#IndieSpotlight Of R. Smith @vampmanifesto_r Author of "Pop Culture Sucks, Manifesto of A Vampire,"

The Author:

My pen name is R.Smith. 

The Title of Your Work or Group:

My full length novel is "Pop Culture Sucks, Manifesto of A Vampire," available on amazon and createspace, paperback and ebook. I also have two serial stories being released chapter-by-chapter free on Smashwords titled "Everything Sucks," and "The Knight of Albion." 

Where are you from? 

I was born in Grand Junction, Colorado, but I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where I still live. It's too beautiful and green here to consider moving away. :-)

In what genre do you write?

I never consciously thought of writing in one genre or another, but I seem to have landed in the modern/urban fantasy category. I like to bend and twist typical genre tropes in ways I find fresh and interesting.

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it? 

"Pop Culture . . . ": it's like the anti-twilight. The narrator starts of the book by saying he's totally frakking sick of human culture's total BS portrayal of Vampires in popular culture, so the title does relate to the book aside from just being kinda punny. The Vampire element is *there* on the book, but it's really about characters first. As the narrator goes on, the vamp thing kinda becomes a casual detail, right down to the blood thing. "Everything Sucks": a buncha standalone short stories that tie in to The book's (Pop Culture's) characters, sometimes a little sometimes a lot, but they all still make sense even if you haven't read the book. Some of the shorts don't even have anything to do with Vampires. "The Knights if Albion": King Arthur in Albion, Michigan. The premise alone makes it too weird not to read. He was the once *and future* King, so it works, but obviously a lot changes. The King grew up in the foster system, never got adopted, and has NO IDEA who he is until he lands in Albion and . . . events ensue. It's a really fun read.

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens. 

My writing style is usually minimal planning ahead, I do rough outline in chunks & only flesh out the outline if I have a lotta good ideas I can't get to right away and don't wanna forget. No matter how outrageous or "genre" my subject is, I always focus on each of my characters as if I'm writing a real person in a real environment. I do my best to earn a character's actions/reactions within the plot. 

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ? 

Even writing as a little kid I wanted to write things for all to see when I grew up. Now I go 2,3,4,5 rounds with my editor guy before I release my material. I want to make sure my work is as polished and interesting as it can possibly be.

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

Yes I have an Editor/Graphics Guy. Both the same guy. I won the indie writer lottery. We work phenomenally well together, it's a really solid partnership. We prop eachother up as creators to the extent that it's hard to tell who's riding whose coat tails. We discuss ideas for cover/as images, he designs and sends me rough images, we narrow down, and once something is chosen, he perfects it--gets colors/fonts just right, etc. 

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy. 

The first book that made me absolutely certain I wanted to write for a living was Roald Dahl's "The Witches." Also "James and the Giant Peach." I only remember the broad strokes of them now, but when I first read them I remember being so ensconced in the language and the world of each of them, and the idea that as a writer I could build a rich, funny, colorful world whenever I pleased. As a pre-teen, Stienbeck's "Of Mice and Men" devastated me in just 99 pages. George and Lenny's bond, and the repeated story about the rabbits made the ending so hard a punch to the gut, it still breaks my heart if I think about it for too long. That's the book that taught me how deeply a great story could affect a person. 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

My challenge swings back and forth between not making a character/plot detail clear enough before I give it action, thus making it seem odd or out of nowhere--or the opposite. Over describing a point. Hitting it too hard. Really hard. Over and over again. See what I did there?

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you? 

As far as whether characters are written or write through me, it's a 50/50 partnership. Sometimes I come up with a scenario/event and then drop my character(s) into it and just write down how they behave, and other times the characters utterly dictate where the plot goes. 

Do you ever write yourself into the characters? 

I don't think any writer can avoid a small piece of themselves wiggling into each character--whether an idealized, rose-hued piece, or a a black-hat-wearing bwahaha piece, you're inevitably there somewhere whether you like it or not.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.

I'm juuuuust able to pay a few my expenses off of royalties, but the trajectory is certainly an upward one so I'm satisfied. Tutoring and dd jobs take care of the rest.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?

