For one whole week, I will be talking to Indie Author's about what it is like to be an Indie Author and their books!
For today on the tour, we have Author Cheryl Bradshaw!
Thanks for joining us today Cheryl!
What
is it like to be an Indie Author?
It’s
exciting. I love being able to work with
cover artists to create my book covers, and it’s fun getting to know other
indies. In some ways, they are like my
second family.
Can
you tell us any pro’s/con’s about being an Indie?
The
pro’s would be the power to control everything: when my book comes out, what my
cover looks like, what promotions I want to run, and the best part of course is
having control over all the profits.
The
only con for me is the process of keeping up with where to promote myself and
taking time every day to do that when I would rather spend my time writing and
connecting with my readers.
Can
you tell us about an important experience in your Indie journey?
In
2011, I was contacted by a well-known producer in the film industry who works
on various hit TV shows, and his assistant inquired about the rights to my
Sloane Monroe series. It was shocking,
but in a good way. J
Do
you have any advice to any aspiring authors, about being an Indie?
I
would say take your time and do your homework.
When I read negative reviews toward indie writers it usually has to do
with the fact that their book was not formatted, edited, proofed, etc. All these things must be done. It’s worth it to invest whatever you can in building
your brand. In addition, get to know
your genre—what’s selling, etc. Never
stop learning and growing. I read at
least one book a month to keep myself in tune with my own genre. I’m still learning new things all the time.
Tell
us a little bit about your Sloane Monroe series!
The
Sloane Monroe Series is set in Park City, Utah.
I chose Park City because it was unique.
The main protagonist, Private Investigator Sloane Monroe, is both quirky
and OCD challenged which adds a bit of fun to the storyline. It was important to me to weave her own past
into the current situations she faces so I could allow readers to get to know
her a little at the time but not in a way that distracts from the novel. There are three books in the series so far:
BLACK DIAMOND DEATH:
Enter the world of Sloane Monroe in Black Diamond Death...
On the slopes of Park City, Utah’s newest ski resort a woman is found dead. At first glance, it has all the makings of an accident. But what if she was murdered? Although skeptical, PI Sloane Monroe takes the case and learns not everyone is who they seem, and some will go to any lengths to protect their identity.
SINNERMAN:
PI Sloane Monroe has solved every case that’s come across her desk with the exception of one—the brutal murder of her sister Gabrielle. Three years have passed without a trace of the serial killer until today, when a young woman’s body is discovered on a patch of dirt in front of the local supermarket. Will Sloane exact her revenge before Sinnerman slays his next victim, or will she be too late?
I HAVE A SECRET:
It’s been twenty years since PI Sloane Monroe has returned to her hometown of Tehachapi, California, but when a former classmate is stabbed and tossed overboard during the high school reunion cruise, Sloane isn’t about to allow a murderer to run free in her own backyard. But in a town where everyone is harboring secrets, how many more men will die before she discovers the truth?
Enter the world of Sloane Monroe in Black Diamond Death...
On the slopes of Park City, Utah’s newest ski resort a woman is found dead. At first glance, it has all the makings of an accident. But what if she was murdered? Although skeptical, PI Sloane Monroe takes the case and learns not everyone is who they seem, and some will go to any lengths to protect their identity.
SINNERMAN:
PI Sloane Monroe has solved every case that’s come across her desk with the exception of one—the brutal murder of her sister Gabrielle. Three years have passed without a trace of the serial killer until today, when a young woman’s body is discovered on a patch of dirt in front of the local supermarket. Will Sloane exact her revenge before Sinnerman slays his next victim, or will she be too late?
I HAVE A SECRET:
It’s been twenty years since PI Sloane Monroe has returned to her hometown of Tehachapi, California, but when a former classmate is stabbed and tossed overboard during the high school reunion cruise, Sloane isn’t about to allow a murderer to run free in her own backyard. But in a town where everyone is harboring secrets, how many more men will die before she discovers the truth?
Did
you know what the series was going to be about from the start?
I
had my protagonist and the setting all fleshed out, but I found that no matter
how organized I am in my own life, I didn’t like outlining anything. I found I wasn’t as creative that way. I allow my novels to come to life as they are
written.
Who
is your dream movie cast?
This
is honestly too hard to say! I’ve
pondered it many times, but I have to say I have never seen one actor or
actress who I thought fit my characters perfectly. Not yet anyway. I’m still looking though!
Did
you always want to be a writer?
I
was born with a pen in hand…
Future
Books in the works?
Right
now I am working on the fourth novel in the series, Stranger in Town. It’s begins with a child being kidnapped from
a grocery store in Pinedale, Wyoming.
Random
Questions!
Hobbies?
This
is terrible, because I would say writing.
Boring to some, exciting to me!
Other than writing, I love to travel.
I’m fascinated by historical places and have visited Abraham Lincoln’s
birth place and childhood home, and been everywhere from New York, London, and
Paris to Alaska. Traveling gives me lots
of ideas and visual imagery which I use in my stories. A few years ago I went to Jamaica, and I
mention the area briefly in I Have a Secret (Sloane Monroe Series, Book
Three).
Special
writing habits?
Nothing
too special. The main thing is peace and
quiet. I’m easily distracted. I wait until no one is at home, and I turn my
phone off. Once I am interrupted, many
times I can’t get back in the “zone” I was in. Hotels work great for this,
especially if they are five star and I am sans children for the weekend ;) Sometimes
I go to a hotel when I finish a book so I can spend a whole day going over the
whole thing from start to finish without interruptions.
Favourite
book? (Apart from your own of course!)
I
am going to cheat a bit on this one and choose more than one.
Pride
and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Jane
Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Murder
on the Orient Express –Agatha Christie
Thank you to Cheryl for stopping by and having a chat with us!
Great interview. :) Have a great day..
ReplyDeleteJenea @ Books Live Forever
Good advice: take your time and get it right. So important.
ReplyDelete