A few of my author friends and I have decided to join forces in a blogging challenge. Our A to Z of Writing posts will shine a light on various aspects of being an author. We're kicking this series off with the letter A this week. Please make sure to check out the other blogs for topics such as Authenticity and Anti-Hero:
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
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For many, writing immediately conjures up a form of art, something people might do as a creative hobby. That’s only half of the truth though. If you want to do it right – and if you want to make money from your writing – then there’s more than the artistic side to it, more than the actual writing. You will need to be an authorpreneur and take care of marketing, among other things.
 
What does authorpreneur mean?
 
In short, it stands for an author who also does a lot of things an entrepreneur would do. Authorpreneurs view their books not just as art but also as products. Thus, they promote their sale, act professionally, and tackle marketing. An authorpreneur (to some extent) is business-minded, publishes more than one book, and diligently cultivates an online presence. Authorpreneurship is closely linked to being aware of one’s author brand.
 
What is an author brand?
 
Like with a product brand, it is something people (customers/readers) automatically associate with your name; it makes you stand out. In much the same way that Lindt stands for expensive, sinfully tasty chocolate or Nike stands for trendy, sporty fashion, your author name will stand for a certain type of books. Famous authors like Nora Roberts, J. K. Rowling, Nicholas Sparks or Stephen King are all considered as brands because you immediate recognize their name and know what types of books they stand for. In much the same way, successful author branding will mean that your name causes a certain emotional resonance, conjures up certain images and hopefully acts as a buying impulse. Achieving this is key in authorpreneurship.
 
Why is it necessary?
 
The stronger your presence, the more fine-tuned to your readership and the more convincing your marketing, the better your sales. And as an authorpreneur, sales are as important to you as exposure and expressing yourself, as well as relying on self-publishing (or going the traditional route). If seeing a cover of yours or hearing a title of yours is a ‘light bulb’ moment for readers and is tied to certain emotional reactions, it might cause a buying impulse. As an authorpreneur, by the way, you should keep informed about latest trends, about your competitors, about readers’ demands and publishing opportunities. If you’re informed, you can act professionally and proactively.
 
The graphic aspects
 
Some people think it’s enough to have a beautiful logo or write your name on the cover in a certain way. While this is certainly beneficial to your visibility and credibility as an author, it is only one aspect of many. That being said, the visual presentation does play an important role. Just like a company has a corporate image that will be reflected in all advertising and to which all marketing campaigns are tailored, your author brand should reflect in your covers and social media posts. Keep the style the same, evoke the same emotions. Do you write fun, lighthearted, sweet romance? Do you focus on witches? Do you excel at fast-paced thrillers set in exotic locations? Pick one aspect (or one per series). This aspect should come across in your covers and images used on blogs and social media too. It can also be condensed into a tagline (romance with a heart, for example) and mentioned in your author bio. If people come to associate black and white graphics with a certain colourful font or a woman with a weapon with your books, then they will automatically think of you when they see them online, and make the connection to your books. Like entrepreneurs, authorpreneurs need to see their venture into the publishing world as a start-up, build a reader base, do some networking, etc.
 
How to be a successful authorpreneur
 
Ideally, you identify your (potential) readers, analyze your writing, and create an author persona that takes both these aspects into consideration. Be consistent once you’ve established what works. Even if you write in various genres, remember your USP (unique selling point) and highlight it in all your works and promotions. Stick to the same branding on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, website, etc. Even on printed matter if you have it, like posters, business cards or bookmarks.
 
Being an authorpreneur is about recognition, and about making a promise to a customer, and that message needs to be delivered. Even if you don’t deliberately think of your author behaviour, you’re leaving an impression just by posting online and publishing your books. So why not sit down and think of exactly what you want to stand for and how to attract readers? Find your author personality, make it yours, and in turn make readers and bloggers connect with you. We all know from experience how brand loyalty can lead to buying products in all other aspects of life… For additional advice, you might want to check out this blog post.

