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. Also, we have added the Author Bundles we have posted this month.
Thanks to the following outstanding authors for a great month. Here is a summary of our May 2016 crew.
R.A. Barnes
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction
Website: Ruby Barnes
Twitter: @Ruby_Barnes
E-Mail: ruby dot barnes at marblecitypublishing dot com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I've pedalled the pushbike of life until the chain fell off. Now living in rural Ireland where the natives are friendly and the weather atrocious, I write crime fiction and thrillers.
My writing is dedicated to the memory of my late Scottish grandfather Robert 'Ruby' Aloysius Barnes.
Interview Excerpt
Next: a couple of contemporary murder mysteries set in the medieval Irish city of Kilkenny. The first in series will be released in 2016…
Social media: I’m a firm believer in building a social media platform and regular sharing of interesting content.
Personal appearances: I do a few online interviews but I don’t make a lot of personal appearances. I live in rural Ireland and it never ceases to amaze me how far the world of digital books has spread around the globe.
Covers: I work with Jane Dixon-Smith of http://www.jdsmith-design.com/ and usually my wife and I have a concept in mind at the outset.
Author bundles: …collections were an idea by my publisher Marble City Publishing to give authors a chance to have work published without jumping in deep with a novel.
Series of novels: I wrote the Zombies v. Ninjas series in 2015 to test myself, to see if I could write a series within a tight schedule. It’s too early to tell if there is any impact on sales of my other titles.
Book giveaways: I’ve done a lot of free giveaways. At the moment the first in series Zombies v. Ninjas: Origin is free on Amazon.com and this gives readers a chance to see if they want to read more.
Reader list: I invite readers to join my list in a number of ways. Every one of my books has a link inside so readers can subscribe if they wish to. Sometimes I offer an incentive of a free book to new subscribers and my publisher runs periodic giveaways of a Kindle e-reader or a gift card to subscribers.
Author's Book List
Zombies v. Ninjas 3: Exodus
Zombies v. Ninjas 2: Domination
Zombies v. Ninjas: Origin
Dodge
Peril
Koobi For a
The Baptist
For the rest of the story...View R.A. Barnes - HBS Author's Spotlight
Thomas Benigno
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction
Website: Thomas D. Benigno
Twitter: @ThomasBenigno
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
THE GOOD LAWYER IS INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY…
Thomas Benigno is a practicing attorney on Long Island, N. Y. After graduating Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan in 1979, at the behest of his Criminal Law Clinic Professor, Barry Scheck (who later obtained fame for representing O. J. Simpson) he was fast-tracked to a position as Associate Attorney with the New York City Legal Aid Society in the Bronx.
While there he sought out and tackled the grittiest of cases, even representing the infamous Spiderman Rapist. If you ask him why he repeatedly took on the defense of child molesters and rapists, he'll sound off two reasons: 1) no other attorney would take these cases, and 2) he was young and out to prove himself.
The year before he left Legal Aid to go into private practice he was featured in a two page spread in the New York City Legal Aid Society's Annual Report for his success in winning what seemed like an unwinnable case-a teacher's aide charged with molesting three of his students. At a party held in his honor he was handed a beautiful plaque commemorating his court victory-a plaque he never hung up or put on display ever.
Two years later he left Legal Aid, and within eighteen months after that, left the practice of criminal law behind forever having never lost a trial. Currently he practices real estate and business law, enjoys acting in staged productions on Long Island, appeared as an actor in two movies, one an award winning short film, and even produced (along with others) a Broadway show (Burn the Floor and its U.S. tour).
He is married to the same beautiful woman since shortly after graduating law school and has three adult children. THE GOOD LAWYER is a novel inspired by real events while he was working as a Legal Aid Attorney in the Bronx.
Interview Excerpt
Next: September 2016 - INSPIRED BY REAL CRIMES THAT OCCURRED ON LONG ISLAND
Nick Mannino, The Good Lawyer, (a former Bronx Legal Aid Attorney) is now middle aged and on a dangerous quest to find a serial killer who cryptically litters the south shore beach of Long Island with the bones of his victims stuffed into burlap bags.
Social media: It's hard to gauge. Books sell because they're commercially marketable and are promoted well…Bottom line as I see it, social media can be another powerful avenue of promotion if targeted well like any advertising portal.
Personal appearances: Thus far I have been an Indie writer (who's novel fortunately has been downloaded about 500,000 times) so all my personal appearances have all been local and via Skype on line. That may change in time
Writer support groups: Long Island Author's Group but you might say that I am a non-practicing member. I have had wonderful editors and have a wonderful agent. I get most of my guidance on a personal, first hand basis.
Free book experience: Wonderful. Everyone should do it. Every successful writer has. Writers should not be afraid to do it, though many are. I am quickly approaching 500,000 sales of The Good Lawyer...There is a huge reading public out there to continually tap into.
Book launch process: If you are going the self-publishing way, Amazon's Createspace is the only way to go. Take advantage of all the promotional vehicles available there.
Reader list: I have to compile it from my emails and Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads fans. Not sure how I will deal with it. I may just announce on all mediums. That might work best.
Reviews: I rely on my reading audience and have been lucky thus far--over 2550 reviews on Amazon with a 4.2 rating to date. Thank you my readers!
