Susan Spence has always been intrigued with life in the west in the 1880s. She researched historical accounts and first-person narratives as she prepared to write A Story of the West. A lifelong resident of the west, she currently lives in Montana on an old sheep shearing station with lots of furry critters and one partially furry critter. This is her first novel, and she is busily working on a sequel due out in late spring.

You can visit her website at www.writing-ranch.com.

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Susan.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

A Story of the West is set during the early ranching days in the American West. True to the difficulties of living on the frontier, it tells the struggles of not only overcoming daily hardships, but also the greed of others. The main character is forced to decide if his life is worth living after getting caught up in events that effectively ruined his life.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

I self-published, so I haven’t had that experience. The first thing I did when

I completed the self-publishing process was to order a hundred paperback copies. Since I hadn’t told anyone what I was doing, I got to surprise my family and friends when, out of the blue, they received a book in the mail with my name as the author. Then I went out and peddled the rest of them.

After that, what happened?

I had a little bit of success. As a local author writing about the area’s history, there was some interest. I did a few book signings, some at book stores and a couple at fairs. One that I did fairly well at was the local museum. That was cool because the money they took in helps preserve the history of this area.

What did your publisher do to promote your book?

The self-publishing company I used did nothing to promote my book because I didn’t pay for that service. They tried to get me to, but all they offered was to list my book amongst thousands of others at book fairs, where it was unlikely to get noticed. It seemed like a waste of money.

What’s your opinion on blogging?  Do you see that it is helping sell your book or is it not making much difference in terms of sales?

I blog mainly for enjoyment. I think it’s helped a little, but my followers are mostly people who are interested in my lifestyle. I’ve often thought that I should do more writing for my blog, but since I like photography also, I post photos and tell stories around them. I might start another blog with a literary theme to appeal more to readers.

I understand using the social networks to promote your books is also an effective marketing tool.  Do you find it is or isn’t?

I sold a few books through facebook, but am no longer on it. I can’t imagine myself being a twitter person. If that type of networking is needed to become famous, I guess I never will (laugh). Recently I’ve come across two lists of book review blogs. I went through them and queried the ones who seemed they would be interested in reading A Story of the West. From that I sent off at least a dozen copies for review. I’ll have to wait and see, first of all, what they write, and then the overall effect on sales.

Besides blogging and using the social networks to promote your books, what other ways are you promoting your book?

At this point I am using only my blog and website.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

The local angle, even though it’s limited, has created the most interest so far. People who live here, as well as visitors, are curious to read A Story of the West because it’s part of the history of this area and because I’m their neighbor.

What are your experiences with offline promotions such as book signings?

I did a few book signings, and for the most part enjoyed them. I don’t know what is considered successful as far as numbers sold, but I did sell some books. The problem I had was convincing bookstores to give me a chance, even when it cost them nothing. For the ones I did set up, I hung flyers, sent out press releases to local news media and whatever else I could think of. I can reach a lot more people online, but interacting with people and signing copies of my book for them is really rewarding.

Thank you for this interview, Susan!  We wish you much success!

You’re welcome. Thank you for the good wish and for having me.

Allan Leverone is a three-time Derringer Award Finalist as well as a 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee for his short fiction. He has been hailed by bestselling author Vincent Zandri as “the successor to Michael Crichton,” and New York Times bestselling author Debbi Mack calls his work “suspenseful and well-written.”

Allan lives in Londonderry, NH with his wife of nearly thirty years, his three children, one beautiful granddaughter, and a cat who has used up eight lives. Learn more at www.allanleverone.com or at www.facebook.com/allan.leverone

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Allan.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

The Lonely Mile tells the story of Bill Ferguson, a man who stumbles upon the kidnapping of a teenage girl at a highway rest area. He does what we all like to believe we would do, stepping in and breaking up the crime, saving a young girl from a horrific fate. The kidnapper escapes, though, and immediately sets his twisted sights on Ferguson’s own daughter.

When the high school senior disappears soon after, the frantic Ferguson must battle his own feelings of guilt as he forms an uneasy alliance with the beautiful FBI investigator assigned to the case. There is much more at stake than just a kidnapping, though, and Bill Ferguson may find neither he nor his daughter will escape with their lives.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

The most daunting challenge facing any relatively unknown author is the question of how to get your work in front of the reading public. I’ve developed a fairly extensive social networking presence on Facebook, and I’ve tried to use that presence effectively, while also working to expand my presence at Goodreads and on the Kindle Boards.

This blog tour is another method of introducing my work to readers who may not be familiar with it. Through guest blog posts, interviews and reviews from enthusiastic and knowledgeable book bloggers, I believe The Lonely Mile can begin to develop traction with thriller lovers.

After that, what happened?

Building a fan base is a long-term process. My goal is to develop a steadily increasing readership, which means, ideally, The Lonely Mile outsells my first thriller, Final Vector, and the next book outsells The Lonely Mile, while also cross-pollinating each other. If someone enjoys one of my books, hopefully they go out and buy another.

What did your publisher do to promote your book?

Unless you sign with a major traditional publisher and your name is Dan Brown or Harlan Coben, you’re probably going to be expected to do most of your own promotion. StoneHouse Ink is limited in terms of finances, so beyond featuring my book on their website and Twitter posts, there’s not much they can do. A major national promotion is beyond their scope, just as it is beyond mine.

What’s your opinion on blogging?  Do you see that it is helping sell your book or is it not making much difference in terms of sales?

It’s really hard to know what is or isn’t making a difference in terms of sales. In some ways for an author, getting your name out there is cumulative, so while I may not see any direct relationship right now between blogging and sales, that doesn’t mean there won’t be an effect over the long term.

I understand using the social networks to promote your books is also an effective marketing tool.  Do you find it is or isn’t?

It’s never a bad thing for an author to interact with readers, especially avid readers within that author’s genre. The other advantage of social networking is that it provides an opportunity to learn from other authors what may or may not be working to generate sales, as well as to help celebrate their successes when they occur.

Besides blogging and using the social networks to promote your books, what other ways are you promoting your book?

The Lonely Mile was featured at Kindle Nation Daily as Thriller of the Week a couple of weeks ago and interest spiked immediately, allowing me to set a personal best for sales that week. It’s a crowded market, though, especially for thrillers, and as an author I’m constantly seeking out new ways to get my book in front of avid readers.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

I’m interested in building a career over the long term, so I won’t necessarily be able to answer that question effectively for perhaps several years. The most immediately successful promotional tool by far has been the Kindle Nation Daily feature, but it was also one of the most expensive promotional efforts I’ve made.

What are your experiences with offline promotions such as booksignings?

Both my novels have been released, at least for now, only in ebook editions, so obviously a booksigning would be impossible. I question the efficiency of booksignings, anyway, unless the author is a well-known name who will draw lots of people to a personal appearance. Sitting at a table hoping someone will stop by doesn’t sound like a very effective marketing tool to me, but I can’t say I won’t ever give it a try.

Thank you for this interview, Allan!  We wish you much success!

Thank you very much for having me; I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with your readers!

Stuart Gustafson began writing in earnest after taking early retirement from the corporate world in 2007. His professional life involved travel and so it was natural for him to want to continue traveling once he didn’t have to travel as a job. Now when he travels, it’s for fun; it’s for pleasure; it’s to see new places in the world. The way he has chosen to combine his love of travel and writing is to write mystery novels set in exciting locations around the world where he likes to go.

His debut mystery novel Missing in Mexico is set in San José del Cabo at the tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, a charming location where he has spent 2-6 weeks each year for the past eight years. This is how Stuart researches his books, by immersing himself into the culture of the area, and getting to know the people and their charm. The best compliment Stuart has received was at a local event in San José del Cabo and some of the residents told him that Missing in Mexico was indeed about their town and would he please consider writing another book about San Jose or at least about Cabo.

His second mystery novel, set in Sydney, NSW, Australia, is already underway, and Stuart took five trips to Sydney in 2010 to conduct research of the area to once again ensure that the book, even though it’s a fictional mystery novel, would still contain authentic details. Publication date for that book is set for early 2012.

Stuart has been married for thirty-seven years to Darlene and they have one daughter and one son. Stuart and Darlene live in Boise, Idaho.

Book’s website: www.missinginmexico.com

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Stuart.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

Thank you for having me here. Missing in Mexico is mystery novel primarily set in San José del Cabo, Mexico, at the tip of Baja California. Sarah Johnson is 19, and she and her parents and her college roommate Mary go to San José for Christmas break. The parents return on New Years Day, leaving Sarah and Mary to have a few more days on their own before returning for the winter term. On their day of departure, Sarah darts back into the terminal just as they are through the boarding area, and the plane leaves without her; Mary is distraught.

