Author Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Website: Katie O’Sullivan
Author's Blog: Katie O’Sullivan
Twitter: @OkatieO
E-Mail: Katie.osullivan@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Katie O'Sullivan is an award-winning writer, whose ten novels include the best selling My Kind of Crazy, Ghosts Don't Lie, Crazy About You, and the Son of a Mermaid series for teen readers: Descent, Defiance, and Deception.
A recovering English major, she earned her degree at Colgate University and now lives on Cape Cod with her family and big dogs, drinking way too much coffee and working as an editor, magazine columnist and technical writer. Which explains all the coffee.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: After Hurricane Nina: Quinn's Resolution and the successful collection. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
Hi James, and thanks for hosting me today. Next on tap for the AFTER HURRICANE NINA group of authors is a holiday series, which I’m really excited to get started on. One of Quinn’s cousins is going to star in my story. In the meantime, my next book to be released will be CHANGING THE RULES, the third book in my Cape Cod Dating Rules trilogy which also happens to feature one of Quinn’s cousins! In addition, I’m planning to release the novella trilogy as one paperback this summer, especially since a lot of my readers are Cape Cod tourists who want a physical book to throw in their beach bags!
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 did you build your following in your niche? How much has it changed your book launch process?
Well, I try to be a good social media author, as that seems to be the key to driving ebook sales. When I first started writing romance I joined RWA (Romance Writers of America) and my local chapter, and one of the first monthly lessons I attended was on the importance of social media – and that was in 2008. I joined Facebook in 2009 after attending a high school reunion and being guilted into it, LOL. I worked as the editor in chief of an online magazine from 2009 until 2014, and signed up for Linked In to connect with local business owners, writers and other editors. And then there was a YA full-day panel (3 different school events with multiple authors) which I took part in and got schooled on Instagram during our lunch break. It seems like I’m dragged kicking and screaming into each social media outlet while my husband roll his eyes at me.
But… in the social media age, we need to be Twitter and Facebook and Instagram aware. These are the platforms to reach our readers. I don’t have as many followers as some, but I appreciate my followers and am happy to interact and reciprocate with readers and fellow authors.
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?
Since I live in a summer tourist mecca (Cape Cod), I tend to schedule book signings and author talks during the summer months. This summer, I’m excited to say I’ll be co-hosting an author tent at the weekly Cape Cod Beer outdoor marketplace every Friday afternoon, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. We’ve got an exciting cast of authors joining us each week and I’m thrilled to be part of this venture. And while I don’t have specific dates yet, I do plan to have book events at both the Whyddah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth (home of the only recovered authentic pirate ship and treasure) and the Cape Cod Mermaid Store in Dennisport. And maybe some indie bookstores – Cape Cod is wonderful in that respect, in that we’ve got at least one strong indie bookshop in every town on the Cape.
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?
Thanks so much and I totally agree with you that I’ve lucked out with really great covers from my publishers. I wish I was talented enough to have created these covers, but I’m not. For my latest story in the After Hurricane Nina series, we had one cover artist create all eight covers, and worked with her (via a whole lot of Facebook voting) for each aspect of the cover, from colors and fonts to the placement of the titles. And she did a pretty awesome job! With my YA series, the current covers are from my second publisher, and Kate from Wicked Whale Publishing worked with me to come up with the intriguing covers. As for my books with The Wild Rose Press, I can’t take much credit except for filling out the “cover art request” form, but again, I’m truly thrilled with the outcomes.
You have converted Crazy About You into an audio book. What has been the impact on your regular sales? Has the audio books gained a new audience for you? Do you recommend new authors going this route to get more exposure?
Over the years, I’ve heard from several people that they “only read audio books” so I’ve been curious about the process and about the additional reach I might gain by trying it out. When The Wild Rose Press offered its authors a chance to sign audiobook rights with Audible, I took the leap. The process itself was interesting, and some of the other authors who have spent more time promoting the audiobooks have done well, but I’m not sure whether I’d pursue another one.
What is your primary genre? What has been your best marketing approach to this group?
I like to think I’m truly a mixed genre author, between the YA and the steamy romance, but in reality I should have chosen two different pen names to differentiate my books. I’d offer that advice to my younger self, or to anyone else contemplating writing in different genres.
That said YA promotion (for young YA books like my own) is best done in person. Bookstores, signing venues, school visits – and then word of mouth from there. Romance promotion seems to do well online – through Facebook, Twitter, blog visits, and promotional tours.
