Interview with Self-Published Author Martha Geaney

In our series of self-publishing interviews, we are talking to Martha Geaney who before turning to indie writing, was a teacher, management consultant, university professor, and the dean of a business college. It was her leadership experience as a management consultant and her research for her doctorate that prompted Martha to write a self-help book for women who aspire to leadership roles. Death on Clare Island is the first in a series she is working on.

You self-published your latest book, Death on Clare Island. Would you please tell us why you chose the self-publishing route?

"At the time I made the decision, I wanted to choose traditional publishing. However, I happened to attend a presentation by an author at my local library. That author, Wil Mara, also operates a publishing service for self-publishing. I decided to work with Wil on this first book in the Star O’Brien series. He provided the editing and cover design aspects of the project."

Take us through the process. You had an idea for your book, you wrote it, then you decided to find a publisher. What were your experiences with that? Or did you decide to self-publish without looking any farther?

"I did not try to find a publisher. Several years ago, I self-published a women’s leadership book. That project provided valuable experience in the self-publishing process. For example, I created a publishing imprint, Turlough Nolan Publishing. I used that imprint to publish my fiction mystery book."

What different online stores carry your book?

"My book is available in eformat on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, and Apple’s iBook."

Authors who go the traditional route have an edge over self-published authors in regards to distribution to bookstores. How did you handle that as a self-published author?

Bookstores and libraries may get my book through IngramSpark.

On the other hand, self-published authors have the edge over traditional books in the regards that the author has all the control. I’d like to begin with your cover. Did you make it or did you

have someone else design it? If you had someone else, can you tell us who it is?

Wil Mara designed my book cover. I had an idea about what I wanted the cover to look like. When I was writing the book, I imagined a lighthouse poised above a vast body of water. I wrote up one-page description of my ideas for the cover which I provided to Wil.

So where do you see self-published authors making the biggest mistakes overall?

Promoting a book involves time, effort, and financial investment. When you’re a newbie at this, like I was, you don’t realize there’s more to do beyond writing the story. There are days when I want to just write but then must turn my attention to my blog posts, replying to comments and questions, finding posts for Facebook.

What do you believe the biggest advantages are when self-publishing?

There’s a sense of accomplishment. It’s a wonderful feeling to look at the full spectrum of the self-publishing process and know you are in control. There’s also the joy of cultivating a relationship with readers.

What was the hardest challenge for you to self-publish your book?

The editing process created a large amount of angst. I was working with someone who kept my manuscript for over a year. I discovered too late in the process that this was a side job for him.

Did you get someone to format your book for you or did you do that? I don’t know anything about the formatting process. My virtual assistant, Susan Busada, recommended Julie Cupp at the Formatting Fairies. They formatted my book for uploading as a paperback and e-book within ten days.

What steps are you taking to promote it?

Susan Busada, UpStart Social Media Marketing provided marketing strategy and support. For example, I maintain a website with blog page, www.martha-geaney.com. Susan updates my Facebook author page, @marthageaneyauthor. I’ve also contracted with Dorothy Thomson’s Pump Up Your Book for a virtual book tour.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other self-published authors?

Speak with other self-publishing authors to understand each distinct self-publishing phase. Most beginners do not have realistic expectations about the time and financial commitment required to promote a project. It’s also critical to find a reputable editor, someone with experience in your genre. If you can afford to do so, join the Alliance of Independent Authors, ALLi. After the horrible experience with the editor, I reached out to ALLi for advice. They provide a member only Facebook page where an author can post questions. Replies usually come back immediately. I have two new editors working on my second book in the series.

If you would like to find out more about Martha Geaney and her books, take a look at her website and follow her on Facebook here.