Six Questions with Amy Harmon

It's Saturday! You know what that means? SIX QUESTIONS, WOOT!

Today I have my favorite new-to-me author of 2013 Amy Harmon. I'm thrilled she has agreed to answer some questions, since she has written some amazing pieces this year and landed on multiple best-seller lists. You'll find her answers as amazing as her books GUARANTEED.

Stick with us through the end because Amy is giving away one ebook of each of her novels, Making Faces, A Different Blue, and Running Barefoot.


1. What was your inspiration to become a writer?

I have always been a writer, and have used that medium to express myself for as long as I can remember. I've written poetry, song lyrics, short stories, essays. I wrote my first novel just as a challenge to myself. It was before ebooks were available. It was just something I wanted to do and that I believed I COULD do. I don't know if I was inspired to become a writer. I just WAS a writer. Does that make sense?

2. What are your top 3 favorite books and why?

I read a book many years ago by Dean Koontz called From The Corner of His Eye. I thought it was wonderful, brilliant, and exciting. Everything a novel should be. The writing was phenomenal, the characters lovable, the premise very different. But honestly, I have so many favorites that I can't limit it to three. I still love Beverley Cleary, Judy Blume, Lucy Maud Montgomery, the writers I loved as a child. Those authors have it permanent place in my heart. As an adult, I tend to be ultra picky, simply because I like a well-thought out book, something smart and painfully and carefully crafted, and so many books today are carbon copies of each other. But I’m always looking.

3. What made you decide to have your writing published? 

 A few years ago, my oldest son got sick, we were drowning in medical bills, I had a brand new baby and wasn't working so I could stay at home with my four kids, and I knew something had to change. I decided to just go for it. I already had one novel, Running Barefoot, just sitting in my computer. I had an idea for another book, and I pushed myself and got it done in about three months. Then I published both of them at the same time, hoping that having two titles out there would help my credibility as a writer. I knew so little about the business of publishing. I just stuck them out there on kindle and prayed.

4. What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor?

I do now. In the beginning it was just me, myself and I. I cringe a little when I think about it, but that's what I did. I didn't have two dimes to rub together and I felt such an urgency to get my books out there that I just went for it. But putting them out there without having someone copy edit them was not the smartest idea I've ever had. I hire someone to go through and clean up the manuscript when I'm done. I still don't have an editing process for content. I edit as I go, constantly refining, moving, puzzling things out. Nobody reads my work in progress. In fact, nobody reads anything until I'm done with the book. Then I send it to my mom and she tells me whether or not it's crap. So far, so good.

5. What are the most important things you do to market your books?

This is absolutely hilarious, because I don't do anything. The best advice I ever got and that I in turn give to authors that are just publishing their first book is this: Write more books. If the book is good, and you can get even a few readers, those readers will tell someone else, and so on. My job is to write good books. The books will sell themselves if they are good and if your readers can quickly read more of your work. I think that's the one thing I did right. I published two books at the same time and followed those two up with another within four months. I didn't spend any time building a blog (still don't have a blog) or a twitter following. I didn't even use facebook until I published my first two books. These things are great AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, and they can really help an author if she has the books to back it up. I do think more authors should focus on the craft and less on the marketing. But that's just my opinion.

6. What lesson have you learned along the way that you would hope others could avoid? 

Here are four big ones:

Lesson #1: Find someone to edit your book. I had no money. I mean NO money. So I didn't hire a copy editor. Big mistake. If you want to be taken seriously you have to have a professional product.

Lesson 2: Never respond to negative reviews on Amazon or Goodreads or any where else, even if you do so politely and graciously. Amazon has the absolute most scary underworld of trolls and discussion boards you've ever seen. These people live on Amazon and literally make authors' lives miserable if they so much as make a single misstep out of ignorance, enthusiasm, or stupidity, which I did in the beginning because I was truly ignorant, enthusiastic and a little stupid. I learned quickly, to say the least.

Lesson #3: Don't write what everyone else is writing because you think that is the way to success. Write what you feel good about, what turns you on, what you find fascinating, because in the end, you will put out a better book because of it. Be original. Be original. Be original.

Lesson #4: Conduct yourself like a lady (or gentleman). Think before you speak (or post). Be gracious with other authors as well as with readers. Don't degrade or insult in an effort to buoy yourself up. It never works. Bite your tongue, turn the other cheek, be positive. Always.

      

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Six Questions with Heather Self

I know, I know! It's been absolutely ages since I've done Six Question Saturday, and I'm sure you're all just ready to come after me with torches and pitchforks. But, before you do anything rash please read this awesome interview with author of The Kin Series,Heather Self. I met Heather this summer at UtopYA which you may not know since I've been a blog slacker! Heather has an awesome surprise at the end, so stay tuned!

1. What inspired you to write your first book?

Basically, I was challenged to do Nanowrimo by Michelle Leighton, Tammara Webber, and Addison Moore. I thought they were crazy, but I did it and The One was the result.

