AUTHORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a big asset to authors, allowing us to connect with multitudes in an instantaneous fashion. But lately I’m wondering how should authors spend their time on Facebook or Twitter? Does social media really help sell books? Is Facebook a valuable marketing tool, a way to connect with readers, or just a huge time vacuum? I wondered what other authors thought about this subject, so I asked. Read on for thoughts from Christoph Fischer, Celeste Burke, Brent Hartinger, Maria Grazia Swan, P.C. Zick, Sarah Mallery, Jane Firebaugh, Julie Moffett, Julie Seedorf, Ritter Ames, Frankie Bow, Kathy, Carol Keen, Cindy Blackburn, Lisa Binion, Amy Reade, and Tricia Drammeh. Next up (July 26) authors on social media from a reader's perspective.

Do you use social media for business or pleasure or both?

Christoph Fischer: Both. Sadly, I spend most of the time on it for business.



Celeste Burke: I use it for both . . . but spend much more time on FB involved in writing-related activities. That includes time spent in activities in groups that I have joined focused on various aspects of writing and marketing books.

Brent Hartinger: Honestly, I'm not sure I would be a big social media user if not for my writing career. That said, to have any success at all in social media, you have to enjoy it, and it has to be personal. Just constantly flogging your work is pointless, and probably counter-productive.
The most important thing isn't what you post, or how you post. I think it's how you react and interact with people. Are you accessible? Are you genuine? This sort of thing really builds up fans, and allows you to make contacts with people who will be your devoted boosters. But it has to be genuine. And because it's genuine, it's really time-intensive.
Another way to look at it is that you're serving your reader, giving them something of value—and it's something a lot more valuable that the opportunity to buy your brilliant book or bask in your genius. No, you're giving them genuine personal access to you, an author they're somewhat or very interested in. That's valuable! But again, it's also very time-consuming, at least if you're doing it right.

Maria Grazia Swan: Both, and while I should talk books, 80% of the time I don’t. It feels too crass . . . plus, I do enjoy my FB friends . . .


P.C. Zick: I do both, but really most of my time is spent on business and trying not to annoy my friends and family.

Sarah Mallery: I use FB mostly for business. I share other authors’ announcements/posts, but if I have a more personal message to add, I will PM that person privately. However, these days, I’ve been concentrating far more on Twitter.

Jane Firebaugh: Both – More time spent on business.

Julie Moffett: I use it for both, but I think I use it more for personal than business. Still, I’m pretty active on both of my pages.

Julie Seedorf: Both they seem to meld together.

Ritter Ames: Both, but it’s kind of a merged thing. I tend to stick to more personal things on my profile page and more “my writing” type things on my author page.

Frankie Bow: For me, Facebook is a great way to connect with other authors and mystery fans. There are groups devoted to cozy mysteries, to favorite series, and to specific author interests.

Kathi Daley: Both but mostly business.


Carol E. Keen: More business, but my business is a pleasure, so that is harder to answer.

Anonymous: Both—mainly business.

Cindy Blackburn: Both—spend more time on Twitter.

Lisa Binion: I mainly use Facebook to share my articles and info about my book. I also use it to keep in touch with friends and family.

Amy Reade: I use Facebook for both business and pleasure. It's hard to know how I spend my time, since I follow a lot of authors and bloggers in my personal feed. I spend time commenting on their posts as well as posts by family and friends. I try to post something original on my author page at least once a day. Sometimes it's book news, sometimes it's just what I'm working on. I also like to share posts from other pages that focus on the places where my books are set. I guess I would say I probably spend a bit more time on author stuff than personal stuff—maybe 60% business, 40% pleasure.

Tricia Drammeh: I use my Facebook Author Page for blog posts, book-related posts, and to promote other authors. I post everything on Twitter! Links to a variety of articles (book related or non-book related), promos for other authors, pictures of my dog, you name it.

Tony Scougal:  Facebook for business and pleasure but mostly business since I am a member of numerous book groups and run/administer Kindle Books 2.

On what type of posts do you get the most response?

Christoph Fischer: Positive success stories and positive personal stories, e.g. getting awards and getting a new puppy, getting engaged etc. get the most responses.



Celeste Burke: Now that FB has reduced the reach that we get from posting, I get the most response to posts that actively engage my readers. That includes giveaways, news about books, events held on FB. Posting in FB groups about books and book promotion also seems to help create activity.

Brent Hartinger: Well, it's sad to say, but simple is always better than complicated, and a video or attention-getting photo is always better than text. I used to bristle at this, but I suppose it's human nature. I'm a busy person too, and I scan just like everyone else, only clicking on things that really jump out at me.
Mostly, it's important that the post have some kind of "hook"—something that is instantly obvious, and draws the reader or viewer in. There's a reason why cat videos and baby photos are so popular!
Unlike most authors, I do occasionally do long, thought-provoking posts on Facebook. Sometimes they go nowhere, but sometimes they do. And when they do, I'm pleased, because I feel like they reinforce my brand more than yet another cat video. But if you go this route, it's important to have something to say. And it's also important to frame it with a big, fat, attention-drawing hook or title.
It's easy to get a response to political posts, or general rants about life, but I think this is a mistake. I don't see what's to be gained by getting into politics, or negatively in general, except that you're potentially alienating half your readers. The point of social media as author isn't to change the world. It's to reinforce your brand, and create interactions with readers that ultimately leads to more book sales (and other assorting opportunities, like speaking gigs). Unless your brand IS politics, I don't see the point of this.

