2024 COVERS

Lawless In Leather
Winterfall Destiny
Mated to the sapphic orc
Fae's Fate
Broken: A Romantic Science Fiction Eco Adventure
Wolf's Prize
Knightqueen
Wicked Ways
Unbreak My Heart
Curiosity Killed the Vampire
From Across the Sea
Angel In Armani
Edge of Night
The Witch's Tangle
Three Vampires And A Baby
Banshee, Death and Disarray: Holly Harrow: A Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Damaris: A Scifi Alien Romance
The Shattered Court
Moon Blessed
Falling for Mr. Fake It

2024 covers

Welcome to the Dark Side!

We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Thursday 23 January 2014

Magic Thursday: Just Magic - How to market your work by one author who did

with Cathleen Ross


Two years ago when I started self-publishing I had a dream that I would be able to support myself by writing. The fantasy I had in mind was that I wouldn't have to wait to publishers to get back to me, that I would be able to find a way to market my work without it costing a bomb and that I would be able to grow my audience. My first Highlander story came to me in a dream about The Black Douglas, a disenfranchised noble who had lost land when living in Scotland in the 14th century. The interesting thing was he was still talking to me when I woke up. I had to search the net for who he was as all I knew was his name was James and he served under Robert the Bruce. Sure enough, with research, I found him, a real life Scottish knight. Highlander was born.

Two novellas and a category romance book later, I had a series that was selling and gaining ground with every release, so I decided to put it in a boxed set. I priced each novella and book at 2.99, so readers could get a discount when they bought the boxed set for 4.99. Readers are willing to pay 2.99 for an indie release and this has become a recognised price point on the net.





I have approximately 5000 friends on Facebook and a network of author friends who kindly share my releases. It's important to build this network if you intend to self-publish and it's also important to pay it forward. If an author does something for you, remember it and think how you can do something for them. I always take note of who shares my work with their network and do something for them when I can. When I released my boxed set Highland Romances, it began selling immediately after I announced it on Facebook.


To make a boxed set is not that difficult. I employed designer, Char Marie Adles who did it at a very reasonable price. I cut and pasted the book documents together and uploaded them to smash words and Amazon. My total outlay for the design was forty dollars as I had already paid for the covers through Romance Novel Covers earlier. Sales covered the cost of production in one day.


Another event driving sales was Wattpad, a free author and reader site. I had posted Highlander in her Bed minus the raunchy scenes on Wattpad. At the time of writing Highlander in her Bed has had 110,000 reads and is currently number 3 on Wattpad's most read historical books. Wattpad has young readers, but these readers grow up and name recognition for an author is important. I've noticed that sales follow whenever I post scenes to Wattpad. All good and free ways for an author to market and grow their name.



~~~~
Thanks, Cathleen.


In Her Wild Highlander's Bed, the third in the Highlander series was released on January 6th.

When Sir Jasper Bruce discovers a lady hiding under his bed in the castle he has just conquered, he doesn't expect to fall in love. No Scottish knight in his right mind would fall in love with a Sassenach enemy, not in 1313 when Scotland is fighting England for its independence. 

Forced into a betrothal with a cruel Scot, Lady Rosamund Percy can think of nothing else except escaping to England after her betrothed leaves her stranded in a highland castle. The trouble is Sir Jasper considers her a delicious prize of war. How can she convince him to let her go when he can think of nothing else but getting her into his bed?

You can find it at Amazon & Smashwords

The box set is available at Amazon & Smashwords

You can find Cathleen at her Website | Facebook | Twitter





6 comments:

  1. Always enjoy your posts Cathleen, they're invaluable and you are always happy to share info. Hope your series sells its socks off!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't read you Highlanders yet so I am going to grab me a box...

    I also peeked at your website and now I HAVE to read Man Hunt too ;)

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  3. Thanks for sharing, Cathleen. That info is invaluable. Good luck with the Highlander series.

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  4. Thanks Mel
    Marketing is difficult. As an author we need to sell out work but we also need to find new ways to do so. Readers enjoy a bargain and a boxed set is one way to do that. it seems to be going well so far.
    Best
    Cathleen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nicolette I'm waiting for you to get something published or self-published. I love your posts on the loop. It really helps me understand BDSM.
    Thanks for your support.
    Best
    Cathleen Ross

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks Eleni for all your hard work putting this blog together. You do a terrific job.
    Best
    Cathleen

    ReplyDelete

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