E. Rachael Hardcastle's Blog, page 29

Reader Research: #2: What can we learn from our readers? (20-30 yrs, Female)

I asked 6 readers what they shop for on Amazon.com when looking for e-books for their Kindle.Here's what reader number two had to say:BIO: this reader was a female in her 20's, reading mostly fantasy and dark fantasy books. I did not find out any further information about this reader.To begin the interview, I asked what this reader looks for when shopping online. She advised cover design, book description and the author name. 'A good cover helps me to paint a picture in my mind of what the novel could be about. But I don't judge a book by its cover so read the description on the back to get the gist of the story. If it sounds good and intriguing, I add it to my 'to buy/ to read' list.' She continued by saying 'I tend to buy from authors I know about. Purely because I've either read some of their other work before or they've been recommended to me and I enjoyed reading it.'She gave the example of Charlaine Harris as she's seen the television series True Blood and bought the books to follow. She then shopped for the Grave and Aurora Teagarden books. She also mentions Fifty Shades of Grey. 'I only started to read the series as I saw many of my friends on Facebook mentioning it so wanted to see what all the fuss was about.'I then asked her whether she shops mostly for indie or traditionally published books, to which she said 'traditionally (large publishing houses such as Penguin/ Harper Collins etc)'. She said that she has always bought new books from Waterstones and WHSmiths, however since a friend of hers became self-published, she's broadening her reading material and having a look at indie books too.Her genre preference was certainly clear when she said 'I love fantasy and vampires, fae, were-animals, other supernatural beings and everything that comes with them. I think I found myself drawn to this genre after watching True Blood. This was the start of an obsession and serious attachment for the past 7 years. When the series ended I cried a lot. It's the mystery, excitement and thrills that the genre brings that keeps you wanting more.'She later said that after reading True Blood, she immediately pictures vampire characters as Eric Northman because 'who doesn't want a tall, handsome viking vampire in their life?' She also loves fantasy because it gets her away from reality and with such a busy life it's hard to escape the pressures. 'Reading something that's not from our world gives you that escape. You can forget your worries for a while and relax, maybe even imagine yourself as a character.'She continued to enjoy other television series adapted from books such as the Vampire Diaries after True Blood ended. 'The genre has so many twists and turns, although always with one main storyline, there are many plots that link to each other in one way or another and cross from time to time.'Moving away from genre, I asked her if reviews and verified purchases sway her decisions when shopping, to which she replied 'I read the reviews after having a look at the description. If others have liked it and rated 4-5 stars, I consider buying it. Mainly the book description makes more of an impact.' She then went on to say she recommends almost every book she buys if she enjoys it.She advised if she enjoyed reading the book and there are others in the series then she'll like the page on Facebook and follow the author. 