Author's Book List
The Good Lawyer
For the rest of the story...View Thomas Benigno - HBS Author's Spotlight
Michele Drier
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery
Website: Michele Drier
Twitter: @MicheleDrier
E-Mail: mjdrier@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I was born in Santa Cruz, California to a family that migrated west to San Francisco in 1849. Unfortunately, they never found gold, nor did they buy (and hang onto) any California land. My mother named me Michael, after author and actress Blanche Oelrichs, who wrote under the name of Michael Strange. After months of saying, "Yes, she's a girl. Yes, her name is Michael," my mother finally caved and I became "Michele." I was read to as a child, and needed always to have a book with me. My maternal grandmother belonged to a writing club in San Francisco in the early part of the 20th century and wrote poems and jingles--one of which won her a travel trailer during the Depression. I've lived in San Francisco, the Bay Area, the Central Valley, the Sierra, Southern California and the North Coast.
My first career was in journalism, and I spent seven years as a staff writer with the San Jose Mercury News. After returning to Humboldt State University to complete school and work on a master's, I fell into my second career, as a non-profit administrator.I spent time as a reporter and editor for daily papers in California. I was the city, metro and executive editor for daily newspapers in California's Central Valley and managed non-profit agencies, including a legal organization serving roughly 10,000 senior citizens in Alameda County. I'm a member of the Society of California Pioneers and Sisters in Crime and live in California's Central Valley with a cat, skunks, wild turkeys and an opossum (only the cat gets to come in the house).
Interview Excerpt
Next: I’m currently writing Ashes of Memory, a shift from my other series. It’s a psychological thriller about the near-future ability to implant memory chips in people’s brains…Planned publication of this is summer of 2016.
Social media: I’ve been on facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter since 2011 and I’m not as consistent as I should be on Twitter. It’s hard to judge the actual impact of social media…I think it’s certainly gotten my name out into the cloud. Most of the people who buy my books, particularly the paranormal romances, are from across the country.
Book signings: I do a fair amount of signings, appearances in the Northern California area. I’m planning to be at the Sisters in Crime booth of the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley the first week-end in June, I’m doing two presentations at the University of the Pacific’s Book Festival in Stockton June 24-26 and I’m a presenting author at the Great Valley Book Festival in Manteca October 8.
Covers: My cover artist, Karen Philips is wonderful! I met her when she did the cover for Edited for Death, published by Mainly Murder Press in Connecticut. When she wrote and introduced herself…
Audio books: I have four books out in audio format. The most sales have been for my mystery, Edited for Death, which was well-reviewed on Audiofile. I don’t seem to have a lot of audio sales and, truthfully, I don’t listen to books. I’m much more of a visual person that an audio one. I’ll probably gradually put all my books into audio…
Bundling a series of novels: I like boxed sets as well! This boxed set is the first four books of the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles and, hopefully, gets the reader hooked on the continuing saga. It’s a great introduction because I have five other later books in the series. I think it has a big impact on sales of the others and when I put it on sale a couple of years ago for a BookBub ad, sold about 2,000 books in a month.
Time management: I wish I had a schedule! I’m also heavily involved in the mystery community, as the president of the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime…So much comes up during the day that I can’t stick to a rigid schedule, but I do write something every day; a blog, part of my WIP, lessons for my students. And I try to carve out two or three days a week where I don’t even get in my car. Just sit and write.
Free books: I’m against it. When I first began publishing, Amazon Select was new and you could set give-aways for five days during the 90-day enrollment period. I put a couple of the SNAP books and Edited for Death into the program at varying times…During an eighteen-month period, I had 70,000 books downloaded for free…Has anyone read them? I doubt it. No increase in sales, no reviews.
Reviews: I send out for professional reviews or well-known review sites.
Author's Book List
SNAP: I, Vampire
SNAP: All That Jazz
SNAP: White Nights
SNAP: Happily Ever After?
SNAP: Love for Blood
DANUBE: A Tale of Murder
Plague: A Love Story
SNAP: New Talent
SNAP: The World Unfolds
Delta for Death
Labeled for Death
Edited for Death
For the rest of the story...View Michele Drier - HBS Author's Spotlight
Karen Fenech
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction
Author's Blog: Karen Fenech Blog
Website: Karen Fenech
Twitter: @karenfenech
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR KAREN FENECH writes romantic suspense novels, short works of suspense, and erotic romance. She is the author of the romantic suspense series, The Protectors and the author of the erotic romance, Surrender series. Karen's novels and short suspense fiction have received critical acclaim. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have been released in audio by her publisher. When Karen's not writing or spending time with her family, she loves to shop, watch movies, and just kick back in a comfortable chair and read.
Interview Excerpt
Next: "Breath Of Malice" is currently available for pre-order at Amazon and will be released on June 14th. The story centers around an inexperienced FBI agent who catches the eye of a serial killer and becomes his next target. It's a game of cat and mouse . . . and she's losing.
Social media: It's so nice to be able to connect through social media. I've met very nice people through Twitter and Facebook. I don't post a lot about my books there unless I have a new release or a special promotion going that I think my followers and friends would enjoy knowing about.
E-books and independent publishing enable writers to write more broadly and to release on their own schedule. It's not necessary anymore for a book to be a good fit for traditional publishing in order to be published, and publishing time slots are a thing of the past. I'm enjoying these benefits. Because of these options, I think readers are also enjoying a great diversity in reading material. It's win-win for everyone.
