In our series of self-publishing interviews, we are talking today to Irene Woodbury, author of HONEYMOON ROULETTE, a women's fiction (with a dark humor bent) novel.
Luckily for all you fans of romantic fiction, Irene knows that what happens in Las Vegas doesn’t have to stay there. The Denver-based author has captured the heart and soul of Sin City in four colorful, suspenseful novels.
In the gritty, engrossing Romeo Stalker (2021), a Vegas showgirl’s life is plunged into stalker-hell when her ex returns from prison and learns she has a new boyfriend. Love and Payback (2021) is a dark, dramatic look at a married woman’s mysterious death in Sin City, where she has gone to meet an Internet love.
In the darkly humorous Honeymoon Roulette (2021), a bride goes rogue after learning her handsome fiance may have killed his first two wives. And A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis (2021) is the vibrant, funny story of a mixed-up newlywed who goes to Vegas for a girls’ weekend that never ends.
Irene, a successful travel writer whose favorite destinations are London and Las Vegas, is currently working on another novel.
You can visit her website at www.irenewoodbury.com or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
You self-published your latest book, Honeymoon Roulette.
Would you please tell us why you chose the self-publishing route?
The freedom to make decisions about
the characters, writing, organization of the novel, and its overall style. This
is extremely important to me. And then there are the decisions on the cover, title,
marketing, length of the book, which websites it will be on. Also, it’s nice to
own the copyright. The down sides:
paying for editing, formatting, and the cover can be pricey.
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 had a contract with a publisher
for 10 years. There were advantages, but after she sold the company, I decided
to self-publish. I was ready, and it’s been a good decision.
What different online stores carry your book?
Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Barnes and
Noble
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?
My book would be available in a
Barnes and Noble or Amazon bookstore, but the customer would have to wait a few
days for it to be printed and shipped to them, or the bookstore. They could
just purchase the paperback version on Amazon.
I love bookstores. It would be
wonderful for my books to be offered in them. But you need people to know your
book is there. A good publisher will get the word out and keep people interested
and buying. As a self-published author, this process is much more challenging.
It’s pretty hard to compete with the marketing, and public relations
departments of successful publishers.
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?
The book cover process is a complex
creative situation. The writer is very involved and wrapped up in the book and has
a certain concept in mind. The cover artist brings their own talent,
background, and technical skills. Somehow, you’ve got to get it all together
and create something you both like. Things usually work out pretty well for me,
but I’ve had to fight to get what I feel is the right image.
So where do you see self-published authors
making the biggest mistakes overall?
Maybe the wrong cover. Hiring
an editor who doesn’t like or understand the book. Not promoting enough. Where
and how to get reviews. Also, pricing. Charging too much or offering it for free.
With no one to advise you, you can make mistakes.
What do you believe the biggest advantages are when self-publishing?
Being able to choose the title,
cover, pricing, marketing strategy, writing style, and organization of the
novel. It’s hard to love a book and promote it enthusiastically when you
dislike the cover or title.
What was the hardest challenge for you to self-publish your book?
Not having a marketing or PR
department to help me promote my last novel, as I work on the next one.
They say self-publishers are control freaks. Do you think there is a
lot of truth in that?
Maybe they’re just authors who couldn’t
find an agent or publisher to believe in their books or talent. Maybe they had
a publisher, but their publisher went out of business and they had to go it
alone or end their writing career. Self-publishing costs money for editing,
covers, and formatting. If someone has the means and wants to self-publish, it’s
a win-win. Sometimes being a control freak is a good thing!
Did you get someone to format your book for you or did you do that?
I hire a formatting service. It
looks interesting, but I would have no idea how to do it.
What steps are you taking to promote it?
Twitter, Tweeting Services, blog
tour
Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other self-published
authors?
Hang in there. There’s so much competition, and every week a
new crop of books appear on the websites. Don’t get discouraged. Believe in
yourself and your talent. If you love what you’re doing, it’s worth it.
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