Friday, November 30, 2012

Devin C. Hughes - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Devin C. Hughes. He is award winning speaker and a bestselling author.

Author Genre: Ethnic & Minority Studies + Biography

Website: Devin C. Hughes
Blog: Google+
Twitter: @DevinCHughes
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description: Devin C. Hughes was born in Washington D.C. in 1969 to a black father and white mother. Devin grew up in a mixed--and mixed up--world. His home life was chaotic, riddled with his parents' drug use and unconventional ways of educating; dyslexia made academic learning a seemingly insurmountable challenge; and his identity was beyond confusing--was he black because he felt black or white because he looked white?

Devin knew one thing: he needed to escape his environment and get into college, beyond which he believed the world would open up to him.

His memoir, Contrast, is his gift back to those who are looking for some inspiration and passion to move forward, not look back. A great life is measured by ones progress not perfection!

SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First of all, do you have another book on the horizon? If you do, give us a timeline when we can get our hands on it and what it will be about?

I just recently created a comic titled "Self Talk" which is to be used by parents and educators as a resource with kids who are struggling to fit, being bullied and or may just feel isolated alone or disconnected from others. I plan on releasing another comic next year focused on "Tolerance". Beyond that, I see releasing one comic per year for the next several years. I would also like to jump into the wonderful world of fiction and I can see a book in a genre coming out as well very soon.

Being a successful speaker and communicating verbally, did you have a big transition in putting your words and thoughts on paper? Did you have outside help? You can give credit here.

I was diagnosed with dyslexia at nine years old and I struggled to read and write for many years so the one way that I really enjoyed interacting with the world was via stories. I loved them so it was a natural for me in many respects to take that love and translate it into my speaking career. It felt like a pair of loafers that just fit!

Many authors would die for the opportunity to get in front of a large audience especially people that already know what their message is about. When you go on a speaking engagement, what kind of response do you get to your book? Do you ever run out of copies?

Thus far, the responses to my book have been overwhelmingly positive which is great thing but I am also not naive to think that everyone will love it. It is my story, it's raw and I held nothing back from the readers. The one predominant response that I have received is that they are shocked that I was able to climb out of the proverbial "mud" that I was in as kid with all the chaos and dysfunction surrounding me. I have only run out of copies a few times and that was when I was surprised at first to see the emotional response from folks after hearing me tell my story.

How much does social media play into your book marketing efforts? With your busy schedule, do you have time to keep up with all your followers?

I am huge social media maven and spend hours a day interacting with a wide variety of folks which includes people who have read the book, the comic or have heard me speak. Some may see it as a chore but I enjoy the contact and use Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest every day.

I noticed you belong to the Independent Author Index. Faydra Deon has put together a great bunch of writers. Do you look to this group for support for your writing or your marketing or both? Do you belong to any other support groups that help you in the book business?

Faydra's group is awesome and I do occasionally look there for support or clarity around issues or challenges that I encounter since other writers can relate to my situation.

My publisher (RTC) has been fantastic and is a true partner in every sense of the word. I am in contact with them every week planning, discussing, debating and looking for creative ways to spread my message. I would not be at this point in my career as an author without them.


Author's Book List
Self Talk
Today's children are riddled with shots that chip away at their self-esteem and self-worth. From bullying—whether overt or passive—to learning disabilities to familial dysfunction to peer pressure, they are constantly under fire. Positive self-talk, a concept culled from Devin C. Hughes' autobiography "Contrast," is a crucial, effective strategy anyone can use to build their self-esteem and self-worth.
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Amazon Buy Page -- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
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Contrast: A Biracial Man's Journey To Desegregate His Past
In 1967, the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in America. Devin Hughes was born two years later to a black father and white mother who fled to Washington DC to escape the racism of the Deep South. Bigotry still ran rampant up North, and light-skinned, greeneyed Devin felt its pull from both ends: strangers who didn’t know he was half-black and friends who didn’t care he was half-white.

In racial limbo, Devin found himself more consumed with his dysfunctional family life—a father who offered an alternative “street” education and a mother whose drug use zombified her for most of his childhood. Despite his parents’ flaws, they were Devin’s greatest believers.