Covers: I am hands-on when it comes to my covers. I try to choose themes that reflect the tone of the books. I don't always get it right, but with ebooks, we have the opportunity to make changes. My readers' reactions let me know if it's time for a cover change.
Audio books: I think with people becoming increasingly more pressed for time, audio books are a terrific alternative to print reading. It seems we're always needing to multi-task and it's so nice to be able to combine the pleasure of reading with what may be considered mundane chores, like housework. : )
Short stories: I do also enjoy writing short stories and do consider them to be one style of my writing. I haven't found that short stories have the appeal that novels do. I think readers still prefer novel or novella length.
Free books: I have been involved in free book giveaways and I've found those to be a good way to introduce new readers to my books. I'm very happy to be able to offer a book for free as a "thank you" to my readers. At the moment I'm offering "Caught", a novella from my Protectors Series, free. An email address is needed to send the novella, of course.
Reviews: Many of my reviews have come from the general reading audience over an extended period of time, but I've also found reviewer/bloggers to be very kind in providing reviews, their time permitting.
Author's Book List
Breath of Malice
GONE
HIDE
PURSUED
SNOWBOUND
IMPOSTER
UNHOLY ANGELS
For the rest of the story...View Karen Fenech - HBS Author's Spotlight
Sibel Hodge
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult
Author's Blog: My Blog - Books & Stuff!
Website: My Books - Sibel Hodge
Twitter: @sibelhodge
E-Mail: sibelhodge@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Sibel Hodge is the author of No. 1 Bestseller Look Behind You. Her books are International Bestsellers in UK, USA, Australia, France, and Germany. She writes an eclectic mix of genres, and she's a passionate human and animal rights advocate.
Her work has been shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2008, Highly Commended by the Yeovil Literary Prize 2009, Runner Up in the Chapter One Promotions Novel Comp 2009, nominated Best Novel with Romantic Elements in 2010 by The Romance Reviews, Runner Up in the Best Indie Books of 2012 by Indie Book Bargains, Winner of Best Children's Book by eFestival of Words 2013, Winner of Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Book from a series in the SpaSpa Book Awards 2013, Nominated for the 2015 BigAl's Books and Pals Young Adult Readers' Choice Award, Readers' Favourite Young Adult - Coming of Age Honourable Award Winner 2015, and New Adult Finalist in the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America's International Digital Awards 2015. Her novella Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave has been listed as one of the Top 40 Books About Human Rights by Accredited Online Colleges.
Interview Excerpt
Next: Untouchable is a chillingly dark psychological thriller which will be out on Sept 1st. Here's the blurb: A Conspiracy. A cover-up. And a whistle-blower who knows too much. You think you know who to trust? You're wrong. And the truth may kill you…
Social media: I actually use Twitter more for my human and animal rights advocate social media and use my author Facebook page for all my book info. I love interacting with readers via social media and have made some really good friends who have initially contacted me because they've read my books!
Covers: I can usually see the exact finished cover I want in my head but don't have the technical skills to manipulate the images myself so I'm very specific with the cover designer about which stock photos and fonts to use. I'm a bit of a control freak so I'm very hands-on with it :)
Series of novels: I think bundles are great because they're usually discounted so readers get a terrific deal and have some or all the books in the series in one place. I'm not sure they impacted much on other sales but I think it's really more about good value and convenience.
Indie Chicks: It's great to be in a team of such amazingly lovely ladies. Because writing is such a solitary job, it's great to be able to reach out to others when you need advice or have a question or just for some support when you're having a bad day. The Indie Chicks compilations are really about providing inspiration for people.
Reader list: I do have a mailing list to let people know about sales or new releases, along with posting on my Facebook Author Page. But I don't concentrate on trying to grow my list because I want people to join purely because they want to. That way I know that if they subscribe to my newsletter they are interested in the emails.
Reviews: I have a list of advanced readers who I always send out copies to. In the past I've done blog tours and contacted bloggers.
Author's Book List
Killer Colada
Murder and Mai Tais
Vegas, Lies, and Murder
Chocolate, Lies, and Murder
Voodoo, Lies, and Murder
Money, Lies, and Murder
Fashion, Lies, and Murder
Where the Memories Lie
Look Behind You
Butterfly
The See-Through Leopard
It's a Catastrophe
The Baby Trap
My Perfect Wedding
Fourteen Days Later
Indie Chicks: 25 Independent Women 25 Personal Stories
For the rest of the story...View Sibel Hodge - HBS Author's Spotlight
Peggy Holloway
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Health, Mind & Body
Author's Blog: Author Peggy Holloway
Website: Author Peggy Holloway
Twitter: @authorpholloway
E-Mail: peggyholloway62@yahoo.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I have had three careers before turning to writing. I taught Mathematics in high school and community college, worked as a geophysicist in a major oil company exploring for oil and gas and worked as a counselor/psychotherapist with adults, groups, families, couples and teens. I have a BS in geology, an MCS in mathematics and an MA in Psychology. I taught Algebra II to William Faulkner's granddaughter.
