Are you ready to take a thrilling journey into the world of writing and publishing with our special guest, Cheryl Pena? This episode of the Writers' Parachute promises to unlock the secrets behind getting authentic reviews for your books, and how to build meaningful relationships with your readers. We'll navigate the complex waters of Amazon's guidelines and discuss the impact of engaging readers through social media and other platforms.
Cheryl Pena, a multi-genre author, is here to offer insights into her writing journey, from the inspiration behind her latest book, The Chimera Gambit, to the trials and triumphs of publishing. We'll peel back the layers of her creative process, discuss resources available for authors, and explore the importance of relevance and imagination in storytelling. Listen as Cheryl shares her tips for effective marketing strategies and the steps to achieving long-term success in the book business.
Tune in as we chat about the crucial role book reviews play in the publishing world. Cheryl will reveal her upcoming projects and where you can find her books. We'll also delve into the process of creating a media kit and marketing plan, along with the importance of finding your unique audience. So, get ready for an action-packed episode filled with expert advice, engaging discussions, and invaluable insights into the literary world. Your journey to becoming a successful author starts here.
Chery’s Bio:
Cheryl Peña was born to a Hispanic-American father and British-American mother in San Antonio, Texas. She developed an early interest in books and literature, winning first place in the National Language Arts Olympiad when she was eleven years old. She graduated with honors BFA in 2000 and worked as a photographer for a couple of years, eventually settling as a legal secretary. Upon the death of her twin sister, she decided to write professionally in her sister’s honor.
📖✒️ 👉Find Chery’s Books on Amazon here: ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098MNFM4B
Connect with Cheryl Pena here:
Website: https://cherylpena.com/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/cherylpenawritesbooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fr.lutece/
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/platyjuju
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21635597.Cheryl_Pe_a
👉 Be sure to follow the Writer’s Parachute on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @WriterParachute
https://linktr.ee/writerparachute
✨🎙Subscribe to our channel to join our writer community for tips, tricks, author interviews, and more. We can't wait for you to join us as you embark on your writing adventure!✨🎙
🎙📖✒️ 👉 All episodes are available to view on YouTube and listen anywhere where podcasts are played every Wednesday!👈
➡️ Check out our website to learn more about us, our mission, podcast episodes, be a guest on the show, and follow us on social media. ⬇️
https://thewritersparachute.com
As always, we hope this podcast is a helpful landing on your unique, creative journey. 🪂
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Are you ready to take a thrilling journey into the world of writing and publishing with our special guest, Cheryl Pena? This episode of the Writers' Parachute promises to unlock the secrets behind getting authentic reviews for your books, and how to build meaningful relationships with your readers. We'll navigate the complex waters of Amazon's guidelines and discuss the impact of engaging readers through social media and other platforms.
Cheryl Pena, a multi-genre author, is here to offer insights into her writing journey, from the inspiration behind her latest book, The Chimera Gambit, to the trials and triumphs of publishing. We'll peel back the layers of her creative process, discuss resources available for authors, and explore the importance of relevance and imagination in storytelling. Listen as Cheryl shares her tips for effective marketing strategies and the steps to achieving long-term success in the book business.
Tune in as we chat about the crucial role book reviews play in the publishing world. Cheryl will reveal her upcoming projects and where you can find her books. We'll also delve into the process of creating a media kit and marketing plan, along with the importance of finding your unique audience. So, get ready for an action-packed episode filled with expert advice, engaging discussions, and invaluable insights into the literary world. Your journey to becoming a successful author starts here.
Chery’s Bio:
Cheryl Peña was born to a Hispanic-American father and British-American mother in San Antonio, Texas. She developed an early interest in books and literature, winning first place in the National Language Arts Olympiad when she was eleven years old. She graduated with honors BFA in 2000 and worked as a photographer for a couple of years, eventually settling as a legal secretary. Upon the death of her twin sister, she decided to write professionally in her sister’s honor.
📖✒️ 👉Find Chery’s Books on Amazon here: ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098MNFM4B
Connect with Cheryl Pena here:
Website: https://cherylpena.com/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/cherylpenawritesbooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fr.lutece/
Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/platyjuju
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21635597.Cheryl_Pe_a
👉 Be sure to follow the Writer’s Parachute on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @WriterParachute
https://linktr.ee/writerparachute
✨🎙Subscribe to our channel to join our writer community for tips, tricks, author interviews, and more. We can't wait for you to join us as you embark on your writing adventure!✨🎙
🎙📖✒️ 👉 All episodes are available to view on YouTube and listen anywhere where podcasts are played every Wednesday!👈
➡️ Check out our website to learn more about us, our mission, podcast episodes, be a guest on the show, and follow us on social media. ⬇️
https://thewritersparachute.com
As always, we hope this podcast is a helpful landing on your unique, creative journey. 🪂
✨✨✨Want automatic weekly updates to your inbox?
Sign up here: https://sendfox.com/thewritersparachtue
Don't forget to check out Buy Me A Coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/writerparachute
Support the Writer's Parachute and become part of the TEAM!!!
Welcome back everyone to the Writers' Parachute. We are guiding author and writer dreams to a perfect landing. Today, we have with us another very special guest. She is an author and writer in multiple genres. It's Cheryl Penya. We're going to be talking to her about her four books, primarily the House of Wind Lift, but of course, we're going to do our housekeeping first. Of course, we would love for you to hit that like button and go ahead and subscribe on YouTube or whatever platform you're listening to us from. We'd love for you to follow us on social media. You can follow us at Writers' Parachute that's Writers' Parachute with no S on Facebook, instagram, twitter, tiktok and now threads. So go check that out.
Speaker 1:But, as always, we start out with our topic of the week and I want to thank Cheryl for introducing this topic about reviews. We've been focusing season two on reviews how to get reviews, what kinds of reviews, what to do with reviews, how to maximize your reviews, all of that. So Cheryl had an interesting topic she wanted to know how to find reviewers from her readers, which is a good question, because oftentimes we depend on friends and family and other authors to write reviews and that's not going to lift you in exactly the way that you want. You want your actual readers, the people who choose your particular genre for their reading time, to be writing reviews because they can speak to other readers in that genre. So, as I mentioned in the green room to Cheryl, the romance writers are very good and very effective at this. Used to be that romance was kind of a dirty little secret. Cheryl wouldn't admit that they read romance books so but they were very effective at marketing it and specifically marketing their fans. So they have created street teams or tribes or follow groups where a lot of times they will go on social media platforms quite mostly is Facebook. They create private Facebook groups where they invite their fans and followers to come in. They give them early access to books and works that they're working on. They talk to them about names of characters, about character traits. They often will do contests where they're offering a drawing for people doing reviews.