From his dad founding a neighborhood baseball team to his mom advocating for him in school, they taught Devin that anything imaginable was within reach, that their mistakes needn’t be his choices, and that his destiny was for greatness. Ultimately, Contrast: A Biracial Man’s Journey to Segregate His Past isn’t a book about race; it’s a book about acceptance, perseverance, and love.
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Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight plus the blog: eBook Author’s Corner. Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Troy Blackford - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on young Author Troy Blackford. He is the author of a paranormal action adventure novel and numerious short stories. Troy is also a Editorial Consultant working with Author Anthony J. Rapino.

Author Genre: Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Short Stories

Website: Troy Blackford - Journey to Death at Lifespeed
Twitter: @TBlackford3
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description: A 28-year old writer living in the Twin Cities, Troy Blackford has a number of short stories published. His novella 'Critical Incident' is available on the Kindle, and its two sequels will be out by soon.

His recently released novel is a paranormal action adventure called 'THROUGH THE WOODS' on Kindle and paperback on Amazon.

Check out some of his short stories in various publications (both online and in print) on his site listed above.

SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

I understand you have two stories in the works. Can you give us a timeline when we can expect to get our hands on them with a little tease about their plot?

Certainly! The first of the two novellas, the 'Critical Incident' sequel 'Emergent Pattern,' releases on December 28th, which isn't that far away now. The third and final book of that trilogy of novellas will be out by the end of March or in April.

'Emergent Pattern' picks up where 'Critical Incident' left off, sort of dealing with the repercussions of encroaching the wrath of a global crime syndicate. The final book, I can vaguely tease, is about 'going to the source' of the problem to stop it once and for all.

You have a large Social media audience (29K twitter followers). Is that your main marketing focus? How did you build your list of followers? Do you feel they will buy your books or are they in it for the relationship only or both?

I began focusing on my twitter audience because I constantly think of short, usually stupid things to say. Twitter seemed like a great venue for that kind of thought. I do of course mention quite frequently that I have books and stories, and give links to my site - but I also just chat with lots of people and whine about stuff as it happens. I try not to think of it as a marketing tool, but as a way to connect to people. I've met a great deal of my current close friends on there. I don't have much time for 'real life' relationships outside of my family and work, so I appreciate having a 'virtual sea' of like-minded people to commiserate with.

Do you do any traditional marketing like book signings, interviews and personal appearances? Do you have an agent or are you doing this solo?

I am at a phase in my writing career where I am very much just trying to get off the ground, hone my craft, and get to a decent level of skill. I have sent a few people signed books when they request it, but haven't had a chance to participate in a more formal book signing as of yet. This marks my second interview, so that's picking up!

And as for the agent - my plan right now is to get a few more stories published in journals and then try to get an agent to help me put out a collection and the next novels I plan to write.

What kind of support groups do you have? Do you belong to a writer’s group in which you are active? You can give credit here to a mentor.

I occasionally will send my stories to writing friends, such as the inimitable Anthony Rapino, who gives feedback and advice, but that is the exception more than the rule. They simply don't have the time. I have never been a part of a writing group, either. I just keep my head down and keep writing/rewriting/editing, and for that reason I probably keep making mistakes I would not make if I were doing this in a more 'connected' way.

In creating the ebook version of your book, how much did you do yourself? What kind of outsourcing have you used to bring your book to market?

All of it: The photography, the layout, the editing. I got burned in the past by letting myself be talked into working with self-styled editors for chunks of cash for hasty work, and I really think that for the beginning writer, there is tremendous value in making the commitment to learning to edit your own material to at least a passable degree.

The short stories a writer might hope to place with publications, for example, are usually self-edited. I've been dabbling in photo editing software for years, and back when I made music (long, long ago) I actually used to make an 'album cover' for every single song I wrote. So that's old hat, even though I'm not particularly good at it. And the layout and formatting type of things are what I do at my job, so that comes pretty naturally to me as well.

When you receive a Troy Blackford book, you are getting a book made in all parts by the man himself!

Now that you have started down that creative writer’s path, what lessons have you learned that you could pass on to new authors when they start?

Take the advice of your betters at face value! One thing I heard was 'When you finish a first draft of a novel, stick it in a drawer for a few months until you have a fresh take on it before rewriting.' I wrote four books before I had the courage to do this, and once I had, I felt like a fool for not doing this before. Another bit of advice is to really focus on short stories early on so that you can develop your skills before making writing novel after novel your priority.

Experts say short stories are a good path to being a successful author when you are getting started. What has been your experience? What is the most difficult problem you have had to overcome? What would you have liked to known when you started that you didn’t know?

That's exactly the truth! My first stories that people responded well to were the shorts and not the novels. The first novels are more like learning opportunities for you as a writer than they are likely to be examples of your best work.

I would say the most difficult problem I've had to overcome is the fact that, for schedule reasons among others, I do most of my writing on my bus commute to work each weekday. The problem is that there are frequently one or two loud, rude passengers disrupting the environment. I know I can't expect complete silence, but I've had to deal with fights breaking out, kids punching my monitor on accident when they meant to punch their friend, and the like - all while trying to write!

What I had wished I had known when I started? How much I loved this! I would have been doing it far earlier!

While doing my research, I noticed you had a love for cats and music. Do you find they are an escape from writing when you get to a bump in the road?

Quite the opposite - they are an inspiration to my writing. My first book was inspired by a funny look from my cat, leading me to the ideas that ultimately led to 'Through the Woods,' though the first two books on the subject of cats were 'Under the Wall' and 'Out the Door.' Not very good books, but 'Through the Woods' is basically a ret-conned 'prequel' of those two, previously unrelated books. The two cats in my life make me feel good when I'm not feeling all that great, and in that sense they definitely help me with the writing too.

And music is not only the closest thing to an 'office door' I have, closing out the noisy world on the bus or at home, but also another major source of inspiration. I find that that the progressive force of music, whether a Beethoven piano sonata or a song by Depeche Mode, helps keep me focused on moving forward with my work in progress.


Author's Book List
Through the Woods
Ben, fresh out of college, is starting his first week of work at a top secret governmental agency that lies deep in the protected woods in the north of the country. He can only pick up bits and pieces about the fantastical things that go on at 'the Agency,' but he quickly realizes that the team's current assignment might be biting off more than they can chew.

The experiment that his team is spending the most time on also has the most potential to go wrong, though only Ben seems to see it at first. What begins as a mundane procedural testing of some seemingly-ordinary house cats quickly flies out of control - for reasons that even the most veteran of the Agency researchers can scarcely believe.
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Amazon Buy Page
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Critical Incident
A wave of inexplicable vandalism from the city's homeless sweeps the town - but the more the local police force tug on the thread of what might be behind this strangely coordinated effort, the more their understanding of events unravels.

Soon, a group of officers are swept into a dark and deadly underground world of murder and medical supplies, chemicals and corruption, confusion and confectioner's gel. A head-scratching mystery quickly becomes a heart-pounding action thrill ride filled with twists, turns, and maybe even a Pez dispenser supercomputer or two.

With lives in the balance, what will be the outcome of the city's most 'CRITICAL INCIDENT' to date?

First, strange markings appear all over town, marks that turn out to be made by homeless people working in exchange for food. Then, women all over the city begin to disappear. Next, supplies are reported missing. Then, corpses start being found.

What is going on?

The more they look for answers, the more two officers of the city's police force begin finding fresh, murderous questions. Swiftly, their search leads to a deadly, 'CRITICAL INCIDENT.'
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Book Trailer: Critical Incident
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Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight plus the blog: eBook Author’s Corner. Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sean E. Thomas - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on award winning Author Sean E. Thomas. He writes Alaskan Mysteries novels. He has a fascinating story.

Author Genre: Mystery/Crime/Suspense/Thriller

Website: Alaskan Mysteries
Author's Blog: AlaskanNovelist
Blog: AlaskanNovelist
Twitter: @AlaskanNovelist
E-Mail: seanethomas@hotmail.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Author Description: A longtime Alaska resident with a Native American-Finnish heritage, Sean E. Thomas graduated in 1970 from Alaska Methodist University with a bachelor of arts in chemistry. He attended graduate school at the University of Idaho for two years studying organic chemistry, then served eight years as an Army officer, working with missiles and laser weapon systems. He later went into federal service, working in different endeavors, and retired in 2006. He published four novels between 2002 and 2003.

After recovering from congestive heart failure, he started writing again. His three newest novels are being published fall 2011 through spring 2012. An avid boater, he has been a Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer for more than 35 years, teaching boating safety and supporting search and rescue programs.

