Wednesday, October 31, 2012

HBS Author’s Spotlight – Class of October 2012

This is our second month of highlighting authors. The response has been overwhelming to say the least. I try to pick authors who are interesting studies and I try to ask them unique questions for our Q/A section.

Authors. We have an even dozen this time around. This month we surely moved around the world. We went from authors in the US to the UK, down to New Zealand and over to the Far East.

November is starting right where we left off in October. Here is a summary of our October authors.

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Monica Mathis-Stowe
Author Genre: Contemporary Urban Fiction Author

Website: Monica Mathis-Stowe - Author
Twitter: @MMathisStowe
E-Mail: MonicaMathisStowe@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Book trailers - I am proud of my book trailer and my cover. They were important. They were created by DzinebyKellie. Kellie saw my vision and made it come true.

Social Media - Social Networking is an excellent marketing tool. You don’t want every blog to be about you… I do a great deal of blog interviews and I also contact book clubs that have an interest in my book’s genre.


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For the rest of the story...View Monica Mathis-Stowe - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Jake Needham
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Author

Author's Blog:
Website: Jake Needham
Twitter: @jakeneedham
E-Mail: JakeNeedham@jakeneedham.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Advent of eBooks - E-books have been an absolute game changer for me. My titles have been available as e-books for less than a year, but they are already selling at a rate of 20 times that of my print editions.

Marketing from the Far East with over 25,000 followers on Twitter - Daily communications with readers who tell me they are happy to have just discovered my books through something that somebody said on Twitter is important. Facebook is a completely different story.


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For the rest of the story...View Jake Needham - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Anne Allen
Author Genre: Romance Mystery Author

Website: Anne Allen
Twitter: @AnneAllen21
E-Mail: me@anneallen.co.uk
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn


Marketing for a UK author - I’ve been using social media to market in both the US and UK.

Character development - As a psychotherapist I certainly have a head start on people analysis.

New Book coming - Finding Mother, a story of a young woman (Nicole) who, as her marriage collapses, decides to trace her natural mother


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For the rest of the story...View Anne Allen - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Kelly Abell
Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Writing Tips for Writers
Website: Kelly Abell Books
Twitter: @kellyabellbooks
E-Mail: kellywriter@hotmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Helping other authors - I began sharing writing tips on my website after I published my first book. I am a firm believer in paying it forward, if I can offer tips and tricks.

Social media - There are so many sites where authors and readers can connect and converse. I've found Twitter is a great way to build a reader audience.

New book - Currently working on the second book - working under the title Blazing Phantom and Destiny

Marketing prep - I had about a three week lead time before the publisher put out press releases.


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For the rest of the story...View Kelly Abell - HBS Author's Spotlight
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John Marco
Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Author's Blog: John Marco - The Happy Nerd
Website: The Happy Nerd
Twitter: @happynerdjohn
E-Mail: johnmarco@aol.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Great covers - I’ve been lucky to have some great artists work on them. I really love fantasy artwork and have all of my life, so for me the whole cover process is the most enjoyable part of watching the book come together.

Targeting a growing twitter account - The followers I have really vary in age—I’m not shooting for a particular type of follower or demographic.

Marketing for a traditional author - I’ve been online for years and have always done all of my marketing online. The ebook part of it is new.


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For the rest of the story...View John Marco - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Steven Montano
Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror

Website: Blood Skies
Twitter: @Daezarkian
E-Mail: daezarkian@bloodskies.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Belonging to Guild of Dreams - It isn’t so much about marketing as it is support. I love the different perspectives on writing that every member brings.

Traditional marketing - I have never done a book signing or appearance.

Use of software in your writing - I have a system regarding re-writes and book releases, and I do loosely outline my plots. I also try to keep notes regarding things I want to do with a book that I’m afraid I might later forget.

You have a large twitter following - Social media pretty much is my marketing.


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For the rest of the story...View Steven Montano - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Elise Stokes
Author Genre: Young Adult

Website: Cassidy Jones Adventures
Twitter: @CassidyJonesAdv
E-Mail: elise_stokes@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Book trailers - My husband spent hours timing the music to fan art that young readers submitted for the video.

Marketing YA readers - Twitter is my primary marketing tool, but you have to understand the culture to get the most out of it. If you’re not taking the time to look through feed and engage with other members…


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For the rest of the story...View Elise Stokes - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Emily Tippetts
Author Genre: YA Romance - Science Fiction/Fantasy as Emily Mah

Author's Blog: Emily Mah
Website: E. M. Tippetts
Twitter: @EMTippetts
E-Mail: emilymtippetts@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Publishing in different languages - Converted one book to German. My interpreter is one of a very small group of people trying out a new business model specifically for the indie author who wants to break into a new language market.

UK author's marketing - Given the wonders of modern technology, I have most of my reader fan base in the US. I can print books and publish stories from here that can be ordered through any US bookstore and all the major online outlets.

Marketing with social media - My strategy is just to get out and get to know people and talk with them. Maybe they will become a reader of mine.

Time management - I'm a flex scheduler - always have it planned.

Writing in different genres - I'll write a science fiction short story while writing a romance novel and I find that one becomes more relaxing after I've done a long spell of the other.


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For the rest of the story...View Emily Tippetts - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Maree Ward-Russell
Author Genre: Young Adult, Mystery & Thrillers, Teen Fiction & Fantasy

Author's Blog: M.W. Russell Author
Website: M.W. Russell Author
Twitter: @mibbymw
E-Mail: maree@belleza.co.nz
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Support groups - I belong to at least five author groups – all set up by authors, with support, advice and some self-promotion in mind. My biggest enemy to the cause, in these areas is time.

Marketing from New Zealand with a large twitter following (over 12K) - I have geographical limitations – especially when my target market is on the opposite side of the world. Twitter and Facebook have become vital for me to reach the masses, without them I would be lost.

Book trailers - I think if done well, they are yet another avenue for attracting readers – especially as the visual medium is always so effective.

Book covers - My designer, Patti Roberts, has a good understanding of my vision and my needs as well as a high sense of professionalism, delivering a quality product every time.


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For the rest of the story...View Maree Ward-Russell - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Otis G. Sanders
Author Genre:

Author's Blog: The Image Gallery
Website: Always & Forever, Love Success Stories of Marriages 20+ Years Strong
Twitter: @alwaysn4everlov
E-Mail: otisg@seventhson.org
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Art with a story - Otis tells stories with pictures and interviews.

Social media marketing - I use my Facebook account, a Facebook fan page, LinkedIn, Twitter, my book website, my blog site, and I market the book on both my photography websites.

Second edition coming: Always & Forever, Love

Pictures and story - A great combination to enhanced the ebook experience.


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For the rest of the story...View Otis G. Sanders - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Jade Varden
Author Genre: Young Adult, Mystery & Thrillers, Romance

Author's Blog: The official blog for Jade Varden, author of the Deck of Lies series.
Twitter: @JadeVarden
E-Mail: jadevarden@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Book trailers - I got pictures and video clips for my trailers at Creative Commons. I put it all together using Windows Live Movie Maker.

Blogging - I started doing the Writing 101 posts because I was noticing mistakes that I was making, and I thought maybe I could help other writers not make them.

Social Media - I like forums because I can interact with people there on my own time.

Time Management - I don’t set goals on a time limit. I make up a list of tasks and I try to get them done in a timely fashion.

Marketing - Social media definitely plays the biggest role in my marketing efforts.

Writing software - I use every trick in the book to keep it all straight. I have a huge cast list with everyone’s full name and description, and a massive timeline that shows important dates and events across all four books.

New book - The final book in the series, Judgment, will be released in November.


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For the rest of the story...View Jade Varden - HBS Author's Spotlight
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Amy Metz
Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Humor, Romance

Author's Blog: A Blue Million Books
Website: Amy Metz, author
Twitter: @goosepimpleisms
E-Mail: amy@amymetz.com.
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Support groups - I’m kind of socially inept, so I’d have to say I spend more time doing traditional marketing than social networking but I try to post something on Facebook, as well as tweet something on Twitter, every day.

Time management - No schedule. Now that I have the blog up and rolling, it’s not very time consuming. But I do have to admit that my laptop is almost an appendage. I write or market or blog every waking moment possible.


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For the rest of the story...View Amy Metz - HBS Author's Spotlight
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