2. What has changed about your editing process since your first book?

I do A LOT of editing as I go now. I have to have the chapter perfectly right before I can go on to the next one.

3. What works best for getting word out about your latest book?

Music with a driving beat! I have playlists called "Word count" Also, for some reason I can really get some writing done to Maroon 5.

4. Do you think it's necessary to have your work professionally edited?

Absolutely! They'll catch things you don't. Plus it's much easier to edit someone else's stuff then your own. 

5. What would you do differently if you could start all over again?

Establish a good writing routine from Day 1 so my output was more consistent.

6.What are your top 3 favorite books and why?

This is an impossible question!! HP series, because it's sheer brilliance. Emma by Jane Austen, I love her word-smithery and the characters, then there are just too many others that I love to narrow it down...maybe the Chronicles of Narnia? They're pretty timeless. Whew. That was a hard one.

          

With my return to Six Question Saturdays, I've decided to stir things up and invite the authors to do a giveaway! Heather has upped the ante and offered TWO ebook sets of her Kin series

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Six Questions Double Feature with Amy Miles and Danielle Bannister

Good morning, writer friends! 

It's Saturday and I have a special treat for you. Instead of just one Six Question guest, I have two~ Amy Miles and Danielle Bannister!

            

Amy, you’ve always wanted to be a writer, while Danielle came into the writing world a bit *cough* later in life.  Do you recall the first thing you wrote?

Amy:  I sure do.  I began writing in grade school and had dragons attacking a fair maiden, who of course was later swept off her feet by a dashing knight.  Kissing always ensued.

Even at a young age, I was obsessed with danger, adventure and torturing my main characters.  My writing did eventually progress into writing my own version Nancy Drew Mysteries and then into the fantasy realms when I was in high school, but my passion for make-believe began long ago.

Danielle: The first real thing I wrote, honestly, was the first chapter of Pulled. I went to school to act, not write. Once I caught the writing bug though, I was hooked. It does mean, however, that I’m behind the curve in terms of learning about the craft so I’m trying to play catch up!


At what point did you start feeling it was okay to call yourself a ‘writer’?

Amy:  Calling myself a writer was never hard.  Thinking of myself as an author was a different story.  At what point are you considered an author?  When you write “The End” on your first rough draft, trudge through countless edits, and finally hit publish on Amazon Kindle?  Or is it when you complete your second book?  Third?  A series?

I think this question is answered differently for every writer.  For me, I didn’t feel like an established author until after my third book recently came out.  Probably had a lot to do with the fact that I take great pride in Defiance Rising, because it was technically my first book.  Now, I feel proud to tell people that I am a full time indie author.

Danielle: It took me awhile, actually. I was enrolled in the Maine branch of the National Writing Project, and I still couldn’t call myself an author. It wasn’t until I got in the mail a little white cup that said ‘Writer’ on it that I actually felt like I had the right to call myself a writer. So lame, I know!


Can you bring us back to the first book you published on Amazon. What was it and what was that experience like?

Amy: Oh my, it was a nightmare!  Probably not what you expected to hear, huh?  Seriously though, it was pure torture to figure out how to properly format a book, upload a book cover and do everything in-between.

People sometimes get the idea that being an author is glamorous, and trust me it has it’s great moments, but learning how to publish a book for the first time is not one of them.  I distinctly remember wanting to bash my head against a brick wall for days on end as I tried to wade through the complicated jargon.  I’m not exactly your most computer savvy person!

My first book I released was Defiance Rising.  It had a different cover and a completely different storyline.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that what I thought was a good book was far from marketable, so I pulled it off, did some more research and began writing FORBIDDEN.

It was a great lesson to learn and I’m thankful I learned early on.

Danielle:  Mine was Pulled. I didn’t know Amy at the time. I actually met her by asking her to review my book on her blog page. 
We became friends on Facebook after that and started chatting everyday.  But I digress; publishing for the first time on my own was terrifying! I really had NO clue what I was doing, to be honest and it took several months of tweaking Pulled before I was happy with the final product. I have learned a ton since that first publishing and will continue to learn with every book I write! There is a great support among Indie Authors who are, for the most part, eager to help new comer so that they don’t need to feel as lost as they did. At least, that’s how I’m seeing things.

With several novels between the two of you, what is some advice you might give those just starting out as an Indie Author?

Amy: The best advice I can give is to write what you love.  Yes, it’s important to know your market, but you don’t have to follow the money train to stand out.  Be yourself.  Do your thing and people will notice. 

I learned a hard lesson with FORBIDDEN on the importance of hiring an editor.  In the beginning, I didn’t have the money to pay for an editor so I figured I’d do it on my own.  Big mistake!  Editors don’t just look for typos, they look for character development, holes in your plot and inconsistencies that you are too close to see for yourself.  Find an editor that gets you and gets what you’re trying to accomplish and you will be thankful you did.

Another crucial point is your book cover. Pick something that captures the feeling of your book’s theme or character.  I have met my fair share of “book whores” and they will be the first to tell you they only buy a book if the cover appeals to them.

Danielle: The best advice I ever got was summed up by writer Ron Carlson, who said that want-to-be-writers are often ‘distracted by things they put in their own way, all day, all the time: leaving the room to get coffee, checking the mail, get coffee, walk the dogs, go to the bathroom, get coffee, look something up, get coffee. The writer is the one who stays in the room.’  I never knew how hard just being at the computer and actively writing actually was until I had to do it!

You are currently working on a couple of projects. Can you tell us a little bit about them—spoiler free of course.

Amy: Oh my, I am always working on something.  Usually more than one thing at a time. 

I’m currently diving into the final draft of a new novella, FACELESS, that will jump start readers into my Cherished Hearts inspirational romance books.  I’ve always had a passion for inspirational romance, but up until this point have always remained in the fantasy realm.  It’s great to break out of that every once in a while.

I’m also obsessing over the completion of my Arotas Trilogy.  REDEMPTION has a lot going on, with several POV shifts and tons of action so it’s kicking my butt right now!  As soon as I finish with REDEMPTION, I will be jumping straight into the prequel, IMMORTAL ROSE.  I hadn’t actually planned on writing this book but so many of my fans wanted to know Fane and Roseline’s tale, so I caved.

I’m also currently working with Danielle on NETHERWORLD.  This joint venture has been a lot of fun, melding romance with fantasy and of course banshees ROCK!  I’ve having a blast designing the underworld and playing around with some mythology.  It’s a good thing Danielle loves writing about human’s cause there is no way I would give up working on the hot and steamy, Aed, god of the Netherworld!



Danielle: Amy and I came up with the idea to co-write Netherworld almost as a joke. A sort of ‘We should totally write a book together!’ But the more we chatted about it, the more it makes sense. We write in completely different genres, I do romance she does fantasy. So we thought what if we had a fantasy sort of character fall in love with a human character?  We tossed out some ideas and soon the Netherworld was born. We’ve just started drafting the early scenes and I’m really excited about what we’re coming up with! The Netherworld puts us into the world of the Banshees, the mythical creatures sent to carry the dead to the other side. The Banshee’s are supposed to be unseen by the living, but one mortal sees a banshee. What happens when they fall in love?  It’s soooooo cool!  She writes the fantasy parts, I write the human parts! It’s perfect!

Between the two of you, you have a pretty large fan base. What would you say is the ONE question they want answered most, and are you willing to answer it here?

Amy: There are several burning questions that I hear quite often.  Will Gabriel and Roseline end up together? Does Sadie live?  Will Bastien return in the sequel to Defiance Rising?  Am I Team Bastien of Team Eamon!

If you have read my books, you know that I don’t make romance easy for my characters.  Life happens, people get hurt, hearts get broken.  I love a happy ending just like the next gal, but I also like realism.  If my characters are going to be happy in the end, they are going to go through some tribulation along the way.  Also…I hate to be predictable.


Danielle: I think most people want to know if Pulled Back Again will finally deliver the happily ever after ending they are looking for. All I can say is…maybe? Ha!


You are both going to an event in Tennessee in January called UtopYA. Can you give the readers a little info about what this is and why it’s so cool?

Danielle: I’ll let Amy handle this one!

Amy: UtopYa is one of many conventions that are being held this year to enable readers to meet up with some of their fave authors.  

For those of you who were lucky enough to get tickets before it sold out, you will get to attend panels, chat with authors, buy books and attend a fabulous award’s ceremony.  I, for one, can’t wait to go dress shopping for this event!

                            

Six Questions with Tricia Zoeller

Happy Saturday! The view from my picture window today is filled with every shade of green imaginable. I hope you're enjoying Spring wherever you are!

Please help me welcome lovely debut author Tricia Zoeller to Finding Bliss.

Six Questions with A.M. Torres

Happy Saturday to everyone! I sent The Forgotten Ones to be formatted yesterday, so it really won't be long now. Can't wait until I can release my baby into the world!

Today's guest for Six Question Saturday is author A.M. Torres. Welcome to Finding Bliss A.M.


What inspired you to write your first book?

I have always loved writing ever since I was a child and received my first diary for my tenth birthday. There haven't been too many times I haven't been writing, and I have always enjoyed it. I enjoy reading too, and the more novels I read the more I knew that I wanted to write a novel myself one that readers would enjoy.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I would consider V.C Andrews as a mentor. Her first novel Flowers in the Attic was definitely an inspiration to me. I loved the suspense of the story, and the way I couldn't put it down. I based my novel Love Child on this same kind of suspense writing. I loved having the chance to

What was your editing process?

I handled a lot of my own editing. I read and re-read my manuscript like three times, before I submitted it for publication.

How do you promote your work?

I used different ways to promote. I used social media, handed out sales sheets,and have given interviews on blogradio and blogs. I am in the process of planning my first book signing, and hope I can plan many in the future. I am also in the process of working on a virtual book tour as well in hopes that this will increase exposure. I once did an interview for a writers podcast as well. I have found word of mouth to be very helpful.

