Melanie Tomlin's Blog, page 9

An Interview with Author Mercedes Fox

Welcome to my first author interview! I hope to make author interviews a regular feature of my guest blog spot.

Joining us today is Mercedes Fox, an author with a soft spot for werewolves. Thank you, Mercedes, for taking the time to participate in this interview. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

Tell us a little about yourself, Mercedes.

I’ve been writing since childhood but until four years ago I didn’t even think I���d ever see one of my books published. Then when I was shown the Kindle and discovered all the self-published authors I decided it was time to take my chance. My favorite subject to write is werewolves. I like my stories bloody, violent, and explicit. My love of books and reading came from my mother. Everything thing she read I was allowed to read. Being an only child my folks involved me in all family decisions so I was much more mature than most children my age. Then the best man in the world married me 22 years ago and we are the proud parents to three dogs. And he encourages my writing even though he���s never read a word of my books.

What book brings you here today?

Poaching the Immortal

And the blurb is?

Welcome to Wolfcreek, where werewolves are both neighbors and law enforcement.

As deputy sheriff, Ted fights to keep his wolf nature in check. But his life has been rough since the horrific events in Vengeance of the Werewolf, and his instincts scream to run, chase and kill. A passionate hunter, he hopes that a trip to Alaska on a full guided hunt will make him feel human again. But what will happen when he encounters the truth of what they are really hunting?

Extreme violence and gore. Not intended for younger readers.

If there was a film or TV adaptation of your book, who would you like to see play your characters?

I love this question! Here goes: Crystal Applegate: Julie Bowen, Ted Applegate (main character): Matt Damon, Aaron Malster: Viggo Mortison, Andis: Demi Moore, Dave Sandler: David Morrissey, Deacon Eyberg: Burt Reyonlds, Donavon Barrick: Robert Duval, Kit Berzuini: Matt Leblanc, Miles Bobro: John Travolta, Ryann Miccoli: Ryan Gosling.

I choose the actors when I’m writing so I have a face and I base the actor chosen by roles I’ve seen them play and whether I liked the character they are playing. The only actors I choose above that I truly don’t like are Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds. The characters they play in Poaching the Immortal are despicable. MT: Wow, you really put a lot of thought into this. There’s a lot of impressive names on that list.

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?

Honestly I’m not sure what the point of these are. I’ve seen a few and they are great. A lot of the authors I’ve interviewed have trailers. I have no plans currently to create one for any of my books.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I���d like to see me sitting at a table signing books. Perhaps surrounded by my 50+ works (LOL)

Have you always liked to write?

I have. I’ve written stories since childhood. Although my stories weren’t children���s tales. I always wrote in the R rated category.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Don’t let anyone put your work down or down play it. Don’t let it hurt when someone close to you thinks and says your work is not serious. And don’t think you can edit yourself. Save some cash and hire an editor before you even think about releasing your book.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

Yup, I read them. But never ever respond to a review NEVER! The reviewer has their opinion and they aren’t always going to be nice. Just read the review and smile to yourself, maybe call the reviewer a few names to your laptop screen and then forget it. Remember NEVER respond to a reviewer whether it be a 5 star or 1 star review.

What is your best marketing tip?

I’ve been using www.Buffer.com for scheduling tweets for Twitter. I still post regular tweets. I like to chat with my followers and I do look at their tweets and share and comment. I do my best to show my followers that yes I’m an author, but I’m a person too. This has been the best approach to creating my ���brand name���. Also since I’ve started my blog I’ve improved my exposure by 100%. And I finally got brave and setup a newsletter email using www.MailChimp.com. Running sales and getting subscribers for my blog posts have made a difference. In the beginning when I was being duped by a vanity publisher, I must have mailed a paperback copy with a letter of my first book to over 100 book stores within a 5 state range of home. Not a one ever responded nor did I ever get any books back so I know they received them. I tried sending out postcards using a mail list purchased from the postal service for specific zip codes and that did nothing. Goodreads and Twitter have been the best avenues for my books.