My past writing experiences were writing plays for the neighborhood kid to put on when I was around 12-14 years old, writing technical reports as a geophysicist, writing research papers while working on my masters in psychology, and writing letters to judges, with recommendations, while counseling juvenile justice adolescents.
Besides writing mysteries, I like to read (anything I can get my hands on), paint landscapes in oil and in enamel on glass. I enjoy swimming and walking on the beach.
You can tell a lot about my psyche by reading my self-help book entitled THE ANSWERS ARE WITHIN. I have had many struggles in life and I like to incorporate my experiences into my writing.
A fantasy I have is to wear a Versache evening gown and dance the tango with Al Pacino.
I am a night person and can't stand morning people who wake me up early. I like relating to one or two people rather than being in a crowd. Most of my friends are for life.
Interview Excerpt
Next: I’m currently working on two books. One is Princess Boot Camp, about a camp for young women who are spoiled, rich bitches…The other one is There for the Taking. It is about a counselor who goes off the deep end and ends up kidnapping a baby she finds that has been abandoned.
Social media: I have found that, if I take the time to communicate with my friends and followers, my books do well. Sometimes I get so busy writing and ignore my live friends and my cyber friends. My book sales go down as a result
I think ebooks is the best invention of all time. I’m an avid reader myself and love the fact that I can download a book I see that I want to read. It’s instant gratification. I sell very few print books and concentrate on ebooks. I know I’m probably missing a lot of sales that way, but I can’t figure out how to reach the readers who are still reading paperbacks.
Covers: I was hiring someone to make my covers for me and then decided to do them myself. I love designing covers and it gives me a break from writing. If I didn’t have some distractions, I would write all the time.
Book trailers: I have been disappointed in the trailers. I think they’re really cool and I paid through the nose to have them done, but I’m not sure they have helped my sales.
Audio books: I have been surprised at how well the audio books have done. The narrators are amazing, especially Duane Sharp who narrated Little Boy Brave and Terror on the Beach. I had a hard time finding anyone to do Terror on the Beach. It’s, well, let’s put it this way. You think Hannibal Lector was a bad dude?
Time management: I would never put myself on a schedule. I hear other writers talk about getting up at a certain time, writing 1500 words a day, etc. For me, the creative process doesn’t work that way. It comes when it comes.
Free books: I have had good luck with freebies. I’ve found that, once the promotion is over, I’ll get some sales for a few days. Giving away free Kindle books is a no brainer. It’s free promotion.
Author's Book List
Hermit's Cove
Out of Phase
Little Boy Brave
Time and Time Again
3037
Double Shock
The Christmas Tree Inheritance
She's Gone
Southern Greed
A Life of Confusion
Monroe Beach
JUPITER RETURNS
Terror on the Beach
Portrait On Wicker
For the rest of the story...View Peggy Holloway - HBS Author's Spotlight
Armand Rosamilia
Author Genre: Horror, Nonfiction
Website: Armand Rosamilia
Twitter: @ArmandAuthor
E-Mail: armandrosamilia (at) gmail (dot) com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he's not sleeping. He's happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life...
He's written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels.
He runs two very successful podcasts on Project iRadio, too...
Arm Cast: Dead Sexy Horror Podcast - interviewing fellow authors as well as filmmakers, musicians, etc.
Arm N Toof's Dead Time Podcast - with co-host Mark Tufo, the duo interview authors and filmmakers and anyone else they feel like talking to
He also loves to talk in third person... because he's really that cool. He's a proud Active member of HWA as well.
Interview Excerpt
Next: Dying Days 6 is the latest installment of my zombie series and follows the adventures of Darlene Bobich and the last survivors. It debuts May 31st.
Social media: I built the Twitter following one real person at a time. I saw the writing on the wall with Facebook and all the changes so I invested my time heavily into Twitter, and it has helped. Getting over 100k followers lets me ease up and just let people add me each day on autopilot. I have a Buffer which allows me to set up a new tweet each hour to spread them out, especially overnight.
Covers: I'm currently updating all of the Dying Days covers. I wanted something a little darker and uniform, so Jack Wallen created them for me. It's based on my concept but he really brings them to life. I've been lucky working with so many small presses over the years and getting some really solid covers for my work
Audio books: At first audiobooks were nothing for me. Just another way to get my stories out but I didn't think too much about them. Now I'm glad I did. Certain books sell quite well and are definitely worth the time and expense. It is a growing channel and the sales creep up every month. I'm quite happy with my audiobooks.
Short stories: When I started writing full-time (about 6 years ago) I had many trunked shorts. I polished a few of them up and released them. I wanted to get as many releases out as possible to give potential readers many options. Last year I had 29 releases. The two years before I had 45 per year. Lots of choices. Now that I've built up the audience with shorts and novella-length work I can push the novels and not have to do so many releases each year. The shorts help sell the longer books and keep readers interested between novels now.
Author bundles: The box set idea was big a couple of years ago and I decided to jump in. I am in 3 or 4 of them and would love to keep doing them because they get new readers interested in one of my books. It definitely helps with the marketing of my work.
Podcasts: I host Arm Cast Podcast interviewing fellow authors. I just celebrated my 100th episode. There's a new one every Friday morning. The other is Arm N Toof's Dead Time Podcast I co-host with author Mark Tufo. Every Wednesday a new episode has us interviewing authors, filmmakers, artists, actors, etc. You can find both at www.projectiradio.com.