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?
My first big seller was MY KIND OF CRAZY, which was part of a free KDP giveaway where I “sold” 42,000 copies in a week. Oh. My. God. So yeah, free books get snatched up. My problem? It was my first “real” book. So readers that liked me? Nothing else to buy.
Personally, I subscribe to BookBub and grab almost every free book that comes across my feed. I’ve found several new-to-me authors this way, where I’ve gone and bought every other book they’ve ever written after reading that one free book. So, is it worth it? Yes, if you have 1. A great book and 2. A bunch of other great books readers can then go and buy. Keep that in mind.
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?
No, I don’t have a reader list or a newsletter. I know I should, but at this point I don’t. I’ve tried a few times to participate in a “group” newsletter, but they’ve all fizzled out. So this isn’t something I can shed any light on.
You have a great blog. You do a great job keeping readers informed, marketing your books and providing useful information to other writers. 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?
Thanks for the shout-out for my blog! I started blogging when I started writing – another thing I learned at my first RWA meeting. Writers must have a blog, a platform. It’s taken me several years and a lot of growing pains to figure out a comfortable cadence, but for now it’s loosely three times a week. I’m a voracious reader so writing book reviews was a no-brainer. The Writing Wednesday blogs are an offshoot from my magazine days when I had my own column, “The Write Way,” where I gave advice to aspiring writers and ranted about my own pet peeves. And the “Friday Feature” gives me a chance to either share excerpts from my own books or highlight new books from other authors. I love being able to feature other authors and their books, to give back to my writing friends and offer a little more exposure for their new books – kind of like what you’re doing with your blog.
You are a part of the multiple authors’ set: After Hurricane Nina – a Hot Hunks-Steamy Romance Collection
The Collection is written by eight outstanding authors. All the novels follow a basic story line. Eight Strangers. Eight Unique Stories. All Stand-alone Novels.
On November 30, 2016, Hurricane Nina hit Bali, Indonesia. In the aftermath of death and destruction, eight strong sexy men will realize it’s time for a change in their lives. A resolution of sorts. A contractor, personal trainer, a millionaire, a stuntman, a rock star, a thrill-seeker, an army veteran, and a trust fund prodigal will all find a way to conquer their loss and learn to love.
What was your main objective in bundling your works with other authors? What blogging, newsletter and social media promotions have you done to promote the collection?
One of the other authors in this series invited me to take part. I’d been involved in an anthology with her last summer, having been invited to that by another author I’d met through my original YA publisher (a publisher who is no longer in business and gave our rights back.)
My main objective – in both cases –was to work with a group of authors with more publishing experience than me. I’m eager to learn, but at the same time insecure about self-promotion. It’s great to have a group working toward a common goal and promoting each other.
Author's Book List
After Hurricane Nina: Quinn's Resolution
- Hot Hunks-Steamy Romance Collection, Book 5This is Quinn’s story. Resolution: To find his way back to the music.
Quinn MacDonald had it made. With a record label deal and their first single skyrocketing up the charts, his indie punk band is finally getting a taste of rock and roll fame. Bikini-clad women and bottomless bottles of booze fill endless days… until their hotel collapses during a hurricane. He’s still under contract but as far as he’s concerned, the music died along with the rest of his band.
Life has never been easy for Phoebe Snow. Working three minimum wage jobs barely keeps a roof over her head while she and her band struggle to get noticed. But on stage, nothing matters but the music in her heart. When her band plays a cover of one of his hits, Quinn is blown away. Can Phoebe be the inspiration he needs for more than just writing songs?
Order the Book From:
Amazon
Bending the Rules
- Cape Cod Rules Book 2Investment analyst Dylan MacDonald has been away from Cape Cod so long it no longer feels like home, despite deep roots and a large extended family. After a routine assignment in Africa becomes life or death, the former workaholic is back on the Cape and unemployed. Getting entangled with his high school crush is definitely not in his plans… Even if she was the one woman who made him think outside the spreadsheet.
Co-owner of a successful Chatham boutique, friendly and popular Bella Costa seems to have it all… except a real relationship. She has a rule against dating local boys, keeping her love life limited to summer flings. The only guy she truly cared about left the Cape and never looked back. Until this summer. Now he’s re-igniting all kinds of unresolved feelings.
