Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Brandt Legg. He is the bestselling author of the The Inner Movement series.
Author Genre:
Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Website:
Brandt Legg
Twitter:
@BrandtLegg
Goodreads:
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Google+:
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Facebook:
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Author Description:
Brandt Legg is a former child prodigy who turned an interest in stamp collecting into a multi-million dollar empire. At eight, Legg's father died suddenly, plunging his family into poverty. Two years later, while suffering from crippling migraines, he started in business. National media dubbed him the "Teen Tycoon," but by the time he reached his twenties, the high-flying Legg became ensnarled in the financial whirlwind of the junk bond eighties, lost his entire fortune... and ended up serving time in federal prison for financial improprieties. Legg emerged, chastened and wiser, one year later and began anew in retail and real estate. From there his life adventures have led him through magazine publishing, a newspaper column, photography, FM radio, CD production and concert promotion.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
First things first. Let’s start with what’s next. Rumor has it that you have another book on the horizon called The Cosega Theory. Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
I have a new trilogy coming out, late summer 2014, that I’m very excited about. Cosega centers around an archaeologist who makes a startling discovery in the Virginia mountains. His find will change everything. It must be suppressed. Although it is unrelated to my Inner Movement trilogy, both are contemporary stories that share a few common characters.
You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Did you use forums, newsletters and methods like that?
Social Media is a great double-edged sword. As everyone knows, it takes an enormous amount of time, but there are benefits. I’ve had some marvelous interactions with readers on Goodreads, and met some wonderful indie authors on Facebook that I’ve become very good friends with. Twitter is unsurpassed for getting a notice about my book into the feed of more than 100,000 people in a matter of an hour and that’s exciting. How many of them actually see it and how many of those take action? Those answers are less exciting. I spend virtually no time on forums, I don’t have a newsletter and don’t blog. I’ve heard there are hundreds of millions of blogs; that seems like enough. I’d rather spend my time writing books.
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?
Like many writers, I’m an introvert, so not prone to personal appearances. However, I have been doing more speaking engagements and hope to increase that in the future. The best place to find out anything about me is my website
BrandtLegg.com
and please sign up for my mailing list – you’ll only hear from me when new books are being released or if something really big happens like a movie deal.
You have great covers. They carry a theme and your brand with them. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?
Thank you. The concepts for the Inner Movement covers came to me while writing each book. I then worked with Caitlin Legere, a very talented artist in Taos, New Mexico, and with quite a bit of back-and-forth she was able to make the vision a reality. The process also included input from close family and friends as well as my publisher.
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?
Trailers seem to be more of a fun way to extend the world of the book’s story into something visual and instant. It seems unlikely, that by themselves, they sell many books. I made them myself and had a good time with that process. I’m also a photographer and my parents were in the documentary film business, so I guess it’s in my blood. Really, though, it just proves that almost anything can be done on a mac.
I like the idea of bundling a series of novels. You have put together a set of your novels called The Inner Movement. What was the impact on your other sales? What was your main objective in bundling your novels?
I love to read series and enjoy writing them even more. It’s a lot of work to build a world and find characters we really care about. So it seems like a good idea not to waste them on one book. My next three projects are all trilogies. It has the added benefit of creating a market for books two and three, as long as the first book is good. It can also be frustrating because, although I have three books out, all my marketing efforts have to continually go into the first one.
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?
Giving away the first book in a series has obvious advantages; if readers like it they will hopefully purchase the next book(s). But, it was tough for me to come to terms with just giving away the chunk of my life it took to create that book. I can’t complain the same dynamics that have made it so easy for indie authors to get their work to a wide audience, have created the demand for free or low cost books. And it’s working – sales of the series have more than tripled since we began giving away the first book.
How do you start your book launch process for a new book? Give a brief outline of the steps you go through to get your book to market. What methods were the most successful?
It’s all about advertising. We all know word-of-mouth is the best, but when I was in the radio business, we had a saying that word-of-mouth has to start somewhere. There are many great sites that promote books. I did promos to get as many copies into readers’ hands as possible. Readers are more important than sales; I believe readers will lead to sales, not the other way around. In June of 2013, I did my first free promo for Outview and it was downloaded more than 21,000 times in two days. Otherwise, I do what most authors do, Tweet, Facebook and Goodreads, all while trying not to be obnoxious. There are millions of books available; people won’t read mine unless they know about it. Advertising is key (although in publishing we call it promotion). I was also very fortunate to receive some great coverage from local TV and newspapers. Many authors dislike marketing, but for me, I’m just happy to finally be a writer, so I’m willing to do the intense work marketing requires. Bottom line, if you want to make a living as an indie-author, try everything, don’t give up, it’s a lot of work, but most dreams are.
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?