How do you stay in touch with your readers?

I have held Q & A sessions to keep in touch with my readers. I have also used social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and email to keep in touch with them. On Facebook I have pages and groups related to the book and me as the author so this has helped us keep in touch a lot. I do enjoy keeping in touch with my readers.

What would you do differently if you could start all over again?

I don't think there would be too much I would do different if I had to do it over again except become published sooner, years sooner. However, I have always loved writing, so I have nothing I would change in that regard. I would probably also edit more as well since a writer can never seem to do enough editing. But I am happy to have pursued it and have no regrets in getting published overall. It was my dream come true.

Six Questions with Kelley York

I think Spring has finally decidedto awaken in the Northeast, so it's a happy Saturday here in New Hampshire! 


My Six Question star is author Kelley York. Welcome to Finding Bliss Kelley!

Was there a certain book or author that inspired you to write?

I wasn't honestly reading much when I wrote my first book. Writing got me back into reading, which is something I had done a lot as a kid and young teen, but had gotten out of. I began picking up a lot of books that were similar in tone to what I wanted to write. Hannah Moskowitz, Sean Olin, etc.


Do you plan out your novels or just fly by the seat of your pants?

Half and half. For the first 50% of a book, I usually just write to my heart's content. It's around that halfway point I slow it down and begin outlining to figure out how to take all the threads I've created and tie them up neatly.

How do you edit?

I'm am, thankfully, a very clean first drafter. I'm good at catching the big mistakes early on, which really cuts down on the amount of revision I have to do. So when I edit, it's mainly me going through with a careful eye, reading passages out loud to check for sentence structure and flow, characterization, overuse of dialogue tags, repetitive words, and any inconsistencies me or my beta readers might have missed.

Did you build a platform before releasing a book?

I sure did try! I got involved in social media, commenting on blogs and attempting to at least get involved so people would remember my name when my first book came out. I'm a shy and withdrawn person, so putting myself out there, even on the internet, is still something I struggle with.

How have you found the right readers for you?

Very carefully, haha. I have an extremely niche audience because I tend to write dark, and not everyone will pick up a book with an LGBT character. If I see someone I'm acquainted with who enjoys books similar to mine, I'll tentatively put in a recommendation. I'm also very grateful for the circle of friends I have who are always talking about my books to others. They're lovely. When I find readers who have enjoyed one of my books, I latch on for dear life. I interact with them. I've befriended quite a few of them. I want them to know how much I adore them to itty bitty pieces, and as such, I've gained myself—maybe a kind of small—but very loyal fan base.

If you could start all over, what would you do differently?

I don't think I would have done anything differently. I know Hushed came out just a little early to hit the New Adult trend that is growing rapidly now. I think, had I waited even just a few months, it would have gotten more acknowledgment. Not to mention LGBT books are growing in popularity, as are 'dark' and 'edgy' novels.

                 

Thanks for stopping by today Kelley! I love dark and edgy too, I just don't seem to be able to write them. What is a genre you'd like to try that is out of your comfort zone?

Six Questions with Lauren Clark

It's another super-awesome Six Question Saturday here at Finding Bliss! I've just completed my line-edits on The Forgotten Ones last night, so today I'll be poring over each line, making sure I didn't miss anything. We're getting closer my friends! 

For your reading pleasure today I've invited one of my favorite ladies in the world, Lauren Clark, back on for the FOURTH time!

What is your method of plotting out a new story?

Plotting a new story is one of my favorite parts of crafting a book! It's a time when all ideas are new and fresh, when possibilities seem endless, and my brain goes ninety-to-nothing coming up with new characters, twists, and cliffhangers.

I always begin with a question, an idea that has lots of room to build on. I developed the idea for Stay Tuned after hearing a true story about a fistfight between two news anchors in a local television station parking lot. Both were fired, and the incident stirred up controversy for months. It was the perfect kick-start for Stay Tuned.

For Dancing Naked in Dixie, I'm a Northern girl in the Deep South, so I wanted to follow the journey of a travel writer from the Big Apple to small-town Alabama. I kept hearing about a nearby town that hosted a "Pilgrimage" every April. The event involves tours of antebellum mansions, period costume from the 1800's, music, and historic landmarks. Once I visited Eufaula, I fell in love with the area's charm and beauty. It was the perfect location for Dixie.

Once I have my story idea, I begin crafting the novel's summary or "blurb" which serves as the basis for the plot. The blurb is a super-quick explanation of why people should read the story. You might also hear authors refer to the "blurb" as an elevator pitch. It's called an elevator pitch because authors have 30 seconds or less to capture a potential reader's attention ... about the time it takes to travel a few floors on an elevator.

Once the blurb or elevator pitch is revised and polished to perfection, I begin more extensive character development and plotting. I've tried everything from typing extensive outlines on my Mac to using plotting software programs, but the method that works best for me is jotting down my chapter ideas and character details on plain 3x5 notecards. It's inexpensive, I can carry the notecards with me, re-arrange, and replace them. The notecards, once in the right order, become my rough outline. I start writing from there.

What is your editing process?

Generally, I write a novel from start to finish, and do very little revising until I get the entire first draft finished. I've found that—for me—it's too easy to get caught up revising a sentence, chapter, or a certain scene over and over.

Once the first draft of the manuscript is complete, I ship it off to my editor and beta readers who give me very honest and constructive criticism. With that feedback, I spend at least another month or two revising the novel. I'm very careful to listen to my editor and beta readers—for example—if most of them say a certain character isn't likeable or a plot point isn't working, I PAY ATTENTION! As difficult as it is to "kill your darlings," with every novel, it becomes easier to cut a chapter, eliminate awkward dialogue, or delete a scene.

Once these edits are finished, I read through the entire manuscript several more times, looking for inconsistencies and discrepancies. I tweak, revise, and tweak some more. When I'm happy with the novel, I send it off to be professionally proofread.

It's a long, time-consuming process, but one that can't be rushed. I'm a firm believer in taking the time to get the manuscript as close to perfect as it can be before publishing it. I also like to add extras like a Readers Guide or recipes. If readers are going to spend hard-earned money on my book, I want them to get MORE than their money's worth.

When you published your first book, how did you spread the word?

I was fortunate enough to be able to hire a publicity firm to help spread the word about Stay Tuned. Since I was totally new to indie publishing, we had to start from scratch—getting help creating a website, a blog, a Twitter account, a GoodReads profile, and a Facebook page. The publicity firm also set up a "whirlwind blog tour," which really helped publicize my novel. Over the course of several weeks, Stay Tuned was featured on more than sixty blogs and received more than 50 reviews on Amazon, BN.com, and GoodReads.

Taking advantage of advertising sponsorship opportunities on sites like Kindle Nation Daily, Digital Book Today, The Cheap, Kindle Book Review, and EReader News Today definitely helped spread the word about Stay Tuned. I also ran giveaways on GoodReads, LibraryThing, and my blog. Along the way, I entered several contests and received additional publicity for my novels when I placed in several competitions, including the WritersType First Chapter contest, Faulkner Wisdom, and the Eric Hoffer Book Awards.

What has worked the best for you as far as finding the right readers for your books?

I've been very lucky to have worked with many very talented blog tour coordinators who've helped spread the word about my novels. I can't say enough about Goddess Fish, ABG Reads, Chick Lit Plus, ATOMR, and Bewitching Book Tours. There are so many very talented blog tour coordinators out there—and that expertise can really boost awareness about your books!

How do you keep in touch with your readers?

I blog at least twice a week, post on Facebook, Tweet, and email. I like to also post photos and little notes about my family and what activities I'm involved in so that people have a sense of how I am as a mom and everyday gal.

I'm also active on GoodReads and LibraryThing, where I've connected with SO MANY fabulous readers. I've been fortunate enough to speak at writing events in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and New York.

I've also been (yay!) invited to talk to book clubs in the region who've chosen to read Stay Tuned or Dancing Naked in Dixie. I've just returned from the Eufaula Pilgrimage (the setting for Dixie) where I did a book signing, and I'll be giving a talk about Indie Publishing Success at the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery April 20th.

What would the one thing you'd change about your road to publication if you had a chance?

Like many authors, I craved the idea of having a fabulous, talented agent to represent my novels and a big publishing company to back my books. For two years, back in 2008-2009, I worked really hard at sending out query letters (probably 50-60) to land an agent for Stay Tuned. I received many, many rejection letters, but a few came back with short notes of encouragement—basically to keep writing, that the agent just didn't love the story enough, or to resubmit after I'd revised. I did receive an offer from a small publishing company, but the contract was so terrible that an attorney friend of mine advised me NOT to sign it!

If I'd had a crystal ball, I would have begun learning about Indie Publishing a lot sooner. Indie Publishing has been a fabulous experience, I've learned so much, and made long-lasting, meaningful friendships with readers and other authors.

I am so grateful for the many people who have embraced my books and been kind enough to write reviews, drop me a line, say hello at an event, and encourage me to KEEP WRITING! I can tell you for sure that it's the best feeling in the world to have someone walk up at a book signing and tell you that he or she LOVED my book!

I want to know what you think, readers -- would you rather sign with a small publisher

 just to have a publisher or go on your own and self-publish?

Six Questions with Anne Michaud

Today we have Anne Michaud on Six Question Saturday. Anne is getting ready to publish her collection of five Young Adult novellas, Girls & Monsters.

She's been published in several Magazines and Anthologies, and it's a pleasure to have her to answer my famous Six Questions!






What authors have influenced you the most?

So many have left strong impressions on me through the years, it's hard to recall. Still, my favorites are: Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Neil Gaiman, Suzanne Collins, Michael Grant, Jean-Christophe Rufin, Scott Westerfeld, and Edgar Allan Poe.

