R.S. Guthrie - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on 5-Star Mystery Author R.S. Guthrie. He writes Mystery & Thrillers, essays, and short stories. His book: INK: Eight Rules To A Better Book is a MUST read for all authors.

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

Website: R.S. Guthrie - Rob on Writing
Author's Blog: Google +
Twitter: @rsguthrie
E-Mail: rsguthrie@gmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
R.S. Guthrie grew up in Iowa and Wyoming. He has been writing fiction, essays, short stories, and lyrics since college.

"Black Beast: A Clan of MacAulay Novel" marked Guthrie's first major release and it heralded the first in a series of Detective Bobby Macaulay (Bobby Mac) books. The second in the series (Lost) hit the Kindle shelves December of 2011. Reckoning closes out the trilogy. For now...

Guthrie's "Blood Land" is the first in the Sheriff James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series and represents a project that is close to his heart: it is set in a fictional town in the same county where he spent much of his childhood and still visits. The sequel, Money Land, hit the shelves Christmas Day, 2012. Honor Land, the third in the bestselling James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series was released in May of 2013.

Guthrie lives in Colorado with his wife, Amy, three young Australian Shepherds, and a Chihuahua who thinks she is a 40-pound Aussie!


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First things first. Do you have another book on the horizon? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

Yes, actually I do. It’s “Honor Land”, the third book in the James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series (and the last for a while—I have some other planned books on the horizon. This one is going to be my favorite, I think. It’s about an All-American, student-athlete who’s recruited by every major football and baseball college in the country, valedictorian of his class—the kind of kid every parent wants theirs to be—but on his eighteenth birthday, high school diploma in hand, he’s outside the military recruiter’s door. All he’s ever want is to make Delta Force and server his country like his father, grandfather, etc.

He comes back from the way with a Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery and a serious case of undiagnosed PTSD. In an incident during Cheyenne Frontier Days, three men are dead and the boy finds himself charged with three counts of capital murder.

Sheriff Pruett has followed the boy his whole career in newspaper articles. He’s the boy’s godfather. He asks his now son-in-law, the infamous trial lawyer, J.W. Hanson, to defend the boy. The book is more of a legal thriller with Pruett being the investigative eyes, hands, and feet for Hanson as they try to save the boy’s life and reputation.

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

You know, I believe this about social media (Twitter and Facebook in particular, LinkedIn to a lesser extent for authors, though NOT to be ignored—I think that may very well be the “next horizon”): in the beginning, it is nearly everything. What talented authors forget is that their BRAND is their NAME. People (readers and writers) need to “meet” them and, eventually, remember that name. Social media like Twitter and an Author Page on Facebook is an excellent way to accomplish branding. Getting known. I’ll talk about this more in the question on book covers, but let me say this: book covers are extremely important to your success.

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 have created all the covers excepting the James Pruett Mysteries. And those change very little (color, background behind the Wind River mountains). Here is the thing: for the most part (there are always exceptions) figure out a “look” for your author name and try to stick to it.

Also make it stand out on your cover. Think about it. When you go to buy a book, do you really care what the title is or do you look for the author, see a new book you don’t have, and either buy it outright or read the synopsis? Blood Land, Murder Land, Tribal Land. To an extent, the title is meaningless until after the reader has read the book and thinks “ah, that’s why it was called _______.” Your name is your brand. I can’t repeat that enough. Use the same font, same size (where possible), and I really don’t think it has to be always on top or always on the bottom but readers need to see it from afar, recognize it, and go to it.

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?

Do you use the trailer in your character development? Are the pictures and background the way you see your characters and scenes?

The trailers I’ve done myself, always after the book is complete. THEN I find pics, scenes, etc. that help tell the story in a videography media. I always pick a song that really reinforces the theme. I only put my trailers (for the most part) on YouTube. Aside from the obvious fact that no other video site compares to numbers of users, they also normally now have a pretty good policy with most “unavailable” songs (i.e. copyrighted by the RIAA): as long as they can throw an ad that can be dismissed 5 seconds in and/or a link to buy the song, they’ll now allow it.

They didn’t used to allow it, but I always said they (and the artist) are missing a gold mine. I get so many “and that’s a GREAT SONG. I downloaded it right after watching your trailer!”

I think I’ve done more good for the song artist than myself! ;)

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

It’s more that I’m at the stage where I’ve “been there, did my time, have the t-shirt to prove it” kind of things. For beginning writers workshops are essential. You have to learn how to have your manuscript torn to pieces and get up, wipe away the tears (or hide the body), and do your rewrites. You don’t have to use everything you are told. The more you write (and workshop) the more you will recognize constructive advice from the chaff (jealous writers, bad critiquers, etc.).

In the beginning, every writer believes he or she has written the perfect piece. After all, who knows it better than them? Exactly the point. Realize if you ever expect to be popular and sell a lot of books, there are going to be haters. I currently have 105 5-star, 60 4-star, 16 3-star, and 5 1/2-star reviews respectively. Until I really got the book out there int hundreds of thousands of hands, I never had anything below a 3-star.

Tough skin—strike that—titanium, bullet-proof armor—every writer MUST develop, or you won’t make it. Your books will suffer, YOU will suffer, and the sales will go nowhere. I’ve actually used one or two suggestions from the 1/2-star reviews. Usually they are disgruntled people in general, but even in a disgruntled, crappy review, you can still sometimes find that little thing that would have made the book better. Throw away the rest. But in the beginning (especially I workshops) know that 90% of what others are telling you is with honesty, an you need to use 75%+ of the advice. Don’t dismiss it. There will be a few things where you know better but remember, these are readers reading your work for the first time. GOLD as far as criticism goes.

Between your book writing, blogging, workshops, 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 your sort of play it by ear?

Unfortunately, there needs to be nine of me (I’m still waiting on cloning). My wife helps a lot and I have a great friend who excels at the (let’s call it) less glamorous aspects of being an author (marketing answering tweets, FB comments, etc.). She is also an excellent writer, so she is racking up editor points with me and I am going to help her first book ROCK. She’s good. She keeps me alive when the other seven “me’s” desert me! The sad truth is, unless you’re fulltime, and even then, there aren’t enough hours in the day. Writing the book is the easy part.

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?

Use a pay-to-announce site like BookBub. The “free-listing sites” are find, but over time I noticed ZERO impact on anything (sales, reviews, etc.). When I ran a “free” ad (meaning my book was free), the ad cost $180 or something, I’ve since had over 100,000 downloads and my reviews have nearly tripled on Amazon. If you have a series, once you’ve got three or four books in the series, make the first one free, perpetually. Get the reader hooked on your characters. They’ll be clamoring for another in the series in no time!

You have a great blog. You do a great job keeping readers informed, marketing your books and providing useful information to other writers. As I did my research for your post, I found myself adding a comment to one of your great posts.

What is your primary goal? And where in the world do you find the time to create great novels, take care of the social media and maintain your blog?

The funny thing is, the blog is my outlet when “life” has my muse hiding out deep inside me, unwilling to be creative at all. There are a million things I blog about, mostly writing, but other things, too. The blogs are both my catharsis and my therapy and keep me writing. That’s another key for writers: WRITE. Blogs, articles for your local paper, long-winded comments on HuffPost. Tapp the keyboard and write something. Every day, if you can swing it (I can’t).

Another thing that helps me is that my first drafts are usually 95%+ final. Not a lot of rewriting anymore.

What is your method of getting reviews for your novels? Do you seek professional reviews or do you rely on your reading audience to supply them?

I rarely solicit review (never pay). Reviews are important but I think the Amazon system is VERY broken. Doesn’t matter. The books need reviews; it’s one of the first thing anyone (including me) notices, right next to the book. Amazon also uses the number of reviews in their algorithms on whether they are going to “help” promote your books.

