Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Indie self pubished Author and so far I’ve written a trilogy which is called The Everything Trilogy. It is a complex love story spanning the three books. The books are Enough Isn’t Everything, Everything She Needs and Everything I want.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The books are Enough Isn’t Everything, Everything She Needs and Everything I want. These books resulted from a challenge set to me by a friend when I commented that a book I was reading did not give me enough of a story line to hold my interest. I like to feel involved in what I was reading and in my books tried to bring the reader into the story, both in terms of giving the characters strong personalities and an interesting storyline. From the feedback so far, I seem to have managed this quite well.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I write EVERYWHERE. I write in the car when my husband is driving, and move my laptop around with me when I am working at home. I even write when I’m making dinner, in bed and sometimes during the night. When I need to focus or have a deadline I want to meet, I sit on my bed, with the window blinds drawn down. Effectively shutting everything out and concentrate on the glow of the screen. I don’t keep notebooks or lists I rely on memory.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
S.C. Stephens is probably the most influential author for me. She gave me everything I like in a book and the kind of book I like to write. Thoughtless by her, it probably my favourite all time book so far. Sylvia Day, Emme Rollins, Shanora Williams. and M Leighton, Eve Carter and Colleen Hoover are up there too.
What are you working on now?
Quite a daunting project actually. My readers have asked for Alfie (the main male character’s) point of view. The books are written as a reflective piece from Lily, (the main female’s). I was a little hesitant at first; because the trilogy was so well received, and the expectation of this may be for this to be in keeping with Lily’s POV. However, the storyline does allow for expansion in areas that weren’t touched upon and the book to have a different feel.
Also, for those that read the trilogy it answers more questions about why the characters displayed particular behaviours, thoughts and feelings or reacted in a certain way. So although the story was told, it will offer a read that has more than just a regurgitated view of the same story. What I am trying to achieve is for it to be a stand alone book for those that haven’t read the trilogy at the same time.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This is a difficult one, its difficult for Independent Authors of limited resources to get the word out there about their books. So it is important to network well with other authors and blog sites to ensure that people come to know the name of the books, and the author’s work. Social media is key so far for me, and I’m still learning every day.
Twitter and Facebook are my main resources at present, although I do have a day job, so the time I can do this is limited. Sometimes nuggets like iauthor follow and they have advertising available.
There are groups within facebook to post articles and promote your work, and blog sites are amazing. They review books and this helps gain interest and will support authors by letting them do page takeovers so that authors can interact with both people who have enjoyed the books as well as highlighting our work to possible new readers. Bloggers also run interviews, do spotlight pages on authors and promote cover reveals, building anticipation for pending releases.
I have been fortunate to meet some great people who have read my book and want to promote my work, people that see my work retweet it on twitter, or like posts I’ve made or do ‘shout outs’ when the bloggers ask for favorite author’s names or favourite books read.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your readers are the most important people you will ever meet. Get feedback. Take what you’ve written seriously, people have spent money reading your work. Get an understanding and working knowledge of social media. Support other authors, share their work. It may feel like a competition at times and to some extent it is because everyone wants to sell their books, but we also need books to keep ourselves stimulated and feed and water our minds as well. So by supporting your favourite authors you are encouraging them to produce their next masterpiece! Take time out, walk away from that computer and get some R & R. It helps maintain a sense of humour!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stay true to yourself. Listen to your conscience.
Act how you would like others to act towards you if others act unkindly towards you they are showing their own insecurities.
Don’t be a sheep, be yourself. Being an Individual takes courage, but individuals attract attention.
What are you reading now?
Hmm..several books at the same time. An off genre one called A Hackney Child by Morag Livingstone and Hope Daniels. True story and amazing read. Marc Nobbs (erotica author) A Good Man (for a peer review) And Perfect Plans by CJ Wells ( for peer review)
What’s next for you as a writer?
When Alfie’s POV* ( not the title) is finished. I have another series that I had started and shelved to write what the reader wanted. So I’ll be revisiting that to complete it. I had been doing well with it until I was being asked several times a day for Alfie. As a writer, I had experience a small amount of writer’s block, but never the opposite. Ideas about Alfie started coming to the fore and it was like static interference for what of a better description. So I decided that this had to go down before I could free my mind and move forward and do justice to the series. Also, with The Everything Trilogy still being fresh in my mind it was probably the better way to do it.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Thoughtless (I’ve read it a couple of times, and would love time to revisit it.) S C Stephens
The Boy Who Sneaks in my Bedroom Window Kirsty Moseley
Breathless Eve Carter
Sheet Music Ann Lister
*I can only have four???
Author Websites and Profiles
K L Shandwick Website
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