​Troubles & Crimes to be solved
Xavier’s dead great-grandmother wants Vic to solve a crime
A Despicable Crime
(The Attempted Abduction of Xavier’s Mother)
A Painful Conclusion
The Improvement of Crime Lords
A Gift Returned

The Adventures of Xavier and Vic #9: A Despicable Crime
By Liza O’Connor

Family contacts that Xavier Thorn has long ago hidden from his life suddenly return.  His beloved great-grandmother, which his father had declared dead when Xavier was six, turns out to be alive and annoyed that his father is stealing money from her bank account and the bank won’t stop him.
As matters escalate from theft to murder to a most despicable crime, Xavier learns more about his father who has hated him all his life and discovers some good news. However, first, he must secure his great-grandmother and his mother, since the connection between the two ladies and Xavier has become known to several Crime Lords. As the man responsible for keeping all Crime Lords in line, the two ladies are now in danger of becoming hostages.
It’s a hard month for Vic. Due to saying too much while teaching the Scotland Yard officers on how to stop forgeries, Vic believes she has lost Xavier’s love. Also, her crazy sister Claire burns down the house Claire lives in simply because it cannot be put into her name. Then she arrives at Xavier and Vic’s house with the intention of killing them all.
Family can be so difficult!
​

​AMAZON

Vivian laughed. “You are such a delightful young man. No wonder my great-grandson thinks so highly of you!”
Xavier’s forehead wrinkled. “I’ve thought you dead since I was six, and you’ve never met Victor before today, so how could you possibly conclude that I think highly of the fellow?”
“Let me first say I am glad I am not dead and that we have reconnected, Xavier. For you have always been dear to my heart. However, to your objection, I’ll have you know I have an excellent sense of smell. And like you and Victor, I have excellent deduction skills. You not only think well of Victor, but I dare say you love her.” She then turned to Vic. “Living one’s life as a man definitely has its advantages. But it must be a difficult secret to keep from the world.”
Vic contemplated denying her true gender, but she could not lie to this dear woman. “Not as hard as you might expect,” Vic admitted. “I have a very loyal staff. “We even have two sons, one that nearly killed me during his birth, and the other I rescued from a baby farmer.”
“May I meet them?” Vivian asked.
“Of course! Our home is right across the street,” Vic assured her.
Xavier hugged his great-grandmother. “Thank you, Vivian, for being the same tolerant, loving woman I treasured as a child.”
 
Book 9
A Despicable Crime
Free for KU Readers
 
Need to catch up?
Book 1
The Troublesome Apprentice
 
Book 2
The Missing Partner
 
Book 2.5
A Right to Love
Book 3
The Mesmerist
Book 4
Well Kept Secrets
Book 5
Pack of Trouble
Book 6
The Darkest Days
 
Book 7
The CrimeLords’ War
 
Book 8
Toxic Diamonds
 
All Xavier & Vic books are Free with Amazon Unlimited
​

Liza O’Connor was raised badly by feral cats, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved nicely. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous books. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.
You have been warned.

The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Sleuth series: (Late Victorian/Mystery/Romance)

The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman.
The Missing Partner — Opps! The greatest sleuth in Victorian England goes missing, leaving Vic to rescue him, a suffragette, and about 100 servants. Not to mention an eviscerating cat. Yes, let’s not mention the cat.
A Right to Love — A romantic detour for Jacko. Want to see how amply rewarded Jacko was when he & Vic save an old woman from Bedlam?
The Mesmerist — The Mesmerist can control people from afar and make them murder for her. Worse yet, Xavier Thorn has fallen under her spell.
Well Kept Secrets — The problems with secrets is that they always come to light, no matter how you wish to silence them.
Pack of Trouble — Changes are a part of life, but these changes almost kill Vic.
The Darkest Days — Muddled cases make Vic very grumpy.
The CrimeLords’ War — Vic is almost killed twice as she tries to prevent a CrimeLords’ War, stop a female Russian spy, and locate Xavier.
Toxic Diamonds -- The Queen’s Diamonds have been stolen, Director Stone of Scotland Yard is missing, and there is a toxic gas that may kill hundreds of Londoners.
A Despicable Crime — Just when you think Crime Lords cannot behave worse, they step up their game, and I’m sorry to report that Xavier’s father caused this debacle.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
LIZA O'CONNOR’S MANY BOOKS
Investigate these sites:
Liza's Blog and Website   Facebook   Twitter
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Genre: Women’s fiction/historical/romance
Approximate number of pages: 295
Release Date: 3RD September 2018
 
When three sisters, Ginny, Sally and Molly are brought together at their father’s hospital bed, they are forced to confront not only the prospect of a future without him but also the secrets of the past that have kept them apart.
Their father, Eddie Matthews, drugged up on morphine, seems to be rambling but could he in fact be reliving previous lives as a Tudor monk and as a soldier on the Front in WW1? Struggling to speak he reveals that he has a secret and urges his daughters to ‘Find Rose’. Can the sisters put aside their differences to fulfil his last wish?
 
EXTRACT
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“So, how is he today?” Sally asked the nurse.
“Bit of a rough night but as you can see, he’s quite comfortable now. He might be out of it a bit when he wakes up because of the morphine. Oh, and he keeps asking for his brother, William. Do you know if he would be able to visit?”
Sally looked at the nurse, confused, “Oh he hasn’t got a brother.”
“Probably the effects of the morphine then; nothing to worry about. You’ll find a lot of what they say at this stage doesn’t always make a lot of sense.”
The nurse was busy so Sally took the opportunity to grab a coffee whilst her dad dozed.
She made her way up to the top floor where there was a very nice café. As she nursed her cappuccino, the nurse’s words kept ringing in her ears. How odd that dad was asking after a brother. As far as she knew, the only William in the family was her grandfather, her dad’s dad, and he’d died when she was a baby so she had no recollection of him at all. What if there’d been an older brother though, named after him? That would make sense as people often named the first son after the father. Odd that nobody had ever mentioned it before if there was a brother. She finished her drink and put it to the back of her mind. The nurse was probably right and the drugs were making his mind wander. He was no doubt thinking about his own dad.
Hearing her phone ring, she checked to see who was calling. They didn’t seem to mind you having phones on in this hospital, as long as they didn’t need to use any sensitive equipment. Even the nurses used them on the quiet. She glanced at the handset, pleased to see her husband Damian’s name flash up.  With three kids and her father in hospital, she really needed his support now more than ever.
“Hi babe,” she began.
“Hiya.”
There was a pause before he continued, “How’s your dad?”
“Not much change to be honest. They don’t know if he’s got days or weeks …look, about last night, I’m sorry if I snapped.”
“I’m not ringing about last night.”
“Oh?”
“Things are just not working out between us , babe.”
“I know I’ve been a bit short-tempered lately but I’ve apologized for that. I’m on edge all the time because my dad is bloody dying..”
“I think we need a bit of time apart. Time to take stock.”
“What, you mean a kind of trial separation?’
“I’m sorry babe but I’m moving out. In fact, I’ve taken most of my stuff this morning.”
Sally felt her stomach turn to ice as he dropped the bombshell. It was clear that it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. If he’d taken his stuff then he already had a place to stay.
“Could we at least talk about this? What about the kids?”
“I’ll come round at teatime, okay?”
Before she had time to reply, he’d hung up. It seemed as if he’d moved on as well as moved out she thought. He hadn’t said he’d be home at tea time, rather he’d come round.
 Admittedly she’d been distant of late. It was the only way she could cope but she had had no idea that things were quite so bad. She crossed her fingers hoping that he’d come to his senses and this was just a temporary blip in their marriage.
As she went back onto the ward, she saw that both her sisters were in attendance, one at each side of dad. Neither of them looked at the other and the hostility between them was palpable. She took up her usual position at the foot of the bed as she tried to put a brave face on things and pretend that everything was alright.. She knew that if Ginny mentioned one more time that she shouldn’t cry in front of dad, she would end up doing just that. Whereas she was emotional, Ginny was detached and totally in control. Molly was the dark horse. You never quite knew where you were with her.
“He’s been rambling again, Molly said, “something about the bin men being early.”
“The nurse did say that might happen after the drugs they gave him if you remember,” Sally replied.
“Right well, how about we grab a coffee?” Ginny said.
“You two go if you like, I’ve just had one.”
“I’m ok too.” Molly replied somewhat abruptly, then added, “I’m off to the loo,”
“As the two of them left, a sense of peacefulness came over the room, broken only by the raspy sound of dad breathing and the electronic hum from the machines. Sally settled down with a book. So far, she’d read the same page three times, unable to really focus on the words. She put the book down and gazed out of the window over the rooftops of the different hospital buildings. Just then the hydraulic bed gave a hiss of escaping air,
“Bloody bin men,” dad muttered in his sleep.
Sally couldn’t help smiling to herself. Dad still had all his marbles it seemed. No doubt the morphine did mean he was a bit out of it but she could see now that the hydraulics used on the bed to prevent bed sores did sound just like the bin men lifting the bins up on the hydraulic lift. She held his hand, stroking the back of it lightly, wondering for just how much longer she’d be able to do that.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GZZPYQX/

Julie Ryan’s roots are in a small mining village in South Yorkshire. After a degree in French Language and Literature, wanderlust kicked in and she lived and worked in France, Poland, Thailand and Greece. Her spirit enriched, her imagination fired, Julie started a series of mystery romances, thrillers set in the Greek Isles. 

In a new venture, Julie's latest book is a contemporary novel with a strong historical element encompassing both the Tudor Court and the battlefields of WW1. ‘Finding Rose’ was inspired by her grandfather’s story and by losing her own father.
 
A prolific and well-known book review blogger, Julie does her writing and reviewing from rural Gloucestershire, where she lives with her husband, son and dippy cat. An absolute bookaholic, she will soon be looking to relocate to a mansion on the scale of Buckingham Palace.
 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Julieryanauthor
Twitter: @julieryan18
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/458168.Julie_Ryan
Instagram: Julie2253
Blog: http://www.allthingsbookie.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.julieryanbooks.blogspot.com
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Introducing Mita – the spirited female lead in Reet Singh’s "Take One Fake Fiancé"

'I won't do it, Mama.' Mita glared at her mother through eyes as black as thunder clouds. 'You'll have to be the one to tell Uncle Raja. I refuse to speak to your interfering brother.'
She fled the room before her mother could get a word in, and left behind a faint bouquet of jasmine, a strong whiff of displeasure, and a distraught mother. The front door banged loudly, its old timber creaking in protest at such ill-treatment and Radhika sank into the nearest chair.
Would her only child shun marriage forever? It wasn't fair to blame Mita's father, Deepak, but if he hadn't died so young, his daughter would have had a firm hand to tame her temper.
Flouncing off like that, when all my brother wants is for her to meet up with a boy from a nice family.
Sighing deeply, Radhika waited, knowing that her daughter would be back to apologize for her tantrum. She was too hot-headed for her own good, but her heart was in the right place. In that she was just like her father…
​

Mita Ramphul is single and fancy-free – and she wants to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Living and working on the idyllic island of Mauritius is the stuff dreams are made of – until she bumps into a man who threatens to destroy it all.
Tanay Devkumar is cynical and shuttered – events in his past have cast a long and deep shadow. Convinced that Mita Ramphul represents a threat to his sister’s happiness, he seeks her out, determined to block her nefarious plans.
They meet in circumstances that can only be described as hostile – suspicions abound and resentments flare on both sides, even as attraction simmers beneath the surface. A series of disastrous events follow and they are compelled to pretend that they are in love and wish to marry.
It is meant to be a temporary engagement – but will Mita be able to resist her fake fiancé or will his scorching kisses make her yearn for something more permanent?
 
BUY LINKS:
India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07GYL6GS9
USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GYL6GS9
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GYL6GS9
Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07GYL6GS9 

Originally published as “Scorched by His Fire” by Harlequin/Mills & Boon in 2014 | Take One Fake Fiancé is a refurbished, revamped, remodelled, updated version of Scorched and is available on Kindle.
​
BY THE WAY: That’s Mita and Tanay on the cover.
Want to meet Tanay?
Paromita Goswami is hosting him in all his sexiness!
How do Mita and Tanay meet?
Find out on Ruchi Singh’s blog
What do Tanay and Mita do when they think their creator - Reet Singh - isn’t watching?
Visit Adite Banerjie’s blog for a shocker!
Mita and Tanay manage to share a stolen kiss
on Preethi Venugopala’s blog
The strangest thing happens: Mita from ‘Take One Fake Fiancé’ meets Mohini from ‘No Escape from Love’ on Saiswaroopa Iyer’s blog

Finally, here’s  Reet Singh - she’s in party mode because her cover’s done and she loves it!
​Look her up – she usually hangs out on her website, on twitter, or on facebook

Now that's definitely a book I can get behind - not just because it was written by a certified 'crazy cat lady' but because I'm one too. And just look at that cute cover!
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​Title: Crazy Cat Lady Finds Love

Genre: Romance/Romantic Comedy

Length: 62 pages (novella)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Crazy-Cat-Lady-Finds-Love-ebook/dp/B07G8KC9XG

Blurb:

She's a member of the Crazy Cat Ladies Club.

Her life is all about cats and the cat ladies.

Until the purrfect cat man comes along... 

Excerpt: 

Would Navin think I was pretty? Would he hold my hand? Maybe he would kiss me if we got some privacy?
“Too many questions, Sue,” I told myself, as the cab rolled on.
Navin sent me a text saying he would be at the café in 15 minutes. He added another text saying he couldn’t wait to meet me finally. Aww. Genuine excitement or was he being polite? I wasn’t the insecure kind but this online dating thing just filled relationships with so much mystery. Never tried it in my 20s.
The Crazy Cat Ladies Club group had three messages; one from each of the ladies, telling me to relax and give them details after he left. I wrote back asking Sunita to let us know about Vivek’s visit that night too. She replied: I will. Sigh.
Turning off my mobile data, I felt my stomach churn as we pulled up at my destination. There stood my date, dressed immaculately in a polo neck tee and dark jeans, feeding a street dog biscuits. The dog wagged his tail and Navin’s eyes said it all – he had the same look in them that I’d seen in my friends’ eyes when we were with animals. Love. It was pure, beautiful love.