'I have this odd book quirk where if I have one book of the series and enjoyed it, I have to buy the entire series'.She loves Charlaine Harris for emotional and entertainment reasons. She thinks they have important lessons and also that plenty of cool stuff happens.I asked the reader if she can tell when a book is self published and she said 'yes, when the editing is poor'. She says, 'In my honest opinion, justtake time on the novel and make sure it's the best it could be. I believe a self-published author can have the same quality of work.'On the topic of bad language, she says it would depend on the genre, but it wouldn't put her off buying or reading a book. She would also be willing to read a free book in exchange for a review. 'I'm an avid reader and maybe my review can help others try a new genre'.She had no further comments to add to this interview.What did I learn from this interview? What can indie writers take from this reader's feedback?As a writer of fantasy this was an interesting interview for me, because I learned an awful lot about the connections young readers make between television adaptations of books and the books themselves. This interview suggested the reader found Charlaine Harris through the television series on HBO. It can be a scary thought for a writer of fantasy when books aren't our readers' first discovery.However, it was comforting to see that she has no issues with indie books having learned about them through a friend. I got the feeling this had opened her eyes to a new world of fiction, which appeared to be more exciting to her than anything else. This gives us hope, particularly when you read her reasons for loving fantasy. Indie writers can be very creative and often offer books in series form, which immediately meets this reader's needs (she even buys the full series if she likes book one!).I still get the impression that reviews and book description are next in line to cover design. I'd again advise that you make your sales page as professional and 'like a traditionally published book' as possible, because although this young reader now has no issues with indie books, she wasn't aware of them prior to her friend's success. This tells me that it's not quite as popular and well known as we assume, but that poor quality is still easily noticable from our writing.My thoughts on having a social media presence were confirmed after hearing she uses it for following authors. She she likes books where cool stuff happens (entertainment value) but also books with an emotional value (lessons to learn). This stresses the importance of reason behind our writing - why are we telling this story and why will our readers care?However, indies might struggle to find a reader like this because she does shop by author name and in major retailer stores too, which would rule out a lot of lesser known names and indie works. Still, she shops to satisfy curiosity. If you could get the book to her and support it with another reader's positive comments, you could easily grab her attention.Again this reader had no problem with bad language/ violence depending on the genre, which tells me there are some genres she may not expect the above content to be in. Perhaps indies need to keep these scenes to a minimum and ensure they are age appropriate and are of course necessary.Finally, this reader said she would review books for free to help others find new books to read, interestingly mentioning nothing about how legitimate they would seem or Amazon's rules. This causes me to ask, are non verified purchases on Amazon really that big of a deal? This young lady seems to think not and that sharing entertaining books is more important than technicalities.I hope this was helpful to you indies out there. There's more where that came from. Re-visit tomorrow for another fantastic reader research interview. Many thanks!

