Promotional Interview with S L Connors

You have been invited to share you experience with our readers.

Name: S.L. Connors, Author

Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know)
I am a Jersey Girl at heart. I was born and raised in South Jersey and spent my summers hanging around the Jersey shore. It only made sense that I would pick up and move to South Florida and have been here and loving it over twenty years now.

I began my writing interest at a very young age-11 to be exact. I took writing classes in grammar school as well as Journalism and Creative Writing classes in high school, but soon life’s challenges and the need to make a living pulled me away from my creative side. Life kept me busy for quite some time. I picked up my writing again a mere eight years ago after loosing my beloved father and my very much loved Sheltie, Kazzy, both to cancer in the year 2000. I wrote to get through my heartbreaking losses. In February of, I believe, 2001 I joined Writopia’s Writers’ Village University(www.writersvillage.com) and my fate was sealed. I’ve written, critiqued peers, and have worked in editing ever since.

When I’m not working in some form of the craft, I enjoy home life with my husband of twenty-five years and my Sheltie, GypsyLee. I love gardening, fishkeeping, reading(dark fantasy and crime suspense best of all), and the outdoors. Music is on top of my list, as well.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I’d participated in WVU’s F2K free writing class late in the year 2000 prior to joining the WVU. My first novel was born of a characterization lesson where we had to characterize a person in an interview scenario. I loved the character so much I decided to write a novel around her and the scene I’d written for the class.

How many books have you written? Three and two halves *grin*

How do you decide on their topic?
I go with whatever comes to mind. I don’t really sit down and think about what I’m going to write. I write when an idea, character, or situation nags at me.

What works best to keep you focused and on track? Believe it or not, the band Linkin Park was a great motivator through writing Dancing on the Edge. The lyrics seemed to parallel the mood of the story.

I basically go with the flow. Once I get into a story deep enough it seems the characters are instrumental in moving things forward, so I guess I can say the motivational force is to see where they will take the story next.

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?
I write because I love it. It’s my stress release. It allows me to escape to my imaginary worlds. I can live through my characters adventures. Or just hang out with them like you would with friends. C’mon, we writers all know that once a character comes alive it is rather tough to control them. They will take over and the story is inevitably much better because of it.

What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)? This is probably the weakest link for me. I would rather just write, but I did make an effort to do some marketing for Dancing on the Edge. I had very nice and expensive announcement cards made up and sent maybe two to three hundred out and found that many of them didn’t make their destinations. I use my websites and have given peers mention on my sites, so I could gain mention on theirs. Word of mouth is a big tool. I tell everyone I possibly can and hand them some of those expensive cards that I seem to still have copious amounts. A lesson learned I’m sure. Next time I’m going with much less in the quantity department. Quality is always a concern. They really are very pretty.*grin*

I’ve contacted with the local library system but due to cut backs the only thing they could suggest is donation, which isn’t a bad thing and something I have to consider. I’m also considering doing some workshops at the local libraries, schools, and other interested groups. I’ve also contacted local newspapers to no avail. I have contacts with the local Barnes & Noble to discuss ways of getting my book on their shelves, and have emailed book sellers all over my state with mailers. Though it’s a slow process to make a name in this venue, I trudge slowly forward and take advantage of any opportunity I can.

What are some unique methods? See above.

Do you sell through a website? I link the interested party to the purchase sites.

Do you plan on writing additional books? Oh yeah! Lots?

Interview Presented By
Nikki Leigh - Author of Book Promo 101
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm