A Conversation with Paul Hudson

It has been pointed out to me (thank you, Juliet) that I haven't interviewed any of the men from Death By A Dark Horse or Levels Of Deception except Jonathan. While entertaining, he's not as admirable as some of us (Juliet) would like. To correct the skewed interview archive I've asked Paul Hudson, leading man of the Thea Campbell Mystery Series, to be here today and give us some of the intimate details of his sexy self.

Susan Schreyer: Welcome Paul, glad you could stop by.

Paul Hudson: Susan, you said this wasn't going to be too personal.

SS: Oh! Well, (laughs) don't worry. [aside to readers] much. [to Paul]  So, let's get started.

PH: Fire away.

SS: In Death By A Dark Horse we are shown contrasting glimpses of you. You're an intellectual, but you get your hands dirty working on farm equipment. You dress conservatively, yet you sport an earring. You're pretty tuned in to other people's feelings, yet you can (rather loudly) lose your temper. In Levels of Deception we also see your ability to keep your cool and be passionate as well. You're a pretty complex guy.

PH: Not really. I've just learned to adapt, thanks to a little sister who wouldn't let me be a jerk, and an older brother who continues to be one. I wouldn't call myself an intellectual --

SS: But you've got a PhD.

PH: It was a means to an end. Paleontology and geology fascinate me. Earning a PhD was a way to stay immersed in it.

SS: What is it about dinosaurs and rocks that fascinate you?

PH: (laughs) Honestly? There's a certain, oh, romantic appeal to it. Looking at a mountain range, or desert, or old river bed grabs my imagination. What was this spot like millions of years ago? What forces caused it to change? Was it gradual, or catastrophic? What animals roamed here, how did they live, what did they look like? Sound like? Smell like? Finding bits of answers, bits of new information, is like putting a puzzle together without knowing the picture you're going for. There are always surprises and more questions.

SS: Like a detective story!

PH: (laughs again) Right.

SS: Do you ride horses like Thea?

PH: I can. 

SS: No kidding! I didn't know that. Are you good?

PH: Just good enough to borrow Henry's horse and go trail riding with Thea and maybe jump a log or two.

SS: Did she teach you?

PH: No, Miguel taught me the basics when I was a teenager.

SS: Miguel? You keep surprising me!

PH: Yeah. Miguel did rodeos when he was a kid -- up until he came to Snohomish to manage Copper Creek for my aunt Delores -- so he knows how to handle a horse. My folks sent me out here in the summers from Minneapolis to clean stalls. They hoped hard labor would straighten me out, and I just wanted to get out of the house. The first week I was here Miguel had a word or two to say about my attitude toward the horses and clients. He figured if I had a taste of what the people who came here to ride experienced in order to do what they loved I'd show more respect. 

SS: Sounds like you were a bit difficult. So, did it work? Did learning to ride straighten you out?

PH: Well, I don't know about that, but I gained some respect. In fact, Thea taught me a thing or two about handling a horse when she was ten and a student here.

SS: I thought you two met just last year?

PH: We did, for all intents and purposes. She doesn't remember me from back then.

SS: Too interested in the horses to notice the cute barn help, huh? So, what happened when she was ten?

PH: I was having some problems leading a horse into his stall. Thea thought I was sending mixed signals and being too rough. She marched over and read me the riot act, then showed me how to do it right. She was a pretty gutsy little kid -- not exactly what I was thinking at the time, though. Embarrassed me enough to stick in my memory.

SS: A little hard on a fifteen-year-old ego to have a little girl show him up, huh?

PH: Oh, yeah. I still remember her lecture. (Smiles) She's still pretty sure of herself.

SS: I think you like that about her.

PH: True enough.

SS: Now, this wasn't so bad -- or horribly personal -- was it?

PH: No. You were right.

SS: Let's finish up with some rapid-fire questions with quick, off the cuff one-word answers.

PH: Shoot.

SS: Favorite color?

PH: Uh...blue?

SS: Favorite food?

PH: Barbecue anything.

SS: Middle name?

PH: Anthony.

SS: Sport?

PH: Soccer.

SS: Lights on or off?

PH: On ... uh...hang on a sec.

SS: Boxers or brief?

PH: Uh, Susan --

SS: Oh, commando! Dress left or right?

PH: Okay, we're done. Juliet put you up to this, didn't she?

SS: There had to be some concessions. You know how she is!

Goals Update for Levels Of Deception -- We're cookin'!

Levels Of Deception has been out for a couple of weeks now, and WOW! Sales are going well! Thank you, everyone! Thea's second adventure is (at this moment. The list changes hourly) number 64 on Amazon Kindle's Hot New Releases List for Women Sleuths.

Click here: Amazon Hot New Releases to see where LOD is now! 

There's apparently a number of things that influence the position of a book on the Amazon lists. Sales, of course, but also reviews -- the more good ones, and the more stars the better -- and clicking on the "Like" button. There's "Like" buttons on the author page above the author picture, and on the trade paperback page, too. None on the Kindle version page. I have no idea why. However, you don't have to buy to click the Like button, and you don't have to write anything. Just go to the page and click. Easy. Here's some links (and thanks ahead of time for your Liking).

Author page 

Death By A Dark Horse 

Levels of Deception 

Now here's something really interesting; Sales of Death By A Dark Horse have rocketed. No kidding. DBADH is outselling Levels by 3 to 1. That thrills me, too!

We're on our way to getting into the top 10 on the Amazon lists, not to mention the 50 sales a day goal! Way to go, team! 

The Crusader Challenge -- Revelation!

Okay, time to fess up. The Crusader Challenge Blog from Thursday the 24th contained several requirements. I'll list them below and tell you how I fulfilled them.

We had to use the random words, "bloviate," "fuliguline," "rabbit," and "blade."

"Bloviate" actually is a word and, according to my source, is enjoying a come-back from it's heyday in 1890. It means to talk aimlessly and boastingly. I believe I used it correctly in the sentence; "I will resist the urge to bloviate endlessly about my "fascinating" life …"

I have no clue what "fuliguline" means, but chose to use it as an adjective. I suspect Rach made the word up. Fess up Rach!

"Blade" was what I hoped you wouldn't stab your computer with due to my aimless and boastful yammering.

And "Rabbit"… you know, the one I didn't want the eagle to eat…well, I really and truly do have one. She's cute, soft, and pretty fierce. I don't think the eagle would fare well in the encounter.

My secret? Blush. I rarely admit to being a Cheerios-lover. It's true. My family turns a blind eye. I was so happy to see all those Cheerios commercials with adults eating them. Made me feel, well, almost normal.

Sadly, habitual Cheerios eating is also one of my annoying habits. My family turns a … well you get the idea.

One of my best character traits is my dependability. Which, of course, feeds into the whole Cheerios-thing again.

And my interesting quirk is…NO! Not the Cheerios! Okay, I'll admit, it's kind of quirky, but I refer to my stop-what-I'm-doing-and-stare-in-awe reaction each time I see an eagle. They take my breath away!

One of my favorite things in the whole world is to gaze at the mountains, and that brings me to ….

The LIE.

I cannot see the mountains from my house. Sad, but true.

Launch Day for Levels Of Deception

For those of you who told me I couldn't write another Thea Campbell Mystery fast enough ...

It's out! At last! Levels of Deception is out on Smashwords and will follow shortly on Amazon, B&N, Apple and other e-book retailers. The print version is in process, and should be available in a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to let you know.

In truth, it's been completed for a while. The final edits took some time, but now it's all done. Here's the back cover blurb:

Thea isn't supposed to obsess about a murder in the basement of Seattle's Burke Museum, even though the victim was her absent boyfriend Paul's colleague -- even though her gut screams at her to pay attention. So when the police connect Paul to thefts at the museum and the murder, despite his being two states away on a dig, Thea secretly launches her own investigation to clear him. Paul's stubborn refusal to give her any information doesn't slow her down, but an attempt on her life does. Coerced into running to Paul's paleontology dig in Montana for safety, what she finds there is far from a refuge. The levels of deception are more personal and extend farther than she could have imagined. The price of her pursuit of truth will be blood.

You can download about 120 pages for FREE from Smashwords, or the entire book for $2.99. Amazon will have it for the same price before the weekend is out, and you can download samples from them, too.

Now, ladies and gents, I need your help. My never ending marketing and promotion lessons have taught me that it takes a village to make a book successful. My success goal for Levels Of Deception is to make it into the top 10 of Amazon's Hot New Release List -- a slightly loftier perch than Death By A Dark Horse. To accomplish this I will need reviews from readers as well as sales. If you like my books, I would appreciate a short review on Smashwords and/or Amazon. My sales goal is 50 books a day! Sound outrageous? It's not, really. But to reach that goal people have to know the book is available. That's where I need your help to spread the word. Only a team effort works!

I'll be reporting back on a regular basis. Thank you all for your help!

Blog Crusade Challenge

As part of the Blog Crusade (see the pretty shield in the sidebar) all participants have been asked to tell our readers somewhat more about ourselves than we generally are inclined to do. I will resist the urge to bloviate endlessly about my "fascinating" life -- if only to keep you patient souls from driving a blade through your computer screen.

You may suspect that the natural beauty of the Northwest is something I appreciate at every opportunity, and you'd be right. I feel very fortunate to live in a part of the country where I can walk out my back door on a nice morning (after my morning coffee has done its job and pried my eyes open) and see a fuliguline view of snow covered mountains. There's an eagle's nest not far from my home, too, and I frequently see one or more of the majestic birds soaring above my home. It's a good thing our rabbit lives indoors -- I'd hate for her to become eagle-breakfast. I'm not that willing to sacrifice for the wild things.

Speaking of breakfast, here's something only my family knows: I love Cheerios. I have them almost every morning along with my coffee. I'm not sure if that's indicative of how dependable I am, or if it speaks to what some would consider annoying predictability. I guess it depends on who you are and how much you value culinary adventurousness!

And now, patient readers, I must confess I may have revealed something about myself that isn't strictly true. Can you guess what it is? I'll let you know in my next post!

Interview with Kate George

Mystery writer Kate George has graciously agreed to sit for a spell and answer some questions about her books and writing. Kate started writing on a dare! She writes mysteries with "a side of laughter" -- and I can tell you it's a good-sized portion. Currently, she writes about things she has experiences with...yes, she used to be a type-setter, paste-up tech and motorcycle safety instructor.  The housekeeping department of a swank hotel has been graced with her skills, as well.  That’s why her main character, Bree McGowan, does those things.  Count on stints as an actor, answering service operator, assistant to the dean of a medical school, instructional assistant, and computer instructor providing fodder for upcoming novels. 

She'd really like to write about a back-up singer, but claims she doesn't  know a thing about it. How much you want to bet it won't stop her!  

I loved your book Moonlighting in Vermont, and can't wait to read California Schemin' -- coming out in March. It's the continuing adventures of Bree McGowan, "queen of chaos" and collector of animals. What's she up to this time?

In this book our intrepid Bree goes to California to rest up, per se, from the events surrounding her boss’s death.  Beau is hoping that things will settle down and they can live a normal life. Well, as normal as life ever is with Bree.

Unfortunately, there are probably more dead bodies in California than Vermont. Yes, you guessed it; one of those bodies literally falls into Bree’s lap. Madcap adventures ensue, including a couple of flights back and forth between Vermont and California, and Beau gets dragged unwittingly into the fray.

How did the plot for California Schemin' take root in your mind?

Well, I’m a “out of the mist” writer. I start with a basic premise and see where it takes me. The premise for California Schemin’ was that Bree would accept Beau’s offer to spend some time with him in California. She’d get to relax, but in reality adventures would find he there. The thing is Bree’s not all that great at relaxing. She likes to be doing things. That sometimes gets her in trouble.

Once I started writing my memories of growing up in the Sierra Foothills started kicking in and supplying me with details. And really it all just flows out of my head when I’m writing.

Oh, in case you were wondering how I got a shape shifting alien – While on facebook one day, early in the book, I jokingly commented that I was going to write one into CAS. One of my friends jumped in and said she liked it. So I did. I’m kind of impulsive like that.

What is your favorite part of writing your stories?

The beginning when the story is new and I’m in total denial about how much time and effort it’s going to take to finish the book. It’s the rosy honeymoon period when I’m in love with my hero and my villains start to take shape in my mind.

That period lasts about five minutes! No really some books take much longer to go sour.

My other best part is the very end. When it’s done. And the Very Best Part would be the last read for typos and I still get into the story. Like when I re-read California Schemin’ after several months of ignoring it and I still liked the story. I think you’ll have fun reading it.

Do you have more plans for Bree and company?

Yes! I’ve started writing the third Bree MacGowan mystery already. Its working title is How Much is that Dead Guy in the Window. I hope I get to keep that title, it makes me laugh. Quite a few of the characters from Moonlighting and CAS will be in that story too.

You mention that you started writing on a dare. What was the dare? What carried you forward to be persistent enough to publish?

Well, you know, I foolishly declared to my friends that I could write a Stephanie Plum novel. I don’t know if you are familiar with Stephanie Plum. Her books are written by New York Times Best Selling Author, Janet Evanovich. She’s sold millions of those books. They’re fun, and highly addictive.

Anyway, one of my friends immediately said, “Then why don’t you.” And then the two of them dared me to do it. They dared me! So I had to try.

I started writing a chapter a week and passing them to those friends. (You know who you are Buffy and Sara!) And before long I was having fun. Then I thought I should join a writing workshop so I could improve my writing – which I did, and it did. Thank you very much, Joni B.Cole!

I was enjoying writing so much that it didn’t occur to me to quit. Plus I had people expecting chapters from me. I finished it, (It being Moonlighting in Vermont) and got myself come critique partners. Critique partners are crucial for me. They did a lot of correcting style and noticing repeating words. And spelling. I’m a horrible speller.

Eventually I sold Moonlighting to Mainly Murder Press. It takes a while sometimes and you have to have faith, or blinders, and just keep submitting. It’s not so much that I was persistent as I was just sure that I’d eventually find the write publisher. Being blind to your book’s faults is extremely helpful when you are shopping it around.

What advice do you have for new writers?

I firmly believe in the ABC method of writing:

Apply Butt to Chair. You can’t be a writer if you don’t devote time to writing. And, you’ll know this if you read my books, the more you write the better you get. Don’t let life get in the way.

There. That’s my advice.

Where can we keep an eye on you (mention blogs & websites here), and where can your books be purchased?

Books can be purchased at MainlyMurderPress.com, Amazon.com, or ordered from any bookstore. My web site is www.kategeorge.com and that’s where my blog is as well. I have Author pages at Amazon, Goodreads and a handful of other sites. Hope to see you all around!

Thank you, Kate, for stopping by! I can't wait to read California Schemin' and am looking forward to How Much Is That Dead Guy In The Window? Kate's provided us with a chance to view her book trailer for California Schemin' -- have fun!! Then leave some tough questions in the comments section!

An Interview with Daphne Du Maurier Award winner Ann Charles

Today I'm welcoming 2010 Daphne Du Maurier Award winning author Ann Charles to Writing Horses. Ann's mystery, Nearly Departed in Deadwood, takes single mom Violet Parker on a murder-mystery solving adventure in Deadwood, South Dakota as she tries to hold on to her job, protect her two young children, not fall in love, and stay alive. Deadwood is not without its quirky characters -- and some are quirkier than others. Even sexy Doc has -- shall we say -- his unique side. Here's a little taste of what Violet is up against.

 “Do you mind stopping at that gas station up ahead?” Doc asked when we neared Main St. “I’m thirsty.”

I turned into the parking lot of Jackpot Gas-n-Go, coasting past a Toyota pickup fueling up at the pumps. My breath caught when I saw the “Wish You Were BEER” bumper sticker stuck on the tailgate.

Crap! Jeff Wymonds—the last person I wanted to see.

I parked in a spot near the corner of the building, putting as much distance between Jeff’s pickup and me as the lot allowed.

“Be right back.” Doc hopped out.

Through the passenger-side window, I watched him stride along the walkway to the front glass doors. He pushed inside, and when the door swung back, Jeff stepped out. My heart dropped to my toes.

I cranked my rearview mirror to the side so I could spy on Jeff as he crossed the lot and climbed into his pickup. He looked less Neanderthal-ish with his hair damp and combed back, but he still sported the stained white T-shirt and blue jeans, the same facial scruff. As he rolled toward me, I slunk way down in my seat, my fingers crossed that he didn’t recognize my Bronco.

I waited for the growl of his engine to disappear, but it didn’t. Instead it rumbled up next to me, idling just outside my door. I heard his door slam.

Oh, fuck! I hit the door lock button and then waited for his face to appear in the window next to me.

Twenty seconds later, I was still waiting.

I inched my way up in my seat, peeking out the window. Jeff was marching toward the Dumpster in the back corner of the lot, carrying a big black garbage bag. As he neared the Dumpster, he looked left then right and then over his shoulder. Then he lifted the Dumpster lid and tossed the bag inside. I saw a hint of something pink before the lid crashed down again.

Someone knocked on the passenger-side window. I yelped and jerked, hitting my knee on the underside of the dash.

Doc stood on the other side of the glass, staring down at me with a furrowed brow.

I unlocked the doors and sat up, straightening my dress, avoiding eye contact as he climbed in next to me and held out a bottle of water.

“Oh, thanks. Let me give you some money.”

He waved me off. “You feeling okay?” I could hear a hint of laughter in his tone.

“Yeah. Sure. I’m great.”

The slam of a pickup door to my left drew my attention out my window. I looked over and ran smack dab into Jeff’s gaze.

His eyes narrowed to a squint as he stared back.

My mouth went dry.

He pointed at me.

I locked the door again.

Jeff’s crazed grin reappeared.

Holy shit.

Nearly Departed In Deadwood won two prestigious Daphne du Maurier awards this year. One for mainstream mystery and the other for overall excellence. Tell us about your journey to this much sought-after award.

During my teen years, I spent my summers in Deadwood, South Dakota, exploring its streets, learning its notorious history, soaking up its sounds and smells. The story idea for Nearly Departed in Deadwood came to me one summer day while I was in Deadwood visiting my mom. I wanted to write something that incorporated Deadwood’s past and present—a mystery, along with a healthy dash of romance, and some paranormal, too. It took me a month to figure out enough details of the plot to get rolling, eight months to write and polish the story until it was suitable for professional eyes. My agent loved it out of the gate, and we hooked the attention of an editor at Mira (aka Harlequin) pretty quickly. But the manuscript didn’t make it through the acquisition process at Mira, and after that, the market got really tight for new authors. For the next several months, the rejections were the same: editors liked the story enough to read it through The End, but it continued to get rejected for marketing reasons. My level of frustration crested to new levels with each “Sorry, but no thanks.”

I began writing the second in the series in spite of the rejections, so sure in my gut that this book was going to be published. At this point, I entered the Daphne du Maurier (early 2010), looking for some helpful reader feedback from the judges, crossing my fingers that the story would be earn a finalist spot in the contest. You can imagine my shock when it not only landed a finalist position, but went on to win my division and the overall prize. I’d been so sure it wouldn’t win anything due to my quirky voice that I didn’t even bother with a Thank-You speech, something I regretted when accepting the award in front of 150 fellow authors and publishing professionals. I slept with my Daphne award for the first month, then moved it to the night stand for the next two. Now it graces the top of the piano, where I gaze at it fondly most evenings before kissing it goodnight. J   

You haven't stayed strictly inside the confines of one genre with this book. Was this intentional or did the story "ask" to be that way?

I like genres how I like my margaritas—blended. The last five books I’ve written have been mixed, because I’m lousy at sticking with one genre. I could have tried to write Nearly Departed in Deadwood as a straight mystery, but it wouldn’t be as rich and mayhem-filled as it is with the addition of romance and paranormal elements. To answer your question, the lack of just one genre is intentional. I wanted to make Violet Parker’s life messy. With this genre mix, I’ve succeeded in that goal.    

Why did you choose Deadwood, South Dakota for your setting?

Partly because I have been in love with Deadwood and its history since I was a kid, but also because I know it and the surrounding area pretty well. It was my home away from home while growing up, and I have been creating stories about it in my head since I roamed the brick streets and gravel back roads. I want to share with others what makes Deadwood so special, lure more people there to witness its pine-scented gulches and learn about its gold-laden history. I want to give something back to the town and its inhabitants for all they have given to me over the years. One of my favorite things many readers have told me after they have finished reading Nearly Departed in Deadwood has been how much they want to go visit Deadwood and see it for themselves.

What, in addition to the setting, inspired the story?

Besides the town of Deadwood, and its history, is my love of strong female protagonists. Plus, having kids opened my mind to the idea of having a heroine who had children of her own to take care of and keep safe. I have so much respect for single parents now that I’ve had children of my own. I’m fortunate to have a husband to help me raise our kids. I can’t imagine how difficult it is for a single parent to have to go it alone and keep his or her children safe, fed, and sheltered without the relief of someone there to lean on at times. My hat is off to all of the Violet Parkers (in the female and male form) of the world who are determined to provide for their families on their own and keep them protected from the boogey man.

As you mentioned, even a major award doesn't guarantee a publisher will offer you a contract. Tell us about your route to publication. How long did it take you to get an agent? What is your working relationship like with your agent? Is it common? What has your experience been with publishers and the current state of the publishing world? Is it an unusual one, or is it becoming more common?

I’ve been working on getting a book published for thirteen years now. Yes, thirteen long freaking years full of life’s messy adventures and a lot of fingers hitting the keys in between. Nearly Departed in Deadwood is my seventh novel I’ve written, so it took me some time to perfect my craft, figure out what works best with my voice, and create something I’m ready to put out there for the world to read. I signed on with my agent after writing book five. She liked my voice and asked me to write a sequel to that story, which I did, but she couldn’t find someone interested in buying it. We’ve stayed together ever since, and with this book, she came very close to selling it, but we were shot down in acquisitions.

Our working relationship is pretty laid back. I write the books and send them to her, she tells me if she wants anything tweaked before sending it off to editors. In between, we talk to each other about once or twice a month in order to touch base. I don’t want someone who is in constant contact, and in that way, she’s perfect for me. We hang out once or twice a year at conferences and have become friends as well as partners in this business of getting published. I don’t know if this is common or not, because I’ve only had her as an agent. I know many authors who are friends with their agents and work as a team, so I think this is pretty normal. I believe it is key to find someone you trust, someone who gives you whatever you need—whether it be plenty of space or routine weekly contact.

My experiences with publishers have been frustrating. I have had several editors who like my book and read the whole story (a rarity in this day and age because they don’t have the time to waste on many books they are going to buy), but most have come back with the same type of rejection—it isn’t “big” enough of a story, meaning they don’t feel it appeals to a wide enough audience, or they don’t think it will get through the marketing department’s narrow filter. At first, I was ready to chew glass over this attitude, but then I decided that the best thing I could do was to learn as much as I could about marketing and promotion and publicity. Then I could either convince them to buy the book with the help of a solid marketing plan or figure out another way to sell and market the book, skipping the traditional New York route.

I think this route I’m taking is becoming a beaten path. Many new authors are tired of hitting their head against the brick wall in New York. They’ve been learning all about selling their book for years and are no longer willing to have someone at a large publishing house determine if they get to be a published author or not. They are willing to take a chance, work their hind ends off, and head out on their own into the crazy world of publishing and promoting.  

You've taken control of your writing career and made the decision to proceed with publishing your book in e-format and then print format. What did it take for you to get to that decision?

I decided to chart a new course and take the e-book route after I won the Daphne du Maurier award this summer and still received no interest from a large publishing house. The message was clear, I wasn’t going to land a contract. However, another message was also clear after that win—readers liked my book. For years I’ve believed in testing out my stories on volunteers, getting their feedback on what they liked and didn’t. I did the same with Nearly Departed in Deadwood initially, but after I won the Daphne du Maurier, I sought out even more readers, testing the book, asking for feedback. The results came back and the book was a big hit. I decided to listen to the readers and send this book out into the world to see if it would fly on its own. It’s a big experiment, but how can over 50 test-readers be wrong? With the super positive results I’ve had so far, I have to try, because I refuse to shelve this book.

You are the co-founder of the very popular 1st Turning Point website. You have more information on author promotion there than I've seen anywhere else. It really is a treasure chest full of useful articles to help authors promote themselves and their work. What lead you to create this site?

The birth of 1^st Turning Point came after spending almost two years learning all I could about marketing and promotion. I knew I needed to start a blog to help build name recognition, but I also knew most people wouldn’t care much about me and my life and my writing pursuits, so I wanted to come up with a blog that would offer some “What’s in it for me?” value to the reader. However, I didn’t think I could do what needed to be done on my own, so I approached my long-time critique partner and good friend, Jacquie Rogers, who I knew had a lot of wisdom to share about marketing and promotion. With just a little arm twisting, she agreed to create the website with me. We figured that I would write a post on Mondays, she’d write on Fridays, and we’d find someone to help fill in on Wednesdays. Five months after we agree to create this site, we opened our doors with over 20 volunteer columnists and four crew members. Three months later, Jacquie and I didn’t have to do any writing at all each month because we had so many authors willing to share what they know monthly with readers. Ever since then, we just keep growing and growing. It’s incredible, really, and I feel very fortunate to get to have so much information on marketing and promotion at my fingertips.  Jacquie and I couldn’t keep the site running without the help of our now 30+ columnists and 6 crew members. (And we’re always looking for more help, so if you’re interested in joining our crew, email me!) 

Your approach to marketing and promotion is creative, well organized, and highly tactical. It is also long-term. Can you explain a little about your overall approach to what is essentially "career-building"? Do you have any marketing philosophies that guide you?

I think of myself as an entrepreneur, not just an author. I am building an empire here. Not only do I have to act as a creator of the story and characters, I also have to be the QA department, marketing, sales, administration, and customer service. I often seek out help from friends and family for help in building this empire, but I am the head honcho in charge of success. If I don’t lead and push onward through thick and thin, I will not succeed. So, when I think about my career, I think about it as a whole business, not just the writing part. I am constantly learning about marketing and promotion, publicity, taxes, craft, and more. I am always on the lookout for people who may be able and willing to help me find success, and thinking about how I can repay them for their help and generosity. I write up daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. I have a career plan I update twice a year. I eat, drink, and sleep the writing business, coming close at times during the year to being on the receiving end of a family intervention due to my obsession with writing. I’m not in this for a little bit of income on the side, I’m in it to become a best seller. I know from studying the bestsellers that it’s going to take a lot of hard work and sacrifice to succeed, so I’m hunkered down and in it for the long run.

When it comes to marketing and my career, I have many inspiring quotes tacked to my wall that keep me motivated. Here are a few of my favorites:

If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.—Jonathan Winters

Don’t think “can’t.” Because if you think you can’t, then you won’t.—Unknown

Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.—John Wayne

There is nothing like Authorhood to keep a bitch humble.—Amber Scott, author (and my career coach)

Thank you, Ann! It's been a pleasure having you here, sharing your story. I'm sure you've been an inspiration to many. Your approach and dedication to the success of your career is a blueprint the rest of us would be wise to study and emulate. Nearly Departed in Deadwood is about the most fun I've had in a year! I have no doubt it will be a huge hit!

Thank you for having me here, Susan. I’m a huge fan of Death By A Dark Horse and can’t wait to read the second book in the series when it comes out. 


You can visit with Ann at 1st Turning Point, her blog Plot Mamas, And her website, Ann Charles. Get your copy of Nearly Departed In Deadwood at;

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Nobel