Reader Research #1: What can we learn from our readers? (50+, Female).

I asked 6 readers, both male and female and of various ages, what they shop for on Amazon.com when looking for e-books for their Kindle.Here's what reader number one had to say:BIO: Reader number one was over 50 years of age and female. She mostly reads Sci Fi, Crime and Thrillers. I did not gain any other information about this reader.When browsing online, she looks primarily at cover design, the book's description and any book reviews. 'Covers are the first thing I look at because they draw you in. For me they are the hook. Then I read the brief description to explore further; see if it grabs my interest. I then look at reviews to seal the deal or judge if I am going to buy the book. It doesn't always sway my decision though."As well as the above, she stated she has no preference for traditionally published or indie books. 'The book is more important. I didn't know the difference until I read a post on your site'*.*referring to this blog at www.erachaelhardcastle.com.When asked about her genre preference, she chose Crime, Thrillers and futuristic Science Fiction, explaining, 'that is why Aeon Infinitum's cover draws me in. I have always has an interest in unravelling a plot and predicting the future of a story. Aeon gives me a bit of both.'She also admitted that she didn't know you could leave a review on Amazon if you hadn't purchased a copy of the book and didn't know the difference between 'verified purchases' and non verified purchases. 'I don't check this. It depends on how many reviews the book has and what the person says'.Further to the above, she advised she recommends books only occasionally when it's something special. 'I don't use social media much but I recommend to friends and family by word of mouth. It has to be a genre I know they read or will enjoy and it has to be special. I know limited readers to recommend to but when I do I usually just let them borrow mine or give it to them unless I want to keep it.'She then went on to say that she doesn't have a favourite author. 'I read James Patterson but only because I like the genre and he has a lot available. I wouldn't shop specifically for an author's book, but if I buy one and there are sequels recommended and they look good or follow on, I might buy them. I go by content and not the author's name.'When asked if she can usually identify the self-published books from the listings on Amazon, she said she would look for odd or unusual prices, such as £3.64 and not £3.99. I continued the interview by asking if she has a negative opinion of indies and why some others may do. She said 'I think indie books are generally more expensive because they aren't in supermarket deals. I sometimes buy deals for example, but if I need something specialist or specific that I can't get in a bookshop I can sometimes find an indie book that's a bit more expensive, but I'm willing to pay because it meets my needs.' She finished by saying that she doesn't have any negative views of indies and so far is open-minded.I asked her to further explain if she would review an indie book in exchange for a free copy, and she said 'yes but I'd rather it be left after I've paid for the book. It's more genuine. I'd feel that it's an unbiased opinion then, but if they give me the book free I might feel obligated to leave good feedback'.Bad language doesn't particularly bother her either and if it did, she wouldn't choose the genres above.This reader had no other comments but to advise me she had purchased my books in paperback.What did I learn from this interview? What can indie writers take from this reader's feedback?From this reader's interview I learned that having several books available on Amazon can be beneficial, particularly if they are part of a series with appealing front covers, a gripping description and standard pricing (to the nearest pound or dollar).I think it's important to note that this reader didn't realise there was a difference between indie and traditionally published books to begin with, so this was never an issue when shopping online. This told me to make my book as professional looking as possible so those who are aware of the difference never feel the need to check.I also learned that this reader thinks indie books may actually be beneficial, filling holes in the online marketplace. A specialist non-fiction book may be priced a bit higher by an indie author, but it would seem that some readers would be willing to pay this if it helped solved their problem.Whilst she agreed reviewing books for free isn't overly frowned upon by readers, it was clear she agreed that paying for the book and reviewing it removed any speculation of false/ swayed comments.However, she admitted to sharing purchased books with others if she enjoyed them. This only affects an author's royalties and not their platforms. We still gain a new reader even if they haven't paid for the book, but it may still be something to consider.What can we do to get customers recommending to other customers rather than sharing already purchased books. This is in relation to paperbacks, not Kindle copies.Finally, I learned that this reader has no issue with books containing bad language or violence, particularly in genres she is used to seeing this in. It may still give us cause to consider dialing down violence and bad language in genres not so used to such scenes.I hope this has offered some insight. This is the first of six to come, and they will hopefully be released daily so check back tomorrow for another interesting and informative reader interview. Many thanks!

