Author Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Crime
Website: Marsheila Rockwell
Twitter: @MarcyRockwell
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell was born [redacted] years ago in America's Last, Best Place. A descendant of kings, pilgrims, Ojibwe hunters and possibly a witch or two, she spent the first few years of her life frolicking gleefully in a large backyard that is now part of one of the nation's largest Superfund sites. Perhaps that explains her early penchant for fantasy and horror - the first book she ever read (at the tender age of three) was Frank L. Baum's "Ozma of Oz."
Marcy sold her first short story to Marion Zimmer Bradley while in college and her first novel to Wizards of the Coast in 2005. She now lives in the desert in the shadow of an improbably green mountain with her husband and writing partner, author Jeffrey J. Mariotte, her children, her vast collections of Wonder Woman/Girl figures, and far too many books.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: Mafia III: Plain of Jars. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
I just sent my agent the manuscript for a fantasy novel entitled Scrap Witch, which I'm currently describing as Practical Magic meets Alice in Post-Apocalyptic Wonderland. It's the story of a woman trying to reclaim her past in order to find healing in her present. Being a witch, she casts a spell to do so, and, as you might imagine, it goes seriously awry. Then the fun begins…
You are quite active 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 nearly as active there as a lot of authors, but I try to post when I have new stuff, or make sales, or have appearances. I have a pretty steady following, which I built up in the usual way - one reader at a time. It hasn't really changed my book launch process, except I always make sure to tag publishers, as they're likely to have a bigger following and to retweet, so you get more eyes on a post that way.
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?
Maybe Leprecon 2018 in Phoenix in June, but definitely Megamania down in Tucson in July. I'll have info on my website (www.marsheilarockwell.com) and on Twitter and Facebook when those get closer. (see the author contact information for the links)
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?
Audiobooks (and ebooks) keep your work around even after it's out of print, which has been a boon to most traditionally published authors, I think. They allow new readers to find your work years after it was initially published, hopefully gaining new fans in the process.
I like the idea of Author bundles. You are a part of a several short story collection. 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?
Boxed sets and anthologies are usually by invitation from whoever is putting them together. They're a good way to introduce people to your work who may have bought the collection or bundle because of another author in it, but then discover they like your story and want to read more of your writing, and that's the point. They usually boost sales after release. As for how they're put together - that's for the editors/publishers to answer! I just write the stories!
What is your primary genre? What has been your best marketing approach to this group?
I would say dark fantasy/horror. As for the best marketing approach, I'm still trying to figure that out. I have my website and blog, Twitter, and my FB page, Jeff and I do a (sporadic) newsletter, and I do various appearances/interviews/blog posts targeted toward genre readers that I hope will spark people's interest. It's a dynamic mix of things and what worked well at one point may not work as well six months later, so you have to either be willing to change your strategy all the time or just do what you always do and hope the readers find you.
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?
See above. We're trying to get better about maintaining our newsletter and adding to the email list at appearances.
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 rely on the audience to supply them (though this includes book review sites and book bloggers, not just Amazon and Goodreads reviews). I also don't have a problem hitting up author friends for blurbs - that's part of what being in the SF/F/H community is all about.
The Tucson Festival of Books 2018 was a great event, enjoyed by thousands. A Book festival is a unique selling situation. How did you prepare for the festival? Did it meet your goals? If you had to do something different next year, what would that be? Here is a picture I took at this year’s festival with you and your husband, Jeff.
Every year is different. You try to anticipate what readers are going to want, because you have limited space and can't bring everything you have to sell. Sometimes you guess right and sometimes you don't. We're looking at trying to bundle things as series or connected books next year, as bundled books always seem pretty popular with festival-goers. Those pretty ribbons probably help some, too!
You have written several of your novels with your husband, Jeffrey J. Mariotte. How does the process work? How do you manage your plots, characters and timelines to keep your story going? How do you resolve conflicts?
We work out a detailed outline first and all the conflicts get smoothed out at that stage. Then we take turns writing. Sometimes it's a chapter by chapter thing, but sometimes it's scene by scene. Wherever we stop, we send the manuscript over to the other person, who goes back and edits what was just written before adding their own part and sending it back. We continue that way until we have a finished book or story, and by the time we're done, we often can't tell who wrote what, and that's just the way we want it.
Author's Book List
Mafia III: Plain of Jars
This novel, modeled in the style of detective "pulp" novels from the 1960s, expands upon the world of 1968 New Bordeaux, Louisiana, a city ruled by organized crime and corrupt officials as depicted in the hit videogame Mafia III. Featuring characters and locations from the game, and a brand new original storyline full of intrigue, suspense, passion, and violence, Mafia III: Plain of Jars is a great read for fans of the game and crime genre hounds looking for another intriguing story to delve into.
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7 Sykos
Detached from the world, how are seven psychopaths going to save it?
Phoenix is one of the most populated cities in America…but not for long. With a mysterious sickness spreading through the streets, two things are becoming very clear: there’s no cure, and it doesn’t necessarily kill you.
Instead, the so-called “Infecteds” have become a living plague, killing and eating everyone they come into contact with. Chaos is spreading, and no one is safe.
No one, that is, except for a group of psychos.
Somehow unaffected by the disease—and with promises of clemency for their monstrous pasts—a group of seven is sent downtown to hopefully find the cause of the disease…and therefore a cure. But when the asylum is the size of a city, it no longer matters who is running things.
Not when everyone is running for their lives.
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Bridges of Longing and Other Strange Passageways
What do a broom-wielding wizard’s apprentice, a goddess with postpartum depression, a sentient electric chair, a Navy Chop on planetside rotation, and a boy with Downs Syndrome who is more than what he seems – at least some of the time – have in common? They’re all characters waiting for you on the other side of Bridges of Longing and Other Strange Passageways, a collection of twelve stories and fourteen poems from multiple-award nominee Marsheila Rockwell.
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KOBO Store
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Skein of Shadows
- Dungeons & Dragons OnlineCreated in conjunction with the latest update for the Dungeons & Dragons online game, this exciting adventure continues the story of Sabira from The Shard Axe, featuring an underground expedition in dark caverns, drow intrigue, powerful artifacts, and unrequited love.
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KOBO Store
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Audible
Legacy of Wolves
- The Inquisitives, Book 3Explore the dark under-belly of Eberron with it's version of the private detective - The Inquisitives!
A series of grisly murders has shaken the small city of Aruldusk. Both the Church and the Crown send in agents to investigate. But when the body count continues to rise, these rival factions will have to learn to work together to track down the killers -- even if it means hunting through the highest reaches of power.
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KOBO Store
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The Shard Axe
- An Eberron Novel - Dungeons & DragonsSentinel Marshal Sabira d'Deneith has spent the last eight years trying to drown the memories of the mission that cost her partner his life and gave her the nickname "The Shard axe." Until she's recalled from the city of Stormreach to carry out a mission on House Deneith's behalf--protect and defend the heir of the dwarven city of Frostmantle during his murder trial. The same heir she and her partner guarded eight years ago in the same city--from the same style of murders. Is the dreaded Nightshard still alive and taunting her? Or is there another serial killer loose in the Mror Holds?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Audible
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
Indie Author’s Corner and HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
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