Author Genre: Crime, Thriller, Fiction
Website: Cary Allen Stone
Twitter: @CaryAllenStone
E-Mail: caryallenstone1@gmail.com
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Cary Allen Stone is a brilliant writer of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. He writes with a keen eye for detail-the graphic violence is chillingly realistic. He delivers a taut, darkly introspective, cunning and well-executed plot by leaning towards the fallible side of his characters. He understands the criminal mind avoiding the stereotypes that dominate crime thrillers. There is a good balance of chemistry and conflict, good and evil that fans will find enthralling. His characters become embedded in our psyches and the pace of his unraveling of his thriller is a ride not easily forgotten. Cary Allen Stone is an important name to watch. This is one superb crime writer!--Grady Harp Top 100 ReviewerVine Voice 2014
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: After You're Dead. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
Jake Roberts will be recuperating after being stabbed repeatedly by Richard Graham, the serial killer more vicious than Hannibal Lecter. In spite of his financial success, he really only wants to be a homicide detective like he started out. The Phoenix PD will offer him a position as a captain in the homicide division when he recovers. Jake is ecstatic.
He has previously apprehended serial killers and an accidental murder committed by a friend who later died at Jake’s hand. In AFTER YOU’RE DEAD, Jake went up against not only Richard Graham, but the most powerful narcotrafficker in the world, El Mencho. He barely escaped with his life.
The next Jake Roberts story, AFTER THE SENTENCE, will be an investigation into human trafficking. Who is involved in the trafficking, besides the mob and cartels will be a major surprise.
The book will be released in January 2018.
You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?
It takes a while to build your Twitter and Facebook following. More importantly, I find a strong email list mostly beneficial. On Twitter, don’t look to be followed, but follow instead. Re-tweet all of your favorite authors and you will see your twitter following grow. And it isn’t how large your Twitter following is. It’s the dedicated twitter followers of your work that matter.
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?
I used to do book signings, speaking and personal appearances when there was no social media but haven’t done as much lately. If you self-publish, it takes too much time because you wear so many hats. What the readers want, I believe, is the name of the next release, and the date more than meeting you. Unless you are a legacy author, they don’t take the time to go to a bookstore for a reading. I live very near one of the premier bookstores in the country. I have gone to get a signed book from legacy authors I have always read. But even there, less than you would imagine show up to get a book signed from a favorite author. However, if asked, I would certainly appear. I will always do an author interview. I just signed with AMS to do media and PR for my book THROUGH A MOTHER’S EYES, which is a true crime story, mostly because it is my personal cause and requires it.
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?
I used to design my covers because as an Indie author every dime counts when you sell books for .99c. It took me years to let go and hire someone who makes professional covers. She’s excellent and the covers are great. They all do stay with the Jake Roberts theme and advertise they are a series. My coveress and I do it all over the internet and I have a lot of input. She has the skills to convert my thoughts onto the cover. [Angela Stevens can be found on Facebook]. I do not get my readers involved in the covers.
Several of your novels have been converted into audio books. What has been the impact on your regular sales? Has the audio books gained a new audience for you?
Only the first Jake Roberts Novel, AFTER THE EVIL, is in audiobook. I should have the others done but the process is difficult. Finding the right voice and financial agreement takes up a lot of time. Sales were slow for a very long time and I thought I wouldn’t do it again, but recently sales have picked up. At ACX, they give you coupons to give out the audiobook free. I have posted that everywhere, but there has been little response. Then at the end of the year I received a 1099 for sales and was surprised.
Between your book writing, marketing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do you sort of play it by ear?
Once you’ve been through the self-published obstacle course, you learn what to prioritize. I spent a great deal of time getting onto every site I could place the books. I paid for the ads. Try everything. I got involved in a box set with some romance writers. I learned a lot from them, they know the moves. But after twenty-five years, I’ve learned what NOT to waste time on. Concentrate on the story, then repeat all of your ads that work, end of story. In self-pub, you won’t get rich at .99c for all of your hard work, so you better love it. As far as scheduling, I rite every day, during all waking hours and some sleeping hours, but not at the computer. I write the title, the first line and the last line in my head. I decide what I want in between. I research what I haven’t already, and then I sit down at the computer. The story is basically finished except for the plot twists, which appear during the actual writing.
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?
The first book in my Jake Roberts Novels is permafree. The rest are .99c. I give books for reviews and occasionally if you sign up for my email list. I’ll do an occasional Amazon Gift Card giveaway. One of the saddest things about being an Indie author is everyone wants free books––“To get your name out…” When you start out, sure give them away to everyone you can afford. Once your feet are planted, .99c isn’t unreasonable to ask for. Giveaways will spike your numbers for three days, after that you’re back in obscurity.
How do you manage your plots, characters and timelines to keep your stories going? Do you use any software to keep track of your books?
Book one carries into book two and so on if you write a series. Write your characters so they elicit emotional attachments from your readers. Each book should be a connected-standalone. I don’t use any software for that, I just know my characters.
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 an email list of readers mostly created from Facebook and Twitter. Never use support groups as such but there are some huge writer groups on Facebook that you can interact with other authors.
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 ask for ARCs, use my most loyal readers, and request Amazon TOP reviewers.
Author's Book List
After You're Dead
- A Jake Roberts Novel, Book 5Jake tries to find peace from losing Caitland and spends time with his dog “Katy” in his residence hidden in the picturesque mountains of Sedona. But trouble finds Jake again when an old friend knocks on his door. A powerful drug lord kidnapped Pablo’s wife, Alana, to force him to comply with the narcotrafficker’s demands. The man who will kill Alana is a depraved, psychopathic serial killer. He is also the father of Mackenzy who murdered Jake’s Caitland. Will Jake risk everything, including his life, to help Pablo get Alana back?
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
After the Kill
- A Jake Roberts Novel Book 4Jake never looks for trouble, but you can bet it's looking for him in the high-stakes thriller AFTER THE KILL. A beautiful morning quickly becomes a life and death day. What will the night bring? Mackenzy earned a doctorate in forensic psychology, specializing in serial killers. She wants to understand them beyond the textbooks. Will a DNA sample give her a clue? It looks like Oscar night at the house in Malibu as she hosts her A-list clients. Caitland returns to LA for the party while Jake stays in Phoenix. She is caught totally by surprise when the party's over. But will Jake get there in time?
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
After the Goode
- A Jake Roberts Novel, Book 3Detective Jake Roberts went outside the law to capture serial killer Jared Hamilton. His superiors in Atlanta Homicide gave Jake a choice––retire, or face criminal prosecution. He decided to retire and move to LA with his Hollywood agent girlfriend Caitland. He writes best-selling crime novels. Caitland and Jake go to Phoenix to visit his childhood friend. Fred and Andrea take them to the opening night show of superstar comedian Bobby Goode. During the show, Bobby humiliates a heckler. Phoenix homicide detectives Wynter Williams and Vince Farina are investigating a murder. Jake happens onto the crime scene and is asked to consult on the case. Jake and Wynter have growing suspicions about who the killer might be. They arrive to see Bobby's last show before he leaves for New York City. "Shots fired!"
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KOBO Store
Mind Over Murder
- A Jake Roberts Novel, Book 2Lori Powers escaped capture and fled to Europe in After the Evil. After five years on the run, Interpol finds Lori and returns her to the U.S. where homicide detective Jake Roberts and ex-FBI profiler Mika Scott accept custody of her. It's a bittersweet reunion for both law enforcement officers. Lori and Jake were lovers. For Mika, Lori was her worst nightmare. But Jake is being stalked by another serial killer––wealthy, genius Jared Hamilton. Jake breaks all of the rules and helps Lori escape from prison to assist in Hamilton’s capture, but does Lori know Jared and are the two killers conspiring to kill Jake, Mika, and Juan? Will Lori use the opportunity to escape again? Not your average serial killer story, Mind Over Murder is the perfect serial killer read!
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
After the Evil
- A Jake Roberts Novel, Book 1Tormented detective Jake Roberts just killed a suspect in a firefight. Behind the ski mask was a sixteen-year-old girl. Cop-shop policy requires a visit to the precinct shrink after a shooting. Leaving the session in anger, Jake passes a beautiful woman entering the doctor’s office. Later that night, Dr. Thaddeus Abrams is found murdered. The kill is the work of a prolific serial killer and FBI profiler Mika Scott is obsessed with capturing the killer. She arrives to lead the investigation at the Atlanta PD where she was once Detective Jake Roberts’ partner and lover. Jake is sent to question the doctor’s clients and he comes face-to-face with the beautiful woman he passed in the office earlier, a flight attendant named Lori Powers. Jake and Lori fall into a steamy love affair. Working with Mika, tensions are running high when Jake discovers who the killer is and the once cold trail is on fire. Will they get there in time to stop another murder? The killer is within a fingertips reach.
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Audible
Stealing Atlanta
It isn’t just an ordinary bank job––it’s the bank job of a lifetime! Brandyn Wood and his team are professional con artists. Their mark is Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank Chairman, Portend Ulysses Buford. “Smooth” is a legend in the business. “Summer” is the sexy, brilliant Ph.D. “Mysty” is an ex-Navy Seal. And “Crackhead” is the master machine wizard that hacks the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. After the con is over, they escape to Freeland, the island they own and rule with no extradition and they are very wealthy. High rollers fill the casinos. The fetish club is packed––worshipping room only. Brandyn is resurrected from the dead and reunites with Mai. It isn’t just an ordinary bank job––it’s the bank job of a lifetime!
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KOBO Store
Through a Mother's Eyes
“A true crime story, this has to be one of the most poignant heart wrenching books I have ever read. A woman so driven to protect her child she takes his life. We often hear about women who murder their children and those of us mothers cannot understand how someone can do that, but the truth of the matter is it is all in this book.”––Pam Thomas Reviews
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Amazon
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
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