Sean is the Alaska Professional Communicator Fiction Award Winner for 2012.

SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First of all, can you share with us your upcoming novels? I hear that you have two more Robert Sable Mysteries coming our way.

Deadly Rites is now out in multi format. Number ten, Frozen Treasure, will be out June 2013. I'm currently working on a novel about the Iditarod tentatively called Blood on the Moon (approximately half done). I have cursory outlines for another five and about another 100 plotlines.

Your story is one of inspiration. Can you tell us if your heart problems and the recovery changed the way you write? Does being retired give you more time to be creative or like I have found, I find more things to do?

Cardioversions use electricity similar to electroshock therapy used on mental patients of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I was cardioverted 8 times (16 times being shocked). The heart had to be stable for repair. Mine eliminated 8 months of short term memory. A couple of my bosses thought I was lying that I couldn't remember certain incidents. One thing that hurt me was my writing ability and stringing words together in sequence. It took me five years to recover my inspiration and ability to write descent prose. I just hope I never have to go through that again.

Yes being retired gives me more time and ideas. Many of my novels/ideas have come from dreams and nightmares. It also gives me time to edit and strengthen my prose. Of course, I belong to the Coast Guard Auxiliary (35 years), Alaska Professional Communicators, an Friends of Nike Site Summit (trying to save, restore, and preserve a Cold War Nike Hercules missile site). These and other groups believe you should give all your retired time to them.

You are one of the rare authors that have bridged the gap from the traditional paper book world to the digital age. Can you tell us how that changed your approach to marketing? Do you do book signings and personal appearances?

I use my website, Twitter, Facebook, my blog and newspapers. (See references above) Also I use Amazon Authors Central, Tumblr and Book Buzzr.

I have included several samples:
Silent Killer in the Anchorage Daily News' Reading the North,
Stalker in the Anchorage Daily News Reading the North for Website,
Alaska Dutchman made it into the Anchorage Daily News ‘Reading the North.’

I am a Member of SinC, Pacific Northwest Writers Assoc, Alaska Professional Communicators, NFPW, Alaska49 Writers, AlaskaWriters’ Guild, Alaska Association of Authors and The Alaskan Writer’s Directory.

In 2002 and 2003. Most my stories just want signed copies. I do sign at conferences. In the future, I do plan several this winter. However, I was in and out of the hospital in August and part September from Bronchitis and edema in the legs. Still walking on crutches. When I'm walking without them, I will arrange the signings.

Going along the same line, how does social media (twitter - excess of 15K followers) fit into your marketing plans? Are you building a group of readers by forming relationships?

Twitter helps sell a number of books, Facebook is my inner circle of writers, family and friends and is a support network. I also have a close friend who is also a mentor. I've also been on blogs before which have lasted a week. During the blog, I've had to check it several times a day to respond to questions.

Back to friends--I have another set who I consider as acquaintances. They are out for themselves and don't care about helping other authors. I used to belong to several writers' critique groups and found them more a hindrance and a lot of hard work. You find yourself editing and reworking a number of neophyte authors' MSS and you don't have time for yours.

You live and write about a beautiful part of our country. Does the Alaskan setting ever get in the way of your plot? Do you plan on using more of the scenery there in your cover art? Have you ever considered creating a book trailer using pictures of the area?

It enhances it. There are lots of places to hide bodies and the animals will obliterate the remains leaving virtually nothing. However, when switching from one wilderness scene to another it's hard to write about different forests, streams and rivers, etc. My publisher provides the artist. I give advice but the artist usually wins.

For example, Lost Legions gold coins in the 'Os" are Julius Caesar. In the draft, they were Eisenhower coins. They're supposed to be Augustus Caesar. The scenery on the cover is salt water with breakers. The boats are fiberglass. They're supposed to be aluminum jet boats on the Yukon....

On Stalker my artist had the hunter sticking out of the trees with a pistol--in the book he used a crossbow. That one I won in part. I lost on Deadly Rites--priest were crucified on inverted crosses.

No I have not created a book trailer, but it's an idea.

I noticed while doing my research, you belong to various groups and associations. I especially zeroed in on the Alaskan Writers Directory. Do you find belonging helps you in finding new readers or do use them for support?

Belonging to these groups gives me inspiration. Alaska Professional Communicators (local NFPW) has been a great help with inspiration, comradelier and friend support.