Maria Grazia Swan: Jokes, PG jokes and blogs with pics of people . . . yes. . . I keep track. Faces get you the most views.


P.C. Zick: I get responses from my groups—street team and colleagues—where I ask for shares or tweets.

Sarah Mallery: Actually, the posts that have clever sayings on them, or sometimes URLs from YouTube that I’ve shared get the biggest response.
 
Jane Firebaugh: New releases and multi-author giveaways.

Julie Moffett: Giveaways for sure, announcements of new releases, and Facebook parties/giveaways with other authors.

Julie Seedorf: New releases and multi-author giveaways. The most response is when I ask a question, share something personal, and giveaways. They tend to be even.

Ritter Ames: Funny things that relate to everyday life, contests, and things that show the goodness of others.

Kathi Daley: Contests and specific questions that readers are prompted to answer.

Carol E. Keen: Book launches and free books of mine or someone else's.

Anonymous: I post pictures/quizzes/blogs about the 70s. You never know what will resonate. McDonalds’ glasses did, drinking out of a hose did, a caftan did not.

Cindy Blackburn: Twitter—lots of RT’s on blatant self-promo stuff.

Amy Reade: The posts that get the most responses are those about book news- covers, progress updates, etc.


Tony Scougal:

Do you feel Facebook or Twitter has an impact on your book sales?

Christoph Fischer: Not on the same scale as they were a few years ago. I think the number of books published and tweets being tweeted has put a damper on things a little. They are still important tools, though.



Celeste Burke: That is such a difficult question to answer because I’m doing everything at once. My understanding is that the different social media outlets reinforce one another by offering repeated exposure to information about me, my books, and the material I share about other authors.

Brent Hartinger: It's not a direct relationship, but yes, it's a huge impact, almost beyond measuring. Honestly, I think I sell way more books through social media that I ever did through newspaper profiles. If I had to choose between social media and never having another media profile of me, I'd choose social media in a heartbeat.
Social media is as much of a revolution as the Gutenberg press. It's HUGE. It's changing EVERYTHING.
The key revolutionary features are (1) it speed (instantaneous), (2) its reach (the entire world instantly!), and (3), mostly important, its interactivity. Mass communication is no longer a one-way street! Think about that, what a monumental change that it is. It gives me the chills just thinking about it.
For authors, this allows us to create a genuine, interactive relationship with our readers. That means more than just posting things and selling yourself. It means also being accessible, being open to instant messaging, responding to comments, responding to tweets. More than half the time I spend on social media is interacting with readers. It's one on one. But I also think that's the most important part of it, the part that sells books.
Interesting side-note: social media has mostly replaced email for me. I used to get ten to twenty emails from fans a week. Now I get maybe five. But I get dozens of messages and inquiries via social media. Honestly, I find social media easier, and better, because I don't feel the pressure to write a 500 word response, and because there's more of a back and forth. I can answer exactly what the person wants to know about.

Maria Grazia Swan: Honestly I have no clue, but I tell myself it does in order to justify the time I spend online.


P.C. Zick: Twitter does more than Facebook unless it’s a new release.

Sarah Mallery: Since I don’t use FB except for specific book promotions and sharing, I would say Twitter has had more impact on my sales.

Jane Firebaugh: Yes, probably both do.

Julie Moffett: Absolutely.

Julie Seedorf: Yes, absolutely. But not always because I promote my books, but because I let them know me.

Ritter Ames: I think it’s a long game approach. I don’t think either affects my day-to-day sales, but as I build a relationship with the fan with both venues, I think I gain later sales that way. Unless a book is on sale—then I think I gain immediate sales from both FB & Twitter.

Frankie Bow: Facebook, no. Twitter, maybe. Twitter is a great way to get out news about promotions and new releases, both mine and those of other authors

Kathi Daley: Absolutely. Big time!

Carol E. Keen: Yes, I do. Facebook especially. I'm still rather new to Twitter. (I would NEVER have joined Twitter if it weren't for my books.)

Anonymous: I do think FB can be especially helpful for a new author. There is a cozy community.

Cindy Blackburn: Yes—I’m a firm believer in Twitter. The more I do there, the better my sales

Lisa Binion: Not really, but I don't often send out posts that advertise my book. I do feel that Facebook has had a positive impact on my editing business. Since I've never mentioned on Twitter that I edit books, I doubt that social media site has sent any authors to me.

Amy Reade: In terms of selling books, I'm sure FB is more helpful than Twitter. Twitter is like a vacuum of authors, all trying to out-shout each other. Most of my tweets are actually retweets of other authors' stuff, though I try to post something original every day on Twitter.

Tricia Drammeh: I'm not sure if I can directly link book sales to my activity on social media, but I've met a lot of amazing people, and for me, that's what matters.

Tony Scougal: I post Amazon links and my blogsite links to my groups about 3 times a week. I tweet the same links about 3 times a week on twitter. I probably spend about 1 hour a day on these two social media sites (in total) posting links, usually at coffee time when relaxing and quite literally hitting 'share'. There is no doubt in my mind that posting these links directly to these two sites results in sales. As another 'guide' I share my blogsite which is book related only and have taken 220,000 views using Facebook and twitter sharing capacity.

Is there a secret to getting "likes" on a Facebook post or an author page? 

Christoph Fischer: I know Rafflecopter giveaways ask people to like pages, tweets and Facebook post campaigns try to entice readers. I’m not sure what works. I think the significance of a high number of likes is over-rated. When people see your page they are already interested. More important is the actual content on the page. To keep the following you need to produce fresh and interesting, original content.



Celeste Burke: Posts that engage visitors and then are shared seem to help new readers discover me. They often will come to check out a post and like my page as well as the post! So, it happens as a byproduct of those other activities. Giveaways do that, too, even though FB does not want you to expressly request people to “like” your page in order to enter a giveaway. Friends will respond to invitations extended to them to like a page or post, but I don’t like to do that often since I don’t want to swamp people with social media requests.

Brent Hartinger: Writing good books? Being a positive, accessible, kind human being? Doing things that people actually like? ;)

Maria Grazia Swan: Again, clueless, but when I feel particularly brave and ask for a like I usually get it.

P.C. Zick: I get most of my likes from Facebook parties where I request it and on new release information.
 
Sarah Mallery: Recently I’ve been asked by people on Twitter if I would like their page, and after I do, I ask them to reciprocate. Also, because I’ve been getting more and more people following me on Twitter, I noticed I am get far more Friend requests on FB.


Jane Firebaugh: I wish I knew it. lol

Julie Moffett: Tag it to a giveaway. That almost always seems to work for me.

Julie Seedorf: Usually for me it is when someone reads my books or sees a post about something they are interested in and then they like my page.

Ritter Ames: I think in regard to both venues, the more you interact with fellow members, the more others will see your posts and want to like or follow you. I also gain a lot of likes and follows from my Amazon author page, btw.

Kathi Daley: Give stuff away or post cute pet photos.

Carol E. Keen: What I'm seeing is many authors having giveaways, and using Rafflecopter. Several entries have to do with liking FB pages, Amazon pages, and so forth. It's free, and easy, and counts towards the odds of winning whatever it is that is being offered.

Anonymous: I think being consistent and not trying to sell something all the time helps immensely.

Cindy Blackburn: Funny, pics of animals. Pics of any sort get more attention.

Lisa Binion: If there is, I wish I knew what it was.

Amy Reade: If there's a secret to getting likes on Facebook other than being wildly famous, I hope someone shares it with me.

Is there a secret to getting followers or retweets on Twitter?

Christoph Fischer: There are re-tweet groups to share each other’s platform. That gets you retweets, as does Twitter etiquette of retweeting tweets of similar content, which often results in kind reciprocation.
 Relevant hashtags in moderation will get you attention and retweets. 
One way of getting followers is by following them first, hoping they will reciprocate.
‘Raiding’ the followers of similar author accounts can be useful. 
Again, hash-tagged, relevant content in your tweets will bring the right people your way. 



Celeste Burke: I don’t think it’s a secret, but joining retweet groups on FB helps. Using hashtags when you send out a tweet is important. Tweets with pictures attract more attention and get more exposure. Supporting other authors is always good too—following something close to the 20-80 rule: 20% about me 80% about others. That’s another advantage to joining retweet groups—you get your tweet sent out but you do the same for the others in the group so you’re sure not all of your content is about yourself.

Brent Hartinger: Honestly, a big part of this is being uniquely you, being genuine. What is it about you (and your books) that is different from others? What makes you worthwhile as an author, what sets you apart? What do you bring to the table that no one else does? What is your personal "voice"? That's your brand!
I see my own brand as that of a "storyteller." I am a novelist and screenwriter, and I love the whole idea of a "story:" what it is, and how to make it accessible. So I write about my own personal and professional struggles as a writer, examples of successful and unsuccessful stories by others, and also other media trends. I sometimes include personal anecdotes, to give readers a sense of "me," but I mostly focus on my life as a storyteller. My personal life? That's not really relevant to my social media presence, except as it directly relates to my brand.

Maria Grazia Swan: Retweet and you get retweeted and you get followers, that’s my experience.


P.C. Zick: Join groups that share tweets. I use ManageFlitter to get rid of those who don’t follow back and to search for readers, reviewers, bloggers for my genre to follow.
 
Sarah Mallery: I have discovered that if someone RT’s my Tweet, it takes a little extra time, but I first go check out that person if I’m not already following them. Then, if they seem legit, I will go to their Media stream and RT something from them. That’s been garnering a lot of RTs and good will from people.


Jane Firebaugh: I wish I knew that too! lol

Julie Moffett: Same as Facebook. Make it a required part of a giveaway.

Julie Seedorf: Sharing with other friends and writers and sharing my cat pictures.

Kathi Daley: I follow almost everyone back—there are exceptions. I also belong to several tweet teams.

Carol E. Keen: See above for followers. For retweets, I do all I can to promote other authors. IF they do the same for me, we all prosper. ​There is this CoPromote app, I can't totally figure it out, but I'm using it. It is able to use Twitter, Vine, Tumbler and Instagram. I feel a bit drowned in social media sometimes.

Cindy Blackburn: Effort. I follow and unfollow people every day. I try to RT as much as possible—especially those the RT me. I repeat--effort.

Lisa Binion: If there is, I don't know it.

Amy Reade: I've noticed that pictures on Twitter are essential. I get far more likes and retweets when there's a photo with my tweet. Also, I tend to get more likes and retweets when I use specific hashtags. Not just "#fiction" or "#blogging," but something that narrows the focus, like "#CR4U" (clean reads) or "#lucilleball."

Do you have both an author page and a profile page or just one or the other?

Christoph Fischer: I have both. Author page for book-related issues only, the profile page for some of the book content and personal. The line is fluid, as I have become friends with many colleagues and readers via my personal profile. The profile gets more attention overall, possibly because enthusiastic readers like to know a bit about me as a person, too, and a few have sent me personal friend requests.

Celeste Burke: I have a personal page and an author page. I believe the author page gets more activity. I try to use that page to keep readers informed about what’s new, but also use my blog and newsletters to do that.

Brent Hartinger: It's essential that authors have both a fan page and a personal page, mostly because you're limited to the number of "friends" on a personal page. Furthermore, Facebook will probably eventually restrict the use of personal pages for promotional purposes.
I get much more activity on my personal page, and I do accept superfans as friends. But an author page allows you to "boost" occasional posts (for a small charge), and this can be extremely helpful in reaching interested, but less passionate fans. It's absolutely targeted marketing in a way that's never existed before. I think this is even better targeted marketing than a newsletter, which is supposedly the "holy grail" of marketing. Not everyone opens newsletters, but almost everyone will see a boosted post on Facebook.
I've also had great luck uploading videos directly to Facebook (as opposed to embedding them from YouTube), then "boosting" the video. This has sold an almost surreal number of books. I spent $25 boosting one video, and immediately sold well over $1000 worth of books in the two days that followed.
(If I had to do it over again, I would have an author fan page, a personal-fan page, AND a private personal page, to keep my personal life completely separate from my professional one. Ah, well!)

Maria Grazia Swan: I have both, and my profile page gets a lot more activity. Then again, I have more friends on that page than on my author’s page. And I don’t post the same thing, also, whatever I post is for the whole wide world to see. I have yet to figure out how to be selective and limit some posts to specific friends . . . so far so good.

P.C. Zick: I have an author page. I don’t know what a profile page is. But I also have several pages for specific genres since I have a diverse selection of published works.

Sarah Mallery: I have an author “Fan” page and a profile page on FB. Probably my profile page gets more activity, since I’ve not been promoting on the other so much.

Jane Firebaugh: I have both, but I don’t use the author page enough. Personal page gets more activity, because I use it a lot more.

Julie Moffett: I have both and am active daily on both.

Julie Seedorf: I have both, and they both get a lot of activity, but I don’t use the author page enough. 


Kathi Daley: Both plus several group pages. When you post to an author page only a very small percentage of those who have liked the page even see the post. I have almost 15,000 likes and I have a lot of posts where it says my reach is around 50. That’s sad. I feel I get a lot more bang for my buck on my personal page and my group page.

Carol E. Keen: Yes, I have both. My regular page gets way more activity from others, because I was a "person" before having an author page. FB's algorithms are so messed up, it is wonder we see anything AT ALL!

Cindy Blackburn: I have an author page on FB. Don’t even know if I have a profile page??? Not sure what that is.

Lisa Binion: I have a personal page. Then there is my Fiction Writing page that attracts a lot more activity than my personal page. That makes me happy because that is the page I want people to pay attention to. Why? It will direct them to my website.

Amy Reade: For Facebook, I have author and personal pages. I do this because not all my FB friends want to know about every little book thing that goes on with me. Likewise, all my author followers (there's some overlap, but not total) might not care to know what's growing in my flowerbeds. 
For Twitter, I only have one account- my author account. 
I would say my personal FB page gets a bit more activity than my author page.

Tricia Drammeh: On Facebook, I interact with authors and readers on my regular profile, and though I do sometimes post reading-related articles, I don't do any hard selling. The only time I post about my own books are when I have a new release or a free book offer.

THE SECRET

I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no secret. The right way to use social media is as diverse as its users. It can be a marketing tool, a way for authors to check in with friends and make new ones, or both. In a post titled “Please shut up: Why self-promotion as an author doesn't work,” Delilah S. Dawson wrote: “Because here's the secret: None of us know what we're doing, but we're all trying our asses off. We are all hungry.”

The good news is the lines of business and pleasure can blur in social media. I think Facebook recognizes that too, hence the opportunity they give us with author pages. Is social media a place to sell ourselves or a place to share ourselves? Authors get to decide whether to “push” (constant tweets and posts about their book), or “pull” (sharing a bit of themselves to forge a genuine connection with others).

Social media can be so much more than just “buy my book” or “notice me, talk to me.” Facebook is a great way for authors to connect, support, and encourage each other. And authors promoting fellow authors’ work, particularly when it’s new, on a special sale, or in a giveaway, can more effectively help readers discover a new author than self-promotion.

For a lot of authors, Facebook is their water cooler. For those who work alone, it may be the only human interaction they have all day. And even at the water cooler, you’ll find some who are there for some “it’s all about me” time, while others are there to share ideas, news, and thoughts.

Sometimes authors can get so caught up in selling their book that marketing becomes their sole reason for using social media. They friend and follow people with the intent to be friended or followed back. Where’s the social aspect in that approach? Dawson made the point: “Would fishing be fun if the fish jumped out of the ocean and smacked you in the face?  . . . that's what a lot of social media by authors is starting to look like, to feel like: being smacked in the face, repeatedly, by hundreds of fish.”

Authors can use social media for the hard sell or as a way to attract new friends (and readers) with their personalities, making sales a happy by-product of connecting with others. Beyond “networking” with other authors, Facebook gives authors a chance to connect with people, whether they are writers or readers. It’s a way for authors to use their work to make friends, not use their friends to make money. I don’t want to go to the water cooler to be bombarded with a sales pitch. I want to go for some levity, friendship, and genuine connection. I think to use social media purely to promote a book or to “like” and “friend” other authors only to sell a book would be missing the point of social media. What do you think?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS


Christoph Fischer is a UK based author of historical fiction (Three Nations Trilogy, Ludwika, In Search of a Revolution), contemporary fiction (Time to Let Go, Conditions), and thrillers (The Healer, The Gamblers).

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Celeste Burke is the author of the Jessica Huntington Desert Cities mystery series, the Corsario Cove cozy mystery series, and The Georgie Shaw cozy mystery series.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Brent Hartinger is a writer of just about everything that involves words: novels (including the Russel Middlebrook new adult series), screenplays, plays, web content, even greeting cards. A feature film version of his first novel, Geography Club, was released in November 2013.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  
Amazon

Maria Grazia Swan is the author of the Mina Calvi Adventures, Lella York series, and non-fiction.

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P.C. Zick  is the author of contemporary romance, contemporary fiction, and non-fiction.  (Florida Fiction series, Behind the Love trilogy, Smoky Mountain romances.)
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Sarah Mallery is a historical fiction writer with four published books to date: Tales to Count On, Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads, Unexpected Gifts, and The Dolan Girls.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon 

Jane Firebaugh is the author of the White Mountain Romantic mystery series: Antiques & Avarice, and Old Crimes & Nursery Rhymes.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon       

Julie Moffett is the author of fifteen published novels in the genres of historical, paranormal fantasy, and time travel romances, and action/adventure mysteries (the Lexi Carmichael series).
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Julie Seedorf is a cozy mystery author of the Fuchsia Minnesota Series, Granny Is In Trouble children’s series, and Brilliant Minnesota series.
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Ritter Ames is a cozy mystery author of the Art Mysteries Series & Organized Mysteries Series. 
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon     


Kathi Daley is the author of six cozy mystery series, including: Zoe Donovan Mystery, Whales & Tails Cozy Mystery, Sand & Sea Hawaiian Mystery, TJ Jensen Mystery, Paradise Lake Mystery, and Seacliff High Mystery.
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Frankie Bow is the author of The Professor Molly Mysteries, Miss Fortune Kindle Worlds Novellas, and coloring books for all ages.
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Carol E. Keen currently writes books in fantasy genres for adults and YA, as well as in the Supernatural Thriller Mystery genre.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  



Cindy Blackburn is the author of the Cue Ball Mysteries cozy series.

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Lisa Binion is a freelance editor and the author of Softly & Tenderly, a paranormal horror novel.

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Amy Reade is the author of women's contemporary and gothic fiction with three published books to date: The Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, and The House of the Hanging Jade.
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Tricia Drammeh is the author of the Spellbringers series, The Seance, Sweet Sorrow, The Fifth Circle, and Better than Perfect.

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Tony Scougal: Tony writes under the pseudonym Paul Anthony. A former counter terrorist detective for Cumbria Police proper, he is anuthor of thrillers, murder mysteries, espionage, television and film scripts, and screenplays. 

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Planted by C. T. Collier

Planted (The Penningtons Investigate)
1st in Series Cozy Mystery
Asdee Press (July 22, 2016)
Print Length: 309 pages
ASIN: B01FOVMCPK

ABOUT THE BOOK

Planted is book one of the new mystery series, The Penningtons Investigate, from award-winning author C. T. Collier. The Penningtons, Lyssa and Kyle, are both PhD’s, and when their clever minds start asking questions, clever killers can’t hide. It’s Monday of spring break when Professor Lyssa Pennington’s backyard garden project unearths a loaded revolver. With no record of violence at their address and no related cold case, the Tompkins Falls police have no interest. But the Penningtons and a friend with the State Police believe there a body somewhere. Whose? Where? And who pulled the trigger? The Penningtons’ canvass of their quiet neighborhood turns up disturbing secrets about the family who lived in their house for decades and another ill-fated family a few doors away. No one seems to know how to contact the only sons of either family. The few facts they have about them don't add up and, since the gun was buried about the time both young men disappeared from Tompkins Falls, the Penningtons feel compelled to find them and make sure all is well. Lyssa follows the money story and finds twenty million dollars, a neighbor who’s not what he seems, and a long-buried rivalry. Kyle goes after homicide data in six states and finds a body. Their next surprise is a murderer who will go to any length to conceal the crime.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

C. T. Collier grew up in Seneca Falls, NY, left the area for college and jobs, and always wanted to return to the Finger Lakes. Today she lives in a beautiful small city on one of the prettiest of the Finger Lakes, not unlike fictional Tompkins Falls on lovely Chestnut Lake. Most days you’ll find her writing in her tiny office looking out on a woods populated with fox, deer, wild turkeys, and songbirds. In her career as a tech-savvy college professor she has been endlessly fascinated with campus intrigue. Entirely fictional, Tompkins College is no college and every college.