The biggest secret to getting reviews is to ask, meaning that in the back of all my ebooks, I ask the readers to please leave a review. The other thing I do is whenever anyone tells me they enjoyed my book, I explain how important reviews are in helping people discover books, and ask if they would mind writing a quick review. Most readers are happy to, once they understand the importance. I haven’t sought any professional reviews, other than Publisher’s Weekly, who has not yet reviewed me. Again, the main thing is getting copies out there. Once Outview’s readership reached into the tens of thousands, even a small percentage of reviews start to add up.
How does your Photography fit in with your writing? Does moving from reality to fantasy give you a change of pace?
Photography is a great passion of mine and because I am a nature photographer, it comes out in my writing, specifically in the settings I choose for scenes and my descriptions of them. As somebody one said, “Photography is really just writing with light,” so it isn’t that different after all.
Thanks for having me. I enjoyed your questions.
Author's Book List
The Inner Movement
- Complete trilogy
The complete best selling Inner Movement trilogy OUTVIEW - OUTIN - OUTMOVE - 1080 pages!
There is a secret so powerful that, once known, the world will never be the same. For centuries they have died to protect it. Nate found it. They know he did. Across time and dimension they are after him . . .
Four years ago, his father died. Two years ago, Nate's mother locked his brother in a mental institution. One year ago, horrific visions began to torture him. Now, a clandestine group, wielding overwhelming power, wants him silenced. Nate is only sixteen.
Nothing is what it appears and the tragedies of his life are all connected to the secret. A secret so unimaginable, that it will decide whether our modern society becomes a utopian or dystopian world.
Nate embarks on a breathless quest to save his brother and unravel the mystery of their father's death. His desperate flight takes a stunning turn when, along with three school friends, he encounters mystics who teach forgotten skills and lost wisdom and reveal an extraordinary destiny.
As Nate grows older, the journey continues . . . Time and dimensions collide. If he can keep his friends alive, avoid Lightyear, and unravel crucial mysteries from the past . . . The Movement just might have a chance to change everything.
Eventually, Nate leads the Movement. But the revolution is crumbling and their adversaries are wreaking havoc in multiple dimensions. He must save the Jadeo and find the Dark Mystic. The time has come to reveal the secret . . . But time's a funny thing.
The Inner Movement trilogy is primarily set in the modern day western United States and across extraordinary realms. It will appeal to more than young adult fans as the three books combine mystics, metaphysical magic, psychics and reincarnation, to push this new age conspiracy beyond the realm of the Celestine Prophecy and the Alchemist.
Order the Book From: Amazon
Outmove
- The Inner Movement - Book 3
OUTMOVE, the thrilling conclusion to the best selling Inner Movement trilogy.
Humankind is on the brink . . .
Earth will either become dystopian or utopian . . .
There is only one chance.
Defying the odds, Nate has repeatedly eluded death. Now, with full command of his powers and a clear sense of destiny, he leads the Movement. But the revolution is crumbling. Omnia is wreaking havoc in multiple dimensions. And a new enemy must be faced. Nothing and no one are what they seem. Even history can change when seen through an Outview.
Time is running out to save the Jadeo and find the Dark Mystic. The time has come to reveal the secret . . . But time's a funny thing.
Book Trailer:
Outmove
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Smashwords
Outin
- The Inner Movement
OUTIN, book two of the best selling Inner Movement trilogy, takes off from the last thrilling page of OUTVIEW.
There are dimensions swirling all around us . . .
Anything is possible . . .
If you know where the power is.
The journey continues . . . time and dimensions collide. Relentlessly pursued, Nate faces impossible choices that transcend life and death. Aided by more mystics, he struggles to find understanding on a frantic quest through extraordinary realms. If he can keep his friends alive, avoid Lightyear, and unravel crucial mysteries from the past . . . the Movement just might have a chance to change everything.
Book Trailer:
Outin
Order the Book From: Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Smashwords
Outview
- The Inner Movement
OUTVIEW, the best selling first book of the Inner Movement trilogy - A mystical fantasy thriller.
There is a secret so powerful that, once known, the world will never be the same. For centuries they have died to protect it. Nate found it. They know he did. Across time and dimension they are after him . . .
Four years ago, his father died. Two years ago, Nate's mother locked his brother in a mental institution. One year ago, horrific visions began to torture him. Now, a clandestine group, wielding overwhelming power, wants him silenced. Nate is only sixteen.
Nothing is what it appears and the tragedies of his life are all connected to the secret, a secret so unimaginable that it will decide whether our modern society becomes a utopian or dystopian world.
Nate embarks on a breathless quest to save his brother and unravel the mystery of their father's death. His desperate flight takes a stunning turn when, along with three school friends, he encounters mystics who teach forgotten skills and lost wisdom and reveal an extraordinary destiny.
A fantasy thriller, set in present day Oregon and California, will appeal to more than young adult fans. Outview, the first book of the Inner Movement trilogy, combines mystics, metaphysical magic, psychics and reincarnation to push this new age conspiracy beyond the realm of the Celestine Prophecy and the Alchemist.
Book Trailer:
Outview
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:
eBook Author’s Corner and
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
