Interview with New York Times ePublished Author, CJ Lyons

Written by Jeff Rivera

CJ Lyons was raised in State College, PA, and attended medical school at the University of Florida. She did her internship and residency at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Akron Children's Hospital. She has held teaching appointments at the Medical College of Ohio and the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She worked as a general pediatrician focusing on community health care. When she  was young it made for a lot of time spent in time-outs because she had a hard time telling the difference between fiction and reality. It meant she was one of those kids in school–the ones who were constantly dreaming or drifting down the hall with their nose in a book, out of touch with what “regular” kids were doing. Writing stories was her way of dealing with the “real” world. It was just who she was, she never thought about maybe someday publishing my stories or making a career out of it. Here is an interview with her…

What is the name of your latest book?

BLIND FAITH (which has spent the last few weeks in the top 5 of the New York Times bestseller list!)

What's it about?

BLIND FAITH starts with a woman who has lost everything: her husband and son murdered, their bodies never recovered. She sits in a stifling cement block room in Huntsville, TX, watching the execution of the serial killer who confessed to their murders but refused to divulge the location of their bodies.

For Sarah Durandt, that is just the beginning of her journey to hell…and back.

BLIND FAITH is a story of betrayals. In every scene there is a betrayal. Characters betray each other, betray their loved ones, betray themselves and everything they believe in.

It's also a romance. A story of how forgiveness and love can overcome betrayal. And through the love she finds, Sarah makes her way back out of her hell.

Where can we get it and what does it cost?

BLIND FAITH is available in e-book format on all the usual outlets (Amazon, BN.com, Sony, iBooks, etc) for $4.99 and as a trade paperback from Amazon and BN.com

How many copies have you sold of your books on Kindle so far?

So far this year I've sold over 200,000 copies of my novels via Kindle.

What is one mistake in marketing your books that you made or that you see others making that you would never do (again)?

Spending too much time trying to market and not enough time writing. Thankfully I realized this very early on and instead of tagging, liking, tweeting, etc, I began to focus on my best promotional tools: my own books. I gave away thousands of free copies of my books as reader appreciation gifts, gaining a loyal and devoted following of readers who enjoy my brand of Thrillers with Heart.

Now, here's what we'd love to know: How did you sell so many books? Teach us what you did do besides maybe having a great book cover, great description, sell for a reasonable price and of course write a great book?  Many authors have done so also but haven't reached the success you have.

First of all, it takes time and several titles to reach a tipping point. A year after I began indy e-publishing and had 5 books up is when I began to make a living wage. Six months later I had another 3 books up and really broke out.

I also paid attention to my readers. Watching what they liked and didn't like, giving out more and more free books, and even developing a core readership I call my "Street Team." Every time I send out my monthly newsletter I make sure to give my readers some special treat or peak behind the scenes.

The real break came when I decided to take a huge leap of faith and put one of my books up for free on Amazon and BN.com as a gift to my readers. In 72 hours, 34000 people had it on their Kindles. Making a book free is a rather cumbersome and unpredictable process for an indy author, so seeing how well that short term giveaway did, I took another leap of faith and for the first time ever put my bestselling novel, BLIND FAITH, on sale for 0.99

It paid off big time. The only promotion I did for BLIND FAITH was to send out my newsletter, asking my readers to help me make a dream come true of hitting the bestseller list.

I was hoping to hit the top 20 on Amazon. Imagine my surprise when two weeks later BLIND FAITH hit #4 on the USA TODAY list and then debuted at #2 on the New York Times combined print/e-book bestseller list!

What can I say? My readers rock!

What are you working on next?

Thanks to my readers clamoring for more books, I'm actually currently writing two books at once (yikes, I know!) The first, FACE TO FACE, is the third in the Hart and Drake medical suspense series and should be out by Dec 1st. The second, BLOOD STAINED, is the second in the Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series and should be out early 2012.

For those who aren't familiar with your books yet, where can we find out more information about you?

For more information on my novels, go to http://www.CJLyons.net. If you're interested in becoming a published author (indy or traditional) check out my tips on craft, marketing, and the publishing business athttp://www.NoRulesJustWRITE.com

About CJ:

As a pediatric ER doctor, CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.  In addition to being an award-winning, New York Times Bestseller, CJ is a nationally known presenter and keynote speaker.

CJ has been called a "master within the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as "breathtakingly fast-paced" and "riveting" (Publishers Weekly) with "characters with beating hearts and three dimensions" (Newsday).

Her newest project is as co-author of a new suspense series with Erin Brockovich.  Learn more about her writing at http://www.cjlyons.net and find the tools you need to help you finish your novel and find your audience at http://www.norulesjustwrite.com

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Interview with Librarian, Millie Cannon

Written by Jeff Rivera

Millie Cannon of the Old Town High School Library in Maine shares some exciting news and happenings taking place in the library and some of her finest collection of books. Find the school's website at www.maine.gov.

Where is your library and how can I access your website?

Milford, Maine.  No, you can't currently access our website - working on that.

What sets your library apart from others?

I have moved to a K-8 school this year.  What I have is not really a library.  It is a bunch of books in a big room.  I am currently cataloging/re-cataloging the entire collection.  What had been done is mostly wrong.

I know you’ve seen hundreds of books this year, Millie. What are the most noteworthy books you have read recently?

Probably Revolution.

With so many things you can do at your library, which ones seem to be the most popular?

I am also building the 6-8 collection.  Students and teachers are thrilled to have new books at their level.

Do you book speakers via Skype? If so, how would someone interested in speaking, reach out to you?

Not yet...

There are organizations that are promoting independent authors’ books, are you open to displaying these in your library Millie?

Not yet

Where do you buy your books? Ingram? Amazon? Overdrive?

Amazon and Follett

What kind of books do you wish publishers would make more available?

Simple but informative non-fiction in all areas.

Millie, do you think there is a need for more works in both English and Español to serve the Latin market? If so, in which genre?

Not for us.

What are you doing personally to entice the younger generation to read more?

Displays, book talks, variety to choose from.

Do you offer eBooks at your library? Who supplies you with them?

No

With so much distracting people today, and with the affects of the recession, Millie, how do you get more and more people to come into the library instead of staying home playing video games?

We are a school library, so no issue there.

Interview with Librarian, Heather Aronson

Written by Jeff Rivera

Heather Aronson of the Southbury Public Library took the time to entertain us with an interview regarding why her library is unique among others and how she takes advantage of Skype to fullest. For more details visit the website www.southburylibrary.org.


Where is your library and how can I access your website?

Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road, Southbury, CT 06488  www.southburylibrary.org

What sets your library apart from others?

Our library is truly the “heart of the community” as our logo states.  We are able to target all age groups and provide what they’re looking for.  From birth to adulthood, we offer books and other materials, as well as innovative programming.

I know you’ve seen hundreds of books this year, Heather. What are the most noteworthy books you have read recently?

As the Teen Librarian, I do read MANY books.  No I don’t read every book on the shelves, but I try to know what is in the collection.  I actually make my own “Miss Heather’s Picks” each year to complement the YALSA Teen Top Ten.  I never include any titles from the YALSA list, to give less visible titles a chance. 2011 had many gems…Leverage by Joshua Cohen was intense.  Want to Go Private? By Sarah Littman also gets my vote.  Both debut novels, both recommended for older Teens.  I like the edgy, gritty realistic fiction.  For younger teens (or tweens as we affectionately call them), I recommend Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and The Aviary by Kathryn O’Dell. 

With so many things you can do at your library, which ones seem to be the most popular?

Craft programs are always big with Teens.  Cooking is popular too.  We jokingly say, “If you feed them, they will come.”  Book clubs are a staple around the library too.  We have them for all ages but the one that seem to be the best attended is my Boys Only Book Club for grades 4-6.  Who would have thought!

Do you book speakers via Skype? If so, how would someone interested in speaking, reach out to you?

I have yet to utilize this technology.  I did attend a YA conference that Skype with Paul Volponi.  I know many authors do Skype.  Of course budget is always a consideration.   Anyone interested can shoot me an email.

There are organizations that are promoting independent authors books, are you open to displaying these in your library Heather?

Absolutely!  I love independent authors.  I think a good book is a good book…period.  I read tons of reviews from reputable publications as well as blogs.  And I listen.  I listen to my patrons and try to give them what they want.

How many books would you say you purchase in your library every year?
Easily over 1000 for the Teen Department, that’s each year.  2010 was 1251 and 2011 is currently at 982.  That’s just my orders.  I couldn’t say for the whole library.  We have over 90,000 books in house.

Where do you buy your books? Ingram? Amazon? Overdrive?

We go through Baker & Taylor.  Amazon for special orders not found at B&T.  Rarely do we use other vendors.

What type of books are you searching for?

Primarily fiction.  We circulate mostly fiction.  NF such as biographies, college prep, health and beauty, etc. still go out.  We’ve streamlined our NF collections.  More students are going to the internet for research.

What kind of books do you wish publishers would make more available?

I don’t know.  I’m fairly satisfied with what’s currently available.  I think a lot of progress has been made in the past decade or so to publish for a variety of interest.  Maybe I don’t know what I’m missing!