Your books appear in many online retail sites. Do you find being available in many locations adds to your sales? Is it more time consuming to have multiple locations or do you get results from just a few?

Yes....It's like a shotgun. I'm trying to get my name and my books out to the public. Twitter seems the best.


Author's Book List
Deadly Rites
A Robert Sable Mystery
Priests are being crucified on inverted crosses in Alaskan churches. On the surface, it appears priests are killing priests. As Sergeant Robert Sable starts his investigation, he finds a similar trend across the lower forty-eight states heading straight for Alaska. It seems that Alaska now has another serial killer. Sable must sort out the suspects and clues to find the killer
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Alaska Dutchman
A Robert Sable Mystery
A prospector’s body is found near the railroad tracks south of Fairbanks. At the miner’s cabin, Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Sergeant Robert Sable finds two bodies slumped over a table in pools of blood. While investigating the crime scene, he finds hidden under the base of the prospector’s fireplace several hundred thousand dollars in gold nuggets the killers missed. Rumors fly that the prospector had found the Dutchman, a mine of myth, legend and a curse. Over the last hundred years, men have died trying to find the mine. If they found it, the curse would kill them and the mine would be lost again. Bennett’s killers are closing on the mine’s location and as Sable follows the clues, they lead him closer to the killers and mortal danger.
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Stalker
A Robert Sable Mystery
More dangerous than Theodore Bundy and Robert Hansen combined, a serial killer calling himself Anubis stalks the cities and highways of Alaska. This killer leaves no fingerprints, fibers or DNA. He hides behind numerous stolen identities. Now, the stalker has murdered a Seattle police detective. Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable and his team must find the killer before he strikes again.
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Silent Killer
A Robert Sable Mystery
Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates a serial killer who uses stealth and carbon monoxide to kill alumni from the Chugach High School class of 2000 and their families. So far, all the deaths have been ruled accidental. It appears the killer is exacting revenge for bullying and abuse in high school. The killer leaves minimal evidence, only a tiny smiley face with the number 2000. Since Sable’s wife is a 2000 graduate, she may be next on the killer’s list. Sable and his team must catch the killer before he strikes again.
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Lost Legion
A Robert Sable Mystery
Pulled from his honeymoon, Tlingit Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates the murders of the governor’s brother and the brother’s friends. Clutched in the dead men’s hands are gold coins imprinted with the likeness of Augustus Caesar. As Sable follows the clues, he realizes a myth Roman soldiers settled in Alaska more than 2,000 years ago may be true. Closing in, he comes face to face with the architect of the murders, a village chieftain who is a descendent of the Romans. The descendents have set into motion a plot to take over the halls of power in Washington, D.C. Even the current Alaskan governor unknowingly is being used as a pawn to achieve this aim. It is up to Sable to foil the plot and put the chief and his fellow conspirators behind bars.

Rated one of the top 5 best sellers at Whiskey Creek Press.
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Dark Shaman
Gripping mystery set in the Alaskan wilderness where children are being kidnapped and murdered. To stop these depraved killings, State Trooper Sable must discover the identity of his elusive adversary.
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Dark Soul
Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable, a man with a troubled past, watched his wife and son die at the hands of his enemies. He has one mission in life--to even the score. When his investigation gets him into trouble with the Troopers, his chief assigns him to a Fish and Game stakeout in the Alaskan wilderness. Intent on stopping the mob boss responsible for the hit on his family, Sable invites him for a final confrontation. When the meeting goes wrong, Sable must run for his life with the mob boss's men close behind.
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Dark Project
As Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable investigates the strange disappearance of six scientists from Fort Greely, he discovers a secret Army project. Scientists have gathered under the leadership of a ruthless general, Charles Dean to create the ultimate soldier. During a catastrophe, an experimental virus escapes from the project. Thinking the virus is deadly, Dean tracks a scientist exposed to the virus to a local Tlingit village. To contain the virus and protect his secrets, Dean decides to destroy the village and all its inhabitants. Sable must find a way to save the Indians and bring the general to justice.
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Dark Gold
Alaska State Trooper Robert Sable, a man with a troubled past, investigates the strange appearance of a frozen aviator on an iceberg in Prince William Sound. The dead aviator was the copilot of a plane carrying a shipment of gold worth millions destined for Russia. Next to the aviator lay the body of a mob henchman. The pilot's son, Phillip Frost, is an Anchorage mob boss who kills Sable's partner. Sable later discovers the key to his partner's death. As Sable investigates his partner's murder and assembles the clues, he finds that anyone with knowledge of the gold dies.
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Frozen Treasure
Coming SOON

When Montezuma saw the Spanish coming, he sent an army of warriors with most of his treasure north to the home of their ancestors (Alaska). An archeology professor, Edward Stone, and a friend stumble onto Aztec tablets that have the potential to lead to vast treasure. They pay for it with their lives. Sable and his team are assigned the case, which becomes dangerous immediately. Sable finds corrupt elements of the Mexican government who will use any method to get to the gold first, killing anyone in their path. Sable and his team must bend the law by using extraordinary measures to stop the killers.
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Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight plus the blog: eBook Author’s Corner. Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Stacy Eaton - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today the spotlight is on International Best Selling author Stacy Eaton, the creator of the popular My Blood Runs Blue series.

Author Genre: Crime, Thriller and Mystery

Website: Stacy Eaton
Author's Blog: Stacy Eaton, Author
Twitter: @StacySEaton
E-Mail: Mybloodrunsblue@aol.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description: Stacy is a full-time Police Officer who enjoys crime scene investigation above all else. She also owns a business that deals with helping people get the awareness out for the causes they care most about. She is a mother of two and her husband is also in law enforcement. She is very much into photography and carries her Nikon Digital SLR with her almost everywhere, just in case. She also has two Shiloh Shepherd dogs and loves to play catch with them.

Stacy uses her experience at work to make the stories more believable. Weaving bits of crime solving knowledge into her stories of fiction to make them more lifelike. She writes using a unique style that keeps you in the minds of all the important characters.

Switching back and forth from mind to mind to keep the readers aware of what each character is feeling and why they do the things they do.

Her first book, My Blood Runs Blue was the start of her writing career. It brings the world of law enforcement into the paranormal world of vampires. It is a suspenseful adult series that will keep you guessing from chapter to chapter.

SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First things first. The word is out. Garda – Welcome to The Realm is on the horizon. Can you give us an idea when we will have it in our hands? Give us a little teaser on the plot?

Whooo Hooo!!! I’m excited about releasing this new novel! I have my fingers crossed that things go smooth with my editor and I can get it released by February 2013. This is a whole new type of book for me. I’ve written the paranormal world of vampires and cops working together, but this is the first time I bring on the guardian angels.

Garda is an Irish word – many times associated with police. Here I use it as a guardian, it is only fitting that the lead female who will become a Garda is in fact a police officer. Corey Hamilton will be killed in the line of duty, a very hard scene for me to write I might add.

Before she dies, she falls in love with a man named Mitch. Mitch is also a police officer and while their relationship might seem wonderful, he’s married. When Corey dies, Mitch feels responsible, and has a very hard time dealing with her death. This gives the Os Malos, or evil ones, a tempting point to try and bring Mitch to their side. Corey must find a way to protect Mitch, while not stepping over the boundaries of what she is allowed to do. Her own Garda, Brock makes things even more difficult by keeping secrets from her.

I’m hoping people will enjoy it, the few that have had sneak peeks love it and can’t wait for me to finish it! Once I get that done, I will move on to the third book in the My Blood Runs Blue series, Blue Blood Mixes which I am about half way done with and hoping to release next summer.

Time management. With all the hats you’re wearing: mother, law enforcement, successful writer, multiple writing projects and blogger, do you have any tricks that you can share with us on how you keep up? Do you have an ideas book (maybe software) to keep track where you are going with your novels?

I have a sign in my kitchen that hangs over a clock where the battery is dead. I leave it that way because it goes well with the sign that reads, “Once upon a time, there was time”. Yeah…. Time management is a tough thing!

I don’t know that I have any tricks to keep up the massive juggling schedule, I think it just fits with the type of person I am. I’m a very intense person, the perfect Type A personality. I have a hard time sitting still and I go from the time I wake up until the time I can’t keep my eyes open, and then I do it again.

As for keeping track of stuff, well huh… No, I don’t use anything right now. I use to, but I just got away from it. When a new plot line comes to mind, I think it through, sometimes they are quick and fast, like Whether I’ll Live or Die. I had that entire plotline done and even the title to it in less than an hour. When I got that idea, I came home and started writing it. Each time I get an idea, I come home and start putting it on paper. I get the thoughts I have been having down so I don’t forget them, and then I put the story aside to finish what I am really trying to focus on.

Some days it’s not up to me as to what I work on though, some days I have to write what the characters in my mind want me to write about. Most of them are Type A’s too, so we sometimes have to battle it out a bit. I will let you know that I have 6 other plotlines on the back burner waiting their turn.

With all the noise in social media, how do you keep up with your followers? Are they a major part of your marketing? Do you do any traditional marketing like book signings, personal appearances, etc.?

I don’t make any special appearances or do book signings. I had thought about it, but I try to keep what little privacy I have. With my full time job as a police officer, I have to be careful about what the public sees about me. It is one of the reason I use the pen name of Stacy Eaton, yes that is not my real name.

I do however try to stay in touch with fans. I communicate with them when I can on twitter and get on Facebook as often as my schedule allows, but some weeks that if hard, especially now that I have moved from patrol to full time investigations. I like to work with other authors and help them by doing interviews and posting them on my blog when I have time. I wish I had more time to spend with my fans and with other readers, but right now my minutes are very limited.

You have put together great book trailers. After watching them I want to go see the movie. Can you share with us how you put them together? You gave credit to Dreamstime for the images. Where did you get the music? What software did you use to put the video together?

I love making video trailers!!! They are so much fun! I use Windows Live Movie Maker and it is really easy. Yes I do give credit to Dreamstime because I have purchased the photos that I use. I believe in giving credit where credit is due and they have some great pics and good prices.

As for music, I again purchase the rights to my music and I get it from StockMusic.net. I know that many people use music they have in their own libraries, but you have to be careful about copyright infringements. Being a police officer, it wouldn’t look so good if I got caught doing that, now would it? Lol…

Some people thing video trailers are good, some don’t. It’s a personal taste, just like how one reader will like one book, but not another. To each his own, but I’m really glad you enjoyed them! I love to share them!

As I watched your trailers, my own experiences flashed through my mind. I have a good vision of what my characters look like. You have gone one step farther. When you picked images, did you write to the image? Has it ever painted you into a corner, like a flaw you want to add to the character that you couldn’t?

No, actually it hasn’t. In many ways, it helps me. When I start writing, I have a good idea of what my character looks like. When I get a bit into the book and start really digging deep, I start searching for photos that could represent the characters I am writing about. I’ve been lucky and have always found models that portray not only my characters, but the feelings and mood of the story.

I know some people don’t want to see the characters face because they want to use their own imagination, well that’s just like the book trailers, everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Personally, I like it and I hang the pictures of my characters on my bulletin board in front of me and use them as reference to picture how they would move or act during a scene.

I was very impressed with your book tour. How did you set it up? Can you guide new authors in the right direction on this? Did you have help coordinating it and where in the world did you find the time to do it?

Wow… The book tour. Let me start off by saying that book tours, especially extensive ones like I did are hard to coordinate and hard to pull off. They are really time consuming and I was lucky that when I was setting most of that up, I had the time to spend on it.

Of course I have a lot of author friends, so I started out by reaching out to them and asking them to host me. I set it up so that the week Whether I’ll Live or Die was released I was in a whole bunch of places. Since I work with the WLC, I was lucky to have a lot of resources at my fingertips. Those resources are available for all authors, they just have to reach out and sign up.

Once the first week had passed, I made sure that I was on a new blog every four days. Again this is time consuming, but worth it. I had to work with each blogger to make sure I had questions for the interviews or knew what they wanted me to write about. I would spend a few hours each week getting these all done. I made one master document with all the important information, my social media links, the book blurb, an excerpt, my bio and such and sent it to each one of the hosts. It is important to keep all that information in one place and label it as a marketing packet, that way you don’t forget anything.

Once that is done, you need to stay in touch with your hosts. Make sure the posts go live when they are supposed to and then do one of the most important things; thank each and every one of them publicly on their blog for allowing you to visit. Taking the time to stop by through those four days you are promoting it to comment on any comments that have been left. Thank people for stopping by and taking the time to read it and comment is very important.

Then the last step; promote, promote and promote some more.

I am all in on the World Literary Café. What a great group of writers. We had the founder, Melissa Foster in the HBS Author's Spotlight earlier this month. What do you feel is the biggest benefit you get from belonging to the WLC? What other groups do you belong too that add support?

They are a great group! I love the WLC and Melissa is amazing. I loved her spotlight interview here. She is a wonderful person who works so hard to help others. I met her last year around September when she was getting ready to launch her book Come Back to Me, and I worked on her launch party. From there, our friendship flourished and I started helping her with the WLC.

Those of us that work with the WLC do it because we love it. We are all of the same mind, we want to help others to succeed. We work amazingly well together and when one person doesn’t have the time to do something, one of the others jump right in to help, whether it’s a website issue or just reaching out to a someone who needs assistance.

I would have to say the biggest benefit that I get from the WLC, is the network I have built and the friendships I have formed with so many authors and readers who visit and use the site on a daily basis.

Right now, I honestly don’t have time to be involved in other big groups. My work schedule is to demanding and with my family and my business, plus my writing and my marketing; I don’t have much time or mental energy for anything else right now, maybe someday.


Author's Book List
Garda – Welcome to The Realm



Coming SOON

Garda is an Irish word – many times associated with police. Here I use it as a guardian, it is only fitting that the lead female who will become a Garda is in fact a police officer….



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Whether I'll Live or Die
It sounded so simple in theory; ready... aim... fire... but what actually transpired was so much more.?

Officer Nicole Nolan holds the gun steady in her hands, knowing that life will be forever altered once she pulls the trigger. Her position as a small town police officer is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It is her career, and her life. Amanda stands where protection does not exist. With several failed relationships behind her, Amanda turns a blind eye to the possessiveness Josh displays in order to sooth her desperate need to be loved.

As the mental abuse turns violent, Amanda must deal with the denial and embarrassment of being a victim once again. With her emotional and physical health siting on the edge, she must fight to regain control of her life. A gripping story with one final destination, but will it be life or death?
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Book Trailer: Whether I'll Live or Die
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Amazon Buy Page
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My Blood Runs Blue
Officer Kristin Greene has always felt that something was missing from her life. Although her job with the Fawn Hollow Township Police Department keeps her busy, she still feels like there is something else out there for her.

She soon finds herself investigating a homicide where a young woman has had her throat ripped out. When she has to give the death notification to the family, her investigative nature comes out fast and strong when the parents seem too accepting of their daughter's death and make comments that just don't fit.

When the family requests the assistance of the VMF Securities, Kristin is confused that they would think a security company could assist with the murder investigation. When Julian and Alexander arrive she quickly finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer then she has been alive. Why do they look at here as if they know her? And why do they keep talking about Calista?

Join Kirstin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the seductive and blood drinking men that have entered into her life and the rear truth about herself.
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Book Trailer: My Blood Runs Blue
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Amazon Buy Page -- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
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Blue Blood For Life
Book Two of the My Blood Runs Blue Series
“You belong to me… for life…”

After a month off, Kristin comes back to work happier then she’s been in a long time. Her new status in life has her solving crimes faster and better than she ever could before. When Alex goes missing, Kristin finds she finally has to reveal the secrets of her life to her friends. Will they be able to stand beside her after they learn all that she has hidden from them?

Julian and Gabe stand beside her faithfully as they try to locate Alex. They are surprised to find Trent already in Fawn Hollow, but know that Trent may be the only one to do what Alex has asked them to do. As one more choice is taken away from Kristin, she attempts to make the best of it, but finds herself drawn to Trent in a way Julian and Alexander could never compare to. Trent goes to work with Kristin to keep her safe but will he be able to handle all that her police world entails?

Can he handle the side of her that she reveals, the one that Alex and Julian know nothing about? When Kristin and Trent uncover the connection between her job and the kidnapping, they are finally able to put the pieces together, but can they get to Alex fast enough? Will Kristin be able to handle rescuing Alex and all that she learns in the process? Join Kristin, Julian, Trent and Alexander as they dive into a new mystery that will have you turning the pages quickly to find out who is responsible and how Kristin’s life is forever changed once again.
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Book Trailer: Blue Blood For Life
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Amazon Buy Page -- Barnes and Noble Buy Page
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Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight plus the blog: eBook Author’s Corner. Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.