Speaker 1:I am going to caution you there. Make sure you go read the Amazon Community Guidelines about reviews and what you can and cannot offer in exchange for review. But I'm telling you this is what they do, so be very cautious and very careful at what you're doing here. You can give them a free copy of your book in exchange for review. You cannot ask for a good review or a particular kind of review, like a five star review or a four star review or anything of that nature. You can ask for an honest review. Think again how you worded, how you presented this is something that you can do. Do a drawing for a gift card for a free, signed copy of your book.
Speaker 1:Multiple things. You don't need to name a character after someone or letting them choose a character name or a trait or a storyline or something like that. These are very effective tools and it gets you to your specific audience. Reviewers are the kind of reviewers that you want. Also, reaching out to book clubs is very effective. Reach out to specific book clubs of your genre. There are all kinds of groups on Facebook, on Instagram, on Twitter and now on threads and TikTok that are talking specifically about, let's say, science fiction, book or thrillers or crime. There are all kinds of those out there. Reach out to those Also.
Speaker 1:We're a podcast here, but don't forget about the other podcasts. There are many podcasts that specifically focus on a type of genre, especially crime, a lot of fantasy and sci-fi and thrillers and that sort of thing, romance. So next time you're searching for something new or interesting to do, start looking for things associated with your specific genre. Also, maybe think about starting a book club or book group at your local library and see if you can get more interest and more elevation. It's all about reaching out to the people who love the kinds of books that you read or that you write. So check that out next time.
Speaker 1:Of course, there's so much more that we could talk about about this topic, and if you'd like to know more, if you would like for us to dedicate an episode talking about this specific topic, please reach out to us. You can leave us a note in the comments section, where you are listening or watching now, or you can reach out to us at thewritersperissuecom or, of course, you can reach out to me on social media. So I would be happy to talk more about it. But, of course, we need to get on to the show, because we have a great guest for you today. We have Cheryl Penya. She is an author, a great thriller suspense writer. We have her four books that we're going to talk about, specifically the House of Wind Lift, two books from the Descent of the Vile series, book one, descent of the Vile, book two, the Blood Hotel, and then her new one, the Chimera Gambit. Did I pronounce that right, chimera, chimera? By the end of the show? We're so thankful that Cheryl is here.
Speaker 1:She was born in as a Hispanic American father and a British American mother, in San Antonio, texas. She developed an early interest in books and literature, winning first place in the National Language Arts Olympiad when she was 11 years old. Wow, congratulations, thank you. Graduated with honors BFA in 2000 and worked as a photographer for a couple of years, eventually settling in as a legal secretary. On the death of her twin sister, she decided to write professionally in her sister's honor. What a great way to honor your sister. Welcome to the writers' parachute, cheryl. How are you today?
Speaker 2:I'm great, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1:I'm so glad to have you here. We don't get a lot of books in this genre or somebody that's so prolific in different genres. I get a lot of children's authors, I get self-help. I mean I try to cover all the bases, but you're kind of covering several bases all by yourself.
Speaker 2:I suppose so, but mostly sci-fi. I think it's weird, but I have always been interested in sci-fi Every time I was really really young. I think some of it was because my mother interested in me in Star Trek when I was really really little. So we would watch reruns of Star Trek every Saturday night and we watched the Prismar with Patrick McEwen lots of sci-fi, star Wars some, but not as much as Star Trek. We were just always watching lots of that stuff. I think when I started writing I was writing it like three, but they were just silly little stories, little kids' stories, but they weren't anything I was considering doing anything with, of course. I mean junior high I really started writing seriously and submitting to contests and stuff. They were. All my ideas were sci-fi stories. I think it's kind of strange that the house of Winlifth is not being a sci-fi story, but for some reason it's been received pretty well. I won a couple of awards with that one, so I'm pretty excited about it. But yeah, it's the only suspense thriller I've written.
Speaker 1:All right. Well, we'll have to add award-winning authors to your introduction next time, so I want to know why this kind of paranoia? Seclusion and mystery are the grit topics that you write about.
Speaker 2:I think it's hard to put into words really, but I think that Life is strange. I think I kind of had this fascination with perception versus reality at the young age, and I think some of that was because I remember this conversation I had with my mother. I don't remember exactly what I was referencing, but I had said something about you know, do animals realize the way things really are? And my mom looked at me and she said and I was like four, so obviously I didn't know what I was talking about really but my mom looked at me and she said there's no such thing as the way things really are. And I just blew my little four-year-old mind, that was my what. And then, when we think about it, I'm like she's right, she's right, it's all perception. And so I think that I've been fascinated with the subject ever since.
Speaker 2:I don't know why Even my photography dealt with the issue. When I was a photographer I did perception versus reality stuff a lot, and so it's just, you know. And also I have very vivid dreams, and they're extremely vivid, I mean, and they're all kind of weird sci-fi dreams, which is really strange. But some of them are very dark and it just seems like it's good fodder for books. I mean, why not turn it into something positive? You know, and I'm just one of those people who always had really really lots of nightmares on growing up, and so I just turned them into something that makes me good out of it.
Speaker 1:You know well and I love that. My mother always used to say to me she goes if you name the monster, it's not scary anymore. So I think what you're doing in your books is you're naming the monster. That scared you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, pretty much. Yeah, you know, here's Fred, right here, you know he's not scary anymore. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Exactly. So can you hold those books up for us? I know that you're helping there with you and we want to show our audiences watching on YouTube, so this is the time Eric gave us it.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you can see them very well. Yes, we can see them. And there's ah, they're probably not all going to fit maybe off the. There's the center of the ball and there's the blood hotel. So awesome, you can't see all of them, but that's that's.
Speaker 1:they are a beautiful covers and you can definitely tell that they are a signature look for you, and I love that you talk about branding. There's an excellent example of her four books right there. They're different, there's different topics, but that is her, yes, so, like I'm going to do a bookstore, you know it's a difference in this one and like this one.
Speaker 2:I mean this definitely looks more side by than this one, right, but there are sort of it's leaning in the speculative direction, but it's not really speculative, but the other one's definitely more side by.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I'm just talking about the general. Look. You walk into a bookstore, you're going to know it's a Cheryl Pena book.
Speaker 2:I hope so, which is?
Speaker 1:amazing. So I know we have so many books and we're going to talk a little bit about them, but mostly we're going to focus on the house of when lived. So what was the inspiration behind the story and that unusual title? That?
Speaker 2:one. So it was. It was about 35 years ago, maybe 30, 35 years ago, I remember I was tired, I took a nap. When I woke up from the nap, I remember having the title in my head and the basic premise. So, you know, the guy living in a cave, it's not a cave, basically, and I had this basic idea that, you know, things weren't what they seemed. And I don't remember, though, if it was actual dream I had or if I if the title was in my head, and then I came up with the story around it. It might have been the title and I came up with the story around it, though, but there was definitely a sense of something kind of you know, eerie coming up with it, and then it wasn't. It wasn't just, you know, some house on a hill and some guy living there peacefully and everything was fine, like, obviously there's more to it than that, so, um, that was kind of a boring story, though I did love the premise.