Heather, do you think there is a need for more works in both English and Español to serve the Latin market? If so, in which genre?

I think that depends on the individual library.  You’ve got to look at your patrons.  Some areas of CT have a very high concentration of Spanish speaking patrons and their collections and programming reflects this.  I recently saw bilingual story times in some libraries.  We may not have a huge Latin community but we do have a Language section in our upstairs (Children &Teen) that provides books in variety of languages, but mostly Spanish.  We get requests for the “How to speak” type of books more than written in the language.  Fiction always gets my vote for the genre to target.

What are you doing personally to entice the younger generation to read more?

That’s the big question, isn’t it!?  To put it succinctly I’m making it available to them.  If you can’t afford to buy the book, come to the library.  If you’re not “allowed” to read that book, come to the library.  If you’re bored, come to the library.

Do you offer eBooks at your library? Who supplies you with them?

We offer audio and eBook downloads through Overdrive.

The book industry was shaken by the economy. How was your library affected?

Compared to other libraries in our area, we’ve done well.  We have not reduced staff or hours, both of which most neighboring libraries have done.  Our book budget gets reduced each year, but we’ve coped.  We’re famous for making something out of nothing.  Give me a junk drawer and I’ll think of a kick a** craft.  Give me coffee filters and 10 dollars and watch out!  I’ve done most of the Teen programming myself, rather than hire professionals.  That saves a lot of $$.

With so much distracting people today, and with the effects of the recession, Heather, how do you get more and more people to come into the library instead of staying home playing video games?

Fortunately our community relies on us as an integral part of their entertainment, enrichment, education, recreation, etc.  The key is to give the public what they want.  If something doesn’t work, ditch it and try again.  Listening is also important.  I’m not a teenager myself so I’ve got to do my research.  Every time I order books or CDs my mantra is “It’s not what I want, it’s what they want.”  Do your research; find out what’s hot and what’s not.  Also, if they want to play video games, have it at the library.  We have a Wii system the Junior Friends purchased with fundraising money.  There’s nothing wrong with video games.  They may even pick up a book on the way out!  Libraries are not just about books anymore.  We’re a techno savvy bunch, librarians!

Interview with Librarian, Carolyn Hemstreet

Written by Jeff Rivera

The Hale County Library plays a large role in the community of Greensboro, AL. Librarian Carolyn Hemstreet tells us about the library's significance and how today's technological revolution is impacting the library. Visit their site at www.hcplgreensboro.org for more information.

Where is your library and how can I access your website? Greensboro, AL

Website: www.hcplgreensboro.org

What sets your library apart from others?

It's friendly.  We are often "information central" in a very small town.

I know you’ve seen hundreds of books this year, Carolyn. What are the most noteworthy books you have read recently? 

With so many things you can do at your library, which ones seem to be the most popular?

With the depressed economy in this area, we have many people coming in to look for jobs, write resumes, and take on-line classes.  We also have a lot of computer use by students who do not have internet access at home.

Do you book speakers via Skype? If so, how would someone interested in speaking, reach out to you?

No to the use of Skype for booking speakers.  We get most of our leads from the state library service or people who know people who write, and from our Humanities Foundation in Alabama. We also get e-mails from people who want to present a program here. Currently, however, we have little money to bring in programs.

There are organizations that are promoting independent authors’ books, are you open to displaying these in your library Carolyn?

Sometimes.

How many books would you say you purchase in your library every year?

This year the number has been way down, due to cuts in funding.  We might have purchased 200.

Where do you buy your books? Ingram? Amazon? Overdrive?

We do buy from Amazon, Penworthy, Gale,and others.

What type of books are you searching for?

We buy some best sellers for our readers, usually large print romances for older readers, and we're starting to buy more currently popular junior fiction when we can get a grant.  We buy fewer biographies and popular non-fiction since we have fewer readers for those, but we do buy the kind of non-fiction that students need for research or families want for legal and medical information.

What kind of books do you wish publishers would make more available?

Fewer murder mysteries, more literary fiction, more clean romances.

Carolyn, Do you think there is a need for more works in both English and Español to serve the Latin market? If so, in which genre?

Probably elsewhere, though not so much for Greensboro readers.  Probably fiction.

What are you doing personally to entice the younger generation to read more?

We are trying to get them interested in using our new on-line catalog, and we've got a grant to buy some newer books that are popular.

Do you offer eBooks at your library? Who supplies you with them?

No

The book industry was shaken by the economy. How was your library affected?

Cuts in funding, more in the library looking for jobs and taking classes

With so much distracting people today, and with the affects of the recession, Carolyn, how do you get more and more people to come into the library instead of staying home playing video games?

Many of them don't have video games at home in this community