I’m no authority (read above) on how to get them. Setting your book at free for a few days and buying a BookBub ad ($150-180, depending on genre), will get you at least tens of thousands of downloads from mostly real readers not what I can Kindle Hoarders (which the free-listing sites attract). They download EVERYTHING free and will likely never read your book. It’s been proven that about 1% of readers write reviews. That sounds about right to me. That means if you get 50,000 downloads, that could equate to 500 new reviews (plan for half or less but still).

You get your book from 30 reviews, to, say, 200 reviews—BIG difference. I’m told there are review blogs out there by the hundreds and they are a great way to get book reviews. Research them. Make sure they read your genre. You’re unlikely to be accepted or get a great review from a Romance reader/reviewer if you write Action/Adventure.

In the past you use to conduct workshops and share your knowledge. Now you do that with an author-oriented book, INK. Can you tell us about the book and what you have planned for the future?

Well, I haven’t run a workshop in years. However, if you want a small (think Strunk & White, and if you have no idea what that reference means, Google it, and buy it) meat-and-nopotatoes book on writing a better book, I wrote one Non-Fiction book, for writers, and every writer that’s bought, read, and used it, has reached out to me either in review or email or FB (or all three) and told me it changed the way they write. That’s why I wrote it. It is a sharing of everything I learned in all those workshops, books on writing, other writers giving sage advice, and my own instincts (much info from my blogs, so you don’t have to read them all to get the nuggets; they’re in the book). INK: Eight Rules To A Better Book. The next one is going to be long, more in-depth, more like a long workshop with more advice on marketing, branding, etc.

INK is meant to sit next to your computer, dog-eared, highlighted—used. (See INK in the book list below.)



Author's Book List
Reckoning - A Detective Bobby Mac Thriller - Volume Three
Reckoning is the third book in the Detective Bobby Mac Thriller series, returning Detective Bobby Mac to the streets of Denver. It's been ten years since facing the loss of his brother, Jax, but Mac has a new life now with his wife and daughters.

When a series of murders grips the city in terror, Mac joins an inter-agency task force charged with bringing the Judas Killer to justice.

After eight murders over the course of a year and the task force being no closer than when they began, events take a brutally personal turn. Detective Mac will come face-to-face with a past he's been running from for over a decade.

Once again in a gritty cop-drama twisted with a bit of the paranormal, the storytelling that has been compared to a mixture of Dennis Lehane, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, and Dean Koontz, R.S. Guthrie brings you his best Bobby Mac book yet. Reckoning will bring the trilogy of books together for a finale that will have you riding the edge of your seat and your jaw on the floor.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
INK: Eight Rules To A Better Book
A concise, personal read to share with you eight easy-to-implement strategies to make your book better. No gimmicks, no get rich quick schemes, just the lessons learned by a writer, writing personally to you (i.e. not a textbook or a collection of empty words and promises).

INK transcends all levels of authors; no experience, experienced; published, unpublished; confident, scared-witless. It is a particularly noteworthy read to the beginning writer because it focuses on rules we've all made early on in our careers and what better time to pick up some learned education from someone else without have to stumble yourself?

Seasoned writers with an open mind will learn a tidbit or two as well. This book is a sharing; a sharing of twenty-plus years of writing workshops, classes, flounders, flubs, successes, and all the information gleaned carved down into a fun, readable, get-to-the-meat, skip-the-potatoes, book you don't want to miss.

Be the best writer you can. Write the best book you can write. Make yourself and your product crisper, cleaner, more grabbing, more of a page-turner.

We learn from our failures, which hammer future work into gems.

We are in this together, we writers. Share your success with others. That is how this book is written: treating other writers as part of a larger collective where one can help the other to climb the mountain of success.

Put it in INK.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Money Land
Money Land is the second in the popular and riveting Sheriff James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series, and big crime has come literally crashing down on the remote town of Wind River, Wyoming.

When a small plane bound for the Canadian border carrying money for the Sustantivo Mexican Cartel loses altitude and smashes into the granite-faced Wind River Mountains, the event brings a heartless evil presence to one of the more remote places on earth.

The tail of the plane, when discovered, is empty. No drugs. No money. Shortly afterward, people start dying.

When the cartel comes to town, Pruett will do everything within his power to stave off a bloodbath.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Blood Land - A James Pruett Mystery - Volume One
Crime's an ugly constant in the big city. L.A. Chicago. New York. But when a savage murder brutalizes a small town and neighbor turns on neighbor, a tough-as-nails cop is essential to restoring order. Blood Land is a gritty, emotional saga set in the Wyoming badlands with both greed and vengeance at its core.

When billions of dollars in natural gas rights hang in the balance and the town's top law officer's wife is slain by her own blood, a reluctant hero is forced to battle his own demons and ultimately choose between justice, revenge, and duty.

In the tradition of Dennis Lehane, Tony Hillerman and James Lee Burke, Guthrie's sparse, haunting storytelling compliments his talent for creating richly-drawn, unflinching law officers with human frailties and a sense of justice.


Book Trailer: Blood Land

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
L O S T - A Detective Bobby Mac Thriller - Volume Two
Denver Detective Bobby Mac returns in this intense horror/thriller, set in the northern panhandle wilderness of Idaho. After receiving a phone call from his brother, the Chief of Police in Rocky Gap, Idaho, Bobby Mac travels north to assist in the investigation surrounding two gruesome murders and the abduction of an eleven-year-old girl.

These two seasoned cops---estranged brothers reunited---will bring all of their experience to bear in a case that threatens not only the safety of a small town, but also the sacred lineage of a family of heroes.


Book Trailer: L O S T

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Black Beast - A Detective Bobby Mac Thriller - Volume One
Decorated Denver Detective Bobby Macaulay has faced down a truckload of tragedy over recent years. The death of his partner; the loss of his own leg in the line of duty; the companionship of his beloved wife to cancer; his faith in God to his inner demons.

After the man who ruined his leg and killed his first partner is executed, Macaulay becomes the lead detective investigating the Sloan's Lake murders. The method of killing in this double-homicide is so heinous it leads Macaulay and his partner down an ever-darkening path--one that must be traversed if they are to discover the evil forces behind the slaughter.

Just when Bobby Macaulay is questioning the very career that has been his salvation, he will discover a heroic history buried within his own family roots: The Clan MacAulay--a deep family lineage of protectors at the very core of a millenniums-long war against unimaginable evil.

"Black Beast" is the first in a series of "Clan of MacAulay" novels--a stellar first outing for new author R.S. Guthrie. The book is a page-turner that avoids meandering, written with tight prose that keeps the action flowing. The reader is taken inside the heart and mind of a common hero who will make you believe in good again--Macaulay is a believable, flawed character with whom each of us can relate and for whom each of us will cheer.


Book Trailer: Black Beast

Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Karin Cox - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Australian Author Karin Cox. She is the prolific author of more than 28 titles, from travel guides, to natural history, to illustrated children's storybooks.

Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

Website: Meet Author Karin Cox
Author's Blog: Karincox's Blog
Blog: Indie Review Tracker
Twitter: @Authorandeditor
E-Mail: cruxim@hotmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
Karin Cox edits and writes in her "spare time" while being a fulltime mum to a toddler and to a black cat with the improbable name of "Ping Pong." She is the author of more than 30 trade-published natural history books, biographies, Australian social history books, children's picture storybooks, and travel guides, several of which have won awards. Karin has had poems and short stories published in anthologies worldwide and her ebooks CRUXIM, GROWTH, CAGE LIFE, HEY LITTLE SISTER and PANCAKES ON SUNDAY are available on Amazon. Thankfully, the busier she gets, the more creative she is (and the more likely to afford to hire a housekeeper). Karin and her partner live in sunny Queensland, Australia, where she writes from her back deck overlooking the pool, her study (overlooking her messy desk) or her couch (overlooking Dr Phil, who gives her a lot of inspiration).


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

Let’s start with what’s next. Do you have another book on the horizon? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

Yes, at present I am working on a couple of new novels. Creche is the sequel to Cruxim and is much more high fantasy because it deals with my character Amedeo's past (which was unknown to him in the first book), as well as his present. I'm about 50,000 words in and still have a way to go until I finish, but I'm aiming for a July release.

I'm also working on a literary New Adult novel called What the Sea Takes, the heroine of which is a young girl living on Australia's east coast whose surf lifesaver boyfriend goes missing at sea. I'm hoping to have it out before the year's end. However, I'm having to set it aside as Creche is my priority and my fans are eagerly awaiting it, so I can't make them wait too long, but there is a lot of Cruxim lore to explore (it may even be that it leads to some spin off novellas) and a lot of twists and turns to figure out. Here's a little sampler from Creche.

As we crested the hill, I saw that it sloped away steeply into a glade studded with boulders. Below us, plains stretched out into a purple horizon, ringed by mountains. I followed her careful footfalls, noting how she glanced behind her to reassure herself we were not being followed. Soon, a cavern yawned at the intersection of the largest boulders. Without hesitation, she slipped through it into the inky coolness. Something prickled my skin, some fear or foreboding, but I heard her voice in my head: “Come, do not be afraid of this place. Silvenhall is home to me.”

So I followed.

When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed glimmering phosfhoresence in the rock, running like a vein toward sunlight in the distance. Ahead, I could I barely make out her shining hair as she moved, slender as a willow, in the darkness. When we finally reached daylight, the light of her skin and hair was blinding. Everything shone brighter than sunshine, and I saw at once that the illumination emanated from thousands of ethereal beings. Cruxims, each, all like myself. My guts tangled at the thought. My Maker had been right—I was never alone. Yet the way they all stopped their activity and turned to look at me made me feel more alone than ever. How had it been that I had not known about them, that I had wandered solitary for so long?

You have a good following twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?

For me, social media is as much about interacting and socialising as book-selling, and if wasn't that I have to carve out writing time, I'd hang out there a lot more. The life of an author is a lonely one, and my daily interactions and inspirations are often confined to my darling "twits" and Facebook friends, and my family, of course. So they're my people, you know? My crew. They keep me motivated and encourage me and I hope I do the same for them.

Do you do 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 don't really. Living in Australia, where the indie publishing market is really not as developed, I just don't see it as being worth my time until I have several novels out to promote. Also, coming from a background in trade publishing, I have done a lot of book fairs and signings and the like in the past for publishers, and they can be exhausting for little reward. I'm content to chill out in my writer cave and sign books on www.authorgraph.com for now, especially while I have a young child so travel isn't always practical. But … I'm sure there will come a day when I do a lot more face-to-face promotion.

You have great covers. 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 suppose that really depends on the cover and the book. I have a lot of graphic designer friends who have helped me out along the way, and my cover artist for the Cruxim series, Eden Crane Designs, has done a fabulous job. I've also worked with Christine DeMaio-Rice for covers, and she is fantastic too. And Athanasios Galanis and Paul Beely, both of whom are excellent to work with. I would highly recommend all of them in a heartbeat. Of course, Sinan Acar and Gozde Berkay, my illustrators for the kids' books, put my children's book covers together, with my help, and it goes without saying that I love them to bits.

I was lucky enough to find just the right image for Cage Life myself. It was a photograph taken by an amateur Japanese photographer and she was thrilled to let me use it, so Cage Life came together very easily and I designed with tips from a designer friend. I also designed the cover for Growth. Having worked side-by-side with graphic artists and used InDesign and Photoshop a lot over my career certainly helps.

Cruxim, like a lot of my books, has had several cover incarnations. The reason for that is solely me. I'm a terrible judge of what should be represented on my own books! Paul Beely did a gorgeous, mythological-based cover for me to my exact specifications, and I absolutely loved it, but months later, I realised I had made it too gothic and specific to a single scene and that didn't suit my target market of paranormal romance.Then, I made the same mistake again with Christine, instructing her to go too girly this time. Eventually, I hit the nail on the head by getting Eden to do something in between those two covers that will still appeal to women but shows that this is a dark fantasy rather than a "sparkly" vampire book. For me, I am happy to work out the covers in this way, even if it costs me more, because covers are so important. Honestly, these people are professionals and sometimes you're better off just letting them do it with little input from you, because I do feel you're compromised by how close you are to the text. I certainly don't regret working with any of them. They've all been incredibly helpful and professional, and they're all very talented. So that was an important lesson for me: sometimes they know best and your vision isn't the reader's vision, you know.

Now, I stick to linking them to images of what my characters look like in my mind's eye, but not trying to strictly represent a single scene from the book, focussing more on a stylised approach. I've commissioned Sarah Hansen from Okay Creations to do a cover for What the Sea Takes, because I love her work too and she has worked with some really successful indies. Of course, the lovely Eden Crane will continue to create the covers for the Cruxim series and has just finished the cover for Creche, which I've revealed on www.karincox.wordpress.com. I've chatted with fans a lot about that cover, and they've all helped shape the cover and the series, in some way.

Have you created a book trailer for any of your books to promote them online?

I created what I call a "book teaser." It's not a trailer because it is really a series of promotional stills I made for the book, set to music. So it uses quotes from the book to kind of give a sense of what the book is about, but isn't as cohesive as a traditional book trailer. One of these days, I might get around to digging up some footage and making a proper trailer. It's on the list of things to do. (The teaser can be seen by clicking link below.)

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

I belong to several fabulous online writer support groups (once again I am a hermit in real life! And I'm supposedly a people person?). Indie Writers Unite facebook group is an incredible place to seek answers to indie questions, with more than 1500 authors congregating there. I am part of an Australian and New Zealand authors and bloggers group (and they're very inspiring) and several other super-secret groups are my daily "go tos" for snark, chit chat and insider knowledge, and of course, there are my darling Indie Chicks—a super talented, super friendly bunch of women who really are wonderful encouragement for each other.

We have had several of the Indie Chicks in the Author’s Spotlight. What a group of outstanding people. What is the main thing that you get out of this association?

Camaraderie and encouragement. I'm a small fish in that big pond. Some of the women in there put the super in Superwoman, let me tell you. They've published many, many novels to great acclaim, yet they're more than willing to share their time and their tips with other women. The Indie Chicks come from a perspective of cooperation being a valuable tool. We've all read each other's work and we champion each other's efforts, and it's not just about writing, it is largely about life. We blog about our trials and tribulations on a day-to-day level. They support me when I'm feeling "mommy guilt" as much as when I'm struggling to get words on the page. Although I haven't met any of the Indie Chicks in real life, I feel like I've known some of them forever. Friendship and support is really what keeps us all in that online cafe, and what we offer visitors too, I think. It's like a hug from one writing woman to the next.

Has the advent of ebooks changed anything in your writing, your marketing and the relationship with your readers and fans?

Totally, and so has self-publishing. When you're on the other side of the desk, in trade publishing, you're always set apart from your audience. There is always the middleman of the publicist or the publisher. I adore being able to connect with my fans directly on twitter (@Authorandeditor or on my facebook page. I love that they post pics of my characters to my page or to pinterest and that they get so embroiled in my worlds, and I adore the intimacy and immediacy that ebook publishing affords. The fans are an integral part of the process now. They create a kind of hypertext around a book and a series and it means that they own it, in many ways, as much as the author does. That's a beautiful thing.

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 believe that there is certain audience you'll probably never reach with paid books, so giving your books away for free isn't really harming your brand or devaluing your work, it is reaching those who might otherwise never have shelled out for it. Once they have read it, they might recommend it to others who will pay for it. That's the plan, at least. Neil Gaiman speaks about how he asked readers at an author event how they had found the first book they read of their favourite author.

Overwhelmingly, they were lent it, borrowed it from the library or were given it as a gift. Very few actually bought that first book themselves, even if they went on to love that author and buy all of his or her subsequent books. I don't think "free" is new, per se. Books have always been available for free. But I do think it is a powerful tool that should be used wisely as part of an overall marketing strategy. Overuse it, and you could be attracting the wrong market (those who don't pay for much of anything at all), but as an occasional tool, I think it works well.

