Tim Flanagan's Blog, page 23

Author Interview – Carol Bond

Within the Indie Author Hub, you can learn about other authors, their thoughts and opinions, what makes them tick and how their writing process works for them.

This week I interviewed fellow fantasy author, Carol Bond. Have a look at her profile and books here.

What inspired you to become an author? My inspiration to become a writer was not intentional and if I were to believe in fate, then I would have to say, that publishing my book was a foregone conclusion in my life. Ill health left little room to connect with other children, growing up on the sports field was not an option. I turned to a completely different kind of creativity. It began with a good book and has ultimately led me to where I am today. A lover of words, committed to writing and the genre – Fantasy. I loved and still have all Enid Blyton books. I read them to my children and my granddaughter, who will be born in 4 weeks will also, have these stories read to her.

If you couldn’t be an author, what would you be? My creative mind could never be stifled, this I know. Colour, fabric and design would call to me if I could not write. Working in an area that would allow me to explore this, perhaps fashion or interior design would appease another part of me.

Do you write full time? No, I do not write full time and mores the pity. If I had my way and won lotto for instance, then I would find a place that would fill my heart with a calm and dedicate myself to the passion inside. I work part-time as a Field Merchandiser for Sony, Universal Pictures/Home Entertainment. Running a territory, as I visit Mass Stores in servicing DVD’s on behalf of the company. For the past 9 years, this particular industry, has given me the opportunity to gain an understanding of human nature on many levels. I have learnt beyond a doubt that as human beings we are first and foremost, visual creatures.

How do you fit writing into your routine? I write when I can. Like all things with me, I prioritize. Work, home and writing has a place in my life, and balance is the key. Quite often on my days off, I will write or divide the time into sections of the day, where I spend a little of it on my other projects.

Where do you write? I like to write in the middle of the house. It has nothing to do with light or a sense of harmony. It is just that I find this place such a comfort. My animals gather around me and I still feel that I am a part of the family’s comings and goings, as they bustle about their business. I actually gain inspiration in this fashion. Every now and then, I ask questions or share an idea with some passerby. It is an interaction that I love and it does, in a small way include them in my world.

Do you have daily word targets? I have read and heard many writers speak about this question. For some reason I do not agree with the consensus of the majority, that daily word targets must be hit. For me, writing is a creative process that cannot be dictated to. I feel that quality is more important that daily word targets. Sitting down and hitting out words to reach an end is all well and good, but if they are not the right words, then what is the point.

Before writing, do you plan your books to the last detail? I do not have any problems coming up with ideas and have realized, much to my delight that I am a Panster. I find that I can begin with a character or two and from there everything unfolds. Perhaps it is the way my mind just works. I do plan a little, when you are working with 4 or 5 separate story threads, weaving them together a framework is necessary to keep it all on track. But, I do not plan to the last detail. Where would the fun be if I did that?

How do you decide on your characters and what they will be like? I have recently begun to relish in character development. I would truly like to specialize in this area. Human nature is so fascinating. Characters come to me in all shapes and forms, they announce themselves in very clear voices, and I can for most of the time, see and hear them. I have to be careful not to have an over abundance of characters when I am putting together a story.

How do you promote yourself online? Before I released The Unseen Promise, I had thoughts of building awareness of myself and the book that I was writing. For someone, who knew nothing of social marketing or promotions, it was a daunting prospect. I began with a Facebook page and a Twitter account, Goodreads and Booksie profiles. I began to network, making friends and connections along the way. I listened and asked questions, believing that from the experience of published writers I would learn the ropes. I have a philosophy that I try to live by, Learn from other peoples mistakes. With this in mind, I learnt to build a website and a blog page. I conduct interviews in several different forms and am constantly doing my best to improve the flow of traffic to my sites, where my book is advertised.

How do you target you audience effectively? It is very important for me to maintain a healthy and trustworthy relationship with each connection I make online. How do you build up that trust? I listen and connect with those that like to, a one to one basis. This helps develop trust and as well as a friendship. It is essential to share and I believe without a doubt that a win for someone else is a success for me. I am proactive in the belief that sales should be sought out close to home.