The Author Interviews, Round 2, #4: Assaph Mehr

I'm thrilled to haveAssaph Mehron my journal for the second time this year. He's the author of Murder In Absentia, and dropped by to give me some more info about his writing and reading habits.Where do you get your ideas from?Everywhere! While the particular mystery of Murder In Absentia has been brewing in mind for a while, I’ve gotten ideas from: research, reading random stuff, twitter conversations, music videos… They end up as either short stories, or notes for a future full length novel. Ideas are never the problem.Why do you write?Because I enjoy reading. I adore historical detectives, and I love fantasy. I wanted to write the perfect story for me – a blending of an historical fantasy hardboiled detective. Once I started, I found that I just enjoy it so much, that I don’t want to stop. The ideas keep flowing, and it’s great to explore all those stories.What do you find most appealing about your chosen genre?My genre is historical fantasy – the blending of real historical situations with fantastical elements. I like the speculative aspects of it – how the twist of fantasy will change history. There is a lot of research into my chosen time period (ancient Rome) which I adore, as well as fantasy world-building which is a great exercise in imagination.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I ignore all feedback. Seriously. Not a single publisher nor any book reviewer has yet cracked the secret of literary success, despite what they like to pretend. I simply ignore them all. It's just their own preference and tastes.When you have about twenty separate reviews, then you can read them and see if there are any common themes that you feel you should address. Then, and only then, you should really consider doing something about it.What do you find difficult about writing?Finding the time! I’ve written my first full novel in four months. But since then we’ve been joined by a baby boy, moved houses, and my work has ramped up. So after all my worldly duties are done, I don’t have a lot of time to write. I therefore write whenever I can – on train rides to work, on lunchbreaks and late at night.Do you ever outsource your work?I’ve always maintained that you should play for your strengths but pay for everything else. There are some things I can do myself (book layout and marketing material, for example), but the two most important things that should be done by other professionals are editing and cover design.What is your opinion on indie vs traditional publishing?I care less about the publisher than about the writer. Traditional publishers are no longer the gateway to literary quality (Snookie’s memoirs from Jersey Shore come to mind), but indie publishing has some dodgy deals too. I just read the first chapter of the book, which will tell me if I’m going to like it or not.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.Get an idea. Note it down. Sit and write it (this is the part that takes a lot perseverance). Get distracted by research, but go back to writing. Try not to get distracted online (not proud of my success rate here). Keep on writing till it’s done. Let it simmer for a bit, then go back and edit. Repeat. Then involve beta readers and critics I trust. If it’s a short I’d then publish it on my blog. If it’s a novel it will go at that point to a professional editor and cover design.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Write! Just keep writing. Write as much as you can, as often as you can – be it a lot or only in limited spare time. But write! Nothing else matters quite as much. After you’ve completed something, give it breathing space, then edit, then publish. But you can’t get there if you don’t write.If you could go back in time 12 months, what would you advise yourself?I was a bit quick to publish the first novel. Learned my lesson, and will do it better the next time. Nothing was a major mistake that I couldn’t fix, nor was anything crippling me from finishing my work.I also had an insight into Assaph's reading habits.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Great books definitely, but there are plenty of good books that are read, enjoyed and moved on from. A good book will be one that you enjoy. A great book will be one that gives you a “book hangover”, where you can’t get your head out of.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Highlight those you would consider. Are any of the below more important to you than others?Cover / Title / Author / Price / Description / Publisher / Sample Chapter / ReviewsGenre and recommendations. I know what I like to read, and already have a to-read list longer than my life expectancy. So I try to focus on books I feel I will enjoy more (depending on mood). If a book disappoints me, I quietly move on to the next one.Who is your favourite author and why?So many! On the historical detectives side: Steven Saylor, Ruth Downie and Boris Akunin. On fantasy, probably Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. In terms of classic all-time favourites, I’d say Roger Zelazny, Barry Hughart and Ursula K. Le Guin.Do you shop for indie books online? If not, why?I certainly do.What would it take for you to leave a review on Amazon/ Goodreads?Having enjoyed the book. I’m of the opinion that if you don’t have anything nice to say, it’s better to keep silent. That said, in my reviews I try to cover what a reader should expect from the book. This is, after all, the purpose of the review.After downloading book one for free/ 99p or 99c on Amazon, do you ever return and pay more for book two? If not, why?If I liked the first one, I would keep on reading the series or the author. If it was mediocre, I might not.Do you ever visit an author's website and if so, why?Sometimes, to check out what else they have written, or any particular news and events they have.What would it take for you to sign up to a mailing list?REALLY liking the author. I follow author news, and my reading pace is not that quick. I’ll only sign up – and stay signed up – if the mailing list gives me value beyond mere repeated spam.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Occasionally. I normally buy a book outright when I want to read it. If there’s a giveaway for a book I know I intend to read, I will sign up. I have a few cherished signed copies of special books from special authors.What would it take for you to recommend a book to a friend?Having enjoyed the book, and believing that it would match my friend’s tastes.Thanks for this second interview, Assaph. If anyone would like to check out the first interview, pleaseclick here. Of course, please visit the author's website to offer further support.

The Author Interviews, Round 2, #3: Morgan Smith

For my third interview in round two of the Author Interviews, I spoke withMorgan Smith, author of Casting In Stone (A Novel of the Averraine Cycle, Book One). It's a fascinating, insightful read.Where do you get your ideas from?I am never quite sure…I start thinking about a character, and then I put them into a situation, and things just sort of…happen.Why do you write?To get that character out of my head.What do you find most appealing about your chosen genre?I love fantasy for two reasons: one is that fantasy gives you a lot of scope for untenable situations where the character has to find ways of overcoming obstacles that seem insurmountable. The other thing is that I get to use a lifetime’s worth of studying medieval history and archaeology to create a new/ old world.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?I am more critical of my work that any reader has ever been. I look on negative critique as an opportunity to grow as a writer.What do you find difficult about writing?Overcoming procrastination and Facebook.Do you ever outsource your work?Just the editing and the covers.What is your opinion on indie vs traditional publishing?I am, I admit, a wee bit of a control freak, so I lean towards indie…but I’m not opposed to traditional systems.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.Well, first I get a character going in my head. I don’t write anything down, not yet. I just let them live there: imagining what kind of person they are and what has made them that way. This can take months – years, even.Then I start thinking about what situations would make them crazy, make them take wrong turns or bad decisions, make them hurt or frightened. From there, it’s a matter of deciding on a beginning, a middle, and an ending. At this point, I do make some notes.Then I just start at that beginning and write to the middle. There’s a point there, where I kind of take stock, and re-organize (the ending might need tweaking, or even big changes, because things develop that you don’t expect before that) and write from there to the end.And then I rewrite everything, top to bottom.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Read. Read everything. Read outside your comfort zone, read outside your genre. The book that taught me the most about structuring a novel was “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, because it is just perfect, in terms of how the book functions as a novel. It’s bloody incredible.If you could go back in time 12 months, what would you advise yourself?Spend a little more on advertising before the first book came out.I was also lucky enough to ask Morgan about some reading habits.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Oh, yes. I totally agree with that.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Highlight those you would consider. Are any of the below more important to you than others?I look for a blurb that doesn’t sound as if the author was rewriting their favourite author’s last novel. I don’t want to read someone’s pale imitation of Jim Butcher, or a self-conscious faux-Edgar Allen Poe. Write in your own voice, use your own ideas, create your own world.The cover is important – if you have an amateurish cover, I assume you wrote an amateurish book. The other thing is the sample chapters: If I don’t like the writing style, I won’t buy. The third thing is the reviews: I don’t have problems with a few negative reviews (not everyone likes everything) but if everyone gives you low marks, there’s probably a reason for that.And price? Well, I won’t download a free book. If you don’t think your work is worth something, why should I?Who is your favourite author and why?I think right now, I am torn between Guy Gavriel Kay and Ursula Leguin…when I am not fangirling over Neil Gaiman…Do you shop for indie books online? If not, why?I do, especially if I know the author.What would it take for you to leave a review on Amazon/ Goodreads?For indies, the book has to be at least somewhat good – if I really think it’s awful, I won’t review it. I do write the author with my concerns. But for trad books, I will, because if a big-name publisher didn’t properly edit the work, or chose a really tired concept and plot and still killed trees for it, I think they should know that they fell down on their job. If they want to be gatekeepers, then they need to have high standards.And since I also edit professionally, I feel qualified to point out that a derivative work with no real merits really brings the trads into disrepute.After downloading book one for free/ 99p or 99c on Amazon, do you ever return and pay more for book two? If not, why?No. Never. If I buy it, then that’s that. I think too many people treat shopping as lending, and I think it is dishonest.Do you ever visit an author's website and if so, why?I don’t, very often. Because I don’t have endless time. There’s only so much I can fit into a day.What would it take for you to sign up to a mailing list?A writer I really admire, who doesn’t just use the newsletter to make me buy things. That’s all. I don’t need 47 daily reminders: if a book sounds interesting, I can go and look and read the sample and decide for myself. I’m not buying things from anywhere just because you sound needy.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?I do use free downloads for giveaways for online events, and I give them to people who I know are struggling financially and can use a little distraction or “pick-me-up”. (It’s a way to be nice!)What would it take for you to recommend a book to a friend?Good, solid prose, properly edited, with engaging characters and a reasonably well-thought-out plot.I'd like to thank Morgan for this interview and we wish you all the best with your work. Please support this author if you can by sharing or visiting their website/s to purchase a book.

