Introducing…Karen M. Black

Karen M. Black

Welcome to the first installment of my “Introducing…” blog series, featuring indie authors, their craft, their struggles and achievements and, of course, their adventures in Social Media. This week we meet Karen M. Black, author of the evocative novel, Moondance.

Karen received her MBA in marketing from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and has worked as a communication consultant in the Canadian pension and benefit industry since 1992.

She’s also a practicing karmic astrologer, associated with Linda Brady, author of Discovering Your Soul Mission.

Karen lives in Toronto and is currently writing her second novel, which picks up where Moondance leaves off. After self-publishing Moondance and winning more than five awards for Moondance in 2008 and 2009, she has also recently launched her book consulting business which assists aspiring authors in the creation and publication of their work. 

Tell us about your book, Moondance.

Moondance is a freethinking, emotionally charged, highly addictive coming-of-age, exploring life, love and the nature of reality. It’s part psychological thriller, part paranormal romance, and part magical realism.

What drove you to base the novel on such a unique and evocative subject?

Moondance explores questions (and arguments) that I had about life in my mid- to late thirties. It’s the result of being bounced around in the corporate world, having some painful relationship experiences, and wondering why my life didn’t turn out as I had planned.

I wrote the first 120 pages of Moondance in 1996 after a relationship ended. In a state of heartbreak, the words gushed out of me in a curious, unstructured wave (the first page I ever wrote was page 271). What I wrote scared me. What I had created wasn’t aligned with who I thought I was, which was logical, tough, steady and calm. I was creating scenes and dialogue I didn’t understand with my logical mind. So I rejected it and finished my MBA instead.

Five years later, still single, with questions about my life mounting, I participated in a five-day retreat called the Trust Program. Trust was a turning point, a powerful experience which helped me understand who I am, what I believe and what’s important to me. After Trust, I embraced my sincere belief in reincarnation and began to study karmic astrology while working full-time as a benefit communication consultant, something I never could have imagined before.

Who would you recommend read your book?

I wrote Moondance for me. I published Moondance for anyone who’s had their heart broken by life or by love, and has had the curiosity and the courage to ask why (plus anyone who likes thought-provoking, addictive page-turners)

You self-published your book. How was that experience?

Well, self-publishing was something I came to slowly.

First I researched the publishing process. I created synopses, a log line, even query letters and sent them out to agents and then publishers. During this phase, I didn’t like what I was learning. I don’t like how little money the author actually sees, plus the control they give up creatively and on the marketing side. I also learned that signed authors often have to invest their own money and time in promotion and marketing anyway, yet there isn’t much flexibility in the contract in recognition of this effort. After giving away complete control and profits, the vast majority of debut novels lose money-making the prospects of publishing a second novel with the same publisher grim.

Self-publishing non-fiction is commonplace. Self-publishing commercial fiction is not. Yet the more I weighed the pros and cons, the more self-publishing made sense for me.

I know myself – when it comes to business, I really like control. With my business background, I am accustomed to creating strategy and with my communication consulting background, I understand the publishing and production process. I knew I wanted input on the cover and layout design. I knew I’d want to be involved in the marketing. I began to wonder if the traditional route was the best way to go for me.

During this time, I met Arnold Gosewich, former President of MacMillan Canada, now an agent and publication consultant. After some discussions, he confirmed my suspicions. As the publisher – which is different from vanity publishing and print on demand publishing like lulu or Trafford by the way – I control the entire process. Economically, I get to keep all of the profits, and have to sell fewer copies to break even. I also take all the risk. Yet early readers responded well to Moondance – I knew I had a great product. With the internet, I have global reach.

In 2008 and 2009, Moondance won a number of awards (details on my site). It’s been great fuel for Arnold who’s now my agent for U.S., international, television and film rights. I now share what I’ve learned with my book consulting clients.

Bottom-line, self-publishing hasn’t made me rich (yet), but it has been gratifying. I’ve produced a high quality product, got some good recognition in the form of awards (and reader response), and have maintained control. Also, I’ll be able to continue to promote it for years to come and still have the option of approaching big publishers. I have no regrets.

