A Flower in the Desert – the Tucson Festival of Books 2016

I look forward every year to visiting the Tucson Festival of Books in the spring where I can meet up with many outstanding authors. This was the eighth annual festival with another record attendance for the two day event.

Again I got to see many of my Spotlight authors. This year I met up with Kris Tualla in her Dreams Convention.com booth and J.A. Jance who has just released ‘Clawback’ which was showcased on the HBS Author’s Spotlight. Judith is a Tucson-based bestselling author and a graduate of the University of Arizona.

So here I am again to have some fun in the sun. This is my fourth Tucson Festival of Books and I had a mission. I’m not wearing my Mystery writer’s hat today. I am here as a Blogger to find out how my fellow authors are handling direct marketing.

Like previous festivals, my goal is to talk to as many authors as I can, take some pictures and to see how the authors are trying to market their books and themselves.

Author’s Goals

Like I have stated before, when an author attends an event like a book festival, they should have a set of goals going in like selling their books AND getting the reader/prospects to look further after they leave. If you sparked their interest, they will check your books out online. They may even tell someone else about meeting you.

A book festival requires a different approach than a regular book signing at a bookstore.

Observations – Sales Tools

Let me share what I observed while I made my way through the festival. Let’s start with the sales tools. I picked up a lot of literature and took a lot of pictures. Here is a good list of marketing items to consider for authors attending book events. I like to give credit to the top item in each category of sales item. This year there were so many good items in some of the groups I did not pick the top one.

Business Cards

The cards ranged from 4-color quality cards with cover pictures to computer stickers on cardboard to none at all. This year the business cards had better contact information, including email addresses. Authors are starting to loosen up on the email info. This year we had a great show for author business cards with everyone winning.

Bookmarks

Last year there were some bookmarks without contact information. This year everyone I reviewed had some way to contact the author. Most of the bookmarks were professionally done with covers, review snips and contact information. Again, this year we had a great show for bookmarks with everyone winning.

Flyers

I saw several flyers on colored stock. This was something that I thought I would see more of. There is so much area (letter size) to get your message across. Besides, the cost factor is a plus. There were more flyers this year, with most having great sales messages.

Books Covers

There were lots of books with great covers. The authors were more than willing to sign a purchased copy. The displaying of the books was marked improvement over last year.

Post cards

Now we are getting into some great stuff. There were more post cards this year. Most of the post cards had copies of the author’s book covers. All the authors who had them had done professional copy. I do have a top pick in this category. This book was presented by Kerstin Block and her daughter with great post cards and a unique pen as giveaways.

Spencer Block – The Way of the Buffalo

Book Displays

The same great quality was displayed here, with lots of cover blowups. It was hard to pick one here too but this display stood out. (See Teresa’s display in this post’s banner.)

Teresa Burrell – The Advocate’s Geocache

Top Author Booth

The booths were organized better this year with the numbering finally making sense. My booth pick had so many outstanding authors (about 15 at one sitting) I couldn’t list them all. Congrats to Kris Tualla for putting together such a great group of authors.

Dreamin Convention.com booth

Best Presentation

The best presentation by an author this year was different than you would expect. Most of the authors had their pitch all ready for me. The top pick this year was not in a booth but in the food court. Yes that is not a typo. Andrea Ibanez, after spending Saturday signing books, was canvassing the food court giving away books at her website (aibanez@mail.com). After a quick qualify, a short pitch, she closed me with a simple business card which had the instructions for getting in on her book sale. Remember everyone is a prospect.

Andrea Elena Ibanez – A Dowitcher’s Dirge, Carolina Trilogy

Sponsor Tote Bags

More tote bags this year it seemed. Like I have said before, give the festival goers something of value and your swag will not wind up in the trash can. I spent some time talking to the winner in this category, (Sherry Monahan, Thomas Cobb, Johnny Boggs, Jon Chandler)

Western Writers of America

Action

Like I have said before, I like confronting authors at their sales point. Talk about Heinz-variety. Some had long pitches, some had none.

A book festival is an on-the-spot sales opportunity. It is a chance to sell yourself to prospects and readers. To me, the most effective pitch was the short, quick one. A long pitch surely loses some sales opportunities.

Most of the authors qualified me. That is a key first step. They offered questions like this. Do you read Mysteries? Do you like Suspense? What type of books do you read?

Some authors jumped right into their sales pitch often wasting their time and mine. I call this the Robo-Call approach. They start telling their book’s story before they find out the visitor is not buying or doesn’t read their genre. You just want to hang up but you can’t.

One author in a signing booth was reading a book. When I approached her, I had to draw her attention away from her reading. No sale here.

There was a variety of people at the festival. You had readers. You had families. Lots of kids stuff. The bookstores tents where filled.

And then you had tire kickers. These were people who were there for a good time but were not buyers. They were there to ‘snag some swag’ as they say. Note: Tire Kickers sometimes buy books and a good impression will last.

There was a lot of foot traffic and the authors needed to work the prospects. Talk to them. Socialize with everyone. Hand them a copy of a book or literature. Here take a look? You never know.

My Takeaway Ideas

Idea 1

A book festival is a perfect place to offer free or discounted ebooks to reader. If you are going to run a promo during the festival, why not give the attendees a shot at it. If they like your work, they will buy your other books. Giveaways during the event could increase your Amazon rating.

Idea 2

Give your prospect something of value. Not expensive stuff. Maybe a pin with your book title, your name and web address or twitter tag. How about a pad of paper, hotel type, with your book title, your name and contact information?

Idea 3

Name plates are still a problem. This year a penciled name on a white sheet was the primary ID vehicle. One observation: The authors did a better job displaying their books. A quick check of their displays, their name was easier to see though it might help to display the genre your writing in.

Face time with a prospect is very important. Have a name plate made up and place it on the table in front of you. This year I wore a name tag: James Moushon - Mystery Writer – HBS Authors Spotlight Blog.

Give the attendees more than a name. Readers looking for Mysteries will stop. Others would move on. Qualify. Qualify. Qualify.

HBS Author Spotlight Crew

Authors who had been interviewed at our blog were well represented at this year’s festival.

C. Michael Bennis @CMBennis

Teresa Burrell @teresaburrell

Jenny Hilborne @JFHilborne

Doug Hocking @HockingDoug

J.A. Jance @JAJance

Sadly a Great Day Must Come to an End

Finally, you never know who you’ll meet at the show and what that relationship will mean to you. The passerby could be a buyer, a tire kicker or they just may be someone who will write an article about you, showcase your books or help sell more of your books.

Coming Soon

ARIZONA MYSTERY CON 2016 

The HBS Author's Spotlight SHOWCASES ARIZONA MYSTERY CON 2016. 

Meet a group of outstanding Mystery Authors. This is Arizona's First Home Grown Reader Con for Mystery Fans. It is billed as Death and Deception in the Desert.

Starting June 3^rd 2016 at the Embassy Suites Paradise Valley/Scottsdale through June 4^th, 2016.

The Convention begins with a Friday Night Book Signing on June 3rd, 6:30pm-8:00pm.

The ARIZONA MYSTERY CON is a two day event.

Day One is Friday Night Book Signing. Meet the authors, purchase their books at the on-site bookstore, and get an autographed copy in an informal and casual atmosphere. Have a glass of wine with your favorite authors between 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. (open to the public)

Saturday, Day Two is the ARIZONA MYSTERY CON. It includes:

·         Arizona's First Home Grown Reader Con for Mystery Fans

·         Six Saturday sessions and panels in various genres of crime & mystery

·         Free goody bags for all attendees

·         Saturday lunch with featured authors

·         Tickets $39

This post’s banner includes 4 of the outstanding authors signed up for AZ MysteryCon 2016.