What’s been your most effective way of promoting yourself? Promoting myself has been connecting with others like mind. It has been an interesting journey, one I am still enjoying. I have in this way, followed many a lead, some a learning curve, while others have been a successful win. I try to be a realist about my experiences and life as a budding author. It is not easy by any means and it can be all consuming if you allow yourself to be swayed by the impressionable dream of selling countless books. It is after all, what our hearts of hearts pine for. I feel that exposure is worth my weight in gold and this is what I am aiming for.

What offline promotion do you take part in? I still believe that the personal touch has a big part to play in offline promotion. I have begun by approaching bookstores, with exposure first and foremost in mind. Sales I hope will follow from what I plan to do. Placing my books in stores on commission, true the profit margin is slim but at least my work will have a chance to been seen in a public arena.

How do you keep yourself motivated? I motivate myself by falling in love with the story I am telling. It is very simple for me. My imagination is alive and in full swing.

Thank you for being part of this interview.

Paranormal Romance Event – Take a BITE Competition

In conjunction with the Paranormal Romance Kindle Book Event next weekend, there will be an incredible competition with 20 amazing prizes!

Take a look at the infograph on this page to see what you could win.

The competition will be in the form of a Rafflecopter. If you are unfamiliar with these types of competitions – don’t worry, they are very simple and give you numerous entries to win one or more of the prizes.

Entries are achieved by the following actions:

Earn 1 Entry for every Facebook Author Page you like.
Earn 1 Entry for every Twitter Author Page you follow.
Earn 5 Entries if you tweet about the event.

There are 9 authors who have donated to the competition, so you could earn a potential total of 23 entries in this competition!!!

The competition goes live at the start of the event and finishes when the event ends, so make sure you visit the Events page next weekend!

As if the competition isn’t enough – you can also buy any of the kindle ebooks that are participating in the event at the bargain price of just 99c or 75p. After the event they will revert back to their original prices. Take this opportunity to fill up your kindle with some new authors that you might not have tried before. All of the authors taking part write in the Paranormal Romance genre.

See you there!

Sci Fi Fantasy Event – This Weekend!

In case you hadn’t heard, this weekend I will be hosting the Sci Fi Fantasy Kindle Event on my website, where 36 authors in this genre have agreed to drop the price of their ebooks to just 99c / 75p!

Come and have a look and see what is on offer. There is a variety of books available from some great authors, some of which you might not have tried before, but for 99c – what have you got to loose!!! Give a different author a try. Once the event has ended, the ebooks will revert back to their original price, so you only have a limited time to make the most of the event.

There is also a competition running alongside the event with 44 great prizes available, including Amazon Vouchers, signed paperbacks and loads of ebooks. It’s FREE to enter.

If Sci Fi Fantasy is not your thing, come back next week for the Paranormal Romance Event, same thing different genre!

Writing Competition Book Published

If you are to believe everything you hear in the news these days, you will know that children aren’t reading or writing anymore. Well, I don’t believe that’s true. They are writing some highly imaginative and creative stories, which is exactly what I found out when I visited Hawkinge Primary School in May 2013. I was there to talk to the year 6 students about writing and as part of the presentation, I suggested we run a competition where the winners would get the chance to become a ‘published’ author.

Several weeks later, as I read the entries, I was genuinely impressed by the variety and quality of the work, showing individual style and character to their voices.

The overall winner of this competition was Bethany Curtis-Christie. If you happen to read any books on creative writing, one thing they always say is to start your story with a bang. This is exactly how Bethany’s begins, with the Bang! of a gun. Her story follows the subsequent murder investigation. Despite being confined to the length of a short story, Bethany makes small and suggestive remarks about her characters as well as minor details about their surroundings and past, making you want to know more. I, for one, want to read the sequel!

I decided to include a second story in this book by another student – Charlotte Barnes. Again, here is another story that grabs you at the beginning in a surprising way. Charlotte’s story, The Spirits of Elwood, is intriguing and shocking. Charlotte’s imagination is vivid and intense, resulting in a unique and chilling tale.

I hope you enjoy reading these two stories. I’m proud to have been involved with the school on this project and hope that it has inspired the children to write. Given the chance, they have a unique view of the world as well as an untamed imagination that translates beautifully to books.

I hope Bethany and Charlotte continue to write and look forward to seeing their books in the future best-seller lists!

If you would like to see some of their work, search ‘Hawkinge Primary School’ in Amazon, or click the following links for paperback and kindle.