How are you going about promoting Moondance?

 I started out using my existing network, and then created a list and a monthly newsletter called IDEAS that PROVOKE and INSPIRE. I’m also active on social networks LinkedIn and Twitter.

 I’ve been interviewed on a number of radio shows online, and in traditional media, and have generated a bit of print and online publicity on my own. Most of my sales, though, have come through word of mouth. I’ve also attended some book clubs.

 I’m going into a new phase now, where I want to do more speaking engagements on self-publishing and karmic astrology, possibly collaborating with other authors with complementary books and skill sets. I’d also like to work with more book clubs – the ones I’ve attended have been a lot of fun.

What is your favourite place to write?

 At my cottage in Georgian Bay, with the window open so I can hear the waves.

 What advice can you give other writers?

 On writing

• Write for yourself first. If what you’re writing scares you, that’s perfect
• Read The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes (he says the same thing, above)
• DON’T write with your marketing hat on. Heart comes first. Marketing comes later.
• Hire a good editor, or (at least) proof reader before sharing your finished manuscript widely
• Hire a good book consultant / publication consultant to help with the process.

 On research/publishing

• Read Stephen King’s On Writing to get really good advice on how to get feedback from your nearest and dearest (or whether or not you should)
• Before sending out queries, do your research! I suggest using www.absolutewrite.com and Jeff Herman’s Guide as starting point
• Take some time to create your marketing positioning and query materials: Who (and where) is your audience? Why is your work different? What’s your elevator pitch? What’s your log line?
• If you’re considering self-publishing, signup for Dan Poynter’s free newsletter (even if you’re a fiction writer) and consider buying his book.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I’m part socialized introvert, and big part nester. So I see friends, generally in small groups or one-on-on. I cook with and for friends and love sampling ethnic foods. I listen to music (I’m an eclectic music lover who’s passionate about www.radioparadise.com – the best mix anywhere).

I read mostly thrillers and philosophical/spiritual stuff. I enjoy the outdoors, especially boating, and time on the water. And oh yeah – I meditate, continue to study astrology and look for ways to promote Moondance.

Where can people get a copy of Moondance?

Folks can get a hard copy or a PDF online at www.karenmblack.com. If you’re in Toronto, there are also a couple of other ways you can get it – see ‘Buy Moondance’ on my site.

What can we expect next from you?

 I’ve created a few hooks in Moondance, and a number of characters who will come back, and grapple with new issues in their lives. So what I’ll be working on next is the sequel, and my promise to readers is that it’ll be as intense and as hard to put down as Moondance is.

My aim in life is to have as many people ticked off at me for keeping them up late as possible…

Thanks to Karen for sharing her story with us. Check out her website at www.karenmblack.com.

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and holds talks on the self-publishing experience. He spends his time blogging and working on his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek.

Don’t miss the next intsallment of “Introducing…”. Get a Free Subscription to this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

New Blog Series Coming Up! Also…Vote for Raincloud!

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be starting new blog series soon called “Introducing…”, spotlighting indie authors, their craft, their struggles and achievements and, of course, their adventures in Social Media. I have five authors lined up so stay tuned! Better yet, bookmark or subscribe to this page!

Also, please go to www.tinyurl.com/VoteRaincloud and vote for my novel Raincloud. You could help put it onto the Barnes & Noble Top 20 list and make this author a happy man.

Until next time, I remain

Literally Yours,

RT

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and holds talks on the self-publishing experience. He spends his time blogging and working on his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek.

Get a Free Subscriptionto this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

Discussions on Social Media in Free Podcast Form

Social media’s great, isn’t it? Forget the cost of newspaper ads which few people really pay attention to. With social media, you can not only reach a targeted database of prospects but you can also personalize your message.

Click here for a free podcast of Philip Davis (Authors on the Net) and I discussing the publishing industry and how social media is helping authors get their books in front of potential readers.

Also, click here for another free podcast of Philip and I discussing my novel Raincloud.

Enjoy and feel free to get back to me with any comments on the podcasts.