Author's Book List
Dying Days 6
United States Of Apocalypse
Belford Stories
The Enemy Held Near
Shocker
Dirty Deeds
Green River Blend
Chelsea Avenue
Dying Days 5
Dying Days 4
Dying Days 3
Dying Days 2
Dying Days
Highway To Hell 2
Highway To Hell
Darlene Bobich
For the rest of the story...View Armand Rosamilia - HBS Author's Spotlight
Jonas Saul
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Literature & Fiction
Website: Author Jonas Saul
Twitter: @jonassaul
E-Mail: jonassaul@icloud.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Meet Jonas Saul, an international bestselling thriller author.
Jonas Saul is from Toronto, Canada. He lives in Leavenworth, Washington. He is always writing the next novel. The Sarah Roberts Series are his best selling novels with the highest reviews.
The Sarah Roberts Series are his best selling novels with the highest reviews. The Mafia Trilogy is fast becoming the next series to rival Sarah Roberts.
Jonas wrote his first short story when he was ten-years old and went on to win Writer's Digest Short Story awards for his writing.
Interview Excerpt
Next: The Pact, Sarah Roberts Book Seventeen, comes out June 30 and is available for preorder on Amazon. My main character, Sarah, has the ability to hear the voice of her dead sister, Vivian, in her head. In The Pact, Sarah Roberts has lost her ability to hear her sister’s messages. All forms of communication with Vivian are gone.
Social media has had an effect on sales, but I’ve found it difficult to measure. I use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr, yet I have found that the best advertising is simply writing another book. I talk to readers on these sites. I post photos of where I’m doing research. I often post a sale, but I hardly - if ever - try to directly cultivate readers through social media. In other words, I don’t use those platforms to post something like, “Buy my Book.”
Covers: I usually choose the image for my covers, or at least convey to my cover designer what I’m thinking will work. Then, since my cover designer is extremely talented, he goes with it and returns (usually) with something I absolutely love.
We do work with a template, keeping my author name on the top half, then using the bottom for the title of the book.
Short stories: For me, I started my writing career doing short stories. I had written over twenty shorts before I tried a novel. By the time I had written three novels, I had completed over fifty short stories. Twisted Fate, my short story collection, has the best of those stories…I’m a novel writer now. I haven’t written a short story in a couple of years.
Bundling a series of novels: The main objective was to be able to give readers a financial incentive to buy three novels for the price of two. In addition to that, when I began uploading bundles to Amazon, it increased my title count which can make an author stand out better by offering increased visibility.
Time management is a big deal if you want to write several books per year. How I do it is by setting aside Monday to Friday as my writing days.
Free books: Offering a book for free has been a huge success for me. When I place a book in my series for free, like The Crypt, Book Three, readers will buy Book One and Book Two as they don’t like starting a series on Book Three. By doing this, I end up with a massive amount of sales because of a freebie. My main goal is to provide a book to a new reader for no money down who might not want to spend anything on an author they haven’t read yet.
Author's Book List
The Snake
Losing Sarah
The Cartel
The Abandoned
The Unlucky
The Haunted
The Redeemed
The Antagonist
Killing Sarah
The Rogue
The Vigilante
The Enigma
The Victim
The Hostage
The Crypt
The Warning
Dark Visions
A Murder in Time: A Novel
The Specter: A Novel
The Threat: A Novel
The Scythe
The Blade
The Kill
For the rest of the story...View Jonas Saul - HBS Author's Spotlight
HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Dianne Harman
Featured Book: Murdered by Country Music
Author Genre: Romance and Literary Fiction
Author's Blog: Dianne Harman Author
Website: Dianne Harman Author
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
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, left that industry, and opened two yoga centers where she taught yoga and certified yoga instructors. She's traveled extensively throughout the world and loves nothing more than cooking and playing with her new puppy, Kelly.
Being a dog lover and having attended numerous cooking schools, she couldn't resist writing about food and dogs. She is the author of three cozy mystery series: Cedar Bay, Liz Lucas, and her newest, High Desert. Each of these books contains recipes from her travels. She is also the author of the award-winning suspenseful Coyote Series.
A number of books in her cozy mystery series have been designated by Amazon as All-Stars because of their sales, and Dianne has been named by Amazon seven times as one of their most popular authors.
She invites you to visit her web site at: www.dianneharman.com and sign up for her newletters. You'll receive a free book and have a weekly chance to win an autographed boxed set of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series.
Author's Book List
Murdered by Country Music
Murdered by Words
Trouble at the Kennel
The Blue Butterfly
Murder in Cuba
Murder At The Bed & Breakfast
Murder & The Monkey Band
Murder at the Cooking School
The Death Card
Murder in Calico Gold
Murder and Brandy Boy
Murder in the Pearl District
Murder in Cottage #6
Marriage and Murder
White Cloud Retreat
Murder at Jade Cove
Kelly's Koffee Shop
COYOTE SERIES
CORNERED COYOTE
Coyote in Provence
Blue Coyote Motel
For the rest of the story...View Dianne Harman - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
Amy Metz
Featured Book: Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Humor, Romance
Author's Blog: A Blue Million Books
Website: Amy Metz, author
Twitter: @authoramymetz
E-Mail: authoramymetz@yahoo.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Amy Metz is the author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. She is a former first grade teacher and the mother of two sons. When not writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky and loves a good Southern phrase.