When did you decide you wanted to have your writing published?
At the first sell of my short story Visitors – the first thing I ever wrote after years of screenwriting, on the first magazine I sent it to. I was lucky and thought it would be that easy to get an agent and then published traditionally. What a fool.

What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor?

Well, I have a few good beta readers who point out obvious problems, one of my friend whose English is better than mine passes through everything, and then DarkFuse's editor finished it off with two rounds of edits, polishing with final copyedits.

What are the most important things you've done to market your books?

This blog tour is pretty major, more than 30 blogs spreading the word through reviews, interviews and guest posts. The hardest is trying to find intelligent/interesting things to say and make it sound like I'm not repeating yourself. Oh, and my handcrafted collection of Skellies, each representing the monsters in my collection are pretty cute, too.

How long should an author work on building a presence online before publishing?

I have no idea!! I've been quite active on Twitter for the past two years, my blog Musings and Little Obsessions has been up for just as long, and before that I had an online journal for the main character of my novel Rebel. That was so cool, getting to explore her day to day life, until I rewrote the whole book and changed her world completely. I still read it when I miss her, though.

What lesson have you learned along the way that you would hope others could avoid?

Get out there, make friends, don't be afraid to approach people, even big writers who are so easily accessible, these days. You never know what could happen, how your moment will finally arrive and who you'll meet.

As I get closer to my own publication date, I find myself asking more and more: what do you think is the best way to get your name out there?

Six Questions with Tyffani Clark Kemp

It's that crazy time of the week again, Six Question Saturday! Today  author Tyffani Clark Kemp steps up to the plate to answer my infamous Six Questions as part of her Beasty Blog Tour.

Welcome Tyffani!

Was there a certain book or author that inspired you to write?

I started writing in the sixth grade. I was in love with Ryan Gosling on Young Hercules and thought if I could just write my own episode and meet him we could get married and live happily ever after. I now know, that's not the case, but I still love to write.

 

Do you plan out your novel or just fly by the seat of your pants?

I fly by the seat of my pants, but I usually know in my head the three or four main points of the story. Then I just connect the dots.

 

How do you edit?

With much trepidation and complaining. lol I hate editing. It just makes me want to poke my eyes out. I do a read through, then I send it off to betas. When I get it back I scroll through their comments and make changes as I see fit. Then I do a final read through.

 

Did you build a platform before releasing a book?

I am starting to learn exactly what that means. I haven't really in the past, but I am with my newer works. I see how important it is to get the word out first. Build that anticipation so people know what's coming.

 

How have you found the right readers for you?

I don't know. I just put my stuff out there in every way I know how and hope it gets into the right hands. I'm not sure exactly how to find the right reader since reading is so subjective.

 

If you could start all over, what would you do differently?

I'm not sure...I don't know if, at this point, I would do anything differently. Maybe a little more research and try to understand the importance of building a platform prior to release. Other than that, I'm having too much fun to want to do things differently. And with this industry, you kind of get a chance to do that with each new release anyway.

Six Questions with Teresa Mummert

Happy Saturday! I am at the Omni Parker House in Boston, MA this weekend mixing and mingling with some of the brightest authors in both self-publishing and traditional publishing today!

If you're reading this, chances are you're not here with me... BUT I have a fantastic treat for you! Teresa Mummert, author of the wildly successful White Trash Beautiful and recently released Suicide Note (among others) is here for Six Question Saturday!

What authors have influenced you the most?

I think I take something from every book I read. It's important to keep learning and growing as an author.

How many drafts do you typically go through before your book is ready to go?

I write out my rough draft and send it off to my editing team who helps me figure out where I need to add more and if anything needs changed up.

What has your road to publication been like?

Crazy! I write as often as I can. I am always working on future projects. After I was published by Simon & Schuster I realized that I know longer had to do it all alone. That has been amazing. It is great to have someone else to bounce ideas off of.

What would you do differently if you could start all over again?

I wish I could go back and rewrite my first couple of books with what I have learned. I didn't really know what I was doing when I started out. I just knew I wanted to tell a story. I think my work has evolved a lot from those first couple of books.

What marketing tools have been the most effective for you?

Marketing for an indie revolves around social networking. When I am not writing I am working on promotional material or chatting with readers. I always have access to the internet no matter what I am doing.

How do you stay in touch with your readers?

Mostly through Facebook. I love being able to chat with them about characters and what they did or did not like about a book. I try to apply that information to my next book. I try to respond to every comment and post. It still amazes me that there are people reading my books. It blows me away.

                 

I'll be back Monday with some pics and stories from the Boston Author Event! Until then, have a great weekend!

Six Questions with Claire Contreras

Can you believe it's Saturday again already? Hoping you're having a fantastic day. Around these parts we're celebrating my son's 8th birthday, which is the reason for my late post.


And without further ado, I present recently published author Claire Contreras for Six Question Saturday. She is the author of the romantic thriller There is No Light in Darkness.

What authors have influenced you the most? 

Everybody I read influences me in one way or another. I absolutely love Paullina Simmons, Colleen Hoover, and Katja Millay, to name a few. 