This is a weird answer, but I'd love to talk to the first humans who began to innovate with toolmaking, art, musical instruments, ect. I'd love to know who first looked at a brush or forest fire and thought "I'll bet there's a way to create and control that."

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

My work stands out first because of character. I spend a lot of time hanging out with and observing them, so when it comes to putting them on paper they look/feel/sound authentic, rather than voice boxes within a pre-planned structure. Second, I challenge myself with bizarre ideas. I like to build a reality from elements that ostensibly lack realism. In short, my work stands out as fresh and innovative.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

Free marketing? Well, the closest I've come to that is that each of the FREE short stories has a last page letting the reader know about the full length (not free) novel, as well as a list of sites they can visit/follow to keep up with the latest R.Smith or project-specific news, which has helped our sales. Also, my editor/Graphics Guy and I have presented ourselves as such a combined entity during the launch and blog/fb marketing platforms that we've recently begun to re-brand our sites. We've gone from being just about the novel to being Team Pop Culture! Thus sorta turning even ourselves into an interesting "product." 

Links to find and follow R. Smith's work:

blog www.vampmanifesto.com

twitter @vampmanifesto_r

facebook https://www.facebook.com/manifesto2012

about about.me/vampmanifesto

Get it Free from Smashwords today: 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/318852

Purchase From Amazon:

#IndieSpotlight of Amber Newberry @ambularnubular Author of Walls of Ash

The Artist:

Amber Newberry

The Title of Your Work or Group: 

"Walls of Ash" the series is "Daughters of Rhineholt", a short story and a second novel are on the way this year!

Where are you from? 

I've lived all over the place, but I'm a Southern girl. I moved to Salem, MA a few years ago because the dark history is so unique and interesting and it's wonderful for inspiration. Salem is a wonderful city with lots of character and lots of character(s).

In what genre do you write?

 My main genre is Gothic Romance in the vein of Victoria Holt, but I also write some Young Adult fiction.

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it? 

 "Walls of Ash" is an historical mystery with paranormal elements. It is a twisting and turning plot with characters you are never really sure you can trust. The story follows Tamsin Rhineholt, a young lady coming of age in the 1800's. She is orphaned and left to be raised by her strict Aunt and quiet Uncle and is eventually pushed toward a marriage that she is not prepared to enter into. Strange things are happening and Tamsin begins to have intense nightmares that are a sort of warning from her mother that she is in grave danger. At the same time, she is trapped in a situation that may place her in a possible marriage to someone she battles with constantly. I'm very excited about the second novel in the series, "The Masque and the Mausoleum", because it follows Tamsin's daughter as she grows up and experiences her own gothic romance. Because it is her daughter's story, you get to see what happens to Tamsin after "Walls of Ash".

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens?

 I sit down and go where the story takes me. I always have a general idea of beginning, middle and end, but I like to let my characters live their own lives. Perhaps that sounds silly, but I like to treat my characters like they have a choice. What would I do in this situation? If was were this character, how would I handle this? The plot is there, the story itself develops as I write. When I'm typing, the story is playing out in my head like watching a movie, and I have pause and rewind buttons for when I feel like changing or adding something. Of course, when the plot gets especially sticky, I take my time. There's nothing like a good set of intricacies in a mystery or gothic novel. 

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ? 

 That's exactly how I felt about "Walls of Ash". When I began the manuscript, I never thought I had the fortitude to sit down and finish an entire novel, let alone publish it. As I wrote, I was sending pages to a dear friend who was so enthralled with the story, he would wait anxiously for the next part of the story and he shared his emotion at the plot-lines and changing characters. When I saw that another person was feeling intense emotion at the story I was writing, I knew I needed to share it and that I needed to keep on writing.

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

 My editor is Laurie Moran, a very close friend who took editing courses for her minor when she was in school. She's outstanding and very intuitive and has been invaluable to me. Erica Wilson did the cover for "Walls of Ash". We've worked together on other projects and she's an amazing artist and wonderful to work with. She will also be doing the cover for "The Masque and the Mausoleum", the second book in the "Daughters of Rhineholt" series.

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy.

Eleanor Hibbert is my absolute favorite and my absolute favorite. I am especially partial to the books she wrote as Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr. She is an incredible inspiration, having written well over 100 novels in her lifetime. Her gothic romances were the first I ever read of the genre and I have been under her spell ever since.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

 Staying on task is difficult sometimes. I have so many ideas and I keep a log of all of them. When I get bored, I tend to switch to another manuscript... or another... or another. I have several projects going at the moment, it keeps me busy, but sometimes it is hard to keep my head in one universe when my mind keeps wandering to another.

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you?

 They write themselves. I get very attached to my characters and I like to see them develop their own lives. I recently began writing a short story that will fall between the end of "Walls of Ash" and the beginning of "The Masque and the Mausoleum". I'm writing from the view of Tamsin's little girl, Annalice, but it's like getting in touch with old friends because I get to write about people and places I haven't seen in a while. It's also nice to get a view of Tamsin from her daughter's eyes. As I said, I'm very attached to the characters in my books.

Do you ever write yourself into the characters? 

 Absolutely. There's always going to be a bit of the author showing through in at least one of their characters. Maybe that's why I feel so strongly for their plight when I write about them being in some kind of pain or turmoil. It's that emotion that makes the story intense and leaves the reader needing to know if that person is going to be alright.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak. 

 When I first began "Walls of Ash", I had quit my job in retail management and literally had nothing to do but write. It was glorious, but being a newbie to the Indie Author's world, I don't make enough to get by on, so I've been in and out of jobs here and there since then, but I'm now looking for something part time that will allow me to devote a more reasonable amount of time to my writing, but bring in enough to live on. Thus is the life of a starving artist.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?

 Does it have to be just one person? I would really love to meet the Bronte sisters. It's difficult to choose just one because I love all of their writing, but I suppose that Charlotte would be my first choice of the three.

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

 The genre I write in is definitely a niche genre, Historical Gothic Romance. I believe that my characters are very realistic and it is their realness that keeps you caring for them and longing to see them happy in the midst of the horrors they are put through. I love a good mystery with lots of drama and twists and turns and a dysfunctional but spectacular love story at the heart of it all. I write what I love to read, and I hope that readers of the genre can appreciate the care that goes into bring my characters to life.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

 I chose to use Createspace.com as a forum for my first release. I had been turned down by a few publishers saying that gothic romance was a "dead genre" and being told that my writing was "commercial" or "not commercial", etc. It's an age-old tale and I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and get it out on my own (but with a lot of help from friends who edited and made cover art for me). I had to do a ton of research on formatting and sizing. I read numerous books on ebook marketing and self-publishing. Because I was unemployed at the time, I had little funds to play with, so Createspace made it easy for me to print copies on demand and release the ebook without any cost out of pocket. I have also been very lucky to have friends and family who support me and share my work with their friends and family. The best advice I can offer is to use any medium you can, learn how to market yourself as an artist and remember to stay strong. The writer's road has many up's and down's, but the satisfaction will be well worth the journey, no matter how many blow-outs, break-downs and crashes you have a long the way. I haven't made a ton of money, and I tend to put anything I make right back into writing and marketing and finding ways to better myself as a writer, but I'm doing something that I love and there are people out there who are reading my work and asking for more. Who knows, maybe the genre isn't dead, it might just be sleeping.

Links to find and follow Amber's work:

Twitter: @ambularnubular

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Amber-Newberry/397103333675567

Website: http://authorambernewberry.com

Purchase from Amazon:

#Indie Spotlight of Vaughan Humphries @onelostkiwi Author of Like a Shag on a Rock

The Author:

Vaughan Humphries

The title of your book:

Like a Shag on a Rock

Where are you from?

Thame, Oxfordshire, UK

The genre that you write in:

Contemporary Romance / Urban Life / Modern Living

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it?

It's a book about how life is lived in our world and pulls no

punches but to describe relationships as they really are.

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens.

Suffer from verbal diarrhoea and much the same when writing - had

to employ use of an editor!

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ?

Once before - wrote a memoir called 'Grumpy Young Man' and actually

learnt many lessons from producing this one and tried to improve with

next one.

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself?

My fiancée did the sketch of the Shag (Comorant) and one of my

colleagues spent many an hour after work perfecting colours. Used an

ex-pat editor I found using twitter.

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy.

Favourite fiction is Clive Cussler and favourite non-fiction would

be Michael Palin - he's such a nice and sincere man!

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Often had plot gaps or struggled to bulk out some sections, other

parts just flowed naturally.

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you?

Saw one or two as portmanteaus of people I know, but as the story

developed, so did they.

Do you ever write yourself into the characters?

I think all authors have a little piece of them inside the

characters and I put a sprinkling of myself in a few characters to

spicen them up.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.

Sadly need my day job to keep bread on the table. If the book

takes off, who knows!

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - a true polymath and Renaissance Man.

Such a talented person.

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre?

The title - Shag has always meant a bird, type of tobacco or

carpet i.e. a noun, but thanks to Austin Powers, it is now a

transitive verb! The colour is reminiscent of Penguin Classics, so

stands out.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from?

Have tried a book tweeting service, which is inexpensive, but have

written to a number of free newspapers/magazines, who have run a

feature/competition to win a signed copy to fill space. The editor of

one free magazine was very supportive and had loads of advice.

Links to find and follow Vaughan's work: 

Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/groups/357270861031728/

Twitter: @onelostkiwi

Website: www.thedooberry.co.uk

Amazon: http://goo.gl/Mi7bw

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/like-a-shag-on-a-rock-vaughan-humphries/1115197554?ean=9781780358307&itm=1&usri=9781780358307

#Indie Spotlight of Sherrie Lowe @SherrieLowe2 Author of Angel Breaths

Name: 

Sherrie Lowe

The Title of Your Work or Group: 

Angel Breaths

Where are you from?

Stoke-on-Trent UK

In what genre do you write?

Contemporary women's fiction

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it? 

Angel Breaths was inspired by a news item on abortion laws which asked the question, at what point does a baby have a soul? It set me thinking. If a baby had a soul in the first weeks of gestation, how would it feel if it were aborted or miscarried? The story is told in the voice of the lost foetus as it watches over the family that it can never be an earthly part of. In due course it watches over its soulmate and its earthly sibling, who are both aware of its presence. As none of us know what it is like in the realm of the angels this is my interpretation; I gave my thoughts free rein. I have also written a short story on the same theme which I've sent to a women's magazine in the hope that it will also attract attention to Angel Breaths.

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens. 

I have a basic outline and usually some idea of the ending but I find that the story evolves as I write so I might veer away from my initial intentions. I write with pen and paper first and only put it onto the computer, a chapter at a time, when I'm happy with it. I can't think on the computer!

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ? 

All the time!

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

I have read books that have supposedly been professionally edited and I've still seen mistakes. I figure if I'm paying someone who is going to miss the odd typo here and there I can do as good a job myself. I edit a chapter at a time as I work then go through the whole thing meticulously when it is finished.

My covers are water colour paintings done for me by an artist friend. The text is added on the publisher's website as part of the publication process.

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy. 

I have always admired Jilly Cooper's writing style but I could never match her! I was also moved by Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, it influenced the writing of my memoir Shadow Across the Sun 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Across-the-Sun-ebook/dp/B007V42ON4/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369129981&sr=1-3&keywords=sherrie+lowe

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I struggle with symbolism and coming up with an original and visual metaphor/similie. When I do think of one I'm really proud of it!

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you? 

A bit of both.

Do you ever write yourself into the characters? 

I sometimes use characteristics of myself and friends/family and I often use amusing anecdotes if I feel they will enhance the story.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.

I don't have a day job. I'm retired due to ill health but it is my aim to earn a living as a writer.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be? 

William Shakespeare. He used such beautiful imagery, as in Sonnett 18:

'Sometime too hot the eye of Heaven shines

And often is his gold complexion dimmed'

Wonderful!