The challenge for me when it comes to giveaways is often geography. It can be expensive to have books shipped here from Create Space and then to sign them and post them elsewhere. But I regularly gift ebook copies via Amazon and I have recently given away three signed paperbook copies on my blog, as well as some angel and gothic-themed bling. It was so much fun that I'll probably try to do it several times a year, and even give away something bigger like an ereader next time as well.

You have published several different type of books from children, to paranormal romance, to non-fiction. Does changing hats create any problems? Any tricks you can share with us? Which genre did you enjoy writing the most? Does moving from one to the other give a change of pace?

Oh yes, changing hats creates HUGE problems. If I did it over, I would definitely keep my children's books under a different umbrella (probably with my non-fiction). As it is, I'm currently trying to decide whether to publish What the Sea Takes under my name, or to create a new imprint for New Adult and young adult works. However, the more nom de plumes, you have, the more marketing and brand-building you have to do.

Being a jack of all trades is difficult, and I couldn't tell you which genre I enjoy most. I love all my "book babies." They're all different. I still write non-fiction for New Holland Publishers Australia, mostly in social history, and it is really refreshing to stop and do that when I've been writing a lot of fiction, but fiction is really where my heart lies, and literary fiction and fantasy are the genres I read in the most. Having said that, I'm not a book snob, I've always read across many, many genres. If it's good, I'll read it. I suppose it is unsurprising that I take the same approach to writing. I love the variety, and I love the challenge of writing in a new genre. I'll never get bored, that's for sure.

Does living in Australia create any unique selling and marketing situations? Where is your biggest audience? Does marketing online help in this situation?

My biggest audience is still in the USA. Australia is under-developed when it comes to the ereader and ebook marketshare. I really think this will change dramatically in the coming three years and I expect to see ebooks mature quite quickly once people let go the idea that paper is necessary for a book to be tangible or for the experience of reading (and I used to be a staunch believer that I'd miss that book "smell" —I don't). Also, it is harder to make a living as an Australian author because we're still getting paid in paper cheques in US dollars from KDP, and they are costly to cash here. I think once Amazon starts up an Australian store, which I can see happening in future, and really pushes into this market, big changes will take place. I also think China will take off soon as well. When that happens, it will be worth my time to focus further on the home-grown aspect of my writing, but for now, I'm mostly picking up sales in the UK and the US now. Those who buy my books in Australia are those who I interact with or know professionally or personally. I also need to start looking at in-store distribution here. Another task on the list.

Finally, I have to ask. Does your black cat play a role in your writing? How was it bestowed the name ‘Ping Pong’?

The role Ping Pong plays is my little writing buddy, although he'll often try to curl up on the keyboard and interrupt me for pats. I love cats and he is the fourth black cat I've had the pleasure to live with in my life. Don't believe what you hear about black cats; they are sweet little things, and just a little bit magical.

Poor Ping Pong's name gradually developed. Initially, in keeping with being my writing partner, his name was Inki. Of course, my fiance (a little jealous of the cat's place in my heart) took to calling him Stinky Inki (when he was litter training as a kitten), which became "Stinki inki pinky" and then "Stinki inki pinky pong" and then Ping Pong, which really suits him perfectly as he's constantly bouncing around swatting things. It was probably his real name all along and it just had to find us! My daughter adores him. She rides him, brushes his fur with her toothbrush (we're all about hygiene, here!), tries to put him in her pram and feed him a bottle. As he is my first "baby," I thought he would resent her, but he is so super tolerant with her. It's awesome to watch.



Author's Book List
Cruxim: You Are Never Alone - (Paranormal Fallen Angels) (Volume 1)
What is Cruxim?

Amedeo is Cruxim, a mysterious, immortal fallen angel. Destined to seek redemption as a vampire hunter, he quenches his hunger on their blood. But when the object of his passion, the novice nun Joslyn, is turned into a vampire and enters a coven, Amedeo's worlds collide. Shattered by the loss of his beloved, he vows to rid the world of vampires once and for all, even if it means destroying Josyln in the process.