Sarah’s parents hire Stan, a private investigator to go to San José del Cabo to search for Sarah, and even with local help and some promising leads, he’s unable to find her. He returns home and tells the parents, but he still thinks she’s okay. Months later, he receives a mysterious letter from someone who says she can help him find Sarah, and he jumps on the next plane to San José. Will this be the lucky break he needs to find her, or will she remain missing – Missing in Mexico?

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

I already had the website for the book, www.missinginmexico.com, so I created a Facebook page for the book, and started using that plus other social media to put the word out about the book.

After that, what happened?

I was in San José del Cabo, and so I met with several of the gallery owners and other business owners there to talk with them about the book. I also had meetings with several book store owners and the publisher of the largest English newspaper in lower Baja – all to raise publicity.

What’s your opinion on blogging?  Do you see that it is helping sell your book or is it not making much difference in terms of sales?

I don’t blog, primarily because I find that I have too many things going on to try to come up with something original each day that is fresh and meaningful.

I understand using the social networks to promote your books is also an effective marketing tool.  Do you find it is or isn’t?

Social networks are effective even if they aren’t necessarily selling your books. They keep your name in front of the public, and so when the readers are ready to buy your book, your name is somewhat top-of-mind to them. It is also a good way for you to expand your network of connections of people who can help you promote your books.

Besides blogging and using the social networks to promote your books, what other ways are you promoting your book?

E-versions of the book are on Amazon and Barnes & Noble; all other e-versions are on smashwords. I carry print versions with me wherever I go, and I give them to airline pilots, and others who meet a lot of other people. The book has its own website www.missinginmexico.com, plus it’s also available on my main website www.stuartgustafson.com.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

It was a book signing in San José organized by a gallery owner. She knew I was coming down there, and so she asked me to come by her gallery (an awesome gallery, by the way) and do a book signing. Fortunately, I had taken about 20 books; I wish I’d taken a whole lot more!

What are your experiences with offline promotions such as booksignings?

Aside from the one I just mentioned, I haven’t had much success with booksignings, as seems to be the general run with them. I’ve met some nice people there, but as far as selling books, they’re not the best place to do it.

Thank you for this interview, Stuart!  We wish you much success!

Born and based in England, Nemo James worked as a professional musician and singer/songwriter for more than 30 years. He now lives in Croatia with his wife Federika and their cat Jutko who is becoming intolerable following his rise to fame on Youtube. Visit Nemo James at his website Views his videos at YouTube

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Nemo.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

Just A Few Seconds is a story of one man’s experience in the music business. It is an amusing and true story of a successful freelance musician whose gigs ranged from private parties to the very rich and famous to the roughest London pubs where playing the wrong song at the wrong time meant the difference between life and death. He takes more twists, turns and knocks than a mouse trapped in a pinball machine but the ending shows how the road to success can lead us down the strangest and most desolate of paths. If you are looking for the usual rock star memoirs full of sex drugs and rock and roll then this book is not for you, but if you are interested in a unique insight into the music business that reads like a thriller then this book won’t disappoint.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

Searched high and low for the only existing video tape of me in concert. I eventually found it mixed up with some tools at the bottom of a box and after extensive editing published them on Youtube.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

Youtube. Being a songwriter as well as an author I am fortunate in being able to cross promote my book with my songs. One professional video producer liked one of my songs so much (The Poet) he produced a video of it and it surprised me how much more impact songs have when supported by video. Most of my book sales to the general public have originated through Youtube.

Do you do more promoting online or offline and which do you prefer?

Living in Croatia I don’t have much choice but to use online marketing.  I would love to do a conventional book tour one day but only if I was assured of a good turnout. Promoting something in person will always be the best way to go but it can be soul destroying begging for gigs.

Do you use social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to promote your books and have you had any success with it?

I use Facebook because everything I have read advises me to do so but I can’t say I have had any additional success with it as most of those who are active on my Facebook page are people I already knew. I know it is very useful for keeping followers in touch with what I am doing but how to get the follows in the first place is the big question.

Do you own a blog and how often do you update it?  Did you set up your blog solely to promote your book and what is its effectiveness?

Yes I have a blog on my website and I started it solely to promote my book. So far I have only posted one proper article “The Magic Cellar” and have been surprised how many people found it and contacted me so I find it very encouraging. Since then I have been writing a series of articles but won’t publish them until September when my virtual book tour starts.