Author's Book List
Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction
Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction
Heroes & Hooligans In Goose Pimple Junction
Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction
For the rest of the story...View Amy Metz - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase
HBS Bundles and Co-Authored Showcase
Featured Set: Hotshot Heroes
Strong Enough to Love: Action, Suspense, Hot Romance Boxed Set
AVAILABLE at Amazon
Crave your men hot, alpha, and strong? Then fall in love with Hotshot Heroes: Strong Enough to Love - 6 full-length action-suspense romances plus one bonus novella from NY Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors. Fall in love with sexy agents, cowboy sheriffs, firemen, bikers, and more. Danger, excitement, and heart-pounding romance await the women who love these brash and protective men. Get yours today before it goes away. LIMITED TIME ONLY.
Book #1: Special Agent Maximilian by Mimi Barbour
Nik Baudin meets his identical twin – one he never knew existed. Taking over his identity, he becomes Special Agent Maximilian and gets embroiled in dangerous conflicts along with Max’s beautiful partner, Maya.
Book #2: Murphy’s Law by Jennifer Lowery
A storm strands widow Sara Sheldon and her young daughter at ex-Army Ranger Jon Murphy’s remote cabin. She’s running from her husband’s powerful family, and he’s running from guilt for what he did while held prisoner in Azbakastan. Attraction sparks, but survival is at stake. Besides, he's not nearly as honorable as she thinks…
Book #3: Blazing Hotter (Love Under Fire – 2) by Chantel Rhondeau
Former bad boy Frankie Hernandez struggles to recover from debilitating injuries sustained fighting his last fire. Now this firefighter is falling for his physical therapist, Cassie Flick. When a serial killer strikes town and threatens Cassie, Frankie will do whatever it takes to protect the woman he loves.
Book #4: My Calling by Lyssa Layne
It's taken Saylor Warner six years to recover from the death of her uncle. Jonathan “Beck” Beckerdyte has spent the last six years trying to stay out of the public eye. Following his calling leads him into the field of civil service. Beck's made it his life's mission to protect Saylor… except she has no idea.
Book #5: Longshot by D’Ann Lindun
A sheriff with something to prove. A burned out FBI agent. A human trafficker determined to stop them both will test the limits of their endurance … but he can’t stop them from falling in love.
Book #6: Playing Without Rules by Rachelle Ayala
Marcia Powers hid a big secret from her ex-boyfriend, baseball player Brock Carter. She had good reason, or so she thought. Now Brock is back in town and wants Marcia back. Will he lose every dream, including baseball, when he discovers the real reason Marcia sent him away?
Bonus Book #7: Bad Boys for Hire: Ryker, Bad Boys for Hire Series Book #1 by Rachelle Ayala
Terri Martin gets caught in the middle of a motorcycle club vendetta when she tries to hire sexy biker Ryker Slade for her birthday date.
Title: Special Agent Maximilian
Author: Mimi Barbour
Available at Amazon
Author: Mimi Barbour
Author Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Suspense
Website: Mimi Barbour Believe
Author's Blog: Mimi Barbour Believe
Twitter: @MimiBarbour
E-Mail: mimibarbour66@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Mimi's been heard to say: "I'm an author who loves to read uplifting stories about romance. Add in some time travel, or maybe an angel, or even a little romantic suspense and it makes the story more fascinating because of the incredible possibilities."
Mimi is an Amazon best-selling author who's sold over 500,000 copies of her books world-wide. Her five romance series: The Vicarage Bench/ time travel at it's best, Angels with Attitudes / angels love romance, Vegas / fast-paced plotting, Elvis / make a song a book and her newest, Undercover FBI / with sizzling conflicts and lots of humor.
Title: Murphy's Law
Author: Jennifer Lowery
Available at Amazon
Author: Jennifer Lowery
Author Genre: Romance
Website: Jennifer Lowery
Author's Blog: Jennifer Lowery
Twitter: @JLoweryauthor
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
NY Times & USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Lowery is a romantic at heart. She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.
Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. When she isn't writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
Title: Blazing Hotter
Author: Chantel Rhondeau
Available at Amazon
Author: Chantel Rhondeau
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers
Website: Chantel Rhondeau - Romantic Suspense
Author's Blog: Chantel Rhondeau - Past Writing/Self-publishing Tips
Twitter: @ChantelRhondeau
E-Mail: ChantelRhondeau(at)gmail(dot)com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I once thought a great mystery or fantasy book with strong romantic themes was the highest level of reading bliss. After reading my first romantic suspense novel, I never looked back. Before long, the need to create my own stories took over. I spend my days in the clinical profession of medical transcriptionist, but my passion is in the blissful hours spent with my characters in the evenings.
I live in the western United States, and when I'm not writing I love playing cards with my family, bowling, and snuggling with my lazy kitties.
Title: My Calling
Author: Lyssa Layne
Available at Amazon
Author: Lyssa Layne
Author Genre: Romance, Chick Lit
Twitter: @layne_lyssa
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Lyssa Layne is first, and foremost, the proud momma to her precious daughter, AR. In addition to working full-time and being a mommy to AR, she is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, a runner, blogger, and an infertility survivor. Having watched one too many medical dramas and being inspired by author Rachelle Ayala, who introduced her to the world of indie writing, Lyssa decided to try her hand at writing a romance story. Her attempt turned into the Burning Lovesick series. You can find Lyssa's own interests throughout her stories although all stories are fictional.