Literally Yours,

RT

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and holds talks on the self-publishing experience. He spends his time blogging and working on his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek.

Get a Free Subscriptionto this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Ten: The Wrap-Up

So what have we learned?

It’s hard for first-time authors to get published these days, unless you’re already well-known and/or well-connected. For someone like me coming out of the blue with Raincloud, mere talent wasn’t enough to attract a publishing deal. And in retrospect, I can understand why – I was unproven.

That was exactly one year ago. Since then I’ve come pretty far, appearing at book festivals and fairs, organizing an in-store book tour, holding live readings, interviewing for radio, podcasts, and blogs, receiving great reviews, becoming somewhat connected and, most importantly, garnering a bunch of readers.

Self-publishing shouldn’t be a seen as a vain attempt to publish sub-standard material (although there is a plethora of sub-standard material out there). It should be considered an important part of the evolving publishing industry that allows unknown talent to flourish and keep their affairs on their own terms. Once we get over the stigma that the industry has put on it, our culture will indeed be much richer.

Thanks for sticking the series out with me. I’m going to be starting a new one soon spotlighting guest authors, so keep an eye out for that as well regular updates on my own activities. If you’re an author and would like to be featured in this space, drop me a line a richard@richard-todd.com.

Literally yours,

RT

 
Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and holds talks on the self-publishing experience. He spends his time blogging and working on his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek.

Get a Free Subscriptionto this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

Book Reviews – Do They Influence Your Reading Habits?

“Artists make the culture. Not the critics.” – David Bowie

I’m quite pleased that my novel Raincloud has garnered some great reviews that not only lend the book credibility but also prop up my ego. I’m proud and pleased each time Raincloud earns positive feedback from readers and critics alike.

But I wonder - do book reviews actually influence what readers buy?

To me, reviews are a great way to create a buzz and get the author’s work into the public forum. If used properly reviews can be a very important part of a book’s promotional campaign. But as a buying guide? I would expect that readers listen more to a friend’s opinion over a presumably better-read literary critic’s.

What about you? Do literary critics influence your reading habits?

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Noveland gives talks on self-publishing. He spends his time blogging and writing his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek. Learn more at his website: www.richard-todd.com.

Coming Soon: Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Ten: The Wrap-Up

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Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Nine: Would I Self-Publish Again?

That’s a good question.

I’m currently writing my next novel, The Orphans of the Creek, and undecided on what to do. Of course, if I were to self-publish again, iUniverse would be the frontrunner for my business. Yet with what I’ve learned about writing, publishing, networking, and marketing through my experience with Raincloud, I would first try another shot with the traditional publishers.

There are only two major things that could keep me from self-publishing again. The first, of course, is the cash outlay. The second is the “judgement by association” people make of your self-published book. I’ve read some self-published work that should never have been put to paper. On the other hand, there are also lots of great self-published books. Unfortunately in some peoples’ minds the good books get lumped in with the sub-standard, creating a prejudice that a talented writer with the brevity to do things himself must work hard to overcome.

Attitudes are changing though, just as the publishing business itself is. Time will tell if the changes are for the better.

In short, my preference would be to go with a traditonal publisher, if for no other reason than to scale that wall. But if I have to self-publish again to get my voice heard, then so be it.

This week’s poll question:

 

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and gives talks on self-publishing. He spends his time blogging and writing his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek. Learn more at his website: www.richard-todd.com.

Coming Soon: Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Ten: The Wrap-Up

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Raincloud – June Live Events

With the summer reading season upon us I thought I’d post a couple of events in which I’ll be participating. If you’re in the Toronto, Canada area, be sure to come out and say hi!

Strong Words 4th Anniversary Reading:  Monday, June 1st, 2009, 7PM (my reading time TBD)
The Gladstone Melody Bar, 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
Admission: “Pay What You Can” or donation of new and used books in good condition

Toronto Small Press Book Fair: Saturday, June 13th, 2009, 9AM – 5PM
Toronto Reference, Library, 789 Yonge St. (north of Bloor), Toronto

I’ll be signing and selling copies of Raincloud at both events. Hope to see you there!