Kris Tualla @kristualla

Leslie Jones

Shelly Coriell @ShelleyCoriell

Sandy Wright

Questions

Please direct any questions you have to Kris Tualla at ktualla@gmail.com

Related Articles:

Your Book Launch: Marketing Methods and Ideas Used by Outstanding Authors – A Study Getting Book Reviews: The Methods Award-Winning Authors Use – A Study

Authors: Finding Your Readers On-line: A group of Award-winning Authors speak up. – A Study

Free Books: Give it away. Just give it away.

Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure and Sales

How Do You Develop and Use a List of Your Readers? - HBS Author’s Corner STUDY

Developing an Author Website – A Marketing and Communication Checklist Study

Authors: Improve Your Twitter Messaging and Control

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Other related posts:

ARIZONA MYSTERY CON 2016   

The Dreams Convention – 2015

Desert Delight – The Tucson Festival of Books 2015

Ever thought of attending a book festival? X Shelley Young

Fun In The Sun – the Tucson Festival of Books 2014

Book Marketing, Trojan Style: LA Festival of Books 2013

Book Marketing, Desert Style: Tucson Festival of Books – 2013

Follow me:

Follow Me on Twitter: @jimhbs

Or EMAIL at: james.moushon@gmail.com

View my website: James Moushon – Mystery Writer

Or visit my blog: The eBook Author Corner

Take a look at my Author’s blog: HBS Author’s Spotlight

And the HBS Mystery Readers’s Circle

Check out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels and Collections:

Black Mountain Secrets

Game of Fire

Operation Alpha Dog

What You Should Know About Self-Publishing by Shelley Young

If writing is your hobby, right on! You have joined a league of others who use creative writing for pleasure, expressions of emotions and sharing expressions of fear and pain. I’m willing to bet when you share your writing with others you receive positive feedback. I encourage you not to only continue writing, but share what you’ve written. 

I say this because reading is also done because it’s pleasurable and it helps to express emotions, fear, pain and laughter.

If you’re thinking of turning your writing into a business it means you’ve made the conscious decision to reach as many readers as you can with your artistic creativity. Many find this path daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. The reason most people fear becoming a published author is because they fear failure or someone criticizing their efforts. Just remember that you’re not going to please everyone. The key is finding the right target for your genre.  

Below I have created a list of things that I believe may maximize your potential, but I don’t promise or guarantee any results. What I’ve listed are my experiences, as well my point of views.

1.       Do not set your goals too high in the beginning. For example, if you don’t sell thousands of copies of your novel on its release date, this is okay. The average Indie author makes $450 annually from Amazon book sales. Others list Indie success as selling 2 books per day.

2.      Be creative with marketing. Most Indies use the same approach for promoting their work. Try and think outside the box so that your promotion stands out from others.

3.      Be prepared to work hard to market your novels.

4.      You MUST have a website.  You can even create one free on sites like Wix.com. Wix offers preformatted websites that you can add or take away from and when you’re done your site can actually look like you’ve paid someone a couple of grand to build it. I pay for the site I use. I love it, because it’s easy to maintain. I can arrange it just how I want it. Most of all, I love my site’s simplicity. Grand isn’t necessary. If you don’t believe me, check out some well-known author sites. I’ve seen a couple that were very simplistic.

5.      You MUST have business cards. If you want to be noticed, you have to do something to get someone’s attention. Vistaprint and other online markets are available and inexpensive. Why are business cards important? So I’m standing at the check-out at Chipotle and happen to look over my shoulder. Six police officers are standing beside me, ready to pay for their meals. I write crime fiction. I simply reached inside my purse, pulled out a business card and told these gentlemen, “I need to interview you for a new novel I’m writing.”  I have a policeman, a sheriff and two ex-detectives who answer any questions I have. It’s not easy getting a cop to do this. Trust me. I’m sure these fellas checked me out first and having a professional business card helped.

6.      You MUST join social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+ (just to name the most common ones). The first time someone told me this, I rolled my eyes clear to the back of my head. Who has time for social media when you have books to write? You might not sell a lot of books on these sites, but know that they are important. Social media is topping the charts as the reason people buy cell phones, iPads, tablets, etc. Building a platform takes time. Some authors say they don’t sell books via social media. It depends on your genre and how many people you’re reaching with your tweets and posts. The idea of even having a Pinterest account wasn’t appealing for me, because of my time constraints. But I forced myself. I had the account for perhaps a year before I actually did something with it. So one day I jumped on it and ended up pinning hundreds of pins. Well, some of the pins were of Albania and how beautiful it is. Low. And. Behold. I got more repins on these from a handful of Albanians who are on Pinterest. They saw these pins and was perhaps wondering why a Black woman was pinning about Albania! And there, they see it. My book is pinned and my MC has the Albanian flag tattooed on his chest. I got a sale. Who would have thunk it? The person liked the book so much, she bought ALL my books, contacted me on Twitter AND went on my website to purchase an autographed copy so she could send to a relative in ALBANIA. You gotta love when things like this happen.

7.      Don’t forsake Twitter. This one is a little more personal than the others, as you have perhaps noticed I didn’t include ‘must.’ There’s a madness to Twitter that actually works. I will share that madness at a later time. But for now, just know retweeting is a big issue.

8.     You need more than one book to reach the masses. Regardless if your one book is well-written and is perhaps the next bestseller, think of it this way. If one was okay, McDonalds would have only one type of burger, Taco Bell would offer only one type of taco, Pizza Hut would offer cheese on pizza dough. Because of the variety these places offer, a family of four can go to one of these places, order different things, and leave satisfied. One of your readers doesn’t like your heroine? It’s okay. I have a sexy hunk in another novel that will knock her socks off.

9.      You MUST have your work edited. Guys, I have no problems with beta readers, but let me share with you how many times I’ve read novels published after beta readers have approved them. Far too many and some of the errors I found actually made my already large eyes bug out even more. Nope, nope, nope. Get an editor. Two of my full-length novels have gone through editing THREE times. Sometimes it’s not your editor’s fault when errors are still found. Sometimes those errors are caused by you fixing an area they brought to your attention only for you to create another error in the process. It takes time, but it’s necessary. If you don’t believe me, jump on Amazon and pull up ten Indie author novel reviews and I promise you that at least nine or all of them will have poor editing listed in the review.

10.    Waiting for readers to discover you isn’t going to happen. You must have a marketing strategy. Some may work. Some may not, but let me throw this at you. My biggest sale days are usually Friday – Monday, with the exception of Saturday. People are not home on Saturday when the weather is nice, which means they’re not online to purchase your novel. I did a promotion on Black Friday and lost my ass! Why? Everyone was out shopping. I will never do that again. I did a promotion for Valentines and used my novel that had the most red in its cover. The novel jumped all over Amazon’s bestseller’s list in three countries from that promotion. I have more promotion tips that I will offer later.

11.    You WILL receive a one star review on Amazon. Don’t take it personal. “Gone Girl” has more than two thousand one star reviews. That didn’t stop it from being made into a movie. Listen to what the reader is saying and if it doesn’t apply, don’t take it personal. Someone gave me one star for The Blood Feud. His words were something like, ‘reads like a 25 cent cheap porn comic.’ Low. And. Behold. A reader who obviously thought that 25 cent cheap porn comics were interesting bought my book then sent me an email and said he bought it because of the review. Yes, he enjoyed it. I wrote him back and said, ‘If you liked that one, try Plain Dealing.’ He sent a tweet showing that he purchased that book as well.

12.     Sometimes people have no plans of buying your book, but you can talk them into it. Engage with readers. Converse. I jump all over the Goodreads postings, offering my opinion on the books I’ve read. Never say, ‘Buy my book.’ Just talk. Let them know you’re an author. Blend in. Let them see how creative you are in your speaking. Be professional. Never slam others. You can actually pitch your book without people realizing it. The trick is not to make it obvious. The intention is to pique their interest so that they ask about your work. Will you get a sale every time? No, but it happens a few times and I got great feedback from the readers.