Author: D'Ann Lindun
Author Genre: Romantic suspense
Author's Blog: D'Ann Lindun - Contemporary Western Suspense
Twitter: @DLindun
E-Mail: dldauthor@frontier.net
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D'Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Romance appeals to her because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending.
D'Ann's particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, three ducks and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories!
Title: Playing Without Rules
Author: Rachelle Ayala
Available at Amazon
Author: Rachelle Ayala
Author Genre: Romance Historical
Website: Rachelle Ayala
Author's Blog: When a Woman Wrongs a Man
Twitter: @AyalaRachelle
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Rachelle Ayala was a software engineer until she discovered storytelling works better in fiction than real code. She has over thirty years of writing experience and has always lived in a multi-cultural environment. The tapestry of characters in her books reflect that diversity. Rachelle is currently working on a story dealing with women and contemporary issues. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers
Title: Bad Boys for Hire
Author: Rachelle Ayala
Available at Amazon
Featured Set: To Protect and Love
A Boxed Set of 9 Sexy Romances
AVAILABLE at Amazon
When the oath to protect and serve tangles with love, expect sparks and lots of heat!
Hot firemen, alpha cops, sexy detectives, and dashing federal agents...this anthology from 9 best-selling and award-winning authors will have you rooting for your favorite heroes and heroines as they step up to the greatest challenge of their lives--to protect and love.
Special Agent Finnegan - Mimi Barbour
Love for his father makes a man weak. So what’ll happen if Finnegan gives his heart to a woman? Can he take the chance to find out?
Not Afraid to Love You - Jude Ouvrard
Escaping a life that nearly destroyed her soul, Lilly struggles to cope with the aftermath of an abusive relationship. Can her high school crush, Lennox, release her heart from its cage?
The Sheriff Meets His Match- Jacquie Biggar
When a jaded sheriff is drawn to an exasperating woman in trouble, anything can happen.
Protecting His Wolfe- Melissa Keir
Passion has a way of igniting when people are under stressful situations, but is Betsie and Jonah's relationship a matter of desire, or is it something more?
Love is a Fire - Lyssa Layne
Dr. Katy Malone has sworn off love while firefighter Nick Garrity is on a search for the future Mrs. Garrity. One look at Dr. Malone and Nick knows he's found his future wife but can he convince her to love again?
Distorted Loyalties - Stacy Eaton
Emergency room Doctor Rachel Wilde and Detective Grant Murphy meet by chance and it takes only one glance and a simple touch to ignite their senses. When Grant’s wife is in a tragic accident, Rachel goes above and beyond to save her life.
Crushed - Jade Kerrion
Financially ruined by the death of her brother, Felicity Rivers is down to her last hundred dollars when Cody Hart offers his help, at a price. She’s out of options, but nothing on Earth could possibly entice her into the arms of the man who killed her brother.
Crime & Passion - Chantel Rhondeau
A decorated police officer, more intent on justice than following the letter of the law, lands introuble when a gorgeous schoolteacher finds a dead body on the beach.
Love in a Pawn Shop - Bonnie Edwards
For Dix life is about unexpected obstacles like family obligations. Why'd Dane walk in when all Dix wants is out? Dane must prove love is more than another complication.
Title: Special Agent Finnegan
Author: Mimi Barbour
Available at Amazon
Author: Mimi Barbour
Author Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Suspense
Website: Mimi Barbour Believe
Author's Blog: Mimi Barbour Believe
Twitter: @MimiBarbour
E-Mail: mimibarbour66@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Mimi's been heard to say: "I'm an author who loves to read uplifting stories about romance. Add in some time travel, or maybe an angel, or even a little romantic suspense and it makes the story more fascinating because of the incredible possibilities."
Mimi is an Amazon best-selling author who's sold over 500,000 copies of her books world-wide. Her five romance series: The Vicarage Bench/ time travel at it's best, Angels with Attitudes / angels love romance, Vegas / fast-paced plotting, Elvis / make a song a book and her newest, Undercover FBI / with sizzling conflicts and lots of humor.
Title: Not Afraid to Love You
Author: Jude Ouvrard
Available at Amazon
Author: Jude Ouvrard
Author Genre: Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary
Author's Blog: Jude Ouvrard
Twitter: @AuthorJude_O
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Jude Ouvrard is an author who writes from the heart, and reads with passion and devotion. Jude enjoys stories of drama, true love, tattoos, and everything in between. While writing is her therapy, reading is her solace. Life doesn't get better than books and chocolate, and maybe a little bit of shopping.
A romance lover, Jude writes about love, pain, heartbreak and matters that will challenge your heart. A book can tell an unexpected story, no matter which directions it takes. Jude embraces words that have haunted her for years.
Jude is a working mom who dedicates her time to a law firm and writing books. She has an energetic superhero son, and a supportive boyfriend of many years. Her family is her rock; she could not survive without them. Born a country girl, she transformed into a city woman who now lives in Montreal, Canada. Although French is her first language, Jude decided to write in English because she liked the challenge.