(Here in the UK his gold complexion is more often dimmed than he shines too hot!!)

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

It is a controversial subject. Does anyone ever think about the soul of a foetus? I am fascinated by the soul: where it goes after the death of the body, where it was before life, how many millennia has it lived through? As it affects us all I imagine lots of other people are too. On the other hand there are those who don't believe in its existence. I can only go on my own experiences, which are covered in my memoir, Shadow Across the Sun.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

I haven't come across any sure fire way but I have joined a group on Goodreads - Modern Good Reads - to discuss it. I have also downloaded a book by Greg Spence called How to Market Your Self Published Book Online 

Here is the Link: 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Market-Your-Self-Published-Online-ebook/dp/B00CJBYD5Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369133418&sr=1-1&keywords=greg+spence

Links to find and follow Sherrie's work

website http://www.sherrielowe.co.uk/

Twitter: @SherrieLowe2

Watch the Trailer:

#Indie Spotlight of Sean McDevitt @smcdevitt2011 Author of Call Me Ismay

The Author:

Sean McDevitt

The Title of Your Work or Group: 

CALL ME ISMAY

Where are you from?

I'm a California native, but I live in Wisconsin.

In what genre do you write?

My work tends to be suspenseful, but to be honest I don't want to be identified as a genre novelist. I don't ever want to write the same book twice.

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it?

In one sentence, it's about vampires on the Titanic. That was actually going to be the title at one point- Vampires on the Titanic- but I decided that I wanted it to be taken seriously; this is historical fiction, it's not a spoof or some goofball attempt to shoehorn the vampire genre into a story that everybody already knows. I asked myself very serious questions about the premise: Vampires? On the Titanic? How did they get there? What did they do?

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens.

For CALL ME ISMAY, I had to create a very intricate timeline; the story starts about six months prior to the Titanic disaster, then it goes to just a few days after the sinking, and then back again. I wasn't sure if the threads were all going to get tied together, but they finally did.

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!"

To be totally honest, yes. When one of the major characters in CALL ME ISMAY finally lays eyes on the ship, it goes into a description that I couldn't possibly be more proud of. I've had a lifelong love of anything related to the Titanic- I was a Titanic buff long before it was cool- so it was thrilling and rewarding to be able to express how I might have felt if I'd been the one to actually see the ship.

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself?

I have a super-secret panel of editors (seriously, no joke) from all over who have vetted both CALL ME ISMAY and my previous novel, THE WIZARD MURDERS. They have a wide variety of experience in both writing and education, so I'm very, very fortunate to have them. My friend Kate Kersten, who is a professional graphic arts designer, has created all of my book covers- and how ridiculously lucky am I, to have a friend who just happens to do that sort of thing for a living? And I LOVED what she came up with for CALL ME ISMAY. It's simple and it captures exactly what I was setting out to do, in terms of historical fiction: if you think you know the story of the Titanic, think again. What you know is only the tip of the iceberg- literally and figuratively.

I should mention that my first work, a short story called THE VELVET SOFA, had its cover designed by a fellow author and friend, Feath Pym.

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy.

Ray Bradbury. "R Is For Rocket," his collection of short stories. That's all I can say. His work is invaluable to me.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I tend to demand a lot from myself in terms of detail, so at times the writing process can be like sloshing through mud- slow, slow, slow. It's ultimately quite rewarding, but at times it just seems like it's going to take forever. (It took me six months of work on CALL ME ISMAY just to get all of my characters onto the ship in Southampton!)

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you?

Sometimes my characters surprise me. This is when talking about writing sounds like some form of voodoo. I'll think I know who they (the characters) are, but then they turn right around and say, No, THIS is what I am. My lead vampire is a member of the House of Commons, named Edward Lyons. I had no idea that he would turn out to have at least some morals and standards in his own weird way. His right-hand man, Bartholomew Gidley, was a revelation. I had no idea he would turn out to be so funny. (In a very dark and cruel way, but still funny.)

Do you ever write yourself into the characters?

Sure. Kerry Langston is a London newspaper reporter who uncovers the fact that Edward Lyons is a vampire. I at one time was a radio news reporter, so over the course of time I sort of found myself seeping into his sensibilities. I initially envisioned him as Malcolm McDowell in his younger days, eager and idealistic, but eventually I started to find more of myself coming through him. And there's actually quite a bit of me in the detective in THE WIZARD MURDERS, although that character is much older.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.

My day job is just that- a job. Not a career, just a means to an end. It's a paycheck. My real passion is in writing and in acting. Of course, I have the same dream of about 100,000 other writers- I WISH it was my full-time job.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?

William Shakespeare. What was his voice like? How did he move? How did his words sound when they came out of his own mouth? We'll never really know, it's all conjecture.

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre?

I can honestly say that I poured all of myself into this project- it's a lifetime of interest and a labor of love. In some ways, I feel may have been fated to write this book. To me, the big lesson about Titanic is all about inevitability. When you take that whole story in -the biggest ship in the world, making what turned out to be her only voyage- there's simply no other way it could have ended. And I think that the book successfully demonstrates how some destinies are inevitable.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from?

Social media. Facebook, Twitter- both absolutely vital. You simply will not get anywhere without them.

Links to find and follow Sean's work:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CallMeIsmay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smcdevitt2011

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sean-McDevitt/e/B006Z10AG2

Call Me Ismay Preview: 

Book trailer for CALL ME ISMAY: http://youtu.be/pAYCJ6zVB0o

Book trailer for THE WIZARD MURDERS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AfIJjyyQDg&feature=share&list=UUmqVPfpojwnYQp3OFDieCyg

#Spotlight of Donna Collier @CollierDonna E- Book Cover Designer

Tell us about yourself. 

First of all allow me to thank you Nicole for having me here today. I appreciate you spotlighting my e-book cover designs and supporting my work.

About me…..My name is Donna Collier of DLC Designs…..I am a wife, mother, grandmother, animal lover, avid camper and graphic designer. I live in beautiful southern Michigan with my husband of 28 years.      

How did you become a cover designer? 

My experience in this field started with learning how to design websites. I freelanced at that for 8 years learning how to work with clients to make their ideas come alive on the web. Then it was time for a change so I decided to do what makes my heart sing….my favorite part of website design….Graphic Art. With the help of an author friend, I looked into how to make that happen and that is what brings us here today.

As a writer, one of my greatest tools of inspiration is music. Where do you find the most inspiration?

 I love music too, as well as browsing digital art sites like Deviant Art. It am continually amazed by the talented people out there.

What is the process to creating a book cover?

 I start by talking with the client about their ideas of what they would like to see on their cover. Next they send me a blurb about the book so I can get a feel for their story. Together we decide on the images to be used and the direction the cover should take. Then I go to work. Generally I design several covers for the client to choose from. Once a single cover has been chosen I will work with the client to dial in their finished cover.    

Have you ever won an award for your work? 

No awards to date. I won a website banner contest several years ago that helped me make the decision to do this full time. 

What is your favorite cover to date? Why?

 I have a long time client who is a retired teacher turned author. He was one of my first paying clients and he has stuck with me to this day (8 covers later). I would say anything designed for him is my favorite. 

Your website link: 

http://dcoll1.wix.com/dlcdesigns

List which genre(s) you create covers for:

I will design any genre e-book cover.

Add your book covers, attached separately in the email, maybe some personal favourites:

Please list whether you do freelance or not, and if you do, add any necessary promo information. Some designers only work with publishers. If you have multiple creative outlets, please do list them all with the appropriate information.

Promo: I do freelance work from my home in southwestern Michigan. My passion lies in digital design. Let me use that energy to design an E-Book cover for you. One that makes your E-Book jump off the screen. Please see my portfolio at http://dcoll1.wix.com/dlcdesigns I would love the opportunity to work with you. Let’s get started today!  

Follow Donna on Twitter:

@CollierDonna

#IndieSpotlight of Roy Murry @roylmurry425 Author of The Audubon Caper

The Author

Roy Murry

The Title of Your work: 

The Audubon Caper

Where are you from? 

Massachusetts 

In what genre do you write? 

Autobiography/True Crime

In your own words, what is your book about?

 It’s the story of making a decision to become a criminal or do the right thing and become a witness for the government. The main event is the theft of John James Audubon’s prints from Key West, Florida. However, there are a number of themes that underline the main event: drug trafficking, love affairs, and mafia connections. 

What is your writing style?

 I spend most of my time before writing a word thinking about my next scene will be. However, I start with an outline. 

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ? 

 NO

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

I hired an editor. 

Who is your favorite author? 

No one in particular. 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? 

Not yet. I’m writing my second book which is already outlined.

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you? 

 My first book I knew all the characters as with my second. One of my main characters in Audubon was an FBI agent. He was a combination of all the agents into one.

Do you ever write yourself into the characters? 

So far – Yes.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? 

I have a part time job and spend the rest of the time reading and writing. I have a blog where I interview authors and review their books.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be? 

 Ralph Waldo Emerson.

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

 I’m the main character and the story is real about me being in the Witness Protection Program.

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

All I can say is that my blog has help promote my writing which other author have been kind enough to buy my book and review it – all giving me a Five Star rating.

Links for people to find and follow your work:

Facebook Page: Author Roy Murry and http://on.fb.me/Y1aTD0

Twitter: @roylmurry425

Blog: http://www.conniesbrother.blogspot.com

Amazon: http://amzn.to/MGxfR7 B&N: http://bit.ly/PWnA8n

#IndieSpotlight of Jeniffer Raygoza @RaygozaJen Author of The Guardians

The Author

Jennifer Raygoza

The Title of Your Work or Group: 

The Guardians

Where are you from? 

I currently reside in Corona California but I have lived all over the place.

In what genre do you write? 

Fiction-My books border on Fantasy with a side of romance mixed in with drama. I suppose I should make up a customized genre for my books. 

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it?

I would say this book is about a human girl who is sent out on a normal job for her father so she thinks and she ends of meeting a vampire who turns her life upside down. She finds out that she is an important key to what he and his coven have been waiting for. 

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens. 

I just sit down and write. I can’t force it. It just has to come to me.

Have you ever written anything and thought; "The world has got to see this!"? 

I just dropped my first book. It wasn’t me that thought that. Family kept finding pages and telling me how great it was. I was like really? I thought it was awesome but I didn’t think it would get the response it has. People say they can’t put it down. 

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

I do have an editor. I tell a great story, but I am horrible when it comes to grammar and punctuation. I had some editing issues with the first roll out but I just had it re-edited again. I used Dreamstime for my cover photo and found an amazing photo that just happen to go with the book.

 Who is your favorite author? Not just someone that you read a lot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy. 

I used to read ‘Where the sidewalk ends’ by Shel Silverstein a million times when I was younger. It was a book of poetry. That’s where it all started, I think because after that I started writing poetry in High School. 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I really love a forbidden romance because it’s fun. I find myself trying to make it as realistic as I can because anyone that has been in love will tell you it’s a rollercoaster. My current characters are vampires so writing the relationship fights can be tricky. 

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you?

My characters write themselves. I usually get a vivid image of what the characters look like or how their personality is, but sometimes the characters surprise me and do something unexpected. 

Do you ever write yourself into the characters?

I think Gianna-my current lead female character has a lot of me in her. I definitely had her short temper when I was younger.

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak

Writing is my full time job at the time. I am off work currently with some medical issues.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?

Abraham Lincoln. People say he was humble and a good guy. I would love to see if that’s true and Abe and I share a birthday. 

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

I am just a girl who wrote a book about vampires. They fascinate me and I know there is a whole bunch of other people who think the same thing. My book may not be for everybody. I took everything I love to see in a book or movie and mixed it into this book. I say check it out yourself and hopefully you love what I created. 

In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

I made my own press releases and found over 10 companies online that posted them up for free. Facebook and Twitter has helped and also Goodreads. 

Links to find and follow Jennifer's work:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/theguardiansvampnovel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaygozaJen

Blog: Website: http://theguardiansvampnovel.webs.com/

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00C13CKVG

Watch the Trailer for The Guardians.

#Indie Spotlight of The Witch Hunter Saga by Nicole R. Taylor @nicole_noir

Author: 

Nicole R. Taylor

The Title of Your Work or Group: 

The Witch Hunter Saga

Where are you from? 

Australia

In what genre do you write? 

I mainly write in Urban Fantasy and Paranormal, but dabble a little in post-apocalyptic. I like to create worlds within worlds.

In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it? 

The Witch Hunter is a book about revenge, trust, secrets and lies, coming to terms with what life has thrown at you and being able to overcome it all. And maybe a little bit about growing a heart and giving a damn about something other than yourself. And one mental witch from beyond the grave thrown in for good measure.

What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens.

I take scenes that have been festering inside my head and write them down. After a lot of mulling over them, I plan them into a larger novel. With a series, once I have the basic idea, then it takes on a life of its own and its on like Donkey Kong.

Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ? 

I don't think I would have published anything if I didn't think someone had to read it. All writers should have faith in their own work, otherwise why should your readers?

Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself? 

I edit my own work, but have beta readers comb over it for plot holes and anything that sounds weird. So far, I've done alright with editing. In the past I've edited articles and reviews for music magazines, so I have some experience with it.

I have a designer for my covers, simply because I want my work to look professional. As an indie, this is very important. People do judge a book by it's cover!

Who is your favorite author. Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy. 

I wanted to be a writer ever since I can remember. All I ever did when I was a kid was read. My favorites were Tamora Pierce, Garth Nix and Anne McCaffrey. I loved fantasy simply because it got me out of my reality and into a world where amazing things could happen. Especially Tamora Pierce and Garth Nix. They wrote about ordinary teens becoming extraordinary. It was something I wanted to be and it inspired me to start writing my own stories.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I always have trouble with the middle. I love to write the big climactic action scenes, so the in between bits sometimes get to me. I think this is why there are so many action sequences in my books!

Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you? 

I begin with an idea of who the characters are, but they take on their own lives and make their own decisions.

Do you ever write yourself into the characters? 

Oh my! I am nothing like my characters. A vampire with anger management issues, a hybrid with a bad bad bad reputation for hunting down witches and taking their powers away... um no, I'm nothing like them!

Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.

I still have a day job. I have no illusions of grandeur. I just want people to enjoy what I'm writing.

If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be? 

Elizabeth the First. She single handedly brought a corrupt monarchy and war torn country into a period of peace that lasted 80 years. And she was able to crush the Spanish Armada (with only a handful of ships to the Spanish's hundreds) before they even set foot on English soil. She was strong and ass-kicking for a medieval queen. I think I could take a few pointers from her.

There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre? 

It's a new take on the vampire myth, a new beginning a and a new set of rules. It has an ass-kicking female lead and new types of supernatural creatures not seen in other novels. 

It's only a story I could have written.

 In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from? 

I don't think there's one great free way. If there is, i haven't found it yet. I use Twitter a lot and post regularly on my blog. Keeping in touch and always being there is important. With so many authors and books its easy for people to forget you, even though your work might have merit,

Links to find and Follow Nicole's work.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-R-Taylor/452118154855116

Twitter: twitter.com/nicole_noir

Blog: www.nicolertaylorwrites.com

Website: www.nicolertaylorwrites.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BOXS8TC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BOXS8TC&linkCode=as2&tag=nicrtaywri-20

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-witch-hunter-nicole-r-taylor/1114690941

iTunes: http://itun.es/i6Jn5ZQ

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Witch-Hunter-Book-One/book-ilTHglO0UUyjxgMI_0H3Vw/page1.html?s=VR6vzJZWFUmMs7m7ZTByVA&r=1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/292130

Book Depository: http://affiliates.bookdepository.com/scripts/click.php?a_aid=8893&a_bid=21478c1a&desturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bookdepository.com%2FWitch-Hunter-Nicole-Taylor%2F9781482061697