Author Interview – Kat Yares : Part 2

Within the Indie Author Hub, you can learn about other authors, their thoughts and opinions, what makes them tick and how their writing process works for them.

All this week I will be releasing segments of an interview I conducted with fellow fantasy author, Kat Yares. Have a look at her profile and books here.

Part 2 : Kat’s thoughts on the publishing world

How did you publish yourself? When I first started out, my short stories were always published traditionally either by print magazine or later online webzines. The four books I have out are published by myself and are available anywhere print and eBooks are sold. I decided to publish independently because of the ease of it, the money issue and the want (need) to be in control all influenced my decision.  I have long held the idea of why pay others for something you can do yourself. With distributors now, like CreateSpace, KDP, Smashwords, etc), needing a publisher that took the major share of the profits no longer seemed like a good idea.

Do you think Indie Authors are looked down on by their traditionally published colleagues? I think it is still very prevalent, both from those already traditionally published and those that want to be with one of the big houses. I read comments daily from TP authors who say they would never lower themselves to self-publishing. I also know a good many that are working the hybrid model and others that have turned their backs on traditional publishing all together.

What do you think the future of publishing will be? I don’t think print books are going to go away.  Although I love my Kindle, I still love to pick up and read a book on paper, whether that be hardback or paperback. My personal library will attest to that – with over 5,000 books and at least a couple added to that number every month.

Is there a place for the traditional publisher anymore? I don’t think they are going away either. Too many author egos need to be fed by getting past the gatekeepers of traditional big house publishers. I do think traditional publishers are going to have to change the way they do business to stay alive in this ever changing marketplace though.

Is it necessary for Authors to have an agent these days? If an author wants to get into the big houses, then yes, an agent will be a necessary evil. I do not believe they are needed for the Indie author at all. Those agents that are now assisting in self-publishing are, in my own humble opinion, only there to garner their 15 percent of the sales for the authors they represent.

What would you do if an agent asked to work with you? I would, most likely, politely decline.

What could an agent bring to the pot that could help you as an author? These days, I really don’t think an agent brings much of anything to the table for Indie author. While agents do try to get the author a traditional publishing deal, the 10 – 15 percent of what the author receives leaves less money in the writer’s pockets. And since traditional publishing is expecting as much out of their writers, i.e., marketing, promotion, etc., I just do not see the need for either. At least, not for myself.

What’s your top tip for aspiring authors? Write from the heart, money will follow.

Author Interview – Kat Yares : Part 1

Within the Indie Author Hub, you can learn about other authors, their thoughts and opinions, what makes them tick and how their writing process works for them.

All this week I will be releasing segments of an interview I conducted with fellow fantasy author, Kat Yares. Have a look at her profile and books here.

Part 1 : Kat’s writing process

What inspired you to become an author? I’ve been a writer since I learned to spell. Wanting to be a published author came sometime during high school. Achieving that goal came when I was in my mid-twenties. It was just a short story, but it was in a print magazine and I thought I had struck gold. I’ve had at least 36 short stories published, either in print or on the web. Have also had hundreds of web-content how-to’s published over the years, both in my name or under a pen name.

As someone who studies history, did you think about writing historical novels? Historical horror – that would be interesting. But honestly, I don’t think that would work well, at least not for me. Although since Beneath the Tor is basically a rewritten take on the New Testament – I suppose, in a way I have combined them.

Do you write full time? Do I write 40 hours a week, no, but I think about it at least 80 hours a week. I’m up between 3 and 4 AM, drink coffee and make lunch for my husband. He leaves around 5:00 and I get online.  Check email, Facebook, book sales and a few other things. At 7:30, I do yoga and meditation for an hour.  From 8:30 to Noon, I write (generally), then read for a few hours and at 3:00, I turn into a domestic diva and clean house and prepare dinner. Offline around 4:00 and in bed usually by 7:30 or 8:00 pm. Saturday’s and Sunday’s are reserved for family time.

Do you have daily word targets? No, I like to hit between one and two thousand words a day, but that doesn’t always happen and I don’t get upset when I miss the goal. Life does have a propensity to get in the way sometimes.

Do you plan you books? Depends on the story. If I have the whole thing in my head, I just write. If not, I’ll do a simple outline of plot points that I think have to be included in the story and work from point A to point B and so on.

How do you decide on your characters? I first come up with my main point of view character, the one who we see the story through. From there, I decide what other characters are needed to see the whole story.  While I give each basic character traits, they usually define themselves as the story unfolds. Character names generally just come to me as I work up their basic traits. I’ve never really thought about whether the name suits dispositions or not as, at least for the main characters, I’m already thinking of them by name before I begin writing the story.

How do you get over the fear of a blank page? You mean the darn blinking cursor? Generally, I’ll pick up a notebook and start writing by hand – it’s less daunting.

How do you keep yourself motivated? For me, motivation isn’t hard. I’m doing what I love and I have the freedom to follow my dreams.

In Part 2, Kat talks about her thoughts on the publishing world.

Sci Fi Event – The BIG Competition

In conjunction with the Sci-Fi Fantasy Kindle Book Event next weekend, there will be an incredible competition with 44 amazing prizes!

Take a look at the infograph on this page to see what you could win.

The competition will be in the form of a Rafflecopter. If you are unfamiliar with these types of competitions – don’t worry, they are very simple and give you numerous entries to win one or more of the prizes.

Entries are achieved by the following actions:

Earn 1 Entry for every Facebook Author Page you like.
Earn 1 Entry for every Twitter Author Page you follow.
Earn 5 Entries if you tweet about the event.

There are 18 authors who have donated to the competition, so you could earn a potential total of 41 entries in this competition!!!

The competition goes live at the start of the event and finishes when the event ends, so make sure you visit the Events page next weekend!

As if the competition isn’t enough – you can also buy any of the kindle ebooks that are participating in the event at the bargain price of just 99c or 75p. After the event they will revert back to their original prices. Take this opportunity to fill up your kindle with some new authors that you might not have tried before. All of the authors taking part write in the sci-fi / fantasy genre.

See you there!

Author Interview – Connie Barrett : Part 2

Within the Indie Author Hub, you can learn about other authors, their thoughts and opinions, what makes them tick and how their writing process works for them.

All this week I will be releasing segments of an interview I conducted with fellow fantasy author, Connie Barrett. Have a look at her profile and books here.

Part 2 : Promoting her work

How do you promote yourself online? As I am a basic recluse, I was initially overwhelmed by social media. Eventually, I realized that I would only do it if it was fun. Interviews like this are fun, and I’m doing more of them. Facebook and Pinterest are also fun. I have a website that’s also fun, but I tend to ignore it more than is good for it or me. I have a quarterly newsletter that’s also fun.

How do you target you audience effectively? With my new book, aimed at cat lovers, I’ve joined a number of cat-related Facebook groups and other formats. I share a lot of their articles. My quarterly newsletter often summarizes articles from cat-related blogs and lists their URLs. People who aren’t interested in cats won’t read my books. However, based on what I see, there’s a large and thriving community (or communities) of cat lovers. Reaching that audience gives me plenty to do. In time, I will ask for book reviews from some of these sites, but I think a principle too many authors (and other entrepreneurs) forget is that of giving and sharing. I really like these sites/pages/blogs. I would like to help them grow, and I would like to reach their audiences because I believe I have a book that will entertain cat lovers.

What are your thoughts on promotion? A big part of promotion is foundational work involving learning from other authors: what techniques work for them, what paid promotion venues seem to be paying off. The world of promotion is a constantly shifting seascape, and information from others make the best navigational tools. And authors’ groups/forums are another good place to give, whether it’s information or congratulations or commiseration.

How do you deal with rejection or a bad review? This was my biggest fear: that I would be totally crushed and never write again. Before had my first bad review experience, I’d read many other authors’ accounts of their bad-review experiences. I certainly realized I wasn’t alone. When the bad-review experience came to me, I was much more able to put it into perspective. Ultimately, I don’t write so that people will like me. If they do, wonderful. If they don’t, they will find another author, and I will find other readers.

How do you keep yourself motivated? Writing is so much fun for me that motivation is easy. This year I took it up a step and decided that in my writing and in my life I am inspired, which for me adds passion to motivation.

How did you publish? I had a contract with a publishing house, but for various reasons, I legally cut myself loose and self-published. I use both KDP and Smashwords.

What do you think the future of publishing will be? I don’t know, but it’s bound to be interesting. Only one thing matters to me: that people read and think for themselves. I think the rise of indie publishing favors that wish.

In seven words of less, what’s your top tip for aspiring authors? Believe in yourself and write, write, write.