RT

This weeks Poll Question:

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and gives talks on self-publishing. He spends his time blogging and writing his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek. Learn more at his website: www.richard-todd.com.

Coming Soon: Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Nine: Would I Self-Publish Again?

Don’t miss another installment. Get a Free Subscription by clicking on the Subscribe widget in the sidebar.

Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Eight: Social Media: The Evolution of Marketing

No big surprise here. Social media is huge now, and as more and more people discover its power the more information is freely exchanged. That’s great because you’re now exposed to a huge audience; the only downside is that your voice can get lost in the crowd.

iUniverse has many high-priced marketing products, ranging from ads in the New York Times to custom email broadcasts. Both of these can raise people’s awareness of your book, but with the current royalty structure it’s not very likely you’ll make your money back. Even advertising in newspapers yourself can raise exposure but will you sell enough books to justify the cost?

Thus the biggest advanyage of social media marketing: it’s free.

With the wealth of information already available online I won’t go too deeply into what you can do but will instead introduce you to my setup. Many of my own sites are in various stages of development but you’ll get the idea.

This blog is the centre of everything and one of the main sources of traffic being driven to my website.  To maximize readership I’ve registered this blog on such blog search engines such as Condron.us, Technorati, Networked Blogs(which is connected to Facebook) and MyBlogLog, and it is also an important part of my Amazon profile. Don’t forget about your Canadian audience; create a Chapters-Indigo profile to serve those readers. You can also set up Blog Tours, where you appear on many different blogs over a span of days. I am planning one for this summer. It’ll be like my book tour last fall…but from home!

Of course, there is my Facebook Group and my Twitter profile. Facebook is the biggest social media site out there, so networking there is a must. Twitter is something I haven’t mastered yet, but I keep hearing about how powerful it can really be to get your message to the masses and drive web surfers to your blog.

Check out Authors on the Net. Their site features loads of information on setting up social media campaigns. It’s geared for writers but it looks like anyone can use the tips contained within.

It’s a good amount of work to set up an online campaign but once it’s done maintenance is low so you can concentrate on your live appearances or working on your next writing project.

Tip of the Week: Be bold. Start blog conversations on other blogs that are irresistible to reply to. The more people you meet, the greater the  potential of people hitting your blog. It really is a numbers game where the law of averages can really work for or against you.

The jury is still out on whether or not social media campaigns result in actual sales. Stick to it. You may gain a significant following that could reap rewards for your next book. And speaking of next books (mine in particular), I’ll discuss my thoughts on self-publishing The Orphans of the Creek in my next post.

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and gives talks on self-publishing. He spends his time blogging and writing his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek. Learn more at his website: www.richard-todd.com.

Coming Soon: Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Nine: Would I Self-Publish Again?

Don’t miss another installment. Get a Free Subscription by clicking on the Subscribe widget in the sidebar.

Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Seven: Author, Sell Thyself!

Author, sell thyself!

Truer words were never spoken. Writing is a lonely business, not just because you spent countless hours creating and revising your masterpiece, but the marketing and promoting needed to get the word out there takes up a lot of time and energy. You can’t play hermit anymore, because unless you plan on selling only to family and friends or have representation of some sort, no one is going to it for you.

First, get your book into stores. Fortunately iUniverse sets their authors up with online merchants such as Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, Barnes and Noble, and hundreds of others. I even found Raincloud available on online bookstores in Sweden, Germany, and India!

Getting into brick-and-mortar stores may prove a little more challenging. If you can’t convince the store owner to buy a few copies of your book, they will usually take it on consignment. Don’t neglect the independent stores; they usually take smaller cuts than the major players and allow you stand out more than in the big boxes, especially if you live in a smaller market.

Next you need to market your most important asset: yourself! Live appearances are a very powerful way to do this, and setting them up is quite a simple process involving research, emailing or telephoning, and following up. Because “sell thyself” really means “sell yourself”as a person…long before you sell your book.

