Who’s That Indie Author? Anna Chant

Author name:  Anna Chant

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Books:  I am writing a series of books called Women of the Dark Ages. All are standalone novels telling the stories of the often forgotten and uncelebrated women of the era. I have recently been shortlisted for the UK Novel Writing Competition. Kenneth’s Queen, The Girl from Brittia and Three Times the Lady.

      

Bio:  I was born and grew up in Harlow, Essex in the UK. After studying history at university I spent a year in Germany before training as a teacher. I currently live in Devon with my husband and three sons. I published my first novel, Kenneth’s Queen in 2016 and have fallen in love with the Dark Ages and in particular the part played by the women of those tumultuous times. I plan to tell the story of as many as possible!

Favorite thing about being a writer:  I enjoy all aspects of creating my book. A lot of research needs to be done before I start writing and this often feels like a treasure hunt as I never know who or what I might find. I love using that research to create the characters, most of whom really existed. The minor characters can be as fun to create as the main ones, particularly if they are the more famous figures of the age. My last book featured a very young Alfred the Great and creating his character was one of my favourite parts of writing that book.

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  Like a lot of indie authors I struggle with promoting my books. Discovering advertising platforms and using social media effectively has proved to be a steep learning curve and it’s a learning process which remains ongoing!

Favorite book:  There are far too many to just pick one! My favourite historical novel and the book which most influences me as a writer is Katherine by Anya Seton. My favourite book of all time is JRR Tokein’s Lord of the Rings. My favourite books that I’ve shared with my children is a series called The Worlds of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones.

Contact Information:
Blog:  Dark Age Voices
Facebook: @darkagevoices
Twitter: @anna_chant

You can also find me on Pinterest, Goodreads and Amazon.

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Who’s That Indie Author? Brigid P. Gallagher

Author name:  Brigid P. Gallagher

Genre:  Memoir

Book:  Watching the Daisies – Life Lessons on the Importance of Slow

Bio:  Brigid was a natural medicines therapist and teacher for 20 years. She facilitated classes for community projects, prisons, and women’s groups in Scotland and Ireland, including self-healing classes for Stirling University Open Studies and Summer Schools from 1993 to 1999. In 1999, she relocated to Donegal, Ireland the home of her ancestors. Brigid succumbed to a mystery illness in 2003 that was eventually diagnosed as fibromyalgia. She retrained in organic horticulture and taught this subject in schools until recently.

Favorite thing about being a writer:  I write about the topics I love, and hope to inspire others on their self-healing journey.

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  Marketing and book promotion.

Favorite book:  The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Contact Information:  watchingthedaisies.com

Awards/special recognition:  Blog shortlisted in 2016 Ireland Blog Awards

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Who’s That Indie Author? Linda Smolkin

Author name:  Linda Smolkin

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Book:  Among the Branded (May 2017)

Bio:  Linda Smolkin always wanted to be a writer—ever since she saw her first TV commercial and wondered how to pen those clever ads. She got her degree in journalism and became a copywriter. Linda landed a job at an ad agency, where she worked for several years before joining the nonprofit world. When not in front of the computer, she’s behind the drums (slightly) annoying her husband, son, and their 70-pound dog.

Favorite thing about being a writer:  Letting my imagination go wild. Oh, and writing dialogue!

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  Finding enough time to do everything. I have a full-time job, so all of the writing and business aspects of being an indie author have to be done on the side. But, meeting my goal of becoming a published novelist has been really great—except for the dark circles!

Favorite book:  So many wonderful books to choose from, but if I could only choose one, it would be: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Contact Information:
Twitter: @lindasmoklin
Website:  lindasmolkin.com
Goodreads Author:  Linda Smolkin
Among the Branded on Amazon

Awards/special recognition:  San Francisco Book Review rated Among the Branded 4.5 out of 5 stars, and in their review wrote, “This is a beautiful and fascinating novel that will keep readers hooked.”

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Who’s That Indie Author? Kathleen Doler

Author name:  Kathleen Doler

Genre:  Crossover Fiction: Literary, Crime and Action/Adventure

Book:  THE HOOK: Surfing to Survive a Shattered Family, Drugs, Gangs and the FBI

Bio:  I was raised on the coast of Northern California. I’m an author, journalist and adventure sports addict. I write for national newspapers and magazines on everything from business and finance to helicopter skiing, sea kayaking and scuba diving. I also travel extensively, mostly to wild places, often while pursuing sports that have the potential to maim me. I own a wardrobe of wetsuits and a closet full of Gor-tex.

Favorite thing about being a writer:  I love being able to tell stories that touch people. I’ve enjoyed working as a journalist, but in business journalism you have to shelve the emotion. Now that my first novel, THE HOOK, is out, I get to experience how different readers connect with various pieces of the story.

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  I have to pump myself up to remain upbeat every day in my efforts to promote THE HOOK and build my readership and distribution network one contact at a time. As a self-published author, it’s all on me. But I’m a journalist; tenacity is part of my DNA. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised and gratified at how other authors have shared information, opportunities and advice.

Favorite books:  Damage, by Josephine Hart, is my all-time favorite. I love how she can just gut the reader with a short sentence or phrase. For the rest of my top five: I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb, The Wave by Susan Casey, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls.

Contact Information:
Website:  kathleendoler.com
Facebook: @kathleendolerauthor
Twitter: @kathleendoler

Awards/special recognition:  THE HOOK now has 43 5- and 4-star reviews on Amazon. Also, in May THE HOOK was named a “Finalist 2017, Action-Adventure,” by the National Indie Excellence Awards. And Blueink Review gave THE HOOK a “STARRED” review and named it a “Notable Book of 2017.”

This editorial review made me swoon: “In THE HOOK, the pace is swift, the plot is involving, and character development is thorough … Plus, there is a lyrical, almost mystical homage to surfing, sailing, and the sea itself. Participants in this tale are never far from its enticing allure.” — Joe Kilgore, the US Review of Books.

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Who’s That Indie Author? Joseph Ferguson

Author name:  Joseph Ferguson

Genre:  Fiction, Poetry

Books:  Southbound, Shillelagh Law, Dave Doolittle’s Resumes That Work So You Don’t Have To

     

Bio:  Joseph Ferguson is an author, poet, and journalist appearing in a variety of small press, regional, and national publications. He wrote propaganda for a living for a variety of entities for some twenty-five years.

His books include two short story collections – Southbound, and Shillelagh Law, and a spoof of “how-to-get-a-job” books, Dave Doolittle’s Resumes That Work, So You Don’t Have To.

He is a former editor and critic for Hudson Valley, ran the Fiction Workshop for the Poughkeepsie Library District, and has reviewed books and videos for Climbing, The American Book Review, Kirkus, and a number of other publications.

He also sells rock climbing t-shirts through his website, bumluckhome.

Favorite thing about being a writer:  Finishing

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  No one cares

Favorite books:  Whatever I’m reading at the moment

Contact Information:
Email: joferguson@optonline.net
Amazon author page: Joseph Ferguson
Goodreads author page:  Joseph Ferguson
Twitter: @1Martineden
Facebook:  Joe Ferguson
T-shirt website:  bumluckhome.com

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Hey indie authors – tell your story on Who’s That Indie Author!

Hey indie authors! Are you wondering how to get people to know about your books?  Tell your story on Who’s That Indie Author!

One of the greatest challenges independent authors have is promoting their books.  Some writers are so busy writing their books or working at another job they have little time left for promotions. Others are overwhelmed by the opportunities social media offers. And some writers are just uncomfortable putting themselves out there.

Whether you are uncomfortable with self-promotion or are too busy, Who’s That Indie Author is a great way to tell readers about your books.

If you would like Book Club Mom to post your profile, email me at bvitelli2009@gmail.com and I’ll send you the template to complete.

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Take a look at these indie author profiles:
Who’s That Indie Author Recap: Sep/Oct 2015
Who’s That Indie Author Recap: Nov/Dec 2015

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Book publicity and marketing, what’s an indie author to do?

Image: Pixabay

Wouldn’t it be great you could just write and not worry about the business of selling books?  The explosion of self-publishing has made book publishing possible to new and creative talent, but a big question for indie authors remains.  What’s the best way to market and publicize a self-published book?  Top on the list are building a presence on social media, implementing ad campaigns, and obtaining reviews.  To some extent, a self-published writer’s time and budget will determine the plan, but learning what to focus on and deciding whether to buy marketing and promotion services can be hard.

For writers who are making these decisions for the first time, I’m wondering what experiences other indie authors can share.  So I’m starting a discussion about some specific marketing services listed below.  What has worked best for you?  What would you do differently?

1. Social Media – do it yourself or hire a publicist? We all know how time-consuming social media is and let’s face it – you either like doing it or you hate it.  But for writers who do enjoy being on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., is it still better to have someone else do it?  Many indie authors wear a lot of different hats and time is a limited resource.
2. Advertising on Facebook – do people read and engage with these ads? I know a lot of people who use ad blockers.  Do you?
3. Creating a Facebook Page for Your Book – seems like a good idea, despite my frustration with Facebook. Can you create a page that is not connected to your personal account?
4. Advertising in Publishers Weekly – Does advertising here help give your book a push in the right direction?
5. Obtaining Reviews – as a book blogger, I’m sensitive to the need for indie authors to get reviews. Asking someone to review your book is hard to do!  What are your strategies?
6. Buying Reviews – you can purchase reviews from Kirkus but they are expensive. It’s great if you get a positive review, but is it worth the risk of getting a bad one?
7. Book Stubs – these little plastic cards display your book cover on the front and offer a free copy of an e-book on the back– they sound fun but unless you’re on a book tour, how helpful are they?
8. BookGrabbr – this online tool invites your social media followers to share your book with potential readers by offering a preview as a reward or the whole book (a “grabb”) to certain followers. Sounds clever.  Has anyone tried this?

How many hats do you wear?  Do you like social media?  What other marketing methods have helped you sell books?

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Who’s That Indie Author? Sarah Brentyn

Author name: Sarah Brentyn

Genre: Short Fiction/Flash Fiction

Books: Hinting at Shadows

Bio: Sarah Brentyn is a woman who finds talking about herself in the third person odd.

I wrote my first story when I was nine years old and have never looked back. My work has appeared both online and in print in lit mags, newsletters, websites, newspapers, and anthologies. I have a master’s degree in writing and have taught all ages, from Kindergarteners to adults. When other girls dreamt of being a ballerina, I dreamt of scribbling my thoughts in a notebook and turning them into a book. I bleed ink.

Favorite thing about being a writer: I kind of love everything about being a writer. The feel of a pencil, the smell of paper, the click of a keyboard, the words in my head appearing on the page. It’s magical. I suppose the best part is that the characters, who feel so real to me, tell me their stories and I get to give them a voice.

Biggest challenge as an indie author: Promotion. I am an extreme introvert as well as a person who loathes talking and/or writing about herself. Well, I do enjoy chatting on my blog but it’s the promotional stuff that gets to me. I’m advertising myself. It’s very uncomfortable. Like wearing an itchy wool sweater. In summer. But slightly worse. (Oh, another challenge is that I love using fragments and those aren’t everyone’s cup of cocoa. Maybe if I add marshmallows…)

Favorite book: I wish I had an answer to this question available at all times. It would make dinner parties and author interviews so much easier. The truth is, I don’t have a favorite book. I mainly read YA but they’re not my favorite books. Bear with me. I’m a complex gal and my tastes are varied. I’d have to list the ones that speak to me or stay with me in some way: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and lots of short fiction including “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and assorted stories by Kurt Vonnegut, Ernest Hemingway, and Edgar Allen Poe. I love any tales that are heart-wrenching, dig into a character’s psyche, and let me inside. These leave my mind spinning with possibilities about how they became who they are, why they think and act the way they do, and what might happen to them. This is what I’ve tried to accomplish in Hinting at Shadows.

Contact Information:
Amazon: Hinting at Shadows & Amazon Author Page
Blog: Lemon Shark
Twitter: @SarahBrentyn
Google+: Sarah Brentyn
Pinterest: SarahBrentyn
Website: SarahBrentyn.com

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Are you an indie author?  Do you want to build your indie author network? Why not get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author?

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Who’s That Indie Author? Kevin Brennan

Author name: Kevin Brennan

Genre: Literary Fiction

Books:  Fascination, available here.

On Amazon: Parts Unknown, Yesterday Road, Occasional Soulmates, and Town Father, Or, Where Graceful Girls Abound.

Bio: Kevin Brennan has been writing fiction since he was a tow-headed lad, fascinated from the start with storytelling and the benefits of letting his imagination run amok. He lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with his wife, writing, making music, and cavorting on the trails with the oaks and pines.

Favorite thing about being a writer: It’s an amazing thing to be able to think up a separate reality and somehow make it real.

Biggest challenge as an indie author: The indie market has become so congested that it’s incredibly hard to stand out in the crowd. Too much promotion seems like spamming, but not enough translates into lousy sales.

Favorite book: Hard to pin down, but one that keeps coming to mind as the years go by is Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey.

Contact information:
Blog: kevinbrennanbooks.wordpress.com
Amazon author page: Kevin Brennan
Twitter: @kevinbrennan520
Goodreads: Kevin Brennan
Facebook: Kevin Brennan
Email: kevinbrennan520@gmail.com

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Are you an indie author?  Do you want to build your indie author network? Why not get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author?

Email bvitelli2009@gmail.com for a bio template and other details, and follow along on Book Club Mom to join the indie author community!

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!

Who’s That Indie Author? Wendy Janes

Author name:  Wendy Janes

Genre:  Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Books:  What Jennifer Knows; What Tim Knows, and other stories

    

Bio: Wendy lives in London with her husband and youngest son. She enjoys taking real life and turning it into fiction. Sometimes she takes experiences from her own life; more often she borrows from the lives of other people. When she’s not writing she works as a freelance proofreader, helping publishers and authors to polish their books until they shine. She is also a caseworker for The National Autistic Society’s Education Rights Service, helping parents achieve the right support for their children.

Favorite thing about being a writer: I love that moment when I’m chatting with someone, or I overhear a conversation on a bus or in the queue at the supermarket, and ‘ping,’ the flash of an idea for a story or a scene pops into my head. It happened only the other day when a friend told me that on the eve of her wedding, her mother made a throw-away remark about her own first wedding. Not such big news, except that up until that point my friend had had no idea that her father wasn’t her mother’s first husband. Suddenly her mother became a different person to her, and, of course, she had so many questions…

Biggest challenge as an indie author: My biggest challenge is reaching potential readers. That’s why opportunities to appear on blogs such as this one are wonderful. We all know not to try and ‘flog’ our books on social media, so I focus on having fun and reaching out by reading, sharing, and commenting other people’s posts. I really appreciate the great support for my writing I’ve received from authors, bloggers, and readers. Although being social on social media can be incredibly time-consuming, the camaraderie of the indie world makes it a lovely place to be.

Favorite book: Oh, this is such a difficult decision. Honestly, I can’t tell you how long I’ve been prevaricating over this answer! OK, I’ve finally chosen The End of the Affair by Graham Greene for its characterization, sense of austerity, vulnerable heart, and the utterly brilliant writing.

Contact Information:  You can find Wendy at the following sites: Her website wendyproof.co.uk; on Twitter @wendyproof; her Facebook Profile and Facebook Author Page; and on Google+.

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Are you an indie author?  Do you want to build your indie author network? Why not get your name out on Who’s That Indie Author?

Email bvitelli2009@gmail.com for a bio template and other details, and follow along on Book Club Mom to join the indie author community!

Thanks for visiting – come back soon!