Speaker 1:I was not able to finish it, but what I read so far really kind of drew me in. It was kind of like wait what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wanted to have spot twists, but I also I didn't want it to move too quickly. And then I will say the Chimera Gambit moves quicker. So it's a back-pace read, but to have someone live, I kind of had this short story, the most dangerous game. I had that in my head when I was writing that, and it wasn't that I was trying to copy it, it was. It's not the same story at all, but I just I remember the mood created by that story that I read when I was a teenager and I had that mood I wanted to create with this one.
Speaker 1:So, um, Well, you definitely did an excellent job, I mean, even without finishing my book. Finishing the book, I can tell you, it definitely creates a mood and it's one of those that you know you're like, oh yeah, I'm going to read to the other chapter and then I'm going to go to sleep. And you're like no, I can't be left in here. I got to go find more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I know.
Speaker 2:And that's what the reviewers said. So I'm really glad that they said that, because one of them compared it to the strange case of Dr Declan, Mr Hyde, and I was like whoa no way, you really. I really went compared it to Hitchcock. I'm like, oh, that's probably pretty pretty good too. A pretty good, you know, as far as pacing. So I thought, yeah, that's a pretty good comparison, although I don't know if it's as good as though it was. But I'm like, thank you, I appreciate it for sure.
Speaker 1:But you know I read a lot of books and I do love books that kind of get me to almost relax at the end of the chapter. But then they have just this like little hint.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I'm like wait, no, no, no.
Speaker 1:I can't leave that there. I got to go find out what that means.
Speaker 2:Definitely intentional. So, one of the reviewers did mention, I left a little sort of cliff hangers. They're not real cliff hangers, but people cliff hangers at the end of each chapter.
Speaker 1:I find them like little red crumbs that leaves you hungry for more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm glad people are appreciating that and people like that, because one of them said that they read it in one sitting. I'm like, oh good, yay.
Speaker 1:I did try to read one sitting, but I ended up like changing. I fell asleep and then I was like I woke up in one morning and I'm like what happened?
Speaker 2:And then, if you're really lucky, you don't dream about it, then think you read it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, well, that happens a lot too. Yeah, I did love the book. So what would you like readers to get for the book? You sort of heard what I got from it, but what would you?
Speaker 2:like to get for the book. I think I would like to hear that they read it in one sitting or close. Maybe two is acceptable because I think I want to hear that they didn't want to put it down. That makes me happy. I especially love it. They like the mood. Not all of my books are as moody as that one, but actually the next two are, but they come here again, but it's not. It's kind of more upbeat, but I just think that I want to hear that they enjoy them. I want to hear that they love them and want to put them down. I mean, all that stuff is great. I love hearing all that. So, especially if they want to recommend it to other people, that's really great too.
Speaker 1:Right. Well, and I also kind of got this impression of sometimes what is the old saying let sleeping dogs lie.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and I think that was. It was sort of the thing. And I think I talked to some people, some of my readers, who and I don't want to leave any spoilers here, so I don't want anybody. If you haven't read it, you know I'm not going to give you anything away but they had initially thought something along the lines of why are they doing this and why are they even there? And I think you know, I'm hoping it's clearer than that. But I know that some of them were a little initially like you know, why are they bothering this guy? They're not really. When you get further into the story you see them not.
Speaker 1:No, no, and it's you know. What I thought was so wonderful about the mood you said is it's a common trait we all have. We all have curiosity, yeah, especially about something that seems like it couldn't be possible. Yes, and so that's felt like the jumping off point for me was just that curiosity of is this really true?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that's also a big thing about it too, because I did want it to be somewhat unbelievable, because I know I was of course leaning in the sci-fi direction at the time. But of course this one is not. But I did want it to be somewhat unbelievable. It's kind of like an adventure story in a way, and so I didn't want there to be some fun involved in reading it as well. So it's not going to be, you know just, you know completely. You know like, oh yeah, well, of course, you know, I don't want you to guess the end. You know, obviously I want people to be surprised.
Speaker 2:But, but yeah so.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I mean, that's sort of what I felt sort of from the beginning was is they were drawn there by the fantastical concept that they were their initial thought was they were going to disprove it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, there is some of that too and I hope people enjoy that part with this. I feel like you know initially, of course there. Well, just might as well talk about it. So it's two explorers and one of them is a reporter and one of them is a professor and they both still looking for this wealthy recluse who's been missing for 20 years, who's been missing from society. He was, he was very wealthy, very prominent, and they think they've tracked into a cave in the desert. And so when they get there, of course you know this is the book, of course it tackles what happens when they actually do arrive. So you know, is it really what it seems? Is it really a cave? Is it living in a cave like a savage or what's going on? So I I'm hoping that you know people will.
Speaker 2:Some of it will resonate, I mean I know kind of it's a little. It came off as kind of old fashioned in a way, but some of that's because I've read the most dangerous game, so that's partly. It came off as almost like you couldn't really tell what time period it was set in at first, and that doesn't bother me one bit. I don't care if people can't tell and it doesn't bother them. That's great, but I think it's kind of like wanting it to be one of those stories that hopefully people won't be reading years from now. I hope.
Speaker 1:It felt pretty timeless to me. It didn't bother me about a specific timeframe or anything like that, but it did feel like they were on, almost like somebody trying on this lost search for Atlantis. It was like they were being told this story and they couldn't quite believe, and so it was more like they were like well, we're the people that are gonna prove that this is just a story, it's not really true. And which really drew me in, because all through the whole book you're trying to figure out what is really true and what is the story, and how much of the story makes you perceive what is and what is not true, which is kind of a mind bender in itself.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes, and I hope that's true. I'm hoping people aren't sitting in it. Oh God, I can tell already what's gonna happen, but I hope not.
Speaker 1:I don't think they can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so and it's. I just wanted it to be fun. I wanted people to be immersed in it and have enjoyed it. When they appreciate it and I think, wow, that was a fun little world to be in for a little while and I hope it makes them wanna pick up something else. I know I don't have any other suspense to those currently having not ruled out wearing another one in the future, but I do mostly wear a side-fights, so hopefully they also like side-fights.
Speaker 1:But, like I said, I haven't ruled out another one in the future and for those of you listening, this is a big hint that that's going to be dependent on the good reviews that she's talking about. Yeah, that's possible, and I think the more you guys talk about it, the more she's likely to follow it.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, and I can't rule out it being tied into this one either. I can't rule that out. But I don't wanna say anything specific because I haven't actually planned anything out and I haven't actually thought I really wanna write this book. So maybe in the future. But yeah, if people really love it and it resonates with them, I would wanna disappoint them, of course I would consider it.
