Up close And Personal With Kay Nichols.

Hello Kay Nichols, and welcome to Authopublisher.com. It’s nice to have you with us. You are a self published author, tell us what your book is called and what is it about?

I actually have three self-published novels – SOULS, The Haunted, and The Judge. 

SOULS is what I call a “dark fiction” novel.  I mixed paranormal fiction with a bit of religious theory and a touch of sarcastic humor.  SOULS explores the possibility that our souls do not need to wait until death to leave our physical body.  The main character, Jane, must attempt to reunite lost souls with their physical counterparts with the aid of dearest friend, who is not even able to see the lost soul Jane has been tasked with helping.  After many years of helping other lost souls, Jane finds herself separated from her soul.  As she struggles to answer the questions of what a person is without a soul and whether she willing to do what is necessary to reunite with her soul, she must also protect her soul from paranormal entities looking to harness the power of lost souls.

The Haunted and The Judge are the first and second books in a three-part series.  These novels have everything a lover of paranormal fiction would be looking for in a ghost story.  The series follows the adventures of a paranormal investigation team.  Not every investigation leads them to the unexplained.  However, when they finally find what they’ve been looking for, it’s almost more than they can handle.

Tell us a little bit about your writing process? What methods do you use to write and how did you make it through the grueling process of writing your book?

I find very little about the writing process to be “grueling.”  I love it!  I never work off of an outline.  I have a vague idea of where I would like the story to go, but it never happens.  At the start of each novel, I create my characters.  A properly developed character will take on a life of their own in a novel.  I simply let the characters take me on their journey.  These people become “real” in my head until the story has finished itself.  I have, on occasion, tried to force them in a different direction only to have the writing fall apart and the story seem unnatural.

I guess my writing process is actually a lack of process!

Explain to us the process you took to get your book published, from formatting your manuscript to preparing it for print all the way to getting an ISBN and the book cover design. 

Publishing a book is not as complicated as it sounds.  I simply utilized the free resources available to me online through lulu.com, amazon.com, and Kindle Direct Publishing.  Each site takes you through the process step-by-step.  And for a girl with as little tech background as me, that is about the easiest route I can go!  In addition to the easy process, each of these sites already have an established customer base.  What better way to reach millions of people?

Did you use the services of a book coach or a self publishing company to help you though the process or did you do it yourself? Tell us about your experiences. 

As I mentioned before, I used the tools available on each of the sites.  The first book I self-published, SOULS, I enlisted the services of a lulu.com coach.  This service comes with a fee.  I do not regret using this service since it gave me the knowledge and confidence I needed to do the following two novels without assistance.  Both Amazon and Lulu will allow you to self-publish without a fee.  Given that a self-published author will not make as much money as one backed by a large publishing house (generally speaking, of course) it is a bonus to keep all your profits to yourself!

What would you do differently with the publishing of your next book?

I continue to subject myself to the grueling process of trying to find an agent or publisher every time I finish a new novel before I self-publish.  Honestly, I never would have gone the self-publishing route had it not been for one publisher (who will remain nameless).  It is too hard to be sure that you have a good book when so many publishers and agents reject the book.  However, I finally had one bite!  They loved my book!  They told me the writing style was simple, but unique.  They laughed at my jokes and were caught up in the story.  And, before my book could be put in print, the economy tanked.  My publisher went under.  And there I sat without a published novel.

This is my long way of answering your question.  I would do nothing differently.  Every book will be submitted to an agent/publisher.  If that fails, I will self-publish.

How did you market your book? Can you share some of your creative/non-conventional ways/secrets on how you sold your book?

I wish I had some creative/non-conventional ways to sell my book!  If you know of any, please share!  J

My marketing plan revolves around the internet.  I use facebook and Twitter to spread the word about book releases, special promotions, and upcoming book signings.  I have to admit that sales boosted once I started using amazon.com and Kindle.  People love a name they can trust.  And, even though I am self-published, the fact they can find my books on Kindle or Amazon makes them all that more desirable.

