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.

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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