Speaker 1:But yeah, well, let's talk about the series that you have, which is the Sin of the Vile. You have book one and book two. The first one, the series title name, the Sin of the Vile and the Blood of Hotel. So those are a little darker, a little more deeper into the kind of the thriller, if you will, so to speak.
Speaker 2:Yes, they are, and I think if you're reading them I mean you can definitely tell there is a sci-fi element. But I also I kinda wanted it to be very character oriented and I know with the house of Winlet of course it was an all male cast and that was a challenge to write as well, because I wanted them to be believable as men, not just characters. So for the Sin of the Vile and the Blood Hotel they're told mainly from one character's perspective and of course he is a male. Not any real reason, that's just the. It seemed like that's the perspective that the story was coming from for some reason when I started to write it and I wanted that to be again believable as a male. I know I'm not a male, so that is a challenge, but I did a lot of research to be sure that I did hopefully do hit the character justice and make sure he does respond to things as a male.
Speaker 1:But can you give us a five second just explanation of the story behind these two books. Sure.
Speaker 2:So the Sin of the Vile starts out with a photographer who's having a really bad day. Things just aren't going right and he's leaving this job, and when he's leaving he has to try to think how to do this without giving anything away. So he's leaving this job and he's about to get on a tram that's taking him out to the parking lot of the place he's been shooting. He pounds on the back door thing stops, door opens and what he sees is kind of not really what he expects to see. I suppose it sort of leads off from there. So he ends up encountering this threat that he ends up fleeing from and he rescues a woman on the way out of town.
Speaker 2:The two of them end up going on this epic journey and he's wondering at first at first, let's just get out of here, let's be safe. After a certain point they start to think okay, how long are we gonna keep doing this? What are we gonna do? Do we wanna keep running forever? Can we? Or should we try to do something to end the threat? And so then the blood hotel takes place about five years after the events of the Sin of the Vile. So they think the threat is over, and then when they they're just driving on the beach one day and then realize that, no, that it's not the Vile, this is more of a supernatural force that they're fighting against.
Speaker 1:is that correct it?
Speaker 2:is. I don't wanna give away too much. It's not supernatural, it's more of a sci-fi element, but so they do. It's an actual physical thing that they're fleeing and it's not I don't. Like I said, I don't wanna give away too much, but yeah, so they well, we have to know sort of what the story's about.
Speaker 1:Do you wanna write it?
Speaker 2:I know for sure, and but yeah, it's an actual physical thing that they're running from and it could spell doom for the entire planet if they leave it alone. So it's either do something to end the threat and save the world, the last of humanity, or stay safe themselves. And do they put themselves at risk, or do they not? And the same thing with the blood hotel. You know this. The threat has returned. Is it on us again to do this, or should we let somebody else do it?
Speaker 1:All right, awesome. Well, that sounds great. And then, of course, you have this newly released book and the title is the Prime Mara.
Speaker 2:The Prime Mara. I got close there it is again. This one is about a guy who is leaving on a long journey into space, which he hates space. He hates traveling with space. But a ship has been destroyed in the outer reaches of this solar system. He's going to investigate. So all evidence points in one direction that it's the elusive Benaw culture that's actually threatening them. But is that really the case? And so there's a threat that's actually affecting the fleet, and so it basically up to him. Is he gonna save Earth and the fleet or is he going to, you know, of course not succeed in time and just discover what's going on?
Speaker 2:But it's a really quick read. It moves really fast. That is kind of the point. I wanted to be a little more fun to read, not as dark, not as you know, just in case I feel like you know, I was kind of, but not just because I think people are tired of it, but just because it was fun to write in between all of that. So I just want something a little more like hard to write.
Speaker 1:So but I I'm gonna ask you an interesting question. So is it a little more Star Wars in Star Trek or is it a little more Space Odyssey?
Speaker 2:Um, hmm, good question. I'm not sure. I think it's probably meaning more in the Star Trek arena than it is Star Wars. It's, it's um, it's not really the fantasy element that Star Wars has, so it's probably more Star Trek, but it's not hard sci-fi, though I mean it's, um, it's. I mean there's still so you know space travel, but it's possible to do it in this. You know length of time that I've written, so Definitely not hard sci-fi is they're doing in a few days or or weeks rather. So it's not hard sci-fi, but I think it was. It was fun to write in between these really dark books and so hopefully people will enjoy it as well. I hope they'll think it's a fun read. It's really short, like the scent, like the house of wind live, so it's Not a long book. Hopefully people can read it in the night as well.
Speaker 1:Well, and I love these books, and I'm not sure if you realize, but all of your books have the common dilemma Do you do the right thing or save yourself?
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, and actually you know, and, and it's. I don't know if it's really intentional or not, but I do feel like. You know, people are complicated and what's right for one person may not be right for another. So, you know, are you even capable of doing this thing? You?
Speaker 2:know, you know, I'm not sure I would be. I've got lots of health issues. I think it's making difficult to do certain things, the stamina that Jackson uses it to be able to get through this and in the descent of the violent, the blood child, or definitely Hard on it, because he's an older person and I do like to write older main characters, so most of them, not always, but so he's in his 40s. You know, it's just I don't think I make it Abundantly clear in the center of the volume, but I do mention it in the blood or town.
Speaker 2:He is in his 40s, so he is, it's, it's taking a toll on his body and I do mention that throughout the story. And so he's having, you know, a difficult time with some of the things he's had to do. But you know, whether he succeeds or not is up to the reader to determine when they read the book. But you know, I also feel like, you know, older main characters aren't always, you know, use very much in genre fiction, so kind of want them to be out there. Their lives aren't over, you know, just because they're older.
Speaker 1:We don't have stop having adventures at 30.
Speaker 2:Right Of course, yeah, exactly so, you know, I do have some, you know, that are in their 30s or mid 30s and up, and and then, of course, I have some in their 40s and 50s. And I enjoyed writing that perspective because I feel like, you know, that's, that's closer to what I'm used to, that's what I know, you know as a 52 year old, you know author, and I feel like people need to think of us, people still, that we're not, you know, we're not just static, we haven't just retired and gone off into the sunset, that we still want to have these active lives and still do things, you know, although not necessarily saving the world, but you know, or maybe we do, some of us, I don't know, maybe we do, but I'm not necessarily with particular threats these people are facing, but I still feel like there's, there's a lot to be done. I mean, you're, you can contribute a lot, and people, you know, need to know that.
Speaker 1:So Well, and I love that because it's very encouraging to us to not just take a back seat as we get older, to be in the game. So I want to know if you could go all the way back to the beginning, when you began this journey of writing and publishing. What do you wish you'd known or that somebody had told you?
Speaker 2:I really, really wish somebody had um, you know, I guess given me some of the tools that I now have as far as being able to Not not just like like vetting contracts and stuff, but because I feel like you know some of that is, you know, you don't always have a whole lot of choice if you don't have a agent as far as the contract goes, but you can try to negotiate your own.