Share with us the different platforms you use to sell your book (bookstores, signing, affiliate programs, website etc.).

I live in a small town.  Small town vendors like to support local authors.  I took copies of my books into each local store and set up consignment contracts with them.  One book store, Fireside Books in West Bend, asks me in every time I release a new novel for a book signing and book discussion.  The signing/discussion is promoted in the local papers in the community section.

I also use my Twitter and facebook page to direct readers to Amazon, Lulu, and Kindle.

Do you use social media in book promotion, and if so, which platforms work best for you? Can you share some tricks you got making it work for you?

I still cannot figure out Twitter.  I know I have followers.  I tweet on a regular basis.  But I have no idea how to use it better.  I think I need some middle-schooler to give me a tutorial!

That said, I like using facebook.  I know how to post pictures of book covers on facebook to draw the attention of my “friends.”  When I set up my author page, I asked everyone I knew to “suggest” me as a friend to their friends.  One thing led to another and now I am accepting new friends every day.

Care to share some numbers? How many books have you sold to date?

SOULS sold approximately 100 copies.  But, if I am going to honest, my dad bought most of those.  I am pretty sure he gave them away to his friends and forced them to read it!  Can’t deny the power of a father supporting his daughter!

The other two are relatively new (released in the last 4 months) and their numbers are slightly lower.  To estimate, I would say that The Haunted has sold approximately 50 copies and The Judge is at 10 copies.  Considering that SOULS has been out longer (and my dad strong-armed sales), I think these other two will catch up – eventually.

How was your book initially received? Has it been reviewed? What was your response to the reviews?

This question assumes that people are honest when sharing their thoughts with the author – who is also someone they probably know in this case!

SOULS was a love it or hate it book.  I had people tell me they were on the edge of their seats while reading it.  Many said they cried at the end.  A few told me they were not really in love with it and would have liked more paranormal and less thought-provoking theories.

Both The Haunted and The Judge have been well received.  I guess people just love a good ghost story!

SOULS and The Haunted have been reviewed in local papers.  The Judge is currently being read by a book reviewer.  Reviews, so far, have been positive and encouraging.  I can only hope the third will be as well.

How do you handle negative feedback from critics?

I love it!  Seriously, I do.  If everyone told me every time how much they loved every aspect of every book, I would never challenge myself to write an even better one the next time.  It would all be the same story with the same type of characters just rehashed and dressed up differently.  When someone tells me they wanted more action or they felt something was predictable or they didn’t like a character, it helps me fine-tune the next novel.

I must add this disclaimer, though, I only appreciate constructive criticism.  If someone tried to tell me my book was just “dumb” I would be less inclined to improve and more inclined to believe they know nothing of literature considering they could not find a more descriptive word than “dumb.”

(Yes, someone has told me that.  And, yes, I believe they know nothing of literature.)

Where are some of the places where you sell your book besides through book distributors, your website, book stores etc.

My books are currently only available at Fireside Books in West Bend, WI, if not purchased through amazon.com, Kindle, or lulu.com.

I would like to take a moment here and shed a tear for Creekside Books.  They used to carry my books but, sadly, went out of business at the end of the year.

Do have any future projects you’d like to tell us about?

I have the third book in The Haunted series being released in about six months.  (It is currently in the editing process.)

I have an entire list of ideas that I plan on turning into novels in the coming months and years.

I attempted to write a paranormal romance novel.  I failed.  So, don’t expect to see that one any time soon.  Or ever.  Romance is just not my thing apparently.

Thank you for being on Authopublisher, Kay, and I hope to hear from you again!

That rounds up our time today with Kay Nichols. Hope you enjoyed! For more:

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Ivin Viljoen

Ivin Viljoen wrote his first book in 3 days and publishing it in 2 weeks. He has been blogging since 2006 and launched his self publishing blog in 2010 helping a blogger to become an expert. Get your free copy of his Self Publishing Revealed ebook on his blog and sign up for his blog feed

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