The Author Interviews, Round 2, #2: Joel R. Dennstedt

*cover image from author*Round Two of the Author Interviews continues with another fascinating interview withJoel R. Dennstedt, author of the Guanjo (2015).Where do you get your ideas from?They tend to just sprout up. However, I can write a poem, a story, or even a novel from one photograph alone, and I usually do. My SF Novel Guanjo came from a photograph of a longhouse atop one tree in the Amazonian rain forest. The Church of the Blue-Eyed Prophets, a literary novel, came from a lucid dream. Orange Cappuccino came from real life. And Hermit was just a daydream.Why do you write?Among the normal writer reasons, writing is the area of life I feel most able to challenge myself with some hope of succeeding, and the challenge seems limitless. Also, my lifetime passion for books makes me want to have mine out there with the others.What do you find most appealing about your chosen genre?I do not have a chosen genre. Against the advice of most professionals, I have chosen to explore several genres, including: science fiction, horror fiction, literary fiction, and poetry. And I have no regrets about that.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?Not particularly well. I finally dealt with rejection by self-publishing. Since then, I have not received bad reviews or particularly harsh criticism. That is not to say my writings may not deserve some; only that my books need more exposure.What do you find difficult about writing?Patience is extremely hard to nurture. I find it very difficult to take the necessary amount of time to make my writing polished. I do it now … even to a fault … especially while writing the first draft, which again goes against all advice by the professionals. Fortunately, the more I write, the stronger my patience grows.Do you ever outsource your work?No. That is something that would destroy my whole reason for creating. I believe in individual creativity … at least, that is the only thing that gives me true satisfaction.What is your opinion on indie vs traditional publishing?My opinion has transformed these past 5 years. I still think traditional, mainstream publishing offers the best chance for producing a highly polished result. And yet, there seems to be a consensus in mainstream editing that you must not use passive sentences, long sentences, adverbs, or anything that might stink of classical literature requiring a long attention span. Therefore, I love the individual styles I come across in Indie writing, and that is why I have a Facebook Page (Independent Book Reviews) where I share my professional reviews (Readers’ Favorite) of Indie books. Having now read a few truly outstanding works by Indie writers, that is where I stake my claim. I no longer submit my work to traditional publishers.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.First I taste my ideas until I realize I cannot let one alone … like working a sore tooth … and then I just begin. I am not a heavy plotter. For me, I find writing a story to be like Michelangelo’s description of sculpting: the end is embedded in the beginning; you just have to remove the excess. And I write very slowly, sometimes a paragraph a day is an accomplishment. I do not take up the writing again until I know clearly what happens next, even though surprises still pop up regularly during the process. Mostly, I edit, edit, edit, edit ….. to infinity and beyond. Sometimes I hate the amount of time I spend deciding whether to use an and or a but or an if, or whether to use a comma or a semi-colon, or to use a the instead of an an …. And so on, and so on. No, I can’t just let it be. Something the reader may gloss over in a heartbeat, I spend multiple long moments pondering. Sigh.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?I do not give advice any more. Not at all. Every single piece of advice has its counterargument. What I give instead is encouragement. Just that.If you could go back in time 12 months, what would you advise yourself?Not to be facetious, but just the same as above: I would only give myself encouragement.I was also lucky enough to hear about this author's reading habits.Would you agree a good book must withstand more than one read?Well, yes. But the number of books I have read more than once could be counted on one hand. The good ones SHOULD withstand more than one read, but it ain’t necessary to do so.What do you look for when shopping on Amazon for a Kindle book? Highlight those you would consider. Are any of the below more important to you than others?Cover / Title / Author/ Price /Description/ Publisher /Sample Chapter/ ReviewsWho is your favourite author and why?Barry Unsworth – he is the most literate writer I have ever read, and I aspire to his quality.Do you shop for indie books online? If not, why?Sure. But most of them I read for my reviewer’s job with Readers’ Favorite. So I get to read them FREE!What would it take for you to leave a review on Amazon/ Goodreads?These days, just reading the book will do it. Especially if it’s an Indie read. I don’t often review the mainstream books I read. Odd, I guess. I just don’t feel the need.After downloading book one for free/ 99p or 99c on Amazon, do you ever return and pay more for book two? If not, why?Sure I do. I rarely consider the price when downloading a book.Do you ever visit an author's website and if so, why?Yes, both to learn more about them and to compare quality of sites with mine. Honestly, I am rarely impressed. We poor Indie writers pretty much do it all ourselves, and graphics and marketing are not usually a big part of our skill set.What would it take for you to sign up to a mailing list?An ongoing interest in the person’s activities.Do you ever enter giveaways and/ or order signed copies?Not anymore. I offer Giveaways every month as part of my Newsletter, and I cannot afford to purchase print books, both because I am traveling the world non-stop and because of the price. I am just a poor boy, though my story’s seldom told.What would it take for you to recommend a book to a friend?I do so every day of the year on my Facebook page, my Independent Book Reviews page, my personal messages, wherever and whenever someone will choose to listen.It was great to hear about Joel's writing and reading habits. Please show your support by joining the author on social media or purchasing a book from their collection.Thanks for the interview, Joel! Good luck with your work.