A Paranormal Game of Cat and Mouse

Joining Amedeo on his quest to rid the world of the undead is Sabine. Half-woman, half-lioness, she is a Sphinx, a guardian who has protected humans from vampires since the dawn of time. Yet Sabine comes to this fight pursued by her own enemies. Dr. Claus Gandler knows the secret of Sabine's mythological past and has vowed to torment her for eternity or destroy her forever. Captured by the evil doctor, Amedeo and Sabine are paraded as sideshow freaks in Gandler's Circus of Curiosities. Only vampire Joslyn has the power to intercede. Will she prove Amedeo's redemption, or his destruction?
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Book Trailer: Cruxim: You Are Never Alone
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Amazon UK
Pancakes on Sunday
Hannah, Daniel, and Madeline just LOVE pancakes. They love them so much that they eat them every Sunday. Crazy curly ones, round ones, rabbit-shaped ones -- all sorts and all shapes of pancakes are on the menu. This simple rhyming picture book is both fun and engaging, and the bright illustrations are sure to raise a smile. Perfect for kids who love to read, and for parents who love to read with them.
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Amazon UK
Cage Life - (Literary Short Stories (Dark Themes)
What happens when life doesn't turn out as planned? This collection of two darkly evocative stories explores the choices and compromises we make in life and in love, and how they can trap or liberate us, depending on our mindset.

In "Cage Life," a young mother feels like a prisoner in her own home. Her decision to escape the perceived bonds of marriage and motherhood, just for a few hours, has unexpectedly tragic consequences that force her to a re-evaluate what it really means to be loved, to be married, to be a mother, and to be "free," and what truly matters in life.

In "The Usurper," unconditional love is explored within the boundaries of age and longing. Basil is in his eighties, with an illustrious career in law enforcement behind him, when he meets Carla: a beautiful, energetic and much younger mistress. But when Simon appears on the scene, can Basil keep her or does she, in fact, keep him? With a twist that makes reading all the way to the end imperative, The Usurper poses the question: "Are things ever really as they seem or is our reality filtered by perception?"

Note: These stories contain some drug use and explore the darker aspects of the human condition--irrational fault-finding, subconscious fears, guilt, grief, jealousy, and blame--but careful readers should find neither without hope of redemption, forgiveness, or character growth.
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Ms. Adventures in Travel - Indie Chicks Anthology
Ready for an adventure? Travel along with sixteen women writers as they recount their journeys to locations as diverse as Italy, Africa, Ireland, Central America, North Cyprus, the beaches of Florida and California, the canyons of Arizona, and the mountains of the Colorado Rockies. You will laugh, cringe, nod in understanding, and maybe even wipe away a tear or two. Best of all, you won’t have to pack!

Stories from:
Heather Marie Adkins
Peg Brantley
Karin Cox
Patrice Fitzgerald
LK Gardner-Griffe
Christy Hayes
Sibel Hodge
Carol Davis Luce
Faith Mortimer
Cheryl Shireman
Melissa Smith
Louise Voss
Linda Welch
Elizabeth West
Sarah Woodbury
Georgina Young-Ellis
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Amazon UK
Hey, Little Sister
Zac is very excited to be getting a new little sister. But how will she arrive exactly? And will he like her after all?

Designed for parents to help initiate conversation about pregnancy, birth and the arrival of a new sibling, this engaging, beautifully illustrated picture book by Australian author Karin Cox raises some likely questions from young children while still allowing parents to decide how to explain a new arrival in their own terms. Follow Zac and his family as they prepare for a little bundle of joy to arrive.
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Amazon UK
Author Recommended by: Cheryl Brashaw
Author Cheryl Bradshaw is a best-selling Author. She is the creator of the Sloane Monroe series and the founder of the hugely successful Indie Writers Unite group on Facebook. Click here to see Cheryl's Author Spotlight post.