What Amazon readers are saying:

"The author has a wry observational voice that makes me chuckle every time I read her. The cats are cute too and the dude is extra cute! Five full stars."

"Along with men trouble, dating issues, canine problems, and Cat man, Navin, this book makes the perfect satisfying read for pet lovers and others, alike. if you haven't considered keeping a pet, you may be tempted to after reading this. very refreshing and a fun great read!"
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​Sudesna or Sue, is a multi-genre author based in Kolkata, India. She has penned My Singapore Fling, A Perfect New York Christmas, Can a Fat Girl Get a First Kiss? and many other books. Her short stories have been published in magazines across India. When she isn't reading or writing, you can find her trying to keep her rescue cats happy.

Series: Westfield village series #3
Genre: romantic fiction
Release Date: 10th August 2018
Publisher: HQ Digital
 
Maria is ready to say 'yes' to the dress!

As owner of Happy Ever After, Maria Mallory is Westfield's resident wedding planner, spending her days making dreams come true for future brides.
Maria even has her own perfect day planned out too, she just needs to find the right man. So when she falls in love with local celeb Darcy Burgess she can't believe her luck – it was finally her turn for her Happy Ever After. Or so she thought.
Jilted at the altar, Maria can't believe that her fairytale ending hasn't come true. She's ready to give up on love once and for all. But little does she know that once you stop looking for it, love has a way of surprising you…

A laugh-out-loud romance, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Tilly Tennant.
 
 
EXTRACT

Two hours later, Maria found herself in Harrogate, squeezed into the red dress, heels pinching her feet, wondering why the hell she wasn't sat on Cass's couch eating ice cream and crying. She said the same to Cass as they walked on tottering heels to the nearest trendy bar, Ice, in the wine bar and posh eatery part of Harrogate's city centre, which, coincidentally, butted up against the legal quarter of Harrogate, and no doubt the two sides kept each other in business quite well too. Walking into Ice with Cassie, it was hard to ignore the stares that her friend attracted. Cassie Welburn was always tanned thanks to her meticulous salon treatments, plucked and shaped to perfection, and tonight, as usual, was dressed to kill. Even Maria's daring red dress looked tame in light of Cassie's black and silver dress, slashed to the thigh, combined with sparkly silver heels that make Cassie even taller than her just under six foot frame. Maria blushed and nudged Cass's elbow with her own.
"People are staring Cass." Cassie shrugged.
"Let them stare, girl. Don't worry, I've got your back." Maria belatedly realised that tonight, thanks to that ridiculous article, the stares may indeed be for her and not her glamorous friend. She cringed inwardly, and planted a smile on her face.  She took her friend by the arm, and pushing her boobs out and her chin up, she headed to the bar. "Let's get smashed," she declared.

BUY LINK
Amazon UK - https://goo.gl/5EgXqB
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I am a writer and teacher, living in West Yorkshire with my husband, our two sons, and our furry pets.

In July 2015, I won the Prima magazine and Mills & Boon Flirty Fiction Competition, with my entry, The Chic Boutique on Baker Street, out now in ebook and paperback. The Flower Shop on Foxley Street followed this in 2017 and both books hit the Amazon top 200. Chic Boutique got to #2 in the rural life humour chart and is regularly in the top 100 of that chart.

I am the winner of the Writers Bureau Writer of the Year Award in 2016 and I have had work published in the UK and overseas in various magazines.

My next book, The Long Walk Back, is out in January 2018 and I am currently writing the last book in the Westfield series. My first book with Manatee Books, Nice Guys Finish Lonely, is out in April 2018 in ebook and paperback. I love to write romantic fiction, both rom-com and harder hitting women's fiction.

I am also a post 16 teacher and am undertaking an MA in Creative Writing at Teesside University.

I love to chat on twitter so come say hi! @writerdove

I also run a blog (very occasionally these days): racheldoveauthor@wordpress.com
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelDoveauthor/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterDove
Goodreads Author Page: https://goo.gl/CPJkbr​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerdove/
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RachelDovewriter
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