13.    Don’t focus on authors to buy your books. If your FB and Twitter accounts have only authors as followers, you are preaching to the choir. They want you to buy THIER book and not the other way around. It takes time to build a following of readers. Encourage fans to join you on FB, Twitter and other sites. Word of mouth is the best publicity.

14.    If your book isn’t visible, no one knows to buy it. Add your books to as many online eBook sites as possible. When you’re having a promotion, ask the site to list you on their first page. Sometimes there’s a small fee involved. Sometimes not. Ask the site to share with you how much traffic they receive. If it’s a good number, pay the fee and pray for the best. This has worked well for me.

15.     Attend book festivals and book signings, but don’t attend either until you are well prepared. I can go on and on about how to prepare, but James Moushon has already posted some great advice on this subject. And trust me. James knows what he’s talking about. http://bit.ly/1BNLyyV

16.    If you decide to do a free giveaway know in advance how to maximize it for the best results. Doing free giveaways and promotions are great tools to use if you want more readers to discover you. I recommend that you hold off doing a free give away or low price promotion until you have as many books available as you possibly can. I ran my first promotion after I had three books published. The promotion was for three days. I sold more than one thousand books on the last day of that promotion alone. I wouldn’t have reached this number if I only had one novel. I also recommend that you spend (approximately $100.00) on online promotional services who list your books on multiple websites. This means on the days of your promotion, the cover of your book is listed on the front page of online eBook sites. They are clearly visible. No searching the catalog is involved. A great cover and catchy title will most definitely get you more clicks.

17.    Your cover is just as important as your novel’s content. You can purchase book cover designs for as little as $5 on Fiverrr. I used Fiverrr for my eBook cover for Dali’s Fantasy. It’s a flash fiction piece that I sell for $.99, so I didn’t want to spend a great deal of money on the cover. A good cover will cost you anywhere from $50.00 - $500. Hannah Gleghorn Design does all of my covers. I discovered her work while browsing for books and loved the cover of the one I was thinking of purchasing. I think she has fantastic pricing, especially compared to other designers I have come across. Her website is http://hannahgleghorn.com/. Be sure to read my next helpful tip.

18.    Test the waters before you try it. Before contracting with someone to edit your book or design your cover, ask them for samples. With all of my editors, I send them as many pages as they allow. They return them with their changes. Usually you can sense how well an editor is this way, and you’ll be surprised how much editing your work needs before it can be published. Not with Hannah, but with other book designers, I also had them send me a sample of how they saw my cover. Don’t settle. This is your work – your baby. If you’re not satisfied, express the changes you want made and I’m sure your designer will do all they can to assist you.

19.   Choose your editor wisely. I completed the second installment of my series and my editor was already busy working on a different novel of mine. To kill two birds with one stone, I shopped online for a second editor. I sent out my sample and LOVED the work that was returned to me, so I thought, ‘go for it!’ Low. And. Behold. Three weeks was the deadline. Every time I jumped on Facebook, there was my secondary editor posting thousands of posts. I couldn’t believe the amount of time she was spending online when she had a deadline to meet in three weeks. Still, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Two weeks in, I emailed her and discovered she hadn’t even STARTED editing. I cancelled the contract and contacted my primary editor and explained my situation. I had already paid for promotions and had a release date. Jerry Shaw worked his magic and edited two of my novels back to back, allowing me to meet my deadline. You don’t have to use any of the people I mention, but for those who want to check Jerry out his email is geraldwilliamshaw@gmail.com. I find his pricing extraordinarily reasonable.

20.   If you’re thinking of using a vanity press to publish your work, please, for all that’s Holy, check them out. A vanity press, vanity publisher or subsidy publisher is a term to describe a publishing house in which authors pay to have their books published. It’s what Indie authors are all about, right? I know authors who see their books selling and have yet to receive a single royalty check. All of them had signed contracts with the same vanity press. Do your research. When I’m researching a company online, I key in their name and add ‘bad reviews’ at the end. This has saved me from making what could have been some bad decisions.

Shelley Young

Author Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Historical, Mainstream, Erotica

Website: Shelley Young - Amazon International Bestselling Author
Twitter: @dardiandreshaj
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile

For the rest of the story...View Shelley Young's Interview - HBS Author's Spotlight

Author Description: 
Shelley Young is an Amazon International Bestseller in crime, romance and suspense. Compared often as a mash-up of two of the best thriller and erotica authors, her thriller, suspense and mystery novels have been downloaded from Canada to Australia in eBook form. A book club favorite, each of her novels were nominated as best Indie book of 2014 in its genre. The author of the Dardian Dreshaj novels, who fans have dubbed its leading character as 'a man all men dream of being and all women want to love,' she's also a writer of mystery, as well as historical. Look for her historical series scheduled to be released in 2016 and two more crime thrillers scheduled for release in the first part of 2015. 

Dardian Dreshaj has lived twelve years solely during the night. A handsome, Albanian immigrant who loves as passionately as he kills, he IS the highest paid contract killer in America. 

Bad doctor, good nurse is a lethal combination. For Dr. Andreus Solomon Tell, who has a temperament as dark as his well-kept secret, it's no wonder women are falling head-over-heels dead in the small town of Plain Dealing where he lives. Is he a murderer? Can he be tamed? Is his persuasive mannerism potent enough to fool everyone around him? 

If you enjoy novels of crime, investigations and a touch of heat levels four and five erotica, novels with characters you can't help falling for and cheering for them every step of the way, you'll love the writings of this author. She currently resides in So California with her family.

Shelley's Book List

Dali's Fantasy

Plain Dealing

Dali's Ultimatum

Possessing Dali

The Blood Feud

The Blood Tie

Shelley Young is the author of the Dardian Dreshaj novels and a publishing industry blogger. This post was re-posted with permission from Shelley Young by the eBook Author Corner, a book industry blog.

Follow James Moushon at:

Follow Me on Twitter: @jimhbs

Or EMAIL at: james.moushon@gmail.com

View my website: James Moushon – Mystery Writer

Or visit my blog: The eBook Author Corner

Take a look at my Author’s blog: HBS Author’s Spotlight

And the HBS Mystery Readers’s Circle

Check out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels:

Black Mountain Secrets

Game of Fire

Desert Delight – The Tucson Festival of Books 2015

Another Tucson Festival of Books with thousands of book enthusiasts and outstanding authors gathered in the sun this last weekend. This was the seventh annual festival with the estimated attendance over 130,000 and 250 authors. The TFOB is now the third largest book festival in the country.

I got to see many of my friends and Spotlight authors and make some new friends. This year I met up with J.A. Jance. Judith’s interview and book releases/promos have been featured many times on my HBS Author’s Spotlight Blog.

Judith is a Tucson-based bestselling author and a graduate of the University of Arizona (Festival host). She has been very instrumental in the success of this book event. Her novel ‘Cold Betrayal’ was released this week and showcased on the HBS Author’s Spotlight. It is her 50^th full-length mystery.

So let’s have some fun in the sun. This is my third Festival and I have a mission.

My mission is to talk to as many authors as I can, take some pictures and to see how the authors are trying to market their books and themselves. I did my homework this year. My ‘must see list’ had over 50 booths.

The first booth I came to had one of my Spotlight authors, Rebecca Dahlke. She was joined by D. R. Ransdell and Lala Corriere.

Author’s Goals

A Book festival presents a unique selling situation. In this event, you have thousands of people with lots of authors trying to gain their attention. You must have a set of goals and a game plan right up front. Here is a short list of possible goals.

1. Sell your book on-sight – requires a sale process in place
2. Talk with the readers/prospects and have something to say
3. Spark their interest enough to check your books out on-line
4. Arouse visitor interest enough to tell someone else about meeting you
5. Many more….

A book festival definitely requires a different approach than a regular book signing at a bookstore.

Observations – Sales Tools

I am always interested in an Author’s sales literature. To many authors, this is a major expense. They must do it right. And each year there is always something new.

I like to give credit to the top items in each category of sales items. Here is a list of my criteria I use to judge if the author is getting enough bang for their buck.

Good features

Clear Author’s Name

Contact information

Cover - 4 color-process

Readability

Stars and brief review clips

Use front and back of media

Bad criteria

Bad color contrast

Same copy on both sides

Blank backside

New item

I am starting to see more matrix barcodes on literature to accommodate our electronic age.

Matrix (2D) barcodes – more data for the space

Business Cards

The business cards ranged from 4-color quality cards with cover pictures to stock business cards to none at all. My top picks of all the cards I reviewed were:

Alan Black - Empty Space

Lala Corriere - Kiss and Kill: but never, ever, tell

Cricket Rohman – The School Days-Grimm Nights Romantic Mystery Trilogy--Boxed Set

Shelley Young - Plain Dealing

Bookmarks

Most of the bookmarks met my basic criteria although some were difficult to read. Most of the bookmarks were professionally done with covers, review snips and contact information. I had several in my little bookmark contest that stood out.

Sharon Hamilton – Seal’s Promise

Morgan Kearns - Hard Break 

Lynn Rush – Cryostrom

Post cards

The authors this year had their act together with this sales piece. Most of the post cards had copies of the author’s book covers. All the authors who had them had professional jobs done. My top picks for this item are:

           

Rhys Bowen – The Edge of Dreams

Robin Mahle - Law of Five   (Spotlight Interview)

D.R. Ransdell – Mariachi Murder

Book Displays

The same great quality was displayed here, many with cover blowups. It was hard to pick this category. These stood out.

Terry Ambrose - Big Island Blues   (Spotlight Interview)

Sabrina Devonshire – Czech Mate

Leslie Kohler - Disposable Lives

Camelia Miron Skiba - Me Tarzan-You Jane

Sharon Skinner - Mirabella & the Faded Phantom    (Spotlight Interview)

This year I added some new Spotlight award categories.

CD award

Kris had a CD prepared with excerpts from her novels and some other information. Look for more of this in the future as digital works continue to expand.

Kris Tualla - Loving the Norseman

Button award

Erin had a nice 4-color button with a cover with her name and web address.

Erin Quinn – Three Fates of Ryan Love

Group Hug

Western Writers of America’s booth featured four authors dressed in unique western outfits fitting their genre to a tee. The booth banner announced the Three Amigos and a Lady.

Chris Enss - Love Lessons from the Old West

Doug Hocking - Mystery of Chaco Canyon

Bill Markley - Deadwood Dead Men

Miles Swarthout - The Last Shootist

Unique Stories

Well here I am making my rounds and checking my author planning list. As I approached the next author table, I did a double take. I had two female writers next on my list. I must have surely made a mistake. Standing there were two males talking to visitors. After a quick list check I approached the table. The two authors were away and their husbands where manning the store. A note for authors: Have a backup plan.

Leslie Jones - Night Hush

Shelley Coriell – The Broken

Another story: A great thing to see. Natalie had her kids in her booth. What a great experience for them. 

Natalie Wright - H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath

Action

Like I have said before, I like confronting authors at their sales.

A book festival is an on-the-spot sales opportunity. An author gets to sell himself. To me, the most effective pitch was the short, quick one, after qualifying the prospect.

Some authors saw a live one and jumped right into their sales pitch.

Most of the authors qualified me this year. They offered questions like this. Do you read Mysteries? Do you like Suspense? What type of books do you read? They even knew what a blogger was this year.

There was a large variety of people at the festival again this year.

You had readers. You know people that love to read. The bookstores tents were over flowing with them.

You had tire kickers. These were people who were there for a good time but were not buyers. Note: Tire Kickers sometimes buy books and a good impression will last, if you give them something to remember you, like good sales literature. “Check me out on-line” would be good parting words.

Authors needed to work the prospects. Talk to them. Hand them a copy of your literature. “Here take a look.” You never know.

With this many people walking by; the authors that do nothing at the point-of-sale will get the same thing in return.

My Takeaway Ideas

Idea 1

I always check the trash cans for sales literature. Again like last year they were filled with author’s literature and plastic bags. They didn’t get the message.

Give your prospect something of value. Something they won’t throw away. Not expensive stuff. Maybe a pin with your book title, your name and web address or twitter tag. This year I saw collectables, dog tags, light bulbs, bracelets and tote bags to list a few. All the items had a way to contact the author after they left the event.

Idea 2

Like I have said before, a book festival is a perfect place to offer free or discounted ebooks to readers. I had several authors mention they were running a promo. (This could use some signage or some literature to hand the visitor.)

Idea 3

J.A. Jance made the Tucson Festival of Books part of her book launch for ‘Cold Betrayal’. She released here book on 3/10/2015 and four days later she was selling and autographing copies at the festival. Maybe an idea for the next festival or another event.

Idea 4

Name plates are still a problem. This year a penciled name on a white sheet was the primary ID vehicle again. 

Face time with a prospect is very important. Have a name plate made up and placed on the table beside you. Something like: Mystery Writer - James Moushon – the Jonathon Stone Mysteries.

(Same idea as last year. Notice the visitor qualifying by listing the genre.)

A Book Lover’s Dream

Another beautiful day in Tucson. Lots of Sun. Lots of Food. Lots of Writers. Lots of Readers. Lots of Fun.

To authors: ‘Qualify’ is the key in your sales effort at the festival.

Remember, the person who approaches you may be a reader/buyer or a tire kicker or maybe someone who will write an article about you for their Internet blog.

Related Articles:

Your Book Launch: Marketing Methods and Ideas Used by Outstanding Authors – A Study Getting Book Reviews: The Methods Award-Winning Authors Use – A Study

Authors: Finding Your Readers On-line: A group of Award-winning Authors speak up. – A Study

Free Books: Give it away. Just give it away.

Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure and Sales

How Do You Develop and Use a List of Your Readers? - HBS Author’s Corner STUDY

Developing an Author Website – A Marketing and Communication Checklist Study

Authors: Improve Your Twitter Messaging and Control

Follow me:

Follow Me on Twitter: @jimhbs

Or EMAIL at: james.moushon@gmail.com

View my website: James Moushon – Mystery Writer

Or visit my blog: The eBook Author’s Corner

Take a look at my Author’s blog: HBS Author’s Spotlight

And the HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Check out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels:

Black Mountain Secrets

Game of Fire

eBook Author Resource List – Marketing, Design Services, Information Sources, Reviews, Interviews, Resource Profiles, Book List and more

One of the most frequent questions asked by eBook authors is “What are the best sources of information to help me write, publish and market my book?” I think research is a key element in an indie’s quest for success and a great source list can become invaluable. So I put on my research hat again.

These are my favorites. You may not agree or maybe I have left a good blog out but at least this list could be a starting point for any author. I queried my HBS Spotlight Crew, a group of outstanding and successful authors, and accessed my own information sources and this is what I came up with.

This post is in two parts. The first part is an index of resources that provide author and publishing information (blogs), offer writing, marketing and publishing services, do book reviews and author interviews or head up author groups.

The second part is information about the resources list in the first part including their contact information and publishing industry book lists.

Resource Index

Author and Publishing Information 
This is list of blogs that provides useful information to authors about writing, marketing and publishing.

Henry Baum - Self-Publishing Review
Henry is the sponsor of the highly popular Self-Publishing Review blog devoted to self-publishing news and reviews.

Todd Borg Author's Blog
His blog is devoted to writing and helping authors.

Cheryl Bradshaw - A Place to Embrace our Love of Books
A provider of useful information for authors.

Judith Briles - The Book Shepherd
Judith has a very informative blog. She is an innovative and creative guide who can expertly assist you with your book and publishing project.

Sue Collier
She writes the Self-Publishing Resources blog. This is a great source of information for self-publishing authors. "We write well to make you look good!"

Rebecca Dahlke (R.P. Dahlke)
She publishes the All Mystery E-newsletter and the Dirt Cheap Mystery Reads.
A great newsletter with interesting author topics and a site to showcase your novels.

A Book Inside – Carol Denbow, Plain & Simple Books
Carol’s blogs focus is on How to Write a Fiction, Non-Fiction Book, or Novel, find a Publisher or Publishing Option, and Market Your Book for Free. Tips and Expert Advice.

Cats Eye Writer - Judy Dunn
I blog to release my true stories in the hope that they will help my readers learn to navigate the bumps in the road of life and live to tell about it.

New York Times & USA Today bestselling & award-winning author Melissa Foster
She provides valuable information to new and indie authors.

The Book Designer – Joel Friedlander, Marin Bookworks
His focus is on giving practical advice to authors to help build better books. Joel is an expert in cover and book design. He provides a wealth of information to authors in his blog and the many books he has written.

Indie Author – April L. Hamilton
April has one the most interesting and informative blogs in the indie ebook industry. It is a must follow.

C. S. Lakin - a novel life
Susanne has an outstanding blog featuring posts on copyediting and the essentials an author needs to be a success.

Katherine Lowry Logan's Notes from Tabor Lane
Katherine has an outstanding authors blog. You must check this great source of information.

Michael N. Marcus - Information for authors
Michael byline: “He discusses writing, editing, publishing and sometimes none of the above. Sometimes he draws attention to inept publishers and writers. It's his duty and his compulsion.”

Debra Martin - Two Ends of the Pen
Debra has a number of guest posts on Two Ends of the Pen that inform writers on different aspects of writing and publishing.

Christopher Meeks
Chris has authored a number of blogs about writing.For example, one blog was about using video to create a short film--something different from a book trailer--to suggest my new crime novel through metafiction.

Amy Metz - A Blue Million Books
Amy has an outstanding industry blog filled with useful information for authors.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller - Book-related free advice
Phyllis provides a wealth of information for authors on this broad reaching blog.

James Moushon - Industry Blogger
He writes the following blogs:
eBook Author’s Corner and
Top Shelf Author Advice
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
HBS Author Spotlight

Terry Odell - Terry's Place
I blog about writing with craft, marketing, research, conference workshops, and other things I've learned over the course of my writing experiences. I blog about these topics on Mondays and Thursdays.

Susan Oleksiw - One Writer's World
Susan writes about writing and the writing life, with posts relevant to writers at all stages in their careers.

Jill Paterson - The Perfect Plot
Jill has an outstanding blog with a wealth of information for authors.

Joanna Penn - Book Design and Writing
Joanna’s blog has a wealth of information for all authors. Also, Joanna has a FREE book, Author 2.0 Blueprint which is a complete introduction to the new world of digital publishing and online marketing.

Author Marketing Exports – Penny Sansevieri
Penny blogs regularly on topics of interest to all authors. She presents leading edge updates on ‘How to Promote Yourself Online’. “We are the leaders in Internet Publicity,” she broadcasts.

SharonSkinner.com
Her blog provides information that can help writers on their writing and publishing journeys, including links to other blogs and writing tools.

The Savvy Book Marketer – Dana Lynn Smith
She helps authors and indie publishers learn how to sell more books through her how-to guides, blog, newsletter, and coaching services.

Selling Books – Cathy Stucker
Cathy's blog presents a wealth of information for the new and experienced author. Her byline is: ‘Your guide to writing, marketing and publishing books and ebooks.’

Make a Living Writing – Carol Tice
“I started Make a Living Writing because I wanted to share what I’ve learned about successful freelancing and help writers support themselves with their craft. This blog is my give-back to the profession that allows me to pay my bills doing something I truly enjoy. This advice blog has taken me places I never imagined I’d go.” Her blog is one of the top ten writer’s blogs in the industry. “I started Make a Living Writing because I wanted to share what I’ve learned about successful freelancing and help writers support themselves with their craft…"

Author Interviews 
This is a list of sites that do author interviews. Contact them directly for assistance.

Terry Ambrose
Terry does about one author interview a week

Cheryl Bradshaw
She does author interviews.

Dianne Harman Author
Dianne does author interviews if they're in the Romance genre.

Debra Martin - Two Ends of the Pen
Debra has interviewed an extensive list of authors.

Amy Metz, author
Amy does author interviews and posts them on her website.

Terry Odell - Terry's Place
I do, once a week, and let people know when I'm open for requests. I normally schedule 3 months at a time.

SharonSkinner.com
I do written interviews, internet radio interviews, press interviews and I just did a TV interview for a local school and television station in Ft. Collins, CO. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing the finished program and promoting it.

Book Reviews 
This is a list of sites that do book reviews. Contact them directly. Most will do reviews, time permitting.

Terry Ambrose
Terry does three book reviews a month in the crime-fiction genre.

Ron Fritsch - Promised Valley
Ron writes and posts on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. reviews of books by indie authors if, and only if, I can give the book a favorable review.

Michael N. Marcus - Reviews of books for authors
Michael does book reviews. Contact him for the details.

Debra Martin - Two Ends of the Pen
Debra does reviews but because of an overwhelming backlog of books, I'm not accepting any new submissions at this time. Check back with her at a later date.

Susan Oleksiw - One Writer's World
Susan Oleksiw does book reviews and posts them on Goodreads (and also on LibraryThing if requested).

Jill Paterson - The Perfect Plot
Jill does book reviews. Contact her direct for more details.

Author Services including Marketing, Design services, Cover design, editing and eBook formatting. 
This is a list of sites that provide services to authors. Again, contact them directly.

Judith Briles - The Book Shepherd
She is an innovative and creative guide who can expertly assist you with your book and publishing project.

Chris Brogan – Human Business Works
He provides strategic business advice about developing business via the digital channel.

Marketing Tips For Authors – Tony Eldridge
Tony is a valuable source of information on marketing for authors.

Melissa Foster, New York Times & USA Today bestselling & award-winning author 
She runs the World Literary Café (bringing readers and authors together) and Fostering Success (author education, publishing/marketing) as well as the WLC private writer's group on Facebook.

The Book Designer – Joel Friedlander, Marin Bookworks
He provides a Book Designing and Writing services.

Writing and Publishing News – Patricia Fry, Matilija Press
Patricia is an author, a literary and manuscript consultant, an editor and a teacher with many articles and books to her credit.

All Smart Cookies - Emily Hill
Emily conducts author workshops and seminars in the northwest.

C. S. Lakin - a novel life
Susanne is a freelance copyeditor and writing coach. She has a full editing and critiquing services. She uses a team of very experienced editors who are also novelists and specialize in fiction.

David Lawlor - Editing Services
David provides an editing service for authors. Email him the first three chapters of your manuscript and he will provide you with a sample edit, plus an assessment of the story, structure and characters.

Michael N. Marcus - Pre-publication book assessments
Michael provides a book assessment service for authors.

Joanna Penn - Book Design and Writing
Joanna provides a variety of services for authors. She is a leading consultant in the book industry.

Dan Poynter's ParaPublishing.com
Dan provides publishing consulting and a wealth of published information for authors. He is also available for speaking engagements.

Author Marketing Exports – Penny Sansevieri
Penny provides a Internet Marketing & Publicity service

SharonSkinner.com
Sharon teach writing workshops on Character and Plot, as well as creating an inviting book display for festivals and cons, and crafting a solid reader pitch to hook new readers. She also does personal mentoring for new and emerging writers.

The Savvy Book Marketer – Dana Lynn Smith
She provides training programs and one-on-one coaching services

Author Groups 
This is a list of groups that provide information and help to authors.

Cheryl Bradshaw
She manages the hugely successful Indie Writers Unite group on Facebook.

Judith Briles - AuthorU.org
Judith is the presentator of the podcasts on various author and publishing topics.

Melissa Foster, New York Times & USA Today bestselling & award-winning author
She runs the World Literary Café (bringing readers and authors together) and Fostering Success (author education, publishing/marketing) as well as the WLC private writer's group on Facebook.

Ron Fritsch - Promised Valley
Ron is a director of the Association of Independent Authors.

Indie Author – April L. Hamilton
She is the founder and site administrator for Digital Media Mom and the founder and Editor in Chief of Publetariat.com

Terry Odell - Booklover's Bench
Where readers are winners. The Booklover’s Bench website is devoted to bringing good things to readers.

Susan Oleksiw - One Writer's World
Susan Oleksiw started and manage a writers' group on Cape Ann, through the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester.

Cheryl Shireman - Indie Chicks Café
Cheryl is also founder of the Indie Chicks group of women writers and organizer of the Indie Chicks Anthologies.

SharonSkinner.com
Sharon is Assistant Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in Arizona.

Resource Profiles and Book List 
The following are the profiles from the resources listed in the index and their book lists.

Terry Ambrose

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Funny Mystery, Suspense

Website: Terry Ambrose - Mysteries with character
Twitter: @suspense_writer
E-Mail: info@terryambrose.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Terry Ambrose - HBS Author's Spotlight

Terry Ambrose @suspense_writer is the author of the McKenna Mystery series and a member of Murder, We Wrote.

Mark Barnes

Author Genre: Educational, non-fiction, mystery

Website: Mark Barnes
Twitter: @markbarnes19
E-Mail: mark@thepaperlessclassroom.com
Google+: Check Out Google+


For the rest of the story...View Mark Barnes - HBS Author's Spotlight

Mark Barnes @markbarnes19 writes Mystery novels and Educational, non-fiction books.

Author's Publishing Book List
Teaching the iStudent
The 5-Minute Teacher

Chuck Barrett

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Chuck Barrett
Website: Chuck Barrett
Twitter: @Chuck_Barrett
E-Mail: chuck@chuckbarrettbooks.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Chuck Barrett - HBS Author's Spotlight





Best-Selling Author Chuck Barrett @Chuck_Barrett is the author of the Award-Winning Jake Pendleton series.

Author's Publishing Book List
Publishing Unchained

Henry Baum

Author Genre: Thrillers & Suspense Author

Author's Blog: Self-Publishing Review
Website: Henry Baum
Twitter: @henrybaum
E-Mail: henrybaum@gmail.com

For the rest of the story...View Henry Baum - HBS Author's Spotlight

Henry Baum @henrybaum has been a web-based copywriter for over eight years. He is the sponsor of the highly popular Self-Publishing Review blog devoted to self-publishing news and reviews.

Author's Publishing Book List
Self-Publishing Review


Todd Borg

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Todd Borg
Website: Todd Borg
E-Mail: todd@toddborg.com
Google+: Check Out Google+


For the rest of the story...View Todd Borg - HBS Author's Spotlight





Todd Borg is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Owen McKenna Tahoe Mystery series.

Cheryl Bradshaw

Author Genre: Mystery/Thriller fiction novels

Author's Blog: A Place to Embrace our Love of Books
Website: Cheryl Bradshaw
Twitter: @cherylbradshaw
E-Mail: cherylbradshawbooks@hotmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Cheryl Bradshaw - HBS Author's Spotlight





Amazon Best-Selling Author Cheryl Bradshaw @cherylbradshaw is the creator of the Sloane Monroe series and the founder of the hugely successful Indie Writers Unite group on Facebook.

Judith Briles

Author Genre:

Author's Blog: The Book Shepherd
Website: The Book Shepherd
Twitter: @mybookshepherd
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook










Judith Briles @mybookshepherd is an Author, Book & Publishing expert who is a blunt, butt-kicking, benevolent book coach. Judith has a very informative blog. She is an innovative and creative guide who can expertly assist you with your book and publishing project.

Author's Publishing Book List
Snappy Sassy Salty
Creating and Developing Your Author and Book Platform
Author YOU
Show Me About Book Publishing


Chris Brogan

Author Genre: Professional & Technical

Website: Chris Brogan – Human Business Works
Twitter: @chrisbrogan
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook








Chris Brogan @chrisbrogan is publisher of Owner Magazine and CEO of Owner Media Group, dedicated to helping owners grow their business through improving their capabilities and connections.

Author's Publishing Book List
Google+ for Business
Social Media 101
The Impact Equation


Sue Collier

Author Genre:

Website: Sue Collier - Market-Write Marketing Communications for Business
Twitter: @SueCollier
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook








Sue Collier @SueCollier is a content writer, blogger, social media strategist at Market-Write. 'We write well to make you look good!'

Brandilyn Collins

Author Genre: Suspense, Christian, Contemporary

Author's Blog: Brandilyn Collins
Website: Brandilyn Collins
Twitter: @Brandilyn
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook









Brandilyn Collins @Brandilyn is an award-winning and best-selling novelist known for her trademarked Seatbelt Suspense.

Author's Publishing Book List
Getting into Character


Arthur Crandon

Author Genre: Crime, Thriller, Fiction

Author's Blog: Arthur Crandon - Blog, Blog, Blog
Website: Arthur Crandon's Writing Matters
Twitter: @arthurcrandon
E-Mail: arthurcrandon@yahoo.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook








Arthur Crandon @arthurcrandon is a Crime and Thriller author. He has written several books on business and publishing.

Author's Publishing Book List
Giveaways - the Ultimate 'How to' Guide
Publish for Free


R.P. Dahlke

Author Genre: Mystery, Romance, Humor

Website: R.P. Dahlke
Twitter: @rpdahlke
E-Mail: rp@rpdahlke.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View R.P. Dahlke - HBS Author's Spotlight










R.P. Dahlke @rpdahlke is a Mystery, Romance and Humor writer. She publishes the All Mystery E-newsletter and the Dirt Cheap Mystery Reads.

Leti Del Mar

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult

Author's Blog: Words With Leti Del Mar
Twitter: @leti_delmar
E-Mail: wordswithletidelmar(at)gmail(dot) com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Leti Del Mar - HBS Author's Spotlight


Author Leti Del Mar @leti_delmar is an indie author. She blogs about the craft of writing and indie books.

Author's Publishing Book List
How To Self-Publish: A Do-It-Yourself Approach


Carol Denbow

Author Genre: Nonfiction, Health, Mind & Body, Literature & Fiction

Author's Blog: A Book Inside – Carol Denbow, Plain & Simple Books





Carol Denbow is the founder of Plain & Simple Books Publishing as well as authoring six non-fiction books since 2006. She focuses on writing, marketing and publishing.

Author's Publishing Book List
How to Organize a Virtual Book Tour
100 Ways to Market Your Book for Free


Judy Lee Dunn

Author Genre: Blogger

Author's Blog: Judy Lee Dunn Author
Website: Judy Lee Dunn Author
Twitter: @JudyLeeDunn
E-Mail: judy [at] catseyewriter [dot] com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook








Judy Lee Dunn @JudyLeeDunn is a book industry blogger. Judy’s blogging advice is a must read if you’re going to market your ebook through the blogosphere.