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

I hate going through it the first time and having to fix my messes.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

I won’t write true anything and I hate politics.

Do you have a favourite conference / convention that you like to attend? What is it?

Not yet. I’ve never attended one yet. But I did purchase a book recently with the info for these so I’m going to find one close to home. Maybe I can make an appearance.

Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others?

No, I’m comfy with just about anything. If anything I get carried away. Gore and sex are my specialities.

What are you working on now?

Vengeance of the Werewolf book 3.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

A reviewer had commented she���d like to know what the story behind Principal Nico Howell and his broken arm was. I left this open in Vengeance of the Werewolf book 1. I did that purposely. So now I���m going to tell the story. A sample of what I have so far is on my blog: https://mercedesfoxbooks.com/book-working-sample/

What���s something you���re really good at that few people know about?

I love to crochet and I can fold origami cranes like nobody’s business.

What’s an interesting fact about your book?

My werewolves all have tails.

Where did your love of books come from?

My mother. She’s a reading fiend.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Stay away from credit cards and pay your quarterly tax payments���don’t ignore them.

What would the main character in your book have to say about you?

Ted (Poaching the Immortal) would say he’s glad he’s on my good side. What I did to Andis what horrific.

re your characters based on real people, are they imaginary or a combination of both?

In Life After: Werewolf Domination, I did see some family and friends as certain characters. In the Vengeance of the Werewolf books, only one, Andis, was based on someone. Remember this line: Never piss off an author, they can kill you on paper over and over.

When you���re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?

The TV is always on. I like to turn on a familiar favourite movie. It provides background noise and makes me comfy.

Who are your favourite authors, and why?

JK Rowling of course, I���m a Harry Potter freak. RW Ridley (The Oz Chronicles), Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games), Jackie Collins (Lucky Santangleo), Jonathan Stroud (Bartimaeus Cycle), JK Brandon (Howl Series), Rayne Hall (Writer���s Craft), Jim Butcher (Dresden Files).

If you���re an indie author, what���s the best thing about being an indie author?

I have all the power and control.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website / Blog | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Poaching the Immortal is out now!

Available formats: ebook (Kindle, Nook) and paperback (CreateSpace).

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Marianne Bradman — Glass Artist

I fell in love with the lampwork bead bookmarks that I’m giving away as part of the Win with Angel’s Messiah competition. I happen to know the glass artist — Marianne Bradman — quite well, as she’s my sister. As far as this uneducated individual is concerned, a bead is a bead, no matter its size or intricate detail. Yet I knew that was most likely not the case, so I asked Marianne to tell me about lampworking. Here’s what she sent me …

What is lampworking?    by Marianne Bradman

Lampworking (or flameworking) is a type of glasswork where the artist uses an extremely hot flame to melt glass and create lampwork beads. Lampworking derived its name from the oil filled lamps used to melt the glass. These days, lampworkers use a gas torch or a dual fuel torch using a combination of gas and oxygen.

Marianne Bradman, at work.

Beads are created on a specially coated steel mandrel. A glass rod is heated over a flame. Once molten, the glass is wound onto the heated mandrel and shaped using gravity and tools. The bead is decorated with other colours of glass or metal inclusions such as silver leaf. When the bead is finished, it’s annealed in the kiln to prevent cracking. The mandrel is then removed and the bead cleaned.

I either sell my beads individually or make them up into jewellery or bookmarks.

In addition to lampwork beads, I also make glass plates and bowls, and dichroic jewellery. As they are handmade, each piece is unique.

You can find out more about Marianne Bradman on facebook or via her website.

If you’re interested in purchasing an item or two, here are some places — online and physical — that you can visit:

Etsy
Stony Creek Gallery, Daylesford
The Gallery Mount Macedon
Little Sister Gallery, Malmsbury
Works of Art, Kyneton.

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Win with Angel’s Messiah

To celebrate the upcoming release of the third book in the ‘Angel Series’ — Angel’s Messiah — I’m having a little giveaway!

Subscribe to my newsletter for a chance to win one of ten prizes.

1 x $30 (USD) Amazon Gift Card

3 x Lampwork Bead Bookmarks

6 x Angel’s Messiah eBooks

Existing subscribers please note that you will be automatically entered into the draw.

Entries close on 01 June 2016 11:59pm AEST. A random-picker website will be used to select the winners, and the winners will be announced on, or before, Friday 10 June 2016 — provided the winners’ eligibility to enter has been verified.

The Terms and Conditions can be found here. Please do take the time to have a read, as some of you may be ineligible to enter. (You are still most welcome to subscribe for news, freebies and updates though.)

You can subscribe to my newsletter via my website. An action bar will appear at the top of the screen a few seconds after you land on my site and there’s a ‘Have a FREE ebook on me!’ form near the bottom of every page. If you’re having trouble with those, you can simply click here, or go to the ‘Email Signup’ form on my Facebook page. Any one of these will get you subscribed and entered, but don’t forget to check your email and confirm your subscription, otherwise you won’t be properly subscribed. As a bonus, once you’ve subscribed you’ll be able to download the ebook version of Angel’s Kiss for free!

Good luck!

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Supanova Melbourne 2016

Jump to Supanova Melbourne 2016 Photos

Supanova Melbourne 2016 — Day One

What a bundle of nerves I was on day one of Supanova!

Firstly there were wardrobe malfunctions. My wig kept wanting to run away and the collar I was wearing, which Hamley Bear kindly lent me, tried to do endless 360s around my neck. When I ventured out among the public my black wings got knocked a fair bit, as they extend beyond the usual width of a mortal being. In the end I simply turned sideways when the traffic was bad in order to protect my wings. No big deal at all. I did knock down a few dragons with my wings at one point though. At least now I know dragons are no match for me and my wings!

Next was the weather. My stand was quite close to one of the large entries and exits. It was a cold day, with a cold breeze and the occasional shower. I was feeling the cold, but I really felt sorry for all those cosplayers who were wearing just enough to cover their modesty. Some of them were turning blue … or was that simply their body paint?

Lastly there was the can of lemonade that was knocked over and just about fried my electrical equipment. My helper Mei was quick off the mark though, and moved the power cords out of the path of the sugary river. Many serviettes sacrificed themselves to stem the flow of the soft drink flood.

Day one was a lot of fun though. There were so many fantastic costumes, lots of friendly people and of course book sales and subscriptions to my website.

Supanova Melbourne 2016 — Day Two

I made a few wardrobe changes for day two. I wore a gorgeous corset I purchased the day before at the Corset Wonderland stand, ditched Hamley Bear’s collar in favour of a silver chain, and virtually nailed the wig to my head. Everything except my lipstick stayed in place. Said lipstick wanted to travel southward of my lower lip!

The large entry / exit that allowed so much of the breeze to assail us on day one was closed for day two, so there was a lot less shivering. I am eternally grateful to the person who made the decision to keep it closed.

I was a little overwhelmed by the whole experience on day one, so didn’t stop any of the cosplayers to ask for a photo. Day two saw me gather the courage to ask if a photo was okay, and of course I used my manners — a please and thank you go a long way!

People also asked to take my photo, which I was quite surprised about, yet happily agreed to. A lovely little girl in a pink princess costume wanted a photo of the lady with the wings, so I crouched down to her level and had a little chat with her before her dad took our photo.

It was great to talk to people who stopped by my stand, even if they weren’t actually interested in my books. As an introvert, I often struggle with socialising, so talking to strangers about their costume, or who they were at Supanova to see, was a good experience for me.

There were more book sales and subscriptions to my website as well, but somehow Team Mel managed to go home with more stuff than we brought! We did our bit to help other exhibitors by parting with our hard earned cash.

———

On both days I wore a pair of Diana Ferrari kitten heels. It’s not often I wear heels of any kind, but these shoes are comfortable enough for all-day wear.

By the way, the small vial around my neck contains angel blood. Those of you who have read the first book — Angel’s Kiss — will know all about angel blood. If you haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, maybe you could buy the book to find out.

Also, I can’t end this article without a special thank you to the other members of Team Mel — Kyle Tomlin and Mei Teo. Kyle is my son, and Mei is a friend of ours, who also happened to design the covers of the first two books in the Angel Series.

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1000 Books Challenge

Otherwise known as, “I must be crazy!”

I’ve been trying to come up with clever and somewhat unique marketing strategies, at least until I have a good following.

Recently on Facebook and Twitter I posted the ‘1000 books challenge’. There’s a photo of me — which is a rarity in itself — holding up a sign saying that if any of my books reaches 1000 sales by the end of 2016, I’ll get a tattoo. (That’s me, in the photo at the top of this post.)

Part of me hopes people will get behind this campaign, buy one of the ebooks — they’re cheap compared to a paperback — share the post and make it go viral. The introvert inside of me hopes no one will pay any attention and I can go on, like many wines, as a cleanskin.

Then I start to think … Is 1000 books too low? What tattoo would I get, and where? Am I crazy?

The answer to the latter question is probably ‘yes’. The second question … I’ll try not to think about it, unless of course I sell 1000 books. The first question … I guess only time will tell, as I watch people either jumping on board, or running away from the crazy lady as fast as possible.

Some of you may have already bought one or both of my books, and I greatly appreciate it if you have. If you’d like to continue supporting a crazy lady, and see me defile my virginal skin — scars notwithstanding — please log onto Facebook and share the post pinned to the top of my page or retweet my pinned tweet on Twitter. Of course, if you haven’t bought the books yet, now would be the ideal time … and priced at the cost of a decent cup of coffee, the ebooks won’t set you back much at all. You can find details of where to purchase Angel’s Kiss here and Angel’s Curse here. (Angel’s Messiah will be coming out in June and Twisted Poems of a Warped Mind — there’s that crazy streak again — in October.)

Naturally I’d need to post a photo of the tattoo, if I did have to fulfil my end of the bargain and get one, but I’m not going to worry about for now. What I really need to worry about is the fact that I probably am crazy!

The only way for me to keep the craziness at bay is to lose myself in my work, so it’s time for me to go now, and lose myself in the fourth instalment of the ‘Angel Series’ — Angel’s Body. It’s the only way I know to keep the craziness at bay!

Maybe next year the 1000 books challenge can be a 10,000 books challenge … but I’m wondering what I’d need to do in return for people’s support. (The mind boggles.)

Anyway, regardless of the outcome, I’ll post an update in a few months time.

#1000bookschallenge

The post 1000 Books Challenge appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

1000 books challenge

Otherwise known as, “I must be crazy!”

I’ve been trying to come up with clever and somewhat rare marketing strategies, at least until I have a good following.

Recently on Facebook and Twitter I posted the ‘1000 books challenge’. There’s a photo of me — which is a rarity in itself — holding up a sign saying that if any of my books reaches 1000 sales by the end of 2016, I’ll get a tattoo. (That’s me, in the photo at the top of this post.)

Part of me hopes people will get behind this campaign, buy one of the ebooks — they’re cheap compared to a paperback — share the post and make it go viral. The introvert inside of me hopes no one will pay any attention and I can go on, like many wines, as a cleanskin.

Then I start to think … Is 1000 books too low? What tattoo would I get, and where? Am I crazy?

The answer to the latter question is probably ‘yes’. The second question … I’ll try not to think about it, unless of course I sell 1000 books. The first question … I guess only time will tell, as I watch people either jumping on board, or running away from the crazy lady as fast as possible.

Some of you may have already bought one or both of my books, and I greatly appreciate it if you have. If you’d like to continue supporting a crazy lady, and see me defile my virginal skin — scars notwithstanding — please log onto Facebook and share the post pinned to the top of my page or retweet my pinned tweet on Twitter. Of course, if you haven’t bought the books yet, now would be the ideal time … and priced at the cost of a decent cup of coffee, the ebooks won’t set you back much at all. You can find details of where to purchase Angel’s Kiss here and Angel’s Curse here. (Angel’s Messiah will be coming out in June and Twisted Poems of a Warped Mind — there’s that crazy streak again — in October.)

Naturally I’d need to post a photo of the tattoo, if I did have to fulfil my end of the bargain and get one, but I’m not going to worry about for now. What I really need to worry about is the fact that I probably am crazy!

The only way for me to keep the craziness at bay is to lose myself in my work, so it’s time for me to go now, and lose myself in the fourth instalment of the ‘Angel Series’ — Angel’s Body. It’s the only way I know to keep the craziness at bay!

Maybe next year the 1000 books challenge can be a 10,000 books challenge … but I’m wondering what I’d need to do in return for people’s support. (The mind boggles.)

Anyway, regardless of the outcome, I’ll post an update in a few months time.

#1000bookschallenge

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Supanova, Here I Come!

Supanova is just around the corner (April 16–17), at the Melbourne Showgrounds. This will be the first ever pop culture event I’ve attended, and it just so happens I’m going there as an exhibitor. That means I’m there for the entire weekend, and hopefully will have a bit of free time to wander around and check out all the celebrities that will be on-site.

Team Mel consists of myself, my son Kyle, and a good friend of ours, Mei Teo, who designed the covers for the first two books in my ‘Angel Series’. You can check out Mei’s blog here and her YouTube channel here. Between the three of us my table will be well manned.

As I’m an introvert, the thought of interacting with people in the real world is somewhat daunting. To overcome that I’m going to get dressed up — cosplay style. That way I can pretend to be a different me, kind of like acting. This different me is confident, sassy, way more fun to be around, and not scared of talking to anyone. At least, that’s what I hope she’s going to be like.

I’ve bought a pull-up banner, business cards and ‘subscribe for a free e-book’ forms and will have autographed copies of my books for sale, at a discounted price — buy both and you get an even bigger discount.

I’m also going to be playing (on loop) the book trailers I’m working on, to try and attract a bit of attention. I have to be careful to ensure they’re suitable for viewers of all ages. If not, I can’t play them. It’s a challenge, but I love a good challenge and am prepared to give it a go.

I’ll post some photos and an update on how the event went as soon as I have a chance.

So, if you’re going to Supanova Melbourne, pop by stand #39 in the Indie Author Zone of The Alley and say hello to Team Mel. I’d be grateful of a kind word and friendly face.

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Supanova, here I come!

Supanova is just around the corner (April 16–17), at the Melbourne Showgrounds. This will be the first ever pop culture event I’ve attended, and it just so happens I’m going there as an exhibitor. That means I’m there for the entire weekend, and hopefully will have a bit of free time to wander around and check out all the celebrities that will be on-site.

Team Mel consists of myself, my son Kyle, and a good friend of ours, Mei Teo, who designed the covers for the first two books in my ‘Angel Series’. You can check out Mei’s blog here and her YouTube channel here. Between the three of us my table will be well manned.

As I’m an introvert, the thought of interacting with people in the real world is somewhat daunting. To overcome that I’m going to get dressed up — cosplay style. That way I can pretend to be a different me, kind of like acting. This different me is confident, sassy, way more fun to be around, and not scared of talking to anyone. At least, that’s what I hope she’s going to be like.

I’ve bought a pull-up banner, business cards and ‘subscribe for a free e-book’ forms and will have autographed copies of my books for sale, at a discounted price — buy both and you get an even bigger discount.

I’m also going to be playing (on loop) the book trailers I’m working on, to try and attract a bit of attention. I have to be careful to ensure they’re suitable for viewers of all ages. If not, I can’t play them. It’s a challenge, but I love a good challenge and am prepared to give it a go.

I’ll post some photos and an update on how the event went as soon as I have a chance.

So, if you’re going to Supanova Melbourne, pop by stand #39 in the Indie Author Zone of The Alley and say hello to Team Mel. I’d be grateful of a kind word and friendly face.

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Constructive Criticism vs Constructive Feedback

If I had to choose one term to discuss that sets my teeth on edge, it would have to be constructive criticism!