Speaker 2:But as far as being able to do that, if I had known how to, it would have been helpful. Also, I feel like If I had known About, like, say, write everywhere and things like that would have been very helpful in the early days. I haven't actually went into any People who have been trying to scam me and been very, very lucky. But I I don't want to be in a position where I don't know that that stuff exists or that. So I wish somebody had told me about stuff like that. It would have been helpful and save a lot of anxiety because I, without knowing, I just felt like you know, a little loss and like I didn't really know what I was doing. But Well, I think you're at the mercy of the people controlling those things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and I did do a lot of research.
Speaker 2:I will say, because I didn't want to be taken advantage of so but I didn't know where to go. So, because I was a little bit of a I didn't know where to go, so just basically googling the stuff and and I feel like I found some good resources. You know, through to the source of to the process of doing that. Agent query was one of the ones I looked at for agents, but I I'm still using they had a lot of information about contracts and so you understand that the terms mean. In even coming from a legal background as I do, it's still Um Law is very different than anything I've done before. So, um, so, understanding what the terms mean and and all of that was very helpful. Even if I didn't actually Change the contract, I, I still knew what I was getting into Um and I and I also feel like it had information about how to query. If I, if I do decided query, there's information on how to do that. It was.
Speaker 2:It was just a lot of info and then, of course, right everywhere, you know I end up with somebody who's Not really got your best interest in heart and um, and especially when it comes to publishers, even contests. If you decide to enter contests For your writing, you don't want to end up sending it to somebody who you know it's just gonna take your money and and not do anything with it. So so, I feel like if I had had those two resources early on, it would have been very, very helpful.
Speaker 1:As far as Well, I'm glad to hear that and I'm gonna add a couple of resources to that list, especially for our listeners. So if you're contemplating a contract now, I don't know how much legal advice they will give you, but I do know, as members of the author guild, they will review contracts and point out weaknesses and Maybe some areas that you may not understand what you're giving away. So that is. That is a very helpful service that the author's guild is providing to their members. So I highly Recommend people becoming members of the author's guild. They have a lot of good benefits to their members and that is one of the.
Speaker 1:The bigger ones that I hear about is, you know, because a lot of times, trying to find a entertainment contract lawyer is Very, very difficult and they tend to be very expensive. So At least this is this is a place where you can go and get some advice. A lot of the writers groups have that, but they do specifically have that is one of the benefits for their members. But also, it's like you know, there are tools out there that people don't even think about using, and one of the ones that I tell people, especially after you're a published author I mean, writer beware is amazing, um, but you know, individually you can set up google alerts for your book titles, for your author name, for specific characters and stuff like that, so that it alerts you anytime Somebody's using that.
Speaker 1:And I had a client of mine that we set that up for them before their book published and within, uh, you know, four months, they were contacting me and going hey, you know, you know, I have somebody listing my book and I don't know who they are and it was a pirate company that had, yeah, I got their book, but they quickly, you know, track it down and have them take down that. You know that pirated publication. So these are some of the things that you can do To protect yourself, whether you are traditionally published or whether you are self published or hybrid published or anything in between. You know the it is, the onus is on you. These large companies Do not have the wherewithal to protect all of their authors and writers. So, you know, take advantage of some of these. You know these tools that are out there to kind of help you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure. And I'd also mentioned copyright alliance, because when they did pirate my book as of course they did, you know, I think it happens to a lot of people uh, when they did, of course, and they had the tools for me to get them to take it down, because, um, I did, there was a button or something that you could click to say, you know, please take this down, but they never responded. I mean, they weren't responding and so, um, right with them, I was able to get the information I needed to get to the, the, the registered agent, so I get the registered agent for that person and I can have them take it down. And then that did work, so it did take it down.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly, but a lot of times.
Speaker 1:The first alert that that's happening, to get the earliest alert that that is even happening is probably google alerts. And then, of course, you can go to, as you said, the copyright um, yeah, oh, my gosh, yeah, and and, uh, you know, get that, that information verified, which you know, which is all helpful. They're all steps on the ladder to get you to community to be and protect yourself. So that's amazing. So what do you think readers are going to think about your breath and width of your books in 10 to 20 years from now?
Speaker 2:um, I don't know. I mean I think that they're um, the themes are kind of universal. I mean there's nothing that's um really out there or anything but um, I mean, I think they'll think there are some um interesting sci-fi stories or or, you know, spent stories. I hope they'll stand the test of time in 20 years, so they'll be talking about it. So, um, but I mean, uh, I try to make it relevant and I try to make it to where it's um, you know, not necessarily going to be too topical, where it won't be an issue Um, down the line, down the line, um, I do want it to be something that people are gonna, you know, find something in, whether they pick it up now or 20 years from now.
Speaker 2:So, um, they're not necessarily, you know, talking about current events or anything they take place, you know, in in their own time and so, um, you know whether that be, you know, the president, or whether it be the future or whatever, is a separate thing. So I, I feel like I Left enough open to interpretation that they could still be um relevant later. So, um, and I do that on purpose, because I like it when an author leaves enough to the imagination that I can create a wall, you know, in my head as I read, you know um, and it's not that I don't like description, I do, but I feel like just give me a little bit and then I'll create the rest, right sometimes you have to trust your readers, and it's a very good lesson for people who are writing and they're putting very specific what I would call date stamps in their books where they're talking.
Speaker 1:Historical events, unless you're writing about that historical Actual relevance to the story. If it's just a background, yeah, in your story you want to be very careful about that. Uh, you know also, you know using like I mean I have a whole other conversation about using. You know registered and copyrighted and you know, uh, logos and names and stuff like that. I mean there's a different thing, but a lot of times using more generic names or terms or made up you know will, will help A leavey, that kind of date stamp, because it's like you know, if you're using the name of a popular restaurant throughout your book and then that Popular restaurant goes out of business.
Speaker 2:You know and you're trying to sell that book.
Speaker 1:Five years from now. People are only going. Well, that one hasn't been around for you know.
Speaker 2:I feel like you know, if you're writing historical fiction, like you're saying, um, people do want to know what that place looked like. They do want the vivid descriptions. But, um, I do agree that it has to be relevant to the story. Otherwise you're just bogging down the story to some degree and so, if, if, uh, if it's not relevant, you know the, the reader can create some of the stuff in their head. You set the scene and, um, and you can do it as you're going. Um, I, I try to do that. I don't. I don't know how successful I am, but I try to have it. The descriptions of the place Come out as the action takes place, and not necessarily having a whole paragraph describing the scene and then the action moves on. I don't like that.
Speaker 2:So, um, Like, like, like, uh like uh, wiley, for example, you know running his hand along the wall. I you know that's something that that happened in the house of Whitley, and I don't necessarily mention that at the beginning, but you know it. Through the course of the story, of course, you discover more what the place looks like and what he finds when he's there. So I feel like it's possible to do it to some degree.
Speaker 1:I'm I'm not successful, like I said, but I'm trying so well, you know when I talk about this, when I'm working with writing groups is I'm like you know they're. There are different ways to be descriptive, and you have to consider that you could have three people walk into the same room One is an artist, one's a photographer, and one of them is an interior designer. They're all going to describe that exact same room differently because their focus Is based on what they find valuable and important.
Speaker 1:So that is definitely more helpful in not only getting the description across but developing that character and a description that is not about themselves say, having there be some sort of perception in there, you know something that's unique to that character.
Speaker 2:You know, uh, you know whether they hate that shade of green that's on the curtains or whatever it does say something about you. Know both the character and the scene.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly, and you know how much is too much and how much is enough. Well, that's hard to say. It depends on how you tell the story. I mean, if you tell the story through Description and in an item of objects, so well, then you're going to have a whole lot more description than you have somebody telling it through action and emotions. So you kind of have to weigh that it's like. If it feels like it's Treasury to read through it, then it's probably too much. If you can't at least visualize an echo of that scene, then it's not enough.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and I think you know it's, yeah, and especially with sci-fi, that you know that usually there's some world building that has to take place, you know. So you know, usually there's gonna be a little bit more description, depending on which Well, there's different kinds of sci-fi. So I guess, like I said, it depends, but Usually there's gonna be at least a little bit more and so.
Speaker 2:But you don't want to fog the reader down with details either. So I feel like letting them Get a sense of of of the world that you've created through. You know, maybe, maybe technology or something, but without getting into too much details of the woods where they're like okay, I don't really care how it works, I just care that it works. You know, it's just some something, some sort of, some sort of something that anchors the the world a little bit. There's one, one major thing and you long to get that one major thing. They'll get the rest of it.
Speaker 1:Well, I the Star Trek analogy of that. It's like you know, yeah, different Star Trek Did they have before they actually explained how the warp core or the Border or the transporter is like yeah, and then go work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, and I feel like you know, like it's it's supposed to be fun too, and I, you know, even if it helps, you think it's still escape is a presumed degree and I and the love side by. For that reason, it's, it's fun to read and it makes you think. At the same time it's great, but I still feel like, and you know, at the end of the day there's there's gonna be some imagination in there. There's gonna be something that you created. That's not necessarily real and it may not ever be real, but I still think that that's it's. It's.
Speaker 2:It's amazing what somebody's because I'm I'm not necessarily saying I'm the best sci-fi author out there, I'm probably not actually, but I, some of the authors that I admire, you know some of the stuff they come up with just wow, you know, how did you come up with that? How did you think of that? You know, and I just love it. So you know and and you know, and even some of the fantasy writers that I read, that do read some fantasy as well. I haven't yet written a fantasy story.
Speaker 1:I? What did they say? You know, the mother of invention is need, and it's like somewhere in your where you need somebody to Be able to go from the ship to the planet in seconds.
Speaker 2:So yeah, or or being able to diagnose somebody's illness really quickly. Well, of course you don't have time to, you know, run all these tests. So yeah, there's the tripoder. Yay, we got the answer we needed. Oh yeah, he has this in the system and that makes sense, you know. And and then this for the sake of the story, it moves the plot along. You know, number one. But I also feel like it gives us a sense of what they find. So this in this world, you know they find that sort of thing. You know that they don't want to wait for those kind of results. They shouldn't have to, and so they value people at least that degree. And the same thing with the safety. It's just there's like a. It's a lot of episodes of Star Trek about the transporter and when it goes wrong and stuff, but so it's kind of it shows that you know. Yeah, you're scared of the new technology as well, so it's scary, but you know it. Most time it works.
Speaker 1:But I'm trying to remember how far I think it was somewhere in like the second or third season of the second series that they actually talk about how it works. I mean, they talk about all of the problems and you know and things that could happen, but they never actually talk about how it works. Yes, that thought was just amazing that they got by that that long without explaining.
Speaker 2:Yeah it is crazy, but you know that says you know one thing about about it in general, is that it's enduring and people still, you know, even if they don't necessarily know, they still love it and they still want to, you know, follow these characters and that's the thing about. It is very character driven, which is one thing that I really liked about it, because you are to like characters and if you don't like the characters, you're not gonna watch series and well, and I think this goes back to talking about.
Speaker 1:You know the suspension of disbelief. It's like, yeah, you foreshadowed, yes, you know the, the, the trust and the ability of that character and that storyteller. You know your readers gonna go with you. They want you to succeed, they want the characters succeed. So you, they're going to go down that rabbit hole with you. So I Mean this is a great conversation but we need to keep.
Speaker 2:I wanted to know what, what kind of obstacles or challenges that you have when you were writing and publishing your books and so, mainly so, I found a publisher very quickly, you know which I did mention, but I feel like the main thing is that they were a small publisher. So they don't really have the budget for marketing, they don't have the budget for, they don't have the budget for Promotion or anything like that. So most of that has come, you know, from me and I don't have a degree in marketing.
Speaker 2:I don't really know a lot about marketing, so that's been a challenge. For me Is is being able to get the word out there that my books exist and Helping people will want to read them if they hear about them. You don't know that they will, but you can hope they will. But, yeah, finding finding those sci-fi readers has been difficult as well, and just putting the book up there on Amazon, barnes and Noble, whatever it doesn't mean they're gonna find it or want to read it. So, yeah, that's my biggest thing for me.
Speaker 1:Right and we talked a little bit about in the green room, and if they've been watching the writers per issue for any other time, they know that this is something that I say all the time. You know, marketing is often approached from the wrong direction. People will see how other people market and they'll think, oh well, they did great with it. I'll go out there and jump on that bandwagon. But the problem is is they generally end up with different results or they end up with results they weren't expecting, and this is what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:So when you're thinking about doing marketing or promotion, think about what it is you want first. Do you want more sales of your book? Do you want more readers? Do you want more reviews? Do you want more people to know about your book? Do you want to be going from like a local newspaper or radio station or TV station to a regional or a national TV station? Do you want to go from small podcast to bigger podcast? Do you want to speak at conferences? Speak at conferences. What is it that you want? And then you have to decide that and then tailor your marketing and promotion Towards that result. Now, that doesn't mean you're gonna be 100% Successful, and there are always these serendipitous moments that happen you know you talked about in the green room.
Speaker 1:At least you are focusing your dollars on what it is you want, instead of just spending dollars hoping that you get the result you want, when that may have been possible in the first place.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, exactly Exactly, and I think that was you know. Obviously it's been a learning curve and luckily the books are still out. I mean there's it's. It's not like you know they're gonna go away anytime, really soon. So hopefully, you know, people can discover them later and that would be fine with me. So there's some. There's room for trial and error, you know there is. I think a lot of people want that instant notification and you know I Mean it would be. That would be great if it happened, but it's not one, it's not something that I'm necessarily expecting, so it's really okay. So if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out right away, but I do. I'm hoping to be around for a while and I have lots and lots of ideas for stories that I still want to write.
