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Cass
Andre
Moe:
Please tell us what name(s) you write under, the name of your
book(s), the genre of your book(s), and the formats available.
Cass Andre:
All of my books are written under the name Cass Andre. Shrouded
Hearts (historical romance) is available as a free download
all around the web (and my website) in rtf, .doc, .html, .rb,
.pdf, .lit, .kml, and a printable version. Remembering You
(historical romance) is currently available from Wings ePress
in paperback, pdf, html and lit. El Chupacabra (horror) will
be available in June in various electronic formats (html,
pdf, lit) and paperback. Déjà Vu (time travel
romance), Winters' Desire (historical romance) and Veiled
Hearts (historical romance) will be re-released from Hard
Shell Word Factory in electronic and paperback formats.
Moe: What
do you do to promote your book(s)?
Cass Andre:
First and foremost, I believe authors should have their own
personalized website. In this day and age, there's no reason
for an author not to have a web presence. Space is free. A
personalized URL, which is also professional, is as inexpensive
as eight dollars a year. If an author lacks know-how, there
are free programs all over the net to build pages. The What
You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) program is a great way to
get started and to learn basic web code.
Building your own
site gives the author more control and is probably one of
the most inexpensive ways to promote (aside from standing
on a street corner screaming, "Buy my book!")
Of course, a website
is nothing unless people/readers know it's there. But it's
a start.
Your URL should
be as common knowledge as your last name. Personally, I put
my URL every where. Business cards, stationary, address labels,
personal checks. For a while, I even had it on the back of
my car.
Aside from a website,
there are a number of basic ways authors can promote themselves.
Many are inexpensive or free and shouldn't be skipped over:
interviews, bookmarks, postcards, T-shirts, press releases,
a newsletter and giveaways. I use all of these. Unfortunately,
some aren't as fruitful as others.
Moe: What
method or methods of promotion have you used that works well?
Cass Andre:
1) Website
2) Free book offer
3) Press releases
4) Booksignings
5) Car logo
6) Pins and T-shirts
7) Newsletter
8) Interviews
9) Contributing articles
10) Giveaways
11) Joining hobby lists
Half a year ago,
I decided to giveaway my novel, Shrouded Hearts, as a free
gift to readers. This serves two purposes. First, everyone
loves a free book. This gets them to my website. Secondly,
readers get a true sample of my work. An entire novel. I have
met many readers this way ... from all around the world. And
most of them want to know where they can purchase my other
books.
The "car logo"
mentioned above is something I did with my first sale. HUGE
lettering on the back of my car read: READ BOOKS BY CASS ANDRE.
It also included my website. In addition, my license plate
is personalized to reflect my career: romwrtr.
I can't say if
this has boosted sales, but there has been a bit of recognition,
including being stopped in the grocery store with, "Hey!
You're the writer, aren't you?"
Apparently, they'd
seen my car, so I'm all for blatant automobile advertising.
"Join hobby
lists" is something I've done in the past where I join
NON-writing email groups that support my interests. This is
a fantastic way to meet other people like yourself, but it
also offers a place to advertise and meet non-writers.
The other things
I've mentioned above are self-explanatory. A website, press
releases, contributing articles to magazines, book signings,
distributing your own newsletters and making T-shirts for
family and friends to wear. Same with pins.
Lynne Hansen has
a book detailing how to make promo items at home. This is
where I learned to make pins advertising my books. But it
also gave me the idea for the barrettes my daughters wear
that say, "Read My Mommy's Books-www.booksbycass.com"
For anyone interested, Lynne's book is called "Good,
Fast and Cheap" and I believe she sells copies for five
dollars a piece from her website.
Moe: What
method or methods of promotion have you used that have not
worked well?
Cass Andre:
I don't have a specific list because I truly believe that
every little method helps. Someone somewhere sees your name,
even with the most unsuccessful promo method.
If I had to pick,
I'd say that contests are not very productive. Don't get me
wrong. I do plenty of contests. It's a great way to get readers
to sign onto my newsletter. The problem with contests (as
I see it) is: Will readers BUY your book if there's a chance
they might win it and read it for free? However, to completely
contradict myself, I HAVE given away copies of my books AND
copies of other authors' books.
I run contests
because I ENJOY doing them, but I really can't say that they
boost sales. (Editor's note: But if they like the gift, they
may come back for more.
Moe: Where
did you learn how to promote your books? Is there a special
place or places where you find good promotion information?
Cass Andre:
Other authors, mainly. I watch what they do and follow. Whenever
you see a bestseller list, visit the websites of the authors
in the top spots and see what they've been up to. Of course,
they've hit the bestseller lists because their books are fantastic,
but somehow those books had to get into the public's eye.
Word had to get out. The author had to do some promo. Find
out what that author is doing.
I mentioned Lynne
Hansen's how-to book for promotional items within an author's
budget (Good, Fast and Cheap). It's informative and is written
from experience. Definitely a must-have.
If you're NOT a
"do-it-yourselfer", promotional items aren't nearly
as expensive as they once were. I recommend EarthlyCharms
for postcards, matchboxes, doorhangers and anything else you
can think up. The quality is fantastic and so are the prices.
With places like
cafepress.com available to us, there's really no way to go
wrong. Authors can now have an entire store dedicated to their
books.
I'm also on many
author lists where, at any given time, someone is talking
about what has and hasn't worked for them.
Moe: Do
you like to promote? Or do you find it frustrating?
Cass Andre:
I enjoy "behind the scenes" promotional methods.
Press releases, interviews, pins, etc. The truth is, I'm one
of the loudest people I know, but when it comes to outward
promotion, I grow a shell and crawl deeply within it. I'm
working hard toward breaking out, but it's not easy. I'd like
to do public speaking. It's a phenomenal way to promote yourself
and your books. It's difficult for me, though. I feel like
I'm missing out on so many wonderful opportunities because
of this.
Moe: Have
you been interviewed as an author? By which mediums?
Cass Andre: For
the most part, I've been interviewed in print and online.
I once did a "voice" interview to be aired online
for romance readers. That was a blast and I'd love to do something
similar again. There are a number of places authors can get
interviewed (search at any search engine and you'll find more
than a few). One idea authors might consider is interviewing
each other for their personal newsletters. I have dozens of
author interviews on my website. Not only does this help promote
the industry and fellow authors, but it also brings readers
to my site. The interviews don't have to be lengthy or in
depth either. Find a friend with a newsletter and offer to
swap interviews. She may be introducing you to a whole new
slew of readers. You'll be doing the same favor for her.
Moe: Please
add anything else here you'd like to say.
Cass Andre:
Many of the authors I know are naturally introverted personal
types. I think the most important thing the author can do
is work toward expanding that comfort zone. Promoting seems
to come disgustingly easy to some. Again, watch what they're
doing and do the best you can to follow suit.
If you come up
with a unique idea, give it a try. One author I know actually
purchased a local billboard to announce her book. It was surprisingly
inexpensive. Did it promote a gazillion sales? I don't know,
but she gave it a shot (and what a thing to see your name
in "lights")
Moe: Please
add a bio, your personal website url, publisher(s) and book(s).
Cass Andre:
Award-winning author, Cass Andre has been writing seriously
since 1996 when her first novel came to life and died shortly
thereafter. Luckily, the pattern didn't last long. Cass has
since contracted six novels, ranging from historical romance
and time-travel to horror. Her most recent release, Remembering
You, has received rave reviews and is now available from Wings-ePress.
As well as raising four young children, Cass divides her time
between school, writing, her business and designing websites
for other authors. She and her husband currently live in Arizona
where she's working toward the long awaited THE END on her
fourteenth book.
09/03
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