As you research, you’ll find no shortage of places to have book signings. Book festivals, writing groups, retail stores, coffee houses, and so on. The best part about retail is that they may order multiple copies of your book from the publisher. Although your cut will be much smaller than with a consignment arrangement, I was very pleased to see stacks of Raincloud perched upon a table at my first in-store!

Book festivals can be quite effective too. The first such event to cross my path was the Toronto Small Press Book Fair, which I had read about on Facebook. One email, a postage stamp and $15 later, I was booked in. The event was great, very casual and not too competitive.  I had a nice looking booth thanks to the iUniverse posters included with my publishing package. And I sold a good amount of books too, at least for someone just finding his footing.

Another event, Toronto’s Word on the Street, was a much bigger festival held in the fall. As a member of the Crime Writers of Canada, I was able to set up a display at their table. I garnered more readers and had a great time.

The wheels really started churning when I dreamed up the idea of a Fall Book Tour. Picking up the phone I called Chapters/Indigo stores around the GTA, pitching my idea to hold in-store book signings. Some didn’t have the facilities to host an event and others catered only to big name authors. But many satellite stores were quite enthusiastic and excited to have me come in and talk to their customers.

Promotion was a snap. Never mind buying expensive ad space; I created Press Releases to send to local newspaper outlets and copy for posters that the stores could display, both great cost-effective ways to generate a buzz. I also promoted heavily on my Facebook Group as well as at my website. 

I made seven appearances in six stores, and I have to say that at each stop the Chapters/Indigo staff were all friendly and accommodating, sometimes bringing customers to my table or buying me a beverage from Starbucks. The customers themselves were a pleasure to talk to as well (there were a few exceptions of course, but that’s always the case when dealing with the public) and really showed me respect and support. And as far as sales went, I can tell you that the profits were well worth the time and gas money to travel to the stores and back.

This year I’m setting up a Raincloud Reading Series, where I read passages of Raincloud to local writing groups and sell books. I’ll also be at the Toronto Small Press Book Fair and Word on the Street again, as well as hitting any bookstores I may have missed the first time around. And I’ll do it all over again with my second novel, The Orphans of the Creek.

Just think of how incredible it would be for someone to love your first book so much they picked up your second. That, my friends, would be your first loyal reader.

Tip of the Week: Stick to it. Retailers are busy but if you are organized and well spoken, they’ll listen to you. I learned to be persistent without being annyoying and in the end they welcomed me. They’ll welcome you too.

Okay, you’re reading my blog. I obviously don’t have to tell you about how powerful they can be, providing they are comprised of effective, relevant content. Social Media is fast becoming a powerful way for authors to market their books. Check out the write-up a professional marketer did for me on her blog.  We’ll discuss web stuff in my next installment.

www.richard-todd.com

Coming Soon: Adventures in Self-Publishing Part Eight: Social Media: The Evolution of Marketing

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A Peek at “The Orphans of the Creek”

Hi everyone.
While I’m completing Part Seven of my “Adventures in Self-Publishing” blog series, I thought I would share with you the first-draft prologue of my upcoming novel The Orphans of the Creek. Let me know what you think!

The Orphans of the Creek: Prologue

Dave’s dim headlights cut through the fog as I speed up Highway 400. His car isn’t as fast as mine, never was, but at least is still in one piece and can take me somewhere. What can you do when your options are so few?
My eyes dart from the windshield, to the speedometer, to the rear-view mirror. Out front the yellow lines come at me like neon darts and fade away under the Sunbird’s lurching engine. By now they’ve probably blocked the entrance into Scanlon Creek. Cops in the Creek can’t handle this sort of thing; they’ll call every emergency vehicle from every town they can find, and they’ll all come screaming like some life-saving valkyries. What a goddamn mess. But so much for the cookie cutters!
I keep the car humming between the limit and about seven kilometres over, not enough to draw the attention of any speed traps. After all, this is Dave’s car and I didn’t have time to clean it. Who knows what a cop would find?
But that wouldn’t be the worst thing. I don’t think I could take the sight of the flashing lights in the rear-view. That would just about drive me mad with the needles.
I reach beside me for Juniper’s hand but of course it’s not there.

www.richard.todd.com