Speaker 1:So Well, sometimes there's. There's an element that people forget about. You know, I'm a prolific reader as much as I am a writer, so I love authors that I can depend on that are regularly publishing in the writing books, so I know what kind of stories and styles to their writing they have, and it doesn't matter what genre they're writing in. It's like I kind of feel like I know them and I can trust that when I go and see they have a new book that I'm going to like it.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly, and especially if love it, so, yeah, so you know, sometimes I discover them in career. So, and then in a way that's great, because then I can discover the back catalog.
Speaker 2:Exactly If I read their back catalog and I like it, then of course I'm going to keep an eye out for them when they release something new. So I think that's great too. And so in a way it's good, because then if you discover them after they publish a few, then you already know they've got some longevity because they've already released a few. So chances are, the chances of them continuing to write is pretty good. You know, if you find a debut author, sometimes they continue to write, sometimes they don't. But you know, I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all, not even close.
Speaker 2:I love finding books from people that you know, especially if it's their first one, and sometimes you can see a lot of promise, and sometimes they're your new favorite author and you never know what they're going to do. And it's exciting when they do put out a new book, because now you're learning more about them and that's you know. Is this going to be like first one? Is it going to be totally different? And you know it's. I don't know. I love reading too. I've read it a lot.
Speaker 1:Well you know, this is one of my favorite sayings. It's like being an author writing a book, publishing a book is a marathon, it is not a sprint. There is no quick finish line and, again, if you don't reach that goal this year or this month, there's always the next and the one after, and we get better each time we do a new book and a new story and a new genre and a new whatever. So you know you're, you're learning and you're building. It's like some of my favorite authors. I go back and read some of their early, early catalog and you see them growing and not showing into their best seller selves, and so it gives you a lesson in that patience and perseverance. And so, again, this goes back to what we're talking about marketing, of promotion. What do you want? What is realistic? You know going I, you know it's like this is my first book and I wanted it to be a New York Times best seller.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, and it could happen, but it's possible, but not highly probable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and I think that you know, with a small presence of the chances of that probably not as good as for me, anyway, as for someone else but of course, the book's been out since 2021, so it's the latest award. Didn't happen until actually February, so, um, you never know what's going to happen. You know when your people are going to, you know, start picking it up and reading it. Then obviously they could start reading it now, or more of them now, because the awards were announced and because I so my old email address is very unreliable.
Speaker 2:I cannot always send replies and I don't always receive all mail, so they may have notified me and I didn't get it because my email is so screwy. So I just went on the website, saw that I won the award and I'm like what? It was the 2022 Indies Today Awards and I got an honorable mention, which is good for a novella. I'm really surprised that they gave it any attention at all. And you know, most of the other ones, I think, were novels. I think that's usually what a whimsy awards as far as the top ones, as far as these kind of things. So I'm surprised they listed it at all and I'm really honored. But it's, and then you see something like that and then it's like you know, you think what's possible? Now you're like, well, you know, maybe I should try for some other ones and you know, maybe people really do like my writing, maybe it's really not as bad as I think it is sometimes, but actually, no, that's not true.
Speaker 2:I actually enjoy reading my stories. I so that people think I'm weird because I don't mind revising them, but for some reason, I don't mind reliving these moments with my characters. It doesn't bother me to go back and read it again. It doesn't? I'm weird that way, so I hope that means that other people will like that too. If I like them, it does mean that you know, of course I do revise them a lot, because I go through them several times before I even send them to my readers and even then, after I get them back, I'm like okay, I've got to change that. But you know, it's not like a laborious process for me to revise something. I don't mind. I've been told that's strange.
Speaker 1:So all right. Well, we're kind of running out of time here, so let me get to some of these other questions I have for you. What would be your best advice for other authors and writers?
Speaker 2:I would say definitely do research. You don't want to just take the first offer that comes, definitely not. And if somebody does want to publish your work, you want to know what to expect. And I think that you know researching the publishers, researching the agents or whoever depending on what you're, what route you're taking, is extremely important, and we did name some of the resources that I was using. So I think that definitely doing some of that background research before you submit is important. So decide what route you want to go, what route is for you, and sometimes you have to do some background research to decide.
Speaker 2:But I wouldn't say rule out a small press and I wouldn't say rule out traditional or self-publishing, because everybody's you know what you want is different. So I feel like, but you know, even if you just decide to self-publish, there's still going to be other hands in the pot that you need to make sure you know what those are going to be and how they're going to affect you and what you do. So you know, I just feel like researching, even if you're just going to have it professionally edited, you need to know what to expect. So I would say research, research research, great advice.
Speaker 1:So here on season two, we've been focusing on reviews, and so we would love for you to give us a review of your book, the House of Wind Lift.
Speaker 2:Okay. So I don't usually write very long reviews. When I do reviews stuff, so I would probably say it's a dark and creepy mystery some degree. It's a quick, short read, but that will probably keep you up at night. I I hope people will read it when I'm sitting, but so hopefully they'll all like to say that that they, if you read it when sitting, that it will definitely stay with you for days after work. So I hope that's it.
Speaker 1:Great job, five stars. And why? Why we do focus here on the writer's parachute about reviews, is we want to let authors and writers know that they're very important, but we also want to let listeners know that they're very important to the author in getting them known, getting them seen, getting people to purchase and buy their books. So we encourage you, the next time that you read a good book or even not such a good book to leave a review, let the author know what you think about it, help the author gain traction. And it's also to show you how simple and easy it is. We are putting these guests on the spot, asking them to review their book, which is not easy. People don't like talking about themselves, so it's not easy to ask, but they all manage to do it.
Speaker 1:So reviews can be complicated or simple, as you would like. Simply, I like this book, or I think somebody such as this would enjoy this book, or I recommend this book to X is perfectly fine. Or if you would like to go into more detail, you certainly can. But they are simple. But they are so invaluable invaluable to authors and writers. We are introducing you to all kinds of new authors and writers that you may not have heard about. They're books that you may not have heard about. So do help them out. Go check out their books, leave them a review. We encourage everyone to do that. So what's coming up next for you, cheryl?
Speaker 2:Well, so I just released the Chimeric Amp not that long ago, so next I'm actually querying. So I have a novel. That's a bit different for me, so I'm going to see if I can actually get an agent this time around. I haven't really heard that yet, but it's a bit early.
Speaker 2:I just got it finished and got it read and I've been revising it a little at a time, but that's what I'm going to do. It's called Void Pirates. I don't know where it's going to be coming out next I couldn't say because I'm still querying that one but then I also have. I can't rule out that there might be a third book in the Center of the Vile. I had pictured it being just the two books, but I have a friend who read the Blood Hotel and basically said you can't leave it here. So she's like you can't. So I may write a third, the Center of the Vile.
