

Chelsea has one goal, making it big as a reporter. Unfortunately the editor isn’t tossing any good stories her way. But her luck changes and she is first in line to cover a string of bizarre crimes. The notoriety she’s gaining from the front-page stories is addictive.

The police finally trace the crimes to a common link – inkBLOT.

Now, Ronnie has to clear his name as the number one suspect in Chelsea’s headline crimes.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
IN FOR A PENNY - The Granny Series
Honey, these are not your momma's grannies...

When Lillian Summer Fairview's husband up and dies on her, it leaves the last living member of the most prestigious family in Summer Shoals, Georgia, in a hot mess. While Lil was busy being a proper Southern lady, Harlan squandered dang near the whole family fortune on lottery tickets. To keep her financial skeletons in the closet and give him a decent burial, Lil made a deal that has now landed her in prison.

Desperate to keep her troubles a secret and the family estate from falling down while she pays her debt to society, Lil entrusts Summer Haven's care to her best friend, Maggie, who recruits two more over-fifty ladies to live at Summer Haven and help keep it afloat.

But when Maggie discovers that Lil's restitution is ten times the amount she "borrowed" from the federal government, she's convinced Lil has taken the fall for someone else's crime. And these gals will use every trick in their little-old-lady bags to prove it.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies - An Adams Grove Novel
Welcome to Adams Grove…where the pies are delicious but the lies are to die for.

America’s beloved country superstar Cody Tuggle never expected to be one of America’s most wanted. At least that’s how he feels since he’s been accused of murdering his scheming agent. Desperate to prove he’s innocent, he turns to his only alibi, award-winning photographer Kasey Phillips, who recently toured with him and his band.

After an exciting life on the road, Kasey has settled down in small-town Adams Grove with her five-year-old son. Unexpectedly reunited with Cody, she finds herself open to love again. But just when she’s ready to fall, everything she ever believed about him is called in to question.

Cody has waited a long time for genuine love, and he can’t let this chance with Kasey slip away. But as the evidence stacks up, the accusations against him put a damper on the sparks flying between them. Can he convince Kasey he’s innocent, and will she clear his name in time? Or will their dreams of the future be the victim of a deadly lie?

Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies is a sweet, down-home story of love overcoming all obstacles—from the crossroads of small town and suspense.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes - An Adams Grove Novel
Welcome to Adams Grove…where the wedding cakes are sweet, but the recipe is murder.

For years, Carolanne Baxter dreamed of a life beyond Adams Grove. Being the daughter of the town drunk was no picnic, so when college offered her a chance for escape, she took it. Now Carolanne has returned home, finally ready to make amends with her father, Ben, and to celebrate the wedding of her best friends Jill and Garrett. Of course, the fact that Connor Buckham, her sexy new law partner and Garrett’s best man, happens to be the same guy the town matchmaker named as Carolanne’s perfect match…well! That’s just icing on the cake.

But Carolanne’s hopes for a fresh start are dashed when a dead body surfaces during Jill and Garrett’s wedding reception…and Ben Baxter becomes the prime suspect. The murder throws the town into uproar, threatening to destroy the tentative peace between father and daughter—and to derail the budding romance between Carolanne and Connor. Has the matchmaker’s perfect streak come to end? Or will the truth finally bring Carolanne the happy ending she’s dreamed of for so long?


Book Trailer: Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Sweet Tea and Secrets - An Adams Grove Novel
When beloved town matriarch Pearl Clemmons dies on a warm June afternoon, the folks of Adams Grove, Virginia, can hardly believe it. Sure, Pearl was eighty-five years old, but everyone—particularly her granddaughter Jill—just assumed she would live forever. Now Jill must return home to settle Pearl’s estate, comfort a town in mourning…and face Garrett Malloy, the man who broke her heart years ago.

Making matters worse, a string of break-ins at the Clemmons place has Jill and the rest of the town on edge. She can’t imagine what Pearl possibly could have had that is worth stealing. But when Jill’s safety is threatened, she and Garrett must join forces to unearth Pearl’s secrets before someone else—someone dangerous—gets there first. Garrett may have been the last man Jill wanted to see, but now, she may not want to let him go.


Book Trailer: Sweet Tea and Secrets

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
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