Picture this:
Someone writes a negative Amazon review for your book without even reading it. Other reviewers, who are fans of your book, jump in and defend the book on your behalf. A third person comments that she decided to buy your book based on the passion with which fans
defended the book!
As an author this is a dream situation.
And one BookBuzzr author who is living this dream is Alexandra Anthony. She is the best-selling author of The Vampire Destiny Series– a series of books including Fated , Illusion and book three which is scheduled for release in 2013. She is also working on a companion piece to the series from her hero’s point-of-view with new scenes and character information due out in December of 2012.
The BookBuzzr team reached out to Alexandra and she’s been most gracious in agreeing to be interviewed.
BB: Thanks Alexandra. We’re so excited to have you here! Alexandra, can you tell us a little about yourself and your books?
Alexandra: Thanks for having me! I’m a stay at home mom with a love of the supernatural and a life-long fan of vampires. Throw in a happy ending and I’m in heaven!
BB: When did you start writing and how would you describe the ride so far?
Alexandra: I’ve always written. However, it was pushed aside to do other things. I had a serious health issue last year and I decided to not put off the things I want to do anymore. And yes, that included writing!
It’s been a crazy ride. People either seem to love or hate my take of romantic/erotic vampire series. It’s not for everyone-definitely not for the faint of heart.
BB: Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, Blogging – which is your favourite platform for book marketing and why?
Alexandra: I use Facebook, Twitter and I blog frequently. I’ve also been on 2 internet radio author/book shows. I love every opportunity to actually talk to my fans and I love to interact with them.
BB: You’ve priced Fated and Illusion at $.99 cents. What’s the reasoning behind this?
Alexandra: My stories are not what I consider to be full books. They’re only around 160 pages (a tad bigger than a novella). I’d rather make the format affordable for everyone versus pricing them too high and lose potential readers.
BB: Have you tried doing a KDP Select promotion? If so what kind of results have you had?
Alexandra: I haven’t tried KDP Select promotion. I stick to doing blog tours and a LOT of self-promotion!
BB: You are one of those authors who engages with reviewers on Amazon. Can you share some of your learning with us?
Alexandra: I love to talk to my readers and fans. I frequently talk to my readers on my Amazon Author page about my current books and upcoming projects. I enjoy interacting with them and sharing in their enthusiasm for my books and characters. I don’t interact with the readers that leave bad reviews. They are entitled to their opinion of my book(s).
BB: How do you organize your time between writing and book promotion?
Alexandra: It’s a constant battle. When I’m promoting, I know I should be writing. When I write, I think about promoting! I try to set aside a few hours a day here and there to promote and share my book and links.
BB: You had a launch party for Illusion with coffee mugs, tote bags, t-shirts and more. That must have been fun! How did you promote the event? What did you do during the event?
Alexandra: It was a lot of fun! I promoted the event through my Facebook Book Page and put the word out on my blog.
BB: It seems that you are doing a lot of things on Facebook. Do you have any tips for authors who’d like to market their books to folks on Facebook?
Alexandra: My biggest tip is to be patient and find a group of people that have passion for your books to help you promote. Social media networking is a must for Indie Authors!
BB: What is a street team and how do you set one up?
Alexandra: A street team is a group of fans that really like your book. They are willing to spread your links on social networking sites, by word of mouth and passing out business cards to get your books (and name) out there.
BB: Do you have any closing thoughts or other book marketing tips that you’d like to share with our authors?
Alexandra: Take advantage of social media outlets and push, push, push your book. If you are writing about subject matter that can be a tad more controversial (such as my romantic erotica series), be prepared for some negative reviews. And finally, the most difficult: no matter what the reviews are, keep writing!