Do you recommend authors getting publicists to help them promote their books?  Do you have one?

Whether to use a professional instead of do it all yourself? of course although I expect you need to do a lot of self promotion regardless of how your book is published these days. I would hire a PR company tomorrow if I could afford it as apart from doing it much better than me it would  mean I could get on with what I should be doing which is writing.

If an author prefers to do it alone rather than hire a publicist, where should they  start?

A good website and a video. It is great if the video can be professionally produced but I believe as long as it is entertaining it can be very useful. People would rather watch a badly made video that is entertaining than a well made video that is boring.

Thank you for coming, Nemo!  We wish you much success!

Thank you for inviting me. Where’s the way out?

Joseph Garraty is an author of dark fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He has worked as a construction worker, rocket test engineer, environmental consultant, technical writer, and deadbeat musician. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

His latest book is the horror novel, Voice.

You can visit his website at www.josephgarraty.com.

Connect with Joseph at Twitter at www.twitter.com/JosephGarraty.

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Joseph.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

Sure! Voice is a horror novel about a struggling rock band that ends up in some rather unfortunate circumstances. Here’s the basic setup:

Johnny’s a lousy singer for a mediocre rock band, and he wants to be famous more than anything. Case is a hotshot guitarist with an enormous chip on her shoulder who happens to need a band. When she joins up with Johnny’s band, Ragman, the group gets a jolt of new life, and it soon becomes obvious that Johnny doesn’t have the chops to keep up. But somebody’s been watching Johnny—somebody who can give him a voice to move millions, if he’s willing to make a deal.

But when you deal with the devil, you never get quite what you bargained for.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

I started researching book blogs. It turns out there are hundreds of folks out there who like nothing better than finding new books and hooking them up with readers who might enjoy them. I can’t say enough nice things about book bloggers—they’re genuine book fans, and the service they provide to both authors and readers is incredible.

After some initial research, I started contacting the owners of blogs that I thought Voice would be appropriate for. Many were happy to review my book, and even many of the bloggers who wouldn’t be able to get to my book for ages or at all offered me other opportunities like guest spots or interviews. All were unfailingly polite and friendly. It’s been a great experience.

After that, what happened?

I think the best thing to come out of it has been meeting a lot of interesting people who are crazy about good books. Not only have I made some friends that way, but my own reading list has expanded quite a bit!

What did your publisher do to promote your book?

My publisher secured some advertising, but much of it is on a pretty lengthy waiting list, so I have yet to see it go live. I’m looking forward to the results, though!

What’s your opinion on blogging?  Do you see that it is helping sell your book or is it not making much difference in terms of sales?

I don’t really use blogging as a sales tool, so I’m not sure if it helps or not. Instead, I find that it’s a great way to interact with readers and other authors and discuss interesting topics. If some of that turns into sales, that’s great, but I wouldn’t know how to begin angling it in that direction on purpose, and I’d want to be careful about that in any case. As a reader, if an author’s regular blog isn’t interesting enough to stir my curiosity about their book, a blog post that says, “Buy my book!” isn’t going to improve my opinion.

I understand using the social networks to promote your books is also an effective marketing tool.  Do you find it is or isn’t?

I use Twitter, but probably fewer than one tweet in twenty is promotional. I don’t think of promotion as Twitter’s main purpose. Like blogging, the point is to meet readers and other authors and foster an interaction that wouldn’t happen otherwise. Honestly, I’ve followed a few authors only to find that every other tweet is a “Buy my book!” tweet, and that’s both a serious turn-off and a fast track to unfollowing.

Besides blogging and using the social networks to promote your books, what other ways are you promoting your book?

Book blogs, guest posts, and a small amount of paid advertising through sites like Kindle Nation. I also think Goodreads is extremely cool. I don’t know how much it has contributed to my sales, but it has sure helped build my reading list!

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

Book reviews on book blogs, hands down.

What are your experiences with offline promotions such as booksignings?

I don’t have any real experience here. I’ve heard it’s an awful lot of legwork for questionable return, so it’s not my first choice. The opportunities for online promotion are so large I feel like I’ll have a hard time tapping all of that, let alone roaming the earth to do promotion on foot.

Thank you for this interview, Joseph!  We wish you much success!

Thanks!

Lilian Duval has been fascinated with lottery winners for years, and they’re the inspiration for her intriguing novel You Never Know, which explores how an ordinary man copes with terrible luck, and later, amazing luck, when he wins the Mega-Millions lottery. Her story collection, Random Acts of Kindness, will be published in 2012.

Lilian and her husband are both survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. They live in a small house in New Jersey overlooking a large county park. She’s an amateur classical guitarist and enjoys attending concerts, plays, and movies in New York City.

You can visit her website at www.lilianduval.com or follow her at Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/lilianduval and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lilian-Duval/121776657899250?sk=wall.

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Lilian.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

Tobias Hillyer had a promising future until a car accident claimed the lives of his parents. Abandoning his dreams, he dropped out of college to take care of his orphaned, brain-damaged younger brother. Now in his late thirties, Tobias struggles to provide for his family, working dead-end jobs that fall far short of the academic career he had imagined.

Then he wins the New Jersey Mega-Millions! His financial worries eliminated, Tobias anticipates nothing but smooth sailing ahead for himself and the people he loves. But he soon finds that his amazing stroke of luck may threaten everything he holds dear.

Over peaks and valleys, this uplifting journey challenges everything we think we know about luck, life, and what we value most.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

I hired Author Marketing Experts (AME) and signed a contract to pay them thousands of dollars for internet marketing.

After that, what happened?

My publisher took seven months to publish the book. During that time, AME sent me lots of forms to fill out. Things were going well until one of their senior staff members left the firm, at which time their work became spotty and disorganized. I cannot attribute one single book sale to their activities.

What did your publisher do to promote your book?

Nothing at all, but we agreed on that to begin with. My publisher, Wheatmark, Inc., is independent and does not take responsibility for marketing books.

What’s your opinion on blogging?  Do you see that it is helping sell your book or is it not making much difference in terms of sales?

I cannot tell for sure. Anything that attracts attention to a book is beneficial, but I wonder how many people buy books because they read about them in blogs.

I understand using the social networks to promote your books is also an effective marketing tool.  Do you find it is or isn’t?

About this, I’m not sure either. It seems that the best of the social networks is LinkedIn, which attracts many serious, professional people.

Besides blogging and using the social networks to promote your books, what other ways are you promoting your book?

I hired an excellent online marketing company, Pump Up Your Book, run by Dorothy Thompson, a very pleasant professional who started working on my campaign even before sending me a bill. Her fees are a small fraction of what AME charges and she does much more work—with enthusiasm and genuine interest.

I also hired a traditional NY City public-relations media specialist, Carol Fass, whose campaign for my book has just begun. She has a first-class reputation, and I hope that will help my sales.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

So far, what has worked best has been word of mouth: people who love the book telling other people about it.

What are your experiences with offline promotions such as booksignings?

They’re fun and helpful, but on a small scale with regard to sales.

Thank you for this interview, Lilian!  We wish you much success!

Born in Havana, Cuba, Maria Lucia immigrated to the United States in 1960. A University of Memphis education graduate and a professional musician and vocalist, she moved deeply into the study of music and launched a very successful musical career. She spent many years in private practice, facilitating her own seminars and counseling on creativity. Her experience includes programs for gifted children in the public school system and creativity seminars for musicians at the university level. She has been a musical director for church programs, a composer of music, and a producer of concerts. She has traveled nationally, performing and delivering seminars for more than twenty years.  Lucia has just relocated to Phoenix, AZ. The revised edition of her novel Liberation, Book One of the Andrusian Chronicles debuts at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix on July 21^st 2011.

www.andrusianchronicles.com

https://www.facebook.com/MariaLuciaLiberation?v=wall&ref=ts

http://www.andrusianchronicles.com/blog.html

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Maria Lucia.  Can we begin by having you tell us a little about your book?

This is a powerful paranormal fantasy. It begins with Amora Madre content in the Smokey Mountains pursuing her teaching of love, things of the spirit, and metaphysics. But when soul mate Gabriel Ephraim enters her life, they’re catapulted into service for an Intergalactic Supernatural Intelligence Agency in Washington D.C. The time is now. The struggle in the spirit world over the nation and planet is evident, and the greatest threat is that humanity doesn’t know.

What is the first thing you did to promote your book once your publisher accepted your manuscript?

I did some research and found a company who provided several services for small publishers who were launching their titles. So I bought several of them which included creating a book trailer, going on tour online and being featured on many blogs around the world, and sending out my press release to many high profile places. I loved it and I could get it all done in one place. They were great.

If you had to pick just one book marketing tool that you’ve used to promote your book, which would you say has been the most effective?

Online marketing

Do you do more promoting online or offline and which do you prefer?

online

Do you use social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to promote your books and have you had any success with it?

I use Facebook but I have to be careful. Folks don’t like being bombarded with your stuff or anyone else’s. Doing ads on Facebook is a better way and yields wonderful results if worded correctly and on Google too of course!

Do you own a blog and how often do you update it?  Did you set up your blog solely to promote your book and what is its effectiveness?

I just set it up on my web site. I don’t feel like it’s a full blown blog but I wanted a space on my site where I could express my feelings and bring in what’s important tom me. The blog is not about the book itself but connects current issues to the book and characters of the book. I don’t really feel that blogs are supper helpful in the areas of promoting your book.

Do you recommend authors getting publicists to help them promote their books?  Do you have one?

I definitely do have one and have had one for the past year. She has helped me a lot in moving into the right places and getting the right book signings and reviews. A good publicist is a must on any author’s team.

If an author prefers to do it alone rather than hire a publicist, where should they start?

With reviews. They should start by getting the right reviews for the work from well respected reviewers. They need to get the reviews from places and people that are respected by the book world in their particular genre.

Thank you for coming, Maria Lucia!  We wish you much success!

Your welcome and thank you so much for featuring Liberation.

Christine E. Schulze has been creating books since she was too young to even write them in words. Her collection of YA fantasy books, The Amielian Legacy, is comprised of series and stand-alone books which can all be read separately but which weave together to create an amazing fantasy. She hopes to inspire readers throughout the world with these books by publishing in both traditional and electronic formats to make them available to all readers.

Christine has published several stories with Calliope and Kalkion magazines and is an active member of the WE book online writing community. She has also published several Christian/fantasy books which are available at various online retailers, as well as publishing several eBooks via Writers-Exchange.

Her latest and most exciting venture includes her publications with Old Line Publishing: Bloodmaiden and Tears of a Vampire Prince: the First Krystine. She also anticipates her upcoming publication with Old Line, Lily in the Snow, as well as releasing The Chronicles of the Mira with Writers-Exchange in both paperback and electronic forms.

Christine currently lives in Belleville, Illinois in her first and most thrilling apartment.

You can visit Schulze at Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3242087.Christine_E_Schulze or her blog at www.goldenhealeratwork.blogspot.com. Connect with her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Chasmira or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Chasmira. Like her Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Christine-E-Schulze/158265555890.

Welcome to Book Marketing Buzz, Christine. Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing and how your journey led to writing your latest book, Bloodmaiden?

Hi, and thank you so much for having me; I am excited to be here today!

I’ve actually been writing since I was around four. The first books I created were just full of illustrations telling the story. However, my first book with both pictures and words came when I was a flower girl in a wedding and the bride requested one of my books as a wedding gift. Thus, Jonny to the Rescue was born. It would spark the inspiration for my now-published series, The Legends of Surprisers (and, interestingly enough, Jonny turned out to be the name of my soul mate).

Bloodmaiden came about through a variety of factors. First off, I was taking my first fiction class in college, and this spurred me to focus not just on the characters and plot, but more heavily on the writing of a book. The opening chapters of Bloodmaiden are full of rich, metaphorical imagery. They are also in first person, present tense, to make the readers really feel like they are “there”.

Secondly, Jonny and I had done a photo shoot on myself in a red gown and cape; I always forget if the ideas for the book or photos came first, but doing the photo shoot really helped set the mood for Bloodmaiden. The photos can be seen on my blog and in a trailer I made for Bloodmaiden on Youtube, which also includes music to accompany the book. Yes, I went all out for this one and still envision it one day–hopefully–breaching the big screen.

A final factor included the fact that, while I had done fairies, elves, unicorns, vampires, banshees, genies, you name it, I’d never done dragons. Maybe because I’d never really liked dragon books that much. So, determined to create a book with dragons that I myself would enjoy, the four dragon dynasties were created and grafted into the book.

Why did you believe your book should be published?

I’ve honestly always wanted all my books to be published; ever since I was a small child, I believed God gave me the gift of writing, and sharing my stories with the world was what I was meant to do. I chose Bloodmaiden to really focus on though because I believed it both to contain the normal fantasy elements like dragons and sprites while also being a unique tale. It is also one of my few books that is not part of a series, so a publisher wouldn’t have to feel too intimidated taking it on, while readers could have a good stand-alone to try from a brand new, emerging author.

We all know that publishers can’t do all of the publicity and that some lies on the author. What has your publisher done so far to publicize the book and what have you done?

Mr. Schenning is great; he is wonderful to work with, on both the publishing and marketing side of things. One thing that helps automatically is having the book available in both print and ebook; I’ve made way more sales overall in ebooks so far than print. Also, he’s been great in sending books out for review.

As far as my part, well, there’s just never enough time or funds to do everything one would like. So, I’ve created a sort of schedule for myself. I’ve participate in various blog tours, including this one of course, and have several more planned for upcoming releases. I love giveaways, especially on a site called Goodreads, which is a great network for authors and readers to connect. Blog posts and interviews like this one are always fun for me. Eventually, I hope to be able to do physical tours as well.

What book on the market can it compare to? How is it different? What makes your book special?

I’ve had my book compared to Susan Collins’ Hunger Games, a book I am eager to read though I haven’t gotten the chance. I hear this is a high honor to be compared though. Others have also equated my writing to greats like Rowling and Tolkien, which are very humbling compliments.

I consider Bloodmaiden, as well as many of my books, unique because many of my worlds and their elements are unique, such as the Aria in Bloodmaiden, the strands of music that weave together to protect the land of Sulaimon. I also love intricate plots; although all of my books can be read separately, even within series, many of them connect, a reward of sorts for readers who read more and more of my books. I’ve been told I am also great at creating very visual images, real emotions, and am a good story-teller.

Open to a random page in your book. Can you tell us what is happening?

Page 109:

Our heroes have just left Zale, having received the first part of the Aria, a magical, healing song. Crisilin reflects upon the sprite, Pan, and the traveling minstrel, Brydon, two members she and Chalom added to their party while traveling. They seem to know each other and share some sort of history, though the extent of it is unknown.

Later in the night, Crsilin awakes to hear them fighting. She hears words about Brydon leaving Pan; Brydon argues she sent him away. Pan soon grows hysterical as the real reason for her cold manner against Brydon surfaces…

But that’s far too interesting a part of the story, one I won’t ruin for readers of the book.

Do you plan subsequent books?

For Bloodmaiden, no. It is one of few of my books not part of a series.

Thank you for your interview, Christine. Do you have any final words?

Again, thank you so much for having me! Tis been a true pleasure.

And to other fellow artists out there or to anyone with a dream, young or old: never give up! God has given you a gift; you must only use it. Keep working hard, and some day, your dream can come true.

This just popped in my email a little while ago and I thought I’d pass it over to you all.  They are open to submissions now and best of all, it’s FREE!  In case you want to leave a small donation, they have a place for that, too. ;o)

Dear Author,

Since you have a book [or more than one!] that you’d like to promote, now is your opportunity to do so. The cost? FREE! 1st Author Interviews is a new site that is aimed at getting authors more attention. Whether your books are e-books or from a legacy publisher, ALL authors are welcome. Even if you’re already established, this is just another way to expand your readership base.

Here’s the link for the submissions, or use the one in the body of the email below. Oh, and please keep the excerpts free of profanity —this is a family-friendly site!

Feel free to forward this email to other authors! We want to showcase a wide variety of talented authors.

Please send ALL submissions to: 1stauthorinterviews@gmail.com

Use your BOOK TITLE in the subject line and copy and paste the information below.

Book Title:
Publisher:
Author:
Genre:
Kindle link:
B&N link:
Smashwords link:
Author’s website OR blog URL:
Brief summary: [up to 150 words]

Excerpt: [400 words maximum]

THE INTERVIEW:

Question: Why did you write this book?
Question: How did you come up with the title?
Question: How did you choose your genre?
Question: What inspired you to be a writer?
Up to 4 Bonus Questions! Here you can ask and answer whatever questions you want about your book. [300 words maximum].

Optional: You may include a small photo of yourself.

Please submit one interview per book title. Thank you!

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K.J. Robinson
Site Owner

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http://www.1stauthorinterviews.com

For Authors Seeking an Audience

1st Author Interviews is a unique website that allows you a chance to personally promote your book and allows your reading audience a chance to get to know you! You’ll attract more readers, giving them the opportunity to get to know you and your work better. You get your material out there in front of readers, literary agents, publishers and development executives from films, cable and TV. 1st Author Interviews is your first stop to getting your book promoted to that vast online audience. We offer this outlet to any traditional or self-published author, whether in e-book or print formats.