Author Interview – Connie Barrett : Part 1

Within the Indie Author Hub, you can learn about other authors, their thoughts and opinions, what makes them tick and how their writing process works for them.

All this week I will be releasing segments of an interview I conducted with fellow fantasy author, Connie Barrett. Have a look at her profile and books here.

Part 1 : Connie’s writing process

What inspired you to become an author? When I discovered that words could make magic that would take me to other worlds, I decided that I wanted to make my own magic. It was fun being a passenger on the fiction plane (and still is), but I wanted to be a pilot. If I couldn’t be an author I would be a clinical psychologist with a very offbeat practice. As it is, I counsel my characters (and often they counsel me).

How do you structure your day? I find that daytime hours work best for writing. Often at night, though, a lot of the inspiration and ideas come out, and sometimes I dream the answer to a plot or character question. I don’t have a chronological routine. When I’m writing—whether first draft or revisions—this will be my primary focus for the day. I usually save social media networking for the evenings. If I’m not working on a novel or nonfiction work, I allocate my time between writing blog posts, updating my web site, and various promotional activities.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Since 2000 I’ve been in an online writing group. The group is called Artistic License. It originated at Writers Village University but currently has no internet location. We have met at various chatboards and do a lot of communication by email. Membership has shifted over the years, but 5 core members have been together since that time. At present, it’s more of a support than a critique group. We adapt the group’s function to our needs. It would be safe to call it a sisterhood. The other members of this group have read and critiqued almost every work of fiction I’ve written. We hold each other accountable to certain goals that individuals set. Any member is free to ask for general or specific support. I feel that this group is my closest online family.

Before writing, do you plan your books? No, I usually start writing with a few characters in mind and an outline with plot holes the size of the Lincoln Tunnel. I let the story and the characters tell me what to write. The danger of this way of writing is that the inner critic wants to scream “Stupid idea!” I’ve learned to turn down the volume. Of course, a lot of what I write ends up being cut. Though it’s a painful process, learning to be brutal about this level of editing teaches detachment, so I can multitask writing and spiritual growth. After I’ve written about 40,000 words of a book, I go back and figure out what’s missing (usually a lot). I also often discover that some new characters snuck into the story when I wasn’t looking. At that point, I outline what I’ve written, talk to the new characters, and make extensive notes for changes and additions.

How do you decide on your characters? A good example is Big Dragons Don’t Cry, the first book of a series, A Dragon’s Guide to Destiny. I was in the Everglades and thought, “What if a dragon lived here?” An image of a depressed dragon came to me. Why was he depressed? Asking questions like that help me to learn about my characters. I may start off with something like: There should be a guy who’s emotionally repressed (also in Big Dragons Don’t Cry). What made him that way? What would ruin his day?

Do you have a special writing place? I write in my office, which is in the garage and very quiet.

How do you get over the fear of a blank page? Because I will, in the early stages, write total junk just to keep the process going, I don’t get blank pages. Sometimes I get stuck. When that happens, I’ll work on another project (I usually have at least two going) or watch cat videos until inspiration returns. I always trust that it will. Like countless cat devotees around the world, I am always learning from my cats. They teach me relaxation, enlightened self-interest, and the ability to play like a kitten without ruining it all by thinking I have to be grown-up.

In Part 2, Connie talks about how she promotes her books.

Win your own Meteorite (minus the alien!)

Fancy winning a signed book and a genuine meteorite?!

“ This book took me on a thrilling ride unlike anything I’ve read before.  I absolutely love the different points of  view, the characters you get to see the story through. The story is not only interesting, but thought provoking, thrilling, and will leave you dying to read the next book! 

The Moon Stealers is a genius story full of adventure! I hadn’t even gotten through the first chapter before I knew there was no way I was putting the book down until I finished it. This is one of those books I read in one sitting. “

This was a recent review of the first book in the Moon Stealer series. It’s satisfying to know that all the hours spent sitting at my computer in the cupboard under the stairs, developing a stiff neck and an even stiffer back, were all worth it!

But there’s more….
On Konstanz Silverbow’s blog ‘No Thought 2 Small‘ she is giving away a signed copy of the book, bookmark as well as a genuine meteorite (without the alien!). For a chance to win, visit her blog.
To read an extract of the Moon Stealer books, just visit my interactive bookshelf.