Jude Ouvrard is the author of two novellas, Under the Sun and Wonderland, and three novels, "Lost Dreams," "Body, Ink, and Soul," and "Ophelia." She is currently working on sequels to her novels.
Title: The Sheriff Meets His Match
Author: Jacquie Biggar
Available at Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Author: Jacquie Biggar
Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Suspense
Website: Jacquie Biggar - Romance Suspense Writer w/Attitude
Twitter: @JacqBiggar
E-Mail: jbiggar@telusplanet.net
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Jacquie writes Romantic Suspense w/Attitude.
Her heroes are tough, alpha males who know what they want. That is until they get gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them that what they really need is love.
She’s been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happy-ever-afters.
Title: Protecting His Wolfe
Author: Melissa Keir
Available at Amazon
Author: Melissa Keir
Author Genre: Romance
Website: Melissa Keir
Author's Blog: Melissa Keir
Twitter: @melissa_keir
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn't hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She'd often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.
As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She's a member of the Romance Writers of America and Electronic Publishing Indusry Coalition(EPIC) and is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars. Her current projects include her short story "Forever Love" published in the Valentine Anthology, Love, Again, avialable in print and ebook, as well as two books--Second Time's the Charm and Protecting His Wolfe- published through Rebel Ink Press this year.
Melissa doesn't believe in down time. She's always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a book reviewer, an editor for a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story.
Title: Love is a Fire
Author: Lyssa Layne
Available at Amazon
Author: Lyssa Layne
Author Genre: Romance, Chick Lit
Twitter: @layne_lyssa
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Lyssa Layne is first, and foremost, the proud momma to her precious daughter, AR. In addition to working full-time and being a mommy to AR, she is also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, a runner, blogger, and an infertility survivor. Having watched one too many medical dramas and being inspired by author Rachelle Ayala, who introduced her to the world of indie writing, Lyssa decided to try her hand at writing a romance story. Her attempt turned into the Burning Lovesick series. You can find Lyssa's own interests throughout her stories although all stories are fictional.
Title: Distorted Loyalty
Author: Stacy Eaton
Available at Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Author: Stacy Eaton
Author Genre: Crime, Thriller and Mystery
Website: Stacy Eaton
Author's Blog: Stacy Eaton, Author
Twitter: @StacySEaton
E-Mail: Mybloodrunsblue@aol.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Stacy Eaton is a police officer by profession. Currently, she is assigned as the department detective and enjoys digging into cases and putting the pieces of the puzzles together.
Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania and is the wife to a police officer and the mother of two. She is very proud of her son who is currently serving in the United States Navy and equally proud of her tween daughter who is a black belt and cheerleader.
Stacy also currently servers on the Board of Directors for her local Domestic Violence Center. When Stacy is not working her demanding job, or spending time with her family, she works on her business and volunteers with the World Literary Café. When there is time, she writes.
Title: Crushed
Author: Jade Kerrion
Available at Amazon
Author: Jade Kerrion
Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Website: Jade Kerrion
Twitter: @JadeKerrion
E-Mail: jade.kerrion@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Jade Kerrion, an award-winning author, got her start in fan fiction. She developed a loyal reader base with her fan fiction series based on the MMORPG Guild Wars. She was accused of keeping her readers up at night, distracting them from work, housework, homework, and (far worse), from actually playing Guild Wars.
And then she wondered why just screw up the time management skills of gamers? Why not aspire to screw everyone else up too? So here she is, writing books that aspire to keep you from doing anything else useful with your time. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her wonderfully supportive husband and her two young sons, Saint and Angel, (no, those aren't their real names, but they are like saints and angels, except when they're not.)
Title: Crime & Passion
Author: Chantel Rhondeau
Available at Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Author: Chantel Rhondeau
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers
Website: Chantel Rhondeau - Romantic Suspense
Author's Blog: Chantel Rhondeau - Past Writing/Self-publishing Tips
Twitter: @ChantelRhondeau
E-Mail: ChantelRhondeau(at)gmail(dot)com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Post with Profile + Interview: HBS Author's Spotlight
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I once thought a great mystery or fantasy book with strong romantic themes was the highest level of reading bliss. After reading my first romantic suspense novel, I never looked back. Before long, the need to create my own stories took over. I spend my days in the clinical profession of medical transcriptionist, but my passion is in the blissful hours spent with my characters in the evenings.
I live in the western United States, and when I'm not writing I love playing cards with my family, bowling, and snuggling with my lazy kitties.
Title: Love in a Pawn Shop
Author: Bonnie Edwards
Available at Amazon
Author: Bonnie Edwards
Author Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal
Website: Bonnie Edwards
Twitter: @BonnieEdwards
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
For someone who's come to writing erotic romance the hard way...this rollercoaster is a blast! After many years at different, boring jobs, I'm finally doing what I love best. Writing hot, writing fun, writing romance! I live in the majestic Pacific Northwest where the rain makes it easy to sit in an office and write. But, even the rain can't make me give up my long walks in the woods where I dream up storylines and fun characters. To learn more about upcoming releases, please go to my website at http://bonnieedwards.com and sign up for my newsletter. Since I feel my readers lead busy lives, I only send out notices about new books, or special deals. I hope you'll take a moment to click and stay informed!
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