When did you decide you wanted to have your writing published?

I think when I was about 80% done with TiNLiD I thought "maybe I should publish this one." I've written stories in the past, but nothing that hadn't been told before. When I wrote this one I knew it was a story worth sharing.

What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor?

I usually write and unless I'm very concerned about something, I won't send it to anybody until it's completely done. I send it to a small group of betas, review it, rewrite, send it to a professional editor, edit it, send it to other betas/reviewers. I'm paranoid when it comes to my writing (I think we all are), so it's hard for me to hear "I love it" and be okay with it.

What are the most important things you've done to market your books?

I think teaming up with fellow indie authors has helped a lot. The blog tour helped get it to a wide audience (or an audience-period). It's hard for me to market because I didn't write for sales, I wrote because this is what I love. I've kind of taken it as "if people recommend my book because they loved it and others read it, I'll be happy."

How long should an author work on building a presence online before publishing?

Haha refer to question above. I've seen authors start building a presence as early as 6 months before publishing and I think that helps them. I created my social media things a little less than a month before publishing, so I'm a horrible example. I had an author publish a couple of weeks after me and she sky rocketed in the sales charts. I think the way she marketed and the hype she built for her book is amazing and it opened my eyes to what could have happened had I organized myself that way. I just think ultimately I'm not built to push my writing like that though. I'll talk non-stop about yours and about books that I've read, but I cannot brag about my own. 

It's weird to me.

What lesson have you learned along the way that you would hope others could avoid?

Being too trusting with betas, whether they be your friends or not. I had my story shared before I published (without my consent) and that was not okay. So, be careful who you share your story with. You wouldn't let a complete stranger carry your newborn child, you should probably treat this similar. 

On the same note, sometimes you do need people that are not your friends or ones that you know will be 100% honest with you to look at your work. There's a fine line there, I guess what I'm saying is be careful.

Thanks, Claire. Now I want to hear from you! How do YOU find beta readers for your work?

Six Questions with Julia Hughes

Happy Six Question Saturday, readers and writers! Today is special because it's my 11th wedding anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?

Today I'm happy to invite back to Finding Bliss, Julia Hughes! Julia has offered to give away two paperback copies of her latest release The Griffin Cryer, make sure to check the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

Six Questions with Maggi Myers

Today's Six Question guest is Maggi Myers, author of The Final Piece. She's also a veteran of the Twilight fandom that I was a member of what seems like a lifetime ago.

Welcome to Six Questions Maggi!

Six Questions with Nikki Jefford

One thing before I announce this week's Six Question Guest. Due to the fact that I am getting down to the wire with publishing The Forgotten Ones, I'm going to be cutting down the number of posts I publish per week from four to two. 

I'll keep Six Question Saturdays because they're my most popular posts. But, I am getting where I am really needing to focus on the editing stage of the book, so please forgive me and know that I'm still here, just a little less.

And, with that -- today I'm honored to present the talented and beautiful Nikki Jefford to Six Questions! Have a great weekend!

Six Questions with M.M. Shelley

Today I have an interview to present by author M.M. Shelley. 

I don't typically do interviews on weekdays, but since I love to support authors whenever I can, I broke the rules!

Six Questions with Amy Bartol

Happy Sunday, writers! I have a special edition of Six Questions for you because I had a chance to interview rock-star author Amy Bartol, and didn't want ANYTHING to come in the way of getting her on. 

Welcome to Six Questions Amy!

Six Questions with Grace Elliot

Today's guest is Grace Elliot, author of Hope's Betrayal and Eulogy's Secret - engrossing historical fiction.

No matter what genre you write in, a good cover is key... and if you scroll down to see Grace's covers you'll see that she has breathtaking cover art that hooks you immediately.


1. How many drafts do you typically go through before you upload a book?

My average is around four or five although this is decreasing as I get more experienced. My first full length novel (never published!) got to the eight draft before I began to lose the will to live! That manuscript went through a draft for each of the main characters, then one for the weather, one for scenery, et.c,  by which time any freshness had long since gone. It was perhaps a wise thing, to put it aside - where, six books later, it remains.
 
I'm a fan of Stephen King's method which is to write the first draft quickly and without self-criticism (or, 'writing for myself' as he puts it), to go on and refine it in the second draft ('for the reader' according to King.) I'm not sufficiently accomplished to trust myself with only two drafts, but I'm getting there and anything after three is usually fine tuning or in response to beta reader suggestions.

2.What inspired you to write your first book?


My first book (mentioned above) is titled The Woman Who Paints Horses. This historical fiction was inspired by a cottage that I walk past every day on the way to work. This white-washed, wisteria clad dwelling is where a famous female Victorian artist once lived. Intrigued, I looked into her life story (I'm deliberately not mentioning her name, because, one day I may yet dust off that manuscript!) I discovered she led an astounding life that read like a saga: from parental abuse to sex discrimination, poverty and then the revelation of her amazing talent as an artist.


Actually, my latest release, Hope's Betrayal was also inspired by a woman I discovered via the cottage she lived in. This time the woman was born on the dawn of the French revolution, her father was a fisherman and her family survived by smuggling.


3. Before you self-published, did you query agents/publishers?


Yes. I sent The Woman Who Paints Horses to Georgette Heyer's publisher, who was kind enough to reply, saying he loved the story but it wasn't commercial enough in a challenging economic climate. However, this gave me the confidence to keep writing and send A Dead Man's Debt out into the world, where it was signed by Solstice Publishing. I'm forever grateful to Solstice, for their faith in my work and what they taught me about marketing. However the experience also made me think about the percentage cut publishers take and the advantages of indie publishing.


I went independent with "Eulogy's Secret" haven't looked back since; being in control of everything from editing to cover design, allows me to react to constructive criticism and suggestions in a way that is difficult via the conventional route. Despite the cost of employing a good editor and first rate cover artist, I'm still ahead financially- so I'm happy.


4. What is your editing process and have you hired a professional editor?

When I first decided to go Indie, I mistakenly assumed I could do the editing myself and with this aim bought a book on grammar. All this taught me was how much I'd forgotten and that my eye is very unreliable when it comes to spotting mistakes in my own work. That aside, even if I could trust myself, it takes too much precious time that could be spent writing, to tooth comb a manuscript for typos, grammar and punctuation errors - for me it's hire a professional, no question.


5. What would you do differently if you could start all over again?


I've learnt important lessons on every step of this journey, so there's not a lot I would change. Perhaps my only proviso would be to have discovered NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) before 2011. I took part in 2011 and 2012, and it drastically improved my productivity. During NaNoWriMo word count is king, and so that nit-picking self-critical editor in my head is switched off and my fingers let rip across the key board, which is a healthy discipline for me as I tend to agonize over individual words…slow, slow, slow.


6.What marketing tools have been the most effective for you?

I'm active on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and a number of forums, so it's difficult to know what works and what doesn't. My ethos is to build a following rather than go for the hard sell. I rarely pay for advertising and in fact, I don't know what other writers have found, but the paid ads produced disappointing results. I'm a great believer in good quality writing selling more books and so endeavor to prioritize writing my next book, so there are plenty out their for fans to pick up.


However the one thing I wish I'd done years ago, is build an emailing list for a newsletter. I've belatedly realized the importance of this and have come to it late…but better late than never.

                                                            

Writers, have you started a mailing list to announce your latest releases and promotions?

Six Questions with Leigh Talbert Moore

Today's guest for Six Questions is red-hot Young Adult/New Adult author Leigh T. Moore. 

Her publishing story is unique, and I know you'll learn a lot. Welcome to Six Questions Leigh!



1. What do you find the most challenging about starting a new writing project?

Getting myself to sit down and focus. Seriously, I'll have the most amazing idea that I'm so excited about, and then I'll be all Doug (the dog from UP)... squirrel! :D But once I get going, then I usually get sucked in and time flies. But it's all about the BICHOK (butt in chair, hands on keyboard). (Sarah Fine invented that, btw.)

2. What book or author has influenced you the most in your writing?

I think Stephen King's "On Writing." Because he made it okay to have a weird, sort of hybrid style that wasn't outlining and all the steps you imagine. He was very empowering in a "So long as it's working," way for me. Plus he gave me so many great ideas--like the putting your finished MS in a drawer for a month, etc. It's a really great craft book. Highly recommend it to writers!

3. Do you write every day, or what is your system to get words on paper?

When I'm working on a book, I write every day. Once I get the BICHOK going, sometimes I don't stop writing, which is not good because I'm a mom. But when I'm in between books (like now), I don't write every day. And I miss it. :P

4. Once you finish draft one, what's next?

I have the most amazing group of critique partners (critters). Once Draft #1 is done, I go through it again myself and make revisions, then I ship it off to them and chew my nails while I wait for them to read it. :o)

5. Where do you connect with your readers?

This is evolving for me. Initially, I was a traditional author. I had an agent, I had a deal with Simon & Schuster, and I was happy just to blog and connect with writers and readers that way. I also have a pretty active Facebook page, but that's mostly non-writer friends and family. Basically, I was going to let the traditional guys do all the work connecting me with readers.

Since I've gone independent, if I want to connect with readers, I have to get out there. And I've been looking at the different options to see what works best for me. I'm getting more active on Goodreads, I'm following more reader-oriented blogs and FB pages, I'm even Tweeting more! :D And I get email from readers quite often, and I LOVE that! It's so great. I'm so happy doing it this way because I feel like THIS is why I'm a writer--to connect with readers.

6. If you could start over, what about this whole process would you do differently?

I would've skipped the agent-publisher game and jumped on the indie bandwagon in 2011 when several of my writer-friends were doing it. But I'm a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, and I pray a lot. So I'm following MY path, and we'll see where it leads!

                         

PS Both of Leigh's books are on special  for just 99 cents... fill your Kindle!

As I say all the time, we all have our own unique path -- what sets you apart from other authors?