Can someone please explain to me what is constructive about criticism? According to oxforddictionaries.com, one definition of:

Constructive is, ‘Having or intended to have a useful or beneficial purpose.’
Criticism is, ‘The expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes.’

When put together, aren’t those two words — constructive criticism — an oxymoron? (Or am I being a moron?) Regardless of my moronic status, nobody likes being criticised, myself included.

When I hear the words ‘constructive criticism’, I automatically think that I’m about to be attacked and need to be on the defensive. However, when I hear the words ‘constructive feedback’, I don’t feel like I’m about to be attacked at all. In fact, I feel that someone is going to help me to better myself in some way.

Constructive feedback can be used as a basis for improvement. For example, someone finds something I’ve written that isn’t right, for whatever reason. I’m only human, so it does happen! They let me know what was wrong and how it could be improved. That’s constructive feedback. That’s what my editor does when she feels there is something I can reword or improve on. If, on the other hand, I was only told me what was wrong — think along the lines of ‘your grammar on page 12 is atrocious’ — and not why it’s wrong or how it could be improved, that’s (un)constructive criticism.

I recently came across an online two-part article that discussed criticism vs. feedback. According to the article, apparently it all started in our childhood, when our parents constantly criticised us. We would have felt uncomfortable and possibly scared, to the point that we would have imagined being abandoned! I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say that, but possibly that’s where my — and many other peoples — dislike of criticism started. Part two of the article discusses negative feedback and how another person’s behaviour may have adversely affected you, and then goes on to point out the distinctions between criticism and feedback. The first three points all had variations of the word ‘negative’ associated with criticism. I think that says it all!

You can read Parts One and Two of Leon F Seltzer’s review on Psychology today’s website:

Criticism vs. Feedback–Which One Wins, Hands-Down? (Part 1)

Criticism vs. Feedback–Which One Wins, Hands-Down? (Part 2)

To sum it up, in ten words or less, feedback is much more agreeable than criticism.

If you’d like to provide some constructive feedback on this issue, please leave a comment. Any constructive criticism that is left will be taken to with a chainsaw, put through a mulcher, and deposited in the bin!

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The Fruit of My Labours

The other day I was silently bemoaning the fact that for so much effort I’ve had so little (financial) reward. Then I thought of the numerous fruit trees in my backyard. It was at least three years before they started to produce a good harvest. Being a ‘successful’ author is much like that. Just as you need to tend and nurture your garden, in order for it to bear fruit, you need to tend and nurture your writing … eventually it should bear fruit. Well, that’s what I’m hoping. I must admit that I am rather impatient and eager for that ‘success’ now, but the fruit tree analogy has put things back into perspective for me. Of course, ‘successful’ is a very subjective term. For me, it means earning a modest income that would enable me to quit my day job, and be no worse off financially than I am now.

So, what am I doing about it?

Working on the next two books in the Angel Series — Angel’s Messiah (book 3) and Angel’s Body (book 4). The more quality work I produce, the likelier it is people will begin to notice me and read my books.

Marketing, marketing, marketing … Facebook ads, Kindle promotions, making my books available for review via NetGalley, multi-author promotions, and other online advertising. I’ve also booked a table in the Indie Author Zone at Supernova Melbourne (April 2016) and have submitted an application for a table at Oz Comic-Con Melbourne (June 2016). The latter will be more difficult to get into, but fingers crossed, my application will be accepted. My third book will be available just in time for Oz Comic-Con, so it would be great if I could be there to promote it.

Trying hard to build up my email subscription list. As well as being the first to receive updates, subscribers receive freebies, and are automatically entered into any giveaways I have, so there are good reasons to subscribe and stay on my list. I’ll try to hold a giveaway for each new book release.

Networking with other authors and readers via Goodreads, KBoards, Facebook and Twitter. Twitter is a real challenge for me. I’m having a hard time ‘getting it’. And of course, I find it hard to keep what I’ve got to say within the 140 characters Twitter imposes. That’s probably the real challenge for me!

Only time will tell if my labouring will bear fruit. Stick around for the journey to find out!

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