Will the past stand in their way, or can they bend some rules to find a future together?
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Amazon
Deception
- Son of a Mermaid - Book ThreeFor Shea MacNamara, life under the sea has never been more complicated.
Months after being captured, Prince Demyan remains on trial for his crimes while continued unrest stirs among the clans. Tensions mount between Shea and his friends as they unravel lies that bring identities and loyalties into question.
The deceptions of both the past and the present have implications for everyone's future. And at the root of everything... the magick that binds the undersea world together.
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Amazon
Breaking the Rules
Jake Campbell hates rules. Undercover to stop a drug ring at a posh Cape Cod resort, he can’t resist the fiery head chef, Abbie Duncan. She may be on the suspect list, but he can’t keep his hands to himself. With a rising body count, he must keep Abbie safe…but can he trust her with his jaded heart?
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Amazon
Say Yes
- A Candy Hearts RomanceDarby Malone has trouble saying no. Hosting a children’s Valentine party at her recently renovated gallery is the last straw, and the last time she intends to say yes to anything. That is, until she meets Ben, a well-known Cape Cod artist with eyes as deep and blue as the ocean. He stirs feelings in her that have been dormant for too long. Can she afford to say yes to him?
Ben Phillips needs this gallery show. His life has been empty since his wife died four years ago, his paintings the only thing giving him solace. But his style has changed, his art completely different than the breezy shore paintings he staked his reputation on. Can he convince Darby to give him a chance – and to consider him for more than just a place on her gallery walls? Will she give him a place in her heart as well?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Defiance
- Son of a Mermaid Book 2Shea MacNamara sank to the bottom of the ocean and survived. As the son of a mermaid, saltwater is in his blood. He discovered a whole new world under the sea, one more beautiful and complicated than he ever imagined.
But shadows and dark secrets also lurk beneath the waves.
When his girlfriend Kae is kidnapped by a powerful young sorcerer named Zan, Shea learns having royal blood means difficult choices.
All three face life and death decisions, balanced precariously between doing what they are told… and defying authority to do what is right.
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Amazon
Ghosts Don't Lie
Jillian Rogers Greene worked hard to close the doors on the psychic abilities that defined her youth. For years she pretended to be normal, ignoring the ghosts who whisper to her. When a car crash sets her on a collision course with the past, ugly secrets about her family and marriage come to light. She's forced to reevaluate what she thought she knew...and exactly what the future holds. Connor Sanderson might be the key to unlocking that future. The grey-eyed artist knows ghosts aren’t real, but his attraction to the beautiful psychic makes him question those beliefs. With her husband plotting to kill her, can Jillian make Connor see the truth before it’s too late?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Crazy About You
Climate scientist Chase Anderson races from one project to the next, unwilling to slow down in his quest to save the world’s oceans. He has no time for family or relationships until he crashes into an impetuous blonde with a quirky sense of humor. One sizzling kiss makes him seriously reevaluate his priorities. And his sanity.
Emma Maguire left her small Cape Cod hometown years ago, seeking the fast pace and anonymity of New York City. She’s not sure what she’s searching for, but when a family crisis brings her home to Provincetown she’s caught in a crazy tangle of half-truths and mistaken identity… and falls for the handsome stranger who broke her cell phone.
Will untangling the web of lies drive them crazy, or lead to something even crazier – like love?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Audible
Descent
- Son of a Mermaid Book 1Shea MacNamara's life just got complicated. When a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, fifteen-year-old Shea moves to Cape Cod to live with a grandmother he's never met. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he meets a girl along the shore who changes his life.
Forever.
Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from humans, where bloody war rages between opposing clans. A fragile peace accord hinges on marriage between the royal families, but treachery and magick lurk in every shadow.
With Kae's help, Shea discovers his true heritage and finds that his destiny lies somewhere far below the ocean's surface.
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
My Kind of Crazy
Kendall Roarke is betting everything on making her Harwichport Bed & Breakfast into the premier wedding destination on Cape Cod, despite her recent messy divorce.
Jonathan Reynolds moved back to the Cape to take over his uncle's business and start fresh after his own marriage ended. He's not looking for anything complicated - until he meets Kendall, with her big plans and wild mop of curls.
Throw an unruly foster puppy and an uptight new neighbor into the mix and things get a little crazy. Now Kendall has to decide if it's the kind of crazy that she can live with... for the rest of her life.
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store
iTunes Store
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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