The Author Interviews - Round 2, #1: J.S. Frankel

I'm thrilled to announce the first of the Author Interviews for round two of the series!Today's writer isJ. S. Frankel, author ofReunion, Catnip 5 (see cover below). This novel is already available onAmazon.*image from Amazon.com*Where do you get your ideas from?From everywhere, really. YouTube, newspapers, social sites and my own warped imagination. I listen to what people say and think and then come up with an idea.Why do you write?It’s a compulsion, really. I can’t NOT write. I have something to say and writing is a great way to express myself.What do you find most appealing about your chosen genre?I love YA Fantasy, as it is something fresh and new to me, with endless possibilities. Rules are made to be broken, and YA often destroys those rules and remakes them in a better manner.How do you deal with bad reviews, rejection and criticism?It happens. I’ve gotten a few stinky reviews. It hurts, but if the criticism is valid, I use it to improve and move on. Same deal with rejection. Not everyone is going to like what you write or want it and that’s fine. Deal, think about why your work was rejected, make changes, and move on.What do you find difficult about writing?Finding enough time to do it. And I despise editing, but it is necessary.Do you ever outsource your work?No, I don’t. Once I submit the work, if it’s accepted, I work with my editor, but I never outsource it to an editing service.What is your opinion on indie vs traditional publishing?There is room for both. Indie gives you more freedom, while traditional publishing usually offers better editing help, covers, and a bit more promotion. Self-pubbing has a bad rep as a lot of novels have come out that are utter garbage, far more than traditional publishing, but in time, the best will rise to the top—hopefully.Talk us through your creative process from start to finish.For me, it’s very simple. Once I have my idea, I do a basic outline for each chapter, try to end each chapter on a mini cliff-hanger, ask myself “What happens next?” and take it from there. Then, once the first draft is finished, I edit, rewrite, edit again. That takes me roughly three weeks. Second and third rewrites take another month or so.What advice would you give to aspiring writers?Don’t give up! I know it’s a cliché, but many newbies give up before they start. Don’t listen to well-intentioned advice, and don’t pay attention to the rules they should follow in writing. Keep an open mind. You’ve got a vision…great! Write it, but always pay attention to the basics and don’t be afraid to ask for advice from someone who’s been there.If you could go back in time 12 months, what would you advise yourself?Edit more, rewrite a few sections in novels I have done…edit again.***Please support this author if you can by downloading a copy of the book, joining them on social media or sharing this interview. J. S. Frankel, thank you for taking the time to be interviewed and share your knowledge with other aspiring writers. We wish you all the best with your book/s.Want to be interviewed? Visit my journal for a downloadable form.

