James Moushon - How to expand your Twitter message past 140 characters

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


James Moushon

Author Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: eBook Author’s Corner
Website: James Moushon - Mystery Writer
Twitter: @jimhbs
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: jim@jamesmoushon.com
Spotlight Author Interview - James Moushon



Question
How can you expand your Twitter text message past the 140 character barrier?

Answer
Use the Twitter picture feature.

First, create an extended message to add to your regular tweet and save it as a jpg file. I use a simple ‘Paint’ program. A picture frame with the size of 500px by 245px fits nicely on the screen. This size will hold a message of 12 lines and over 1000 characters using 12pt TNR.

Of course, the extended message can be longer but the reader has to expand the view to read the entire message.

Next, create your regular tweet. Remember when you add a picture to your message; the message can only be 116 characters long.

Sample tweet with extended text: 

Book Boxed Sets Gain Exposure and Sales - A Study x Outstanding Authors HBS Authors Corner http://bit.ly/1fOKXQH #RT





James Moushon @jimhbs is a Mystery and Esponiage author. He also writes several industry blogs including eBook Author’s Corner, HBS Author's Spotlight, HBS Mystery Readers Circle and the Top Shelf Author Advice blogs.



Advice Source: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Diane Strong - Book Giveaway's: Her Goal

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Diane Strong

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Short Stories, Humor

Website: The Running Commentary
Twitter: @DianeIStrong
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: dianestrong@ymail.com
Spotlight Author Interview - Diane Strong



Question
What is your main goal in doing book giveaways?

Answer
“The main reason I give books away is to introduce new readers to my work. Ultimately, when I give a book away, I would like to get a review. I don't think readers realize how important it is to review books they have been given. If the readers return for more of my books because of the giveaways, I will continue to do it. Then it becomes VERY worthwhile.”



Source Post
Free eBooks Promotions Can Be Pure Gold for Authors

Author Diane Strong writes Mystery & Thrillers and Short Stories about running.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Claude Bouchard - Book Marketing using Book Bundles with Other Authors

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Claude Bouchard

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Website: Claude Bouchard Books - Crime Thrillers and other Stuff...
Twitter: @ceebee308
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: claude@claudebouchardbooks.com
Spotlight Author Interview - Claude Bouchard



Question
What was your goal in bundling your novel Vigilante with other author's novels?

Answer
9 Killer Thriller Project
Idea: “Sometime in September, I was contacted by bestselling author, Russell Blake, who asked if I was interested in taking part in a book bundle to be released as soon as feasibly possible. Blake's vision was a box set of already successful works by various established authors with the objective of widening the readership base for all participants. The idea had definite promise and the collection of nine authors and novels was soon established, the result being 9 Killer Thrillers. Production was coordinated by Blake with certain requirements overseen by John Betcher, Melissa Foster and me. All participants were involved in spreading the word via their websites and social media platforms upon release.”

Goal: “Since our primary goal was readership expansion versus financial gain, all agreed that a 99 cent price point should improve our chances to maximize distribution all while likely covering production and advertising costs. Less than two days following its October 21st release, the bundle sat at #69 in the Top 100 on Amazon.com. Though it has slid back in ranking since, it's been hovering steadily around the #300 mark for over two weeks. Though I'm not at liberty to share specific sales numbers, I can confirm that all costs have been covered and multiple thousands of copies have sold thus far. I'd say we've met our objective.”

This boxed set was quite successful as the authors attested. Their main goal was to gain exposure at a low cost. It’s like the ebook giveaways that are so popular in our industry. They get readers to sample their product and hope the readers will return for more and/or tell someone else about it.



9 Killer Thrillers




Order the Book From: Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble


Source Post
Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure and Sales

Best-Selling Author Claude Bouchard @ceebee308 writes Mystery & Thrillers novels in the Vigilante Series.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Anne Carter - Book Marketing Using Paid Advertising

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Anne Carter

Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult

Website: Beacon Street
Twitter: @PamRipling
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: annecarter@beaconstreetbooks.com
Spotlight Author Interview - Anne Carter



Question
Is there a value in marketing your books using paid advertising?

Answer
“I do believe that print advertising is no longer very effective in the book marketing world. I once paid quite a tidy sum to advertise in Romantic … Magazine and saw virtually no return.”



Source Post
Book Marketing Using Paid Advertising - A Study

Self-published Author Anne Carter @PamRipling (aka Pam Ripling) is an award-winning writer of romantic mysteries, lighthouse fiction and a variety of other works! She is the founder of Murder, We Wrote.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Maree Ward-Russell - Problems with Free Book Promotion

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Maree Ward Russell

Author Genre: Young Adult, Mystery & Thrillers, Teen Fiction & Fantasy

Author's Blog: M.W. Russell Author
Website: M.W. Russell Author
Twitter: @mibbymw
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: maree@belleza.co.nz
Spotlight Author Interview - Maree Ward Russell



Question
Have you had any problems with your free book promotions?

Answer
My only experience has been with KDP direct … My goal was to get myself ‘out there’ in terms of people getting to know me. At first it went well with 2000 downloads in the first 2 days. Problem is if you give that many copies away free, there is no incentive to buy and I found I had a slump in sales straight after.



Source Post
Free Books: Give it away. Just give it away.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only. Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Diane Capri - Boxed Sets Gain Marketing Exposure

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Diane Capri

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Diane Capri - Behind the Book
Website: Diane Capri - Licensed to Thrill
Twitter: @DianeCapri
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Spotlight Author Interview - Diane Capri



Question
Why did you bundle several of your novels into the Licensed to Thrill Boxed Set?

Answer
Idea: “Convenience is probably the number one reason readers choose sets instead of buying books individually. Readers who enjoy reading an entire series like having all the books together in one file on their eReaders, which makes the individual books easier to find and also easier to read in order of publication.”

Objective: “Every decision I make about marketing my work is always about serving readers, so I arranged to publish the sets in groups that would appeal to them. I included bonus content and priced the sets below the cost of purchasing the books individually. More titles increase author visibility on the various retail sites; sets make it easier for readers to find my work in all formats.”

Results: “Set buyers are a smaller audience segment so sets are not as popular as individual books and don't sell as many copies. But for readers looking for the full series at a great price, sets are an ideal solution for both of us.”



Licensed to Thrill - A Diane Capri Mystery Thriller Sampler




Order the Book From: Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble


Source Post
Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are Gaining Exposure and Sales

Spotlight on #1 Amazon Bestselling Author Diane Capri @DianeCapri is the author of The Hunt for Reacher series.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum.
HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Laurel A. Rockefeller - Importance of Twitter and Social Media Relationships

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Laurel A. Rockefeller

Author Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery

Author Page: USA Amazon Author Page
Author Page: Barnes and Noble Author Page
Twitter: @laurelworlds
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: peersofbeinan@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Spotlight Author Interview - Laurel A. Rockefeller



Question
How important has Twitter (8500+) and your social media relationships been to your success?

Answer
Excellent question. Like most authors, I use a combination of social media platforms. Across 2013, I focused on GoodReads. But after giving away about 100 copies of my books and receiving only a handful of reviews in return, I found that GoodReads was not the best fit for me -- though certainly my books are there -- usually with outdated covers.

In 2014 I discovered that Twitter gives me the best possible chance to talk to readers and network with other professionals. I know a lot of people prefer facebook for that, but I love how twitter gives me instant engagement without getting bogged down and buried like these other methods you mention. That is especially important to me because I am sight-impaired and find many of these other platforms difficult to use. When I read, it is usually audio books, not print, if that gives you any idea there.

As for how I built my twitter following, I would say a good 30% of my followers have come through follow for follow programs such as Gunner Angel Lawrence runs on facebook from time to time. If you are unfamiliar with those, it basically involves networking events where people share their twitter ids and everyone follows everyone else attending the event.

Once my following reached about three thousand followers, I found that twitter organically brought the rest to me. Whenever I can, I will do follow for follow -- unless the other person posts certain objectionable content (graphic sex, graphic violence, profanity, religious material). So follow me at @laurelworlds and there is a good chance you will get a follow back!



Source Post
Laurel A. Rockefeller - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Steven Konkoly - Using a Reader List with Your Book Launch

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Steven Konkoly

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Literature & Fiction

Website: Steven Konkoly - Thriller Fiction
Twitter: @stevenkonkoly
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: stevenkonkoly@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Spotlight Author Interview - Steven Konkoly



Question
How do you approach the launch of your books?

Answer
I approach my book launches a little differently now. Having built a solid readership, I rely heavily on their support in the beginning… For me, leaning on my reader list has been the most effective. Another important aspect of maintaining a dedicated reader list, is the sheer number of reviews they can generate within the first month.



Source Post
Your Book Launch: Marketing Methods and Ideas Used by Outstanding Authors – A Study

Steven Konkoly @stevenkonkoly is the Author of the apocalyptic thriller, The Jakarta Pandemic, and gritty covert-ops series, Black Flagged.



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only. Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum. HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014

Marla Madison- Building a Good Following in Social Media

Top Shelf Author Advice is a collection of comments made by a group of outstanding authors during Author Interviews and Studies presented by HBSystems Publications. Today's advice comes from:


Marla Madison

Author Genre: Suspense, Mystery & Thrillers

Author's Blog: Marla Madison
Twitter: @MarlaAMadison
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
E-Mail: mam887@gmail.com
Google+: Check Out Google+
Spotlight Author Interview - Marla Madison



Question
How did you build your good following in social media?

Answer
My social platform was driving me wild until I read an eBook called, Blog and Tweet – How to Make a Splash Online. Now, I know it’s possible to find a book that will support any point of view on any topic, but this book spoke to me. I was frustrated by trying to do everything. I enjoy using twitter because it’s manageable and I like blogging because it allows me to speak to my audience. So this book’s advice relieved me from a lot of needless pressure. I’ve signed up and have a presence in other forums, but Twitter and my blog are my main efforts. As far as how I built them? With time, experimentation, and patience.



Source Post
Marla Madison - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight



Author Recommended by: James Moushon, a Mystery Writer and writing industry blogger and HBSystems Publications, a Publisher of ebooks and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
Top Shelf Author Advice
eBook Author’s Corner
HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the comments or advice discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.

Permission from the author is required via email to publish this information. It is not a group, subscription or forum.
HBSystems Publications Copyright 2014