Connect with the author:
Website  | Facebook  |  Twitter  

Buy the book:
Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

FEATURED AUTHOR: ZOE EFSTATHIOU

ABOUT THE BOOK

While sharing a bottle of wine with her flat mate after yet another bad date, Sophia advertises for her perfect man online. He must have a multi-million pound business, the face of Robert Pattinson and the body of Daniel Craig. He must have a fluffy cat and a massive penis. The profile is just a bit of fun, but what happens when a man who meets pretty much all the criteria actually replies? Has Sophia finally found her perfect man, or is he not quite as perfect as he seems? As she uncovers some dark and disturbing secrets, Sophia’s dream man turns out to be her worst nightmare. 

A romantic comedy set in London, Would Like To Meet . . . explores the weird and wonderful world of online dating. A light-hearted, fun and easy read, it will appeal to fans of Sophie Kinsella.



INTERVIEW WITH ZOE EFSTATHIOU

Zoe, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love it when you have the seed of an idea for a book and the more you research and write, the more the idea develops and grows. It feels like the story takes on a life of its own—eventually it has twists and turns and layers that you could never have envisaged at the beginning. I find that process really exciting.

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
For me, the hardest aspect is the isolation. When I wrote Would Like To Meet . . .  I barely my saw family or friends for a month. I wrote four to five thousand words a day and I only really left the house to walk my dog (luckily, I had saved up enough money to take a month off work to do this). It know it sounds weird to be this isolated, but at the time I was so swept up in my idea that I didn’t care.

I’ve tried juggling real life and writing - writing 500 words here and there, but it doesn’t work for me. I can’t handle thinking about my everyday life while also trying to imagine a detailed imaginary world—it’s just too much for my brain!

I know what you mean. What books do you currently have published?
I recently self-published my romantic comedy novel, Would Like To Meet . . . which is about a woman who advertises for her absolute dream man online.

I tried online dating in 2015, and I often wondered what would happen if I just stopped beating around the bush about what I was looking for and spelled out exactly what I wanted in my ideal man. I never actually did it, but the idea inspired my novel. To her surprise, Sophia, my main character, gets a response from a man who meets all her incredibly picky criteria. She can’t figure out if she’s finally got lucky and met the man of her dreams, or if there’s a terrible catch.

My travel writing was published in 2014 by Bradt in, The Irresponsible Traveller: Tales of Scrapes and Narrow Escapes, a travel anthology which also features the work of Michael Palin, Ben Fogle, and Simon Calder.

Do you have any secret talents?
I’m a white belt with three yellow tabs in Judo. Yep, that’s right. Watch out!

Yikes! Is writing your dream job?
Absolutely. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was about 14—way before I knew how to write. As a kid, I used to love curling up with a good book. I love how books can transport you into another world, stretch your mind and change the way you see the world. At 14, I thought that was the coolest thing ever (I still do), and I decided I wanted to write books capable of entertaining other people the way my favorite books entertained me.


What is the worst job you’ve ever had? What did it teach you?
I’ve done lots of menial jobs, from making sandwiches in a sweaty kitchen to working eight hour non-stop shifts in a busy bar, but I don’t think they taught me anything particularly worthwhile (although, I do know how to pull a great pint of Guinness . . . ).

It may not sound like a job from hell, but my experience of running a beauty blog turned out to be my most valuable in terms of life lessons. I’m not particularly interested in beauty, but three or four years ago, I started a beauty blog because I thought I could make money through it. Even though I put quite a lot of effort into it, the blog never really took off. I think it came down to the fact that I wasn’t genuinely passionate about beauty, and people can sniff out a fake, even online. It also became a total drag to be working on something I didn’t really enjoy. I was making a bit of money and perhaps I could have persevered, but ultimately I realized that money is not enough of a motivator for me; I want to enjoy my daily life. I shut down the blog and decided to focus on my true passion instead: writing.

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?

Use Instagram! Before I self-published, I hadn’t really bothered with Instagram, but the book community on Instagram is amazing. There are so many nice, supportive people. I’ve had book bloggers contact me and ask to review my book, and it’s also really encouraging when people ‘like’ quotes that you post from your novel.


Name one thing you’re really good at and one thing you’re really bad at.
I’m really good at coming up with crazy get-rich-quick business ideas. I have a new one practically every week. For example, I live in Greenwich, in London, and a few years ago it occurred to me that even though there’s a big park and lots of dog owners, no one was selling dog jumpers. So naturally, I decided to bulk buy them from China and sell them at the Greenwich Market. In the end, I got commissioned to do some writing work and didn’t have time to sell the dog jumpers so now every spare drawer and cupboard in my flat is stuffed full of them! At least I know my dog, Bella, will never be cold again! (Email me if you want to buy one!)