An Invitation

Hi All,I'm now accepting author interviews again!This is free. You fill in a questionnaire and return it and I'll schedule it to go live on my author's journal. It will stay there so you can share as many times as you like. I want to help other indies promote their work :)Rather than the chaos of finding you all like before, I've added a form to my website. Please click the crystal ball (my journal)- click the Word Doc at the top of the page for full application form access.I can't guarantee I will be able to fit everyone in. It would be great to exchange interviews or to gain some book reviews and testimonials in return but there is no obligation.Thanks so much everyone. Happy writing!E. Rachael Hardcastle

Finding Pandora: Infinity

It's finally here...The third installment of the Finding Pandora high fantasy series hit the digital shelves this morning in paperback and Kindle formats. During the first few days of the book's release, each format will likely show on a separate Amazon sales page rather than one, with two options. These will be merged together when Amazon update their site.For quick links to Amazon.co.uk, please use the below to download/ purchase your copy of my latest release!*note: I am currently querying the back cover of Infinity (paperback). It seems Amazon have done what they did with Aeon again and are displaying the wrong colour on the back, where the triquetra symbol is. I have no idea why this is - be assured the cover I uploaded is fine (see below). I am awaiting their help and advice on this but I am confident due to past experience that it should not affect the print versions. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Updated To Death

This week I realised that by the end of September 2016, I'll be the author of 5 books instead of 3 - that's books available on Amazon and not those in the queue for re-write/ release.On 11/09/2016,Finding Pandora: World (book one) will be FREE to download on Amazon Kindle all day. That's because...On 12/09/2016,Finding Pandora: Infinity (book three) will finally be released on Amazon Kindle and in paperback, leaving the rest of this year for me to work on Finding Pandora: Eternity (book four) and the prequel to my August 2016 bestseller, Aeon Infinitum: Run For Your Life.On 25/09/2016,I will also be re-releasing a romantic short story of mine from 2010, Forgotten Faith, but this will be available on Amazon Kindle only. This is to celebrate my birthday!It's because of the above releases that I've had to make some more changes to my website, removing book-specific pages and my 'about the author' page, as well as the contacts box. The website had so much content it was beginning to look cluttered and was growing increasingly difficult to navigate.So here are my changes and how you can find your way around erachaelhardcastle.com.Change No.1: by clicking on my name from the home page, you can read and/ or download my mission statement as a PDF document for free. This tells you who I am and what I'm all about.Change No.2: by clicking 'read my ramblings' note at the top and/ or the rose you can find my Author's Journal and blog. Keep up to date with news and writing tips by subscribing to my blog or my email list.Change No.3: to contact me, visit my blog and click on the new envelope at the top of the page. You can then send me an email.Change No.4: to learn about a book and to purchase it, you can now click the cover from the home page to read more, then click a link to check out the book on Amazon. The links are for US Customers, but if you're shopping from the UK you can use the flag in the bottom left hand corner to shop on your local Amazon. The books are also available in other territories, but there are too many to link!Change No. 5: to subscribe to my mailing list via email (newsletter, freebies and up to 3 emails per month) you can now do this via my journal at the top of the page.I hope this helps make sense of why I have had to make changes and I hope you are as excited as I am for the release of two books this month! Woohoo!Have a fantastic evening.E. Rachael Hardcastle

Dear Aspiring Authors/ Thank You

Dear Aspiring Writers:I'm here to tell you that even without a literary agent, publisher or professional editor, with hard work and dedication you CAN be a bestselling author. You alone can make it and be successful.So I may not be a multi-millionnaire or the next J K Rowling. I may not write full time or sign books for people in the street. No, my books can't be found in Waterstones and people don't know my name.I have days where I ask myself what the point is and if the above will ever be true...But this weekend is proof that I don't need all that to be 'successful'. Across three days just like any other, I set Aeon Infinitum to run on Amazon for free, expecting perhaps a maximum of 100 downloads in total. Well, 500 downloads later I am in awe.Aeon Infinitum: Run For Your Life was written in 30 days last year. I wrote, edited, published and designed the cover myself, with no external help at all other than BETA readers, and no qualifications in writing or editing. I'm now an Amazon Bestseller at #5 in the US and #8 in the UK - Alien Invasion (Sci-Fi).Believe in yourself. Believe in your writing. You CAN do this. All you need is a small idea. Mould it, love it and find the motivation to keep writing and studying your craft even when others put you down.Being an Author is THE best job in the world. Thank you to everyone who made those 500 downloads possible. I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.E.x