Speaker 2:But you know, like I said, I may not rule out a tie-in to the past. One left I can't read now. The Chimeric Amp is a standalone. So if you do pick that one up you don't have to get anything else. But it's very different than my other books, so keep that in mind. I also have another series which I have not started querying yet, called the City that Disappeared, and I'm still revising that one. So it's not ready, but hopefully not too long from now.
Speaker 1:Well, of course, we'd love to have you come back on here when any one of those some of those are ready and we can talk more about them. So where could listeners find your books?
Speaker 2:Most of the online bookstores are querying them. I have Amazon, bards of Noble, I try to remember Book Depository, I think, has it as well. See, what's the name of that one? I use it all the time. Well, indiebound is one. And then the one that gives away books too. I can't remember the name of it, but yeah, there's one that's like a cherry thing that they so you buy a book, they give a book, and I cannot for so life remember the name of it. And it's really sad when you're on the spot, suddenly all of a sudden, you're buying just those links.
Speaker 1:That's okay, but for those of you enlisting audience, just be assured we will have the links to our books on all platforms, so don't really worry about that, and you know for those of you.
Speaker 1:For all of you who do, I do not know. The IndieBound is the clearinghouse for all of the small independent bookstores. So generally, if a book is listed on IndieBound, you can go to your independent bookstore and they, if they do not have it in stock, they can order it for you. So that's true. We do want to support independent bookstores as well as the big retailer. So I'm glad you included that. So I know you're also out on social media, so where can they connect with you there?
Speaker 2:I'm on Twitter, I'm on Facebook, I'm on Instagram, I'm on TikTok looking into threads, but I haven't actually added it yet, so I'm not sure yet, but I'm on those. And then there's a writers group which I probably shouldn't mention, unless you're right or you probably don't want to follow me on there. But yeah, so those are the main ones right now. And I have a website as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, awesome, and we'll have all of that stuff listed for you in the show notes so you can connect with Cheryl on social media. You can find out about stuff on her website, and then you had more information for them on your website. Was that true?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can. I usually post there before I post on social media. So usually if you subscribe to the website you'll get updates before anyone else. So I tried to keep that for my loyal readers on the website. So I have there's pages there for upcoming events. So if I do have any events coming up then they're going to be on there. I do have links to my published work on some of usually just Amazon, but I do have some of the links on there as well. But, yeah, so you can get there. And then I have a blog on there also. So anytime I have any new news or just a little photo to share or whatever, I'll put that up there too.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, we'd love that. Is there anything else that you would like to include before we jump over to our tip of the week?
Speaker 2:Oh well, let's see. So, oh, that's it. And I thought of something earlier and now it's gone, because you know that's what happens to me, so my mind just goes blank. I don't know. I suppose just you know, if you like sci-fi, there's lots and lots of sci-fi authors out there that are indie authors and I think that a lot of them have really great books and they just don't get the recognition. Give them a chance, you know. Be sure to pick up any new book today.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, of course, we do recommend Cheryl's book. I encourage you guys to go out and check those out. So let's go ahead and jump over to our tip of the week. So Cheryl talked a lot about marketing and promotion and specifically, she was talking about budgets, and I know she was talking about the budget of her small press. But I want to talk about that budgeting and it brings up a very critical, or a couple of critical things that I find that authors miss in their journey between writing the book and publishing the book.
Speaker 1:A couple of things that you really need to make sure that you have, and it's never too late to add them. If you don't have them now, you can definitely do them and add them now. Number one is make sure you have a media kit. Media kits are not complicated. It is basically introducing you to whoever may be wanting to interview you. You know it's I'm the author. This is about me. You write it for the book. Anyway, put it in your media kit. Here's my book and or books. This is what they're about. There's links to them. Also, you know, here's all my social media. Here's my website. Here's important interviews I've already done so. You can see how well, I conduct myself during an interview. That's kind of it, you know. Maybe a few extra images of your book in different formats. It's you know. This is what is important anytime you're looking for somebody to interview you or for somebody to write an article about you. This is a wealth of knowledge that you can easily create and put into a PDF format to hand over to them, and it has all the information that they need. So make sure you have a media kit, make sure you're updating it as you grow as an author. Write more books, have more interviews, do more things.
Speaker 1:The second one is to create a marketing plan. Marketing and promotion are almost interchangeable Not quite, but they are almost. So have a plan. Think about where you would find the readers who like your genre is. You know she talked about sci-fi. Well, where do you find sci-fi writers? Well, I think you'd find them in a lot of the Comic-Con type things, different cosplay events, those kinds of things. There are also different kinds of magazines, newspapers, blogs and stuff that are specifically geared towards those types of things, as are they are with any genre. This is where some research comes in Look to find where those people are, see if you can reach out to them.
Speaker 1:Can you be included in their newsletter? Could you do an advertisement through them? Could you speak to their group, you know? Could you be included on one of their mailings? Could you be included on a sample chapter coming from one of your books that they're offering to their members? These are things. Again, they're a little outside the lines. Of course. You want to have some of your marketing. You know just the general stuff you know, want to make sure you get on a few podcasts, maybe have an article written in your little newspaper TV station.
Speaker 1:It's another thing, really pretty easy to write a press release. Make sure you write those press releases. It doesn't only have to be written when you have a new book coming out. When you win an award, you could do a new press release. When you have some new event you have coming up around your book or your writing, you could do a press release. They're pretty easy.
Speaker 1:There is a free place that you can go and write a press release and get it distributed out there. It's prlogorg. That's prlogorg I'll put that in the show notes for you where you can go. They even give you samples of how to write a press release and how to distribute it. So find some of these things, but try to have a plan. I mean, it doesn't have to be concrete, it doesn't have to be detailed, but have some plan of attack. We don't go on vacation without knowing where we're going and what things we're going to see. Same thing with your book. Have a plan of attack. How am I going to get my book to the right readers? I wouldn't be trying to advertise my children's book on the outside of a bar you want to find people who are going to love it.
Speaker 2:Obviously, you want to find the people who are going to love it. That's the point, exactly.
Speaker 1:So, again, make sure you're thinking a little bit outside the box. You want a variety, you want some common things, some uncommon things, but then also you want to think outside the box because your book is unique and it should have a unique plan, just like it did when you were writing it. So that's my tip of the week. Of course, I could talk more and more about this subject. If you would like to have us do a special episode about this particular topic, then let me know. Until, then I want to thank Cheryl for being with us this week and, as always, I am so grateful to be the host here on the Writers Parachute, guiding author and writer dreams to a perfect landing. We hope that you find this is a safe, creative space for you to land your dreams to. Until next time, bye.