I’m really bad at public speaking. I don’t know what it is about speaking in front of a crowd, but I find it terrifying. And when I say crowd, I mean anything more than about five people at once.

What would you name your autobiography?
FML. I am a magnet for embarrassing, awkward moments and silly dramas, so FML would be a suitable name for my autobiography.

What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
People who walk slowly in the street or have no spatial awareness and take up the entire pavement. I see red!

What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?
These days, it’s Amazon and my author account. I keep obsessively checking my sales figures every half an hour. I check them last thing at night and first thing in the morning. It’s not healthy and I’m trying to cut back!

Sadly, I think it's a writer affliction. 
What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
At the moment, it’s my dog, Bella, but for a while it was Robert Pattinson. I think he’s so good-looking, to the point that he inspired me to come up with the character of Daniel in, Would Like To Meet . . .

If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
You create your own luck. I don’t believe in asking the universe for anything. I believe that the harder you work and the more you learn, the ‘luckier’ you get.

What are you working on now?
In a couple of weeks, I’m going to throw myself into writing my next romantic comedy novel. Although I’m really excited about my new idea, I’m also a bit nervous about getting started, because I know it will take over my life!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zoe Efstathiou is a freelance writer living in London. Would Like To Meet . . . is her first novel. Although it is a work of fiction, it is richly inspired by Zoe’s personal experiences of the London dating scene.



Zoe has previously been published by travel publishers, Bradt in, The Irresponsible Traveller: Tales of Scrapes and Narrow Escapes.
When she is not writing, Zoe enjoys going to the theatre, walking her dog, and making jewelry.




Connect with Zoe:

Website  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 
Buy the book:
Amazon

FEATURED AUTHOR: SALLY CARPENTER

ABOUT THE BOOK

38-year-old formal teen idol Sandy Fairfax is a guest panelist on a TV game show–and the first category is murder! When his brother, a college professor, is framed for the murder of one of his students, Sandy investigates, in between fighting with his ex, visiting his kids, wooing his new girlfriend, and presenting a concert at a black tie gala to save his father’s orchestra. Sandy’s ready to tear out his long blond hair as the game points and suspects pile up.

INTERVIEW WITH SALLY CARPENTER

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Revisions, when the characters begin to develop, the writing smooths out, I streamline the plot, and it all pulls together.

Do you write every day?
No, but I try to write most days, and it’s not always on a book. Sometimes I’m writing a blog post (like right now) or my newspaper column. Sometimes I’m spending the time researching for the book. And occasionally it’s good to take a “vacation” day or two and just read or catch up on life’s chores.

How often do you read?
Daily. I read as part of my day job at a community newspaper. I read to do research for my writing. I try to include “fun” reading at the end of the day if I’m not too exhausted.

What books do you currently have published?
I have four books in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol mystery series: The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper, The Sinister Sitcom Caper, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper, and The Quirky Quiz Show Caper. I wrote chapter three of the group mystery novel Chasing the Codex. I have a short story each in the anthologies Last Exit to Murder and Plan B: Omnibus.

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
Find your niche. For my first book, I did a guest post on every blog I found and joined a number of online writers’ groups. Most of that was wasted effort. Since then I’ve focused my efforts toward cozy readers only. I’ve joined cozy reader Facebook groups and limited my guest posts to cozy-focused blogs. This has worked better than trying to reach every possible person. I also had good success with a recent Goodreads giveaway. I caution authors at paying for ads and listings in “mass mailing” blogs. That hasn’t worked for me; I didn’t earn back what I paid. But some authors swear by paid ads/listings, so that must work for some writers. And don’t get so bogged down in marketing that you forget to write the next book! I spent an entire year doing nothing but marketing. I had few sales, no new book, and my previous publisher dropped me. So I got smart, wrote another book, and found a new publisher.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
That’s easy: TCM. I love old movies. Many of them are still “new” to me, and the ones I’ve seen I watch again. In those days the storytelling/writing was superior to now. The acting (except for B movies) was better too.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
House and car keys. Duh. I have to lock the house and start the car.

That's two things! You can lock you house, but you can't go anywhere. :) What do you love about where you live?
My cats have a big outdoor area where they can lounge, prowl, and catch mice. And I have a detached cottage, no adjoining walls with any neighbors.

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Popcorn and chocolate (separate, not together).

What drives you crazy?
People who lie to me.

What’s your least favorite chore?
Taking the car to the garage, as car repairs generally end up taking a great deal of my time and money to get them fixed.

Would you rather be a movie star, sports star, or rock star?
Movie star.

Do you procrastinate?
I’ll answer that question late.

What would your main character say about you?
That I need to give him more sexy love scenes and fewer deathtrap scenes.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I’ve never “used” this library as a patron, as it’s too far away, but once I went on a group tour of the Los Angeles Central downtown library. It’s a massive building full of incredible artwork, paintings and sculpture. Lots of things to look at and endless stacks to wander in. And it has over a million books! A person could check out books weekly and still not read everything.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
I have two: Lt. Columbo (best detective ever) and Ernest Pratt, dime novelist in the Old West from the TV show Legend.

How do you like your pizza?
Pizza Hut veggie pizza.

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
A goofy looking bird is staring at me and saying, “Is the book done yet? Is it? Is it? How about now?

What’s your biggest pet peeve about writing?
That it takes so long. I’d like to be able to finish a novel in a week instead of a year. Think how many more books I’d have!

What is your favorite movie?
The Trouble with Angels with Haley Mills and Rosaline Russell.

What are you working on now?
I’m starting a new mystery series, a retro cozy set in 1967. Still working on the details. It will have a cat.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, Calif.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays Star Collector and Common Ground were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. Common Ground also earned a college creative writing award and Star Collector was produced in New York City.

Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.

The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is comprised of: The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), The Sinister Sitcom Caper, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper and The Quirky Quiz Show Caper.

She has short stories in two anthologies: "Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in" in Last Exit to Murder and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in Plan B: Omnibus.

Carpenter penned chapter three of the Cozy Cat Press group mystery Chasing the Codex.

To atone for her sins of killing fictional people, she also writes the monthly "Roots of Faith" column for the Acorn Newspapers.

She blogs at http://sandyfairfaxauthor.com and ladiesofmystery.com.

She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles.

Connect with Sally:
Website  |    
Facebook  | Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon 

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FEATURED AUTHOR: VICKI VASS

 ABOUT THE BOOK

Antique hunter Anne Hillstrom’s whirlwind shopping tour to Paris comes to a dead stop, as dead as the man sitting next to her on the plane. And to make matters worse, her identity has been stolen, leaving her to face her worst nightmare. She must sell all her precious antiques with the help of her business partner and co-blogger, CC Muller. Together, they open a pop-up antique store in the quaint suburb of Glen Ellyn Illinois. Their blog fans flock to the store looking to find that perfect treasure and so does a killer. When the Sweet Shop lady next door is found caramelized, the success of the pop-up sale turns bittersweet. Anne and CC dust off the clues, unraveling a centuries-old mystery that leads them to one conclusion. They must find the killer before the killer finds them.


INTERVIEW WITH VICKI VASS

Vicki, how did you get started writing?
I’ve been writing ever since I could read. I started reading when I was four and wrote my first short book when I was five.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love creating characters and imagining them in their world.

Do you have a writing routine?
During the week, I try to write at least five pages a night and on the weekends at least 10 pages every day. This allows me to stay current with whatever story I am working on.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
I’d say character. If the characters are not interesting or the reader doesn’t care about the character, then the book can fall flat. The books that resonate with me are ones where the characters seem to jump off the page, to become real, and you don’t want the book to end.

How often do you read?
As often as I can. Right now I am reading several different books, all research for the new Antique Hunters mystery.

What books do you currently have published?
There are three books in the Antique Hunters series: Murder by the Spoonful, Pickin’ Murder and Killer Finds (I am working on the fourth book currently). I recently published the first book in a new series called Gem Hunter. And, I wrote a mystery novel based on my real-life neighbor called The Postman is Late.

Is writing your dream job?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to write.


What is the worst job you’ve ever had? What did it teach you?
I’ve had several jobs, actually my friends call me a serial job hopper, but the worst was working at a rebate center where I literally typed in rebate forms all day. Or, perhaps it was the 4-1-1 call center. It taught me that you have to do what you have to pay the bills but there’s something better out there.

What scares you the most?
Snakes. I am irrationally afraid of snakes. I see them in places where it makes no sense. My science fiction novel, the Lexicon, uses this as a theme throughout the book.

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Popcorn. I love buttered, movie popcorn so much that I have actually walked into the theater, bought popcorn and then left.

What is your superpower?
I have an almost photographic memory. I remember conversations, emails, and even where something appeared in a book, came in handy on tests in college.


Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Yes, my main character, Anne shares my obsession with shopping. I have been known to go out of the way for a sale and spend a little more than I should.

Do you procrastinate?
All the time.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
Faith is believing even when common sense tells you not to. 


Who is your favorite fictional character?
I actually would have to say Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind. She is anachronistic living in the wrong time period but she does what she has to survive I admire her spirit. 


What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
It is a picture of my large dog surrounded by 12 feet of snow. I lost him a few years back, but he loved the snow and willingly trudged through it.


What is your favorite movie?
My all-time favorite movie would be Casablanca. I watched it as a child with my father and enjoy watching it now. There are so many great lines and characters in that movie. It never gets old. 


What are you working on now?
I am working on the fourth book in the Antique Hunters mystery series, the second book in the Gem Hunters series and already have ideas spilling for the fifth book in the antique hunters series. I wish I had started all these about 20 years ago.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With a passion for shopping and antiques, Vicki Vass turned in her reporter's notebook to chronicle the adventures of Anne and CC, two antique hunters who use their skills to solve a murder case. 

Vicki has written more than 1,400 stories for the Chicago Tribune as well as other commercial publications including Home & Away, the Lutheran and Woman's World. Her science fiction novel, The Lexicon, draws on her experience in Sudan while writing about the ongoing civil war for World Relief.

Connect with Vicki:

Website  |   Blog  |    
Facebook  |    Amazon

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