Tony Eldridge

Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Marketing Tips For Authors
Website: Marketing Tips For Authors – Tony Eldridge
Twitter: @tonyeldridge
E-Mail: tony (at) marketingtipsforauthors (dot) com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook






Tony Eldridge @tonyeldridge is a Mystery & Thrillers author. He shares his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog, Marketing Tips For Authors and through his free weekly video marketing tips for authors newsletter.

Melissa Foster

Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Amazon Author's Page
Website: Melissa Foster
Twitter: @Melissa_Foster
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Melissa Foster - HBS Author's Spotlight











Award-winning Author Melissa Foster @Melissa_Foster is the author of several International bestselling novels and the founder of the World Literary Café, Fostering Success and the social and support network for women, the Women’s Nest.

Joel Friedlander

Author Genre: Nonfiction

Website: The Book Designer – Joel Friedlander, Marin Bookworks
Twitter: @JFbookman
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook









Joel Friedlander @Jfbookman is an author of several books in the book publishing field as well as a provider book design and writing services.

Author's Publishing Book List
A Self-Publisher's Companion
The Self-Publisher's Quick & Easy Guide to ISBNs and Barcodes
The Self-Publisher's Quick & Easy Guide to Copyright


Ron Fritsch

Author Genre: prehistoric fiction, historical fiction - LGBTQ fiction

Website: Promised Valley
Twitter: @RonFritsch
E-Mail: ronfritsch@sbcglobal.net
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Ron Fritsch - HBS Author's Spotlight

Ron Fritsch @RonFritsch is a writer of Prehistoric fiction, historical fiction and LGBTQ fiction. He is the author of the Promised Valley series.

Patricia Fry

Author Genre:

Author's Blog: Writing and Publishing News – Patricia Fry, Matilija Press
Website: Patricia Fry
Twitter: @AuthorPLF
E-Mail: info@matilijapress.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook







Patricia Fry @AuthorPLF is the author of the Klepto Cat Mystery Series. Also she is a literary and manuscript consultant, an editor and a teacher with many articles and books to her credit.

Author's Publishing Book List
Publish Your Book


April L. Hamilton

Author Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Indie Author – April L. Hamilton
Twitter: @indieauthor
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook









April L. Hamilton @indieauthor is a writer of Humor and Mystery & Thrillers novels. She is also a book industry blogger and a web content developer and site administrator.

Author's Publishing Book List
The Indie Author Guide


Dianne Harman

Author Genre: Romance and Literary Fiction

Author's Blog: Dianne Harman Author
Website: Dianne Harman Author
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Dianne Harman - HBS Author's Spotlight







Author Dianne Harman @DianneDHarman is Award Winning Bestseller Romance author.

Liliana Hart

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Humor,non-fiction

Website: Liliana Hart
Twitter: @Liliana_Hart
E-Mail: lilianahartauthor@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Liliana Hart - HBS Author's Spotlight

Liliana Hart @Liliana_Hart is a NYT and USA Today Bestselling author of romantic mysteries and suspense.

Author's Publishing Book List
The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing


Michael R. Hicks

Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Michael R. Hicks - I enjoy writing so you can enjoy reading!
Website: Michael R. Hicks
Twitter: @KreelanWarrior
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

For the rest of the story...View Michael R. Hicks - HBS Author's Spotlight




Michael R. Hicks @KreelanWarrior is the Bestselling author of the IN HER NAME Sci-Fi and HARVEST Thriller novels. Mike has also written the The Path To Self-Publishing Success.

Author's Publishing Book List
The Path To Self-Publishing Success


Emily Hill

Author Genre: Paranormal, Historical Fiction

Website: Emily Hill
Twitter: @24GhostTales
Facebook: Check Out Facebook











Emily Hill @24GhostTales writes Paranormal and Historical Fiction. She conducts author workshops and seminars in the northwest.

Author's Publishing Book List
All Smart Cookies Can Self-Publish


S.R. Johannes

Author Genre: Young Adult, Mystery & Thrillers, Children's Books

Website: S.R. Johannes
Twitter: @srjohannes
E-Mail: shelli@srjohannes.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View S.R. Johannes - HBS Author's Spotlight





S.R. Johannes @srjohannes is the award-winning author of the Amazon bestselling thriller series, the Nature of Grace. Shelli has also written the Marketing Your Words.

Author's Publishing Book List
Marketing Your Words


Susanne Lakin

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Author's Blog: Live Write Thrive
Website: C. S. Lakin - a novel life
Twitter: @CSLakin
E-Mail: cslakin@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Susanne Lakin - HBS Author's Spotlight







Award-winning Author Susanne Lakin @CSLakin is the author of the seven-book fantasy series The Gates of Heaven. Also, Susanne is a freelance copyeditor and writing coach.

Author's Publishing Book List
Say What? The Fiction Writer's Handy Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Word Usage


Joseph Lallo

Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy - Epic

Website: The Book of Deacon Series
Twitter: @jrlallo
E-Mail: jrlallo (at) bookofdeacon (dot) com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Joseph Lallo - HBS Author's Spotlight



Joseph Lallo @jrlallo is a bestselling author of the Science Fiction & Fantasy series: The Book of Deacon Trilogy.

Author's Publishing Book List
Interviews with Indie Authors


David Lawlor

Author Genre: Historical Fiction

Website: historywithatwist
Twitter: @LawlorDavid
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View David Lawlor - HBS Author's Spotlight









Author David Lawlor @LawlorDavid is a Historical Fiction Writer and provides an editing service for other authors.

Katherine Logan

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers - Time Travel

Author's Blog: Katherine Lowry Logan's Notes from Tabor Lane
Website: Katherine Lowry Logan
Twitter: @KathyLLogan
E-Mail: KatherineLLogan@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Katherine Logan - HBS Author's Spotlight




Award winning, best-selling author Katherine Logan @KathyLLogan is the author of the Celtic Brooch Time-Travel Series.

Michael N. Marcus

Author Genre: Humor And Comedy, Business, Ebooks

Author's Blog: Michael N. Marcus
Website: www.MichaelMarc.us
Twitter: @michaelnmarcus
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Blog: Michael N. Marcus







Michael N. Marcus @michaelnmarcus is an author of Humor And Comedy novels and a provider of book assessment and book review services.

Author's Publishing Book List
Independent Self-Publishing


Debra L. Martin

Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Author's Blog: Two Ends of the Pen
Twitter: @dlmartin6
E-Mail: dlmartin6@yahoo.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook



For the rest of the story...View Debra L. Martin - HBS Author's Spotlight

Best-Selling Author Debra L. Martin @dlmartin6 Science fiction and fantasy writer. You can also find her writing Romance novels as Debra Elizabeth.

M.R. Mathias

Author Genre: Fantasy - Magic & Wizards

Author's Blog: M. R. Mathias Connection Hub
Website: M.R. Mathias Fantasy Author
Twitter: @DahgMahn
E-Mail: mrmathiasjr@aol.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View M.R. Mathias - HBS Author's Spotlight






Author M.R. Mathias @DahgMahn is an award-winning self-published Fantasy Writer. He is noted for his epic fantasy novels and his prolific social network marketing activity.

Author's Publishing Book List
The First Ten Steps


Christopher Meeks

Author Genre: Literature & Fiction, Short Stories

Author's Blog: Christopher Meeks, Author
Website: Christopher Meeks, Author
Twitter: @MeeksChris
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Christopher Meeks - HBS Author's Spotlight








Christopher Meeks @MeeksChris is a Prize winning novelist who writes serious and funny fiction. Also, Chris has an outstanding author information blog.

Amy Metz

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Humor, Romance

Author's Blog: A Blue Million Books
Website: Amy Metz, author
Twitter: @authoramymetz
E-Mail: amy@amymetz.com.
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Amy Metz - HBS Author's Spotlight








Author Amy Metz @authoramymetz is an Author of Mystery & Thrillers as well as a blogger and book editor.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Author Genre: Nonfiction, Literature & Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Website: Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Twitter: @ZimblerMiller
E-Mail: pzmiller@gmail.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Phyllis Zimbler Miller - HBS Author's Spotlight





Phyllis Zimbler Miller @ZimblerMiller is a author of Mystery & Thrillers. Also, she is a Web marketer and writer of several book industry publications.

Author's Publishing Book List
Top Tips for How to Publish Your Book in the Age of Kindle
Top Tips for How to Market on the Internet With Pictures
Top Tips for How to Market Your Book on Amazon and Facebook


James Moushon

Author Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: eBook Author’s Corner
Website: James Moushon - Mystery Writer
Twitter: @jimhbs
E-Mail: jim@jamesmoushon.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View James Moushon - HBS Author's Spotlight


James Moushon @jimhbs is a Mystery and Esponiage author. He also writes several industry blogs including eBook Author’s Corner, HBS Author's Spotlight, HBS Mystery Readers Circle and the Top Shelf Author Advice blogs.

Terry Odell

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Suspense

Author's Blog: Terry's Place
Website: Terry Odell
Twitter: @authorterryo
E-Mail: contact@terryodell.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Terry Odell - HBS Author's Spotlight




Terry Odell @authorterryo is a author of romance, mystery & romantic suspense novels. She is also an publishing industry blogger and hosts the Booklover’s Bench, a website for readers.

Susan Oleksiw

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Susan Oleksiw - One Writer's World
Website: Susan Oleksiw
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Susan Oleksiw - HBS Author's Spotlight








Veteran Author Susan Oleksiw is a bestselling author of the Mellingham series and the Anita Ray mysteries.

Jill Paterson

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery,Publishing Industry Writings

Website: Jill Paterson - The Perfect Plot
Twitter: @JillPaterson2
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Jill Paterson - HBS Author's Spotlight







Jill Paterson @JillPaterson2 is a Mystery writer, and author of The Celtic Dagger, Murder At The Rocks, and Once Upon A Lie, in the Fitzjohn Mystery series. Also book reviewer and blogger.

Author's Publishing Book List
Writing - Painting A Picture With Words
Self Publishing - Pocket Guide


Joanna Penn

Author Genre: Action-Adventure Thriller

Author's Blog: The Creative Penn
Website: J. F. Penn, Ancient Mystery, Modern Thrill
Twitter: @thecreativepenn
E-Mail: joanna@TheCreativePenn.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Joanna Penn - HBS Author's Spotlight










Author Joanna Penn @thecreativepenn (J. F. Penn) is an Action-Adventure Thriller Author creating the ARKANE thriller series. Also, she is a leading consultant in the book industry.

Author's Publishing Book List
Business For Authors. How To Be An Author Entrepreneur
Public Speaking for Authors, Creatives and other Introverts
How To Market A Book
Author 2.0 Blueprint
From Book to Market:
From Idea to Book: How To Write and Publish Your Book


Christy Pinheiro

Author Genre:

Website: Christy Pinheiro













Christy Pinheiro is a technical and financial writer. She has written several books on Self-Publishing and Business.

Author's Publishing Book List
The Indie Book Reviewer Yellow Pages:
The Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit!


Dan Poynter

Author Genre:

Website: Dan Poynter's ParaPublishing.com
Twitter: @DanPoynter
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook










Dan Poynter @DanPoynter is an author of more than 120 books, has been a publisher since 1969 and is a Certified Speaking Professional.

Author's Publishing Book List
U-Publish.com 5.0:
Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual, Volume 2
Book Publishing Encyclopedia


Mohana Rajakumar

Author Genre: Essays & non-fiction projects with young adults

Author's Blog: YouTube Channel - Mohana Rajakumar
Website: Mohadoha - Modern Mother, Writer, Scholar
Twitter: @moha_doha
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Mohana Rajakumar - HBS Author's Spotlight



Award-winning Author Mohana Rajakumar @moha_doha is an author based in Qatar. She has a PhD and has been involved in various foundations supporting young writers.

Author's Publishing Book List
So You Want to Sell a Million Copies?


Johnny Ray

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Romance, Literature & Fiction

Author's Blog: Sir John's Blog featuring Author Johnny Ray
Twitter: @Sirjohn_writer
E-Mail: sirjohn@wwisp.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook







Johnny Ray @Sirjohn_writer is the Award Winning Novelist MASTER OF THE ROMANTIC THRILLER. He is also the author of LITERARY AGENTS--BEWARE.

Author's Publishing Book List
LITERARY AGENTS--BEWARE


Penny Sansevieri

Author Genre: Book Publishing, Fiction

Author's Blog: Book Marketing Blogs
Website: Author Marketing Exports – Penny Sansevieri
Twitter: @Bookgal
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook







Penny Sansevieri @Bookgal is the provider of Book Publishing books and information. She is a internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert.

Author's Publishing Book List
52 Ways to Sell More Books
How to Get a Truckload of Reviews on Amazon.com
How To Sell Your Books By The Truckload On Amazon.com
Red Hot Internet Publicity
The Book Marketing Expert


Cheryl Shireman

Author Genre: Fiction Novels, Non-Fiction and Children's Books

Author's Blog: Cooper Moon - The Series
Website: Cheryl Shireman
Twitter: @cherylshireman
E-Mail: Contact Form on her Site
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Cheryl Shireman - HBS Author's Spotlight





Author Cheryl Shireman @cherylshireman is the author of the 'Life is But a Dream' series and the 'Cooper Moon' series among many novels. Cheryl is also founder of the Indie Chicks group of women writers and organizer of the Indie Chicks Anthologies.

Author's Publishing Book List
What's Your Story? Icebreaker Questions for Small Groups


Sharon Skinner

Author Genre: Children's Books,Fantasy

Website: SharonSkinner.com
Twitter: @sharonskinner56
E-Mail: Sharon@BrickCaveBooks.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


For the rest of the story...View Sharon Skinner - HBS Author's Spotlight










Sharon Skinner @sharonskinner56 is an award-winning poet and author. She writes Children's Books and Fantasy.

Dana Lynn Smith

Author Genre:

Author's Blog: The Savvy Book Marketer – Dana Lynn Smith
Twitter: @bookmarketer
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook









Dana Lynn Smith @bookmarketer helps authors and indie publishers learn how to sell more books through her how-to guides, blog, newsletter, and coaching services.

Author's Publishing Book List
How to Get Your Book Reviewed
The Savvy Book Marketer


Cathy Stucker

Author Genre:

Website: Selling Books – Cathy Stucker
Twitter: @CathyStucker
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook















Cathy Stucker @CathyStucker blog presents a wealth of information for the new and experienced author. Her byline is: ‘Your guide to writing, marketing and publishing books and ebooks.’

Carol Tice

Author Genre: Business, Non Fiction

Website: Make a Living Writing – Carol Tice
Twitter: @TiceWrites
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook










Carol Tice @TiceWrites is a freelance writer and writing-business coach. She has been writing business and finance topics for roughly 20 years.

Author's Publishing Book List
13 Ways to Get the Writing Done Faster


Laina Turner

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery, Suspense

Author's Blog: Laina Turner
Website: Laina Turner
Twitter: @lturnermolaski
E-Mail: laina@lainaturner.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Facebook: Check Out Facebook








Laina Turner @lturnermolaski is a Romance, Mystery and Suspense writer.

Author's Publishing Book List
Books Aren't Just for Reading

Conclusion

I hope this list of resources is helpful. Please comment if you have other resources that I can add to my list and I will check them out. I plan on updating this list periodically and republishing this information.

Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle