*This breakdown of SP basics isn't exclusive to romance—all types of genres can benefit from it—but romance and erotica authors may get more value since this & future posts reflect my experience as a romance writer.

Once in a while, I'll get a question about how I self-publish my books. It's tough, because there are so many aspects to this process, from craft to business and everything in between. Which is basically the idea behind being self-published—I have creative and decision-making freedom, but I also don't have anyone, well... making decisions for me. So when I got a tweet from Kamrun N. asking for advice on self-publishing, I knew I couldn't possibly give her anything valuable in a simple tweet. After some thought and a long e-mail, I decided there were probably others who could use this information. Luckily, Kamrun agreed to let me post our exchange. So, whether you've already written your first book, are in the throes of your literary debut or if you're just toying with the idea of self-publishing, here's a few things to consider and some tips you can take action on right now. (In a hurry? I've bullet-pointed 5 action steps at the bottom.)

My response? Oh, something along the lines of "My head might explode trying to distill almost three years of information into 140 characters."

Kamrun (and, now, all interested parties)--

Congrats on taking this leap! I know deciding between self- and traditional-publishing can be difficult, but I've been writing and publishing my own romance for about 2.5 years, and I've never looked back. I learn something new every day. Since I don't know where you're at in the process or what you're hoping to accomplish, I'll mostly cover the business side of self-publishing. I'm assuming, with the advice I'm about to give, that you want to a) find people to actually read your work and b) earn income from your writing.

I think the first and most important thing to recognize about self publishing for income, no matter where you are in the process, is that it's a business. I like to joke that writing the actual manuscript is the easy part. I can only speak from my experience and the observation of those around me, but aside from a few outliers, building an audience won't happen overnight; it takes time and work. Basically, you have no one to rely on but yourself—because you are the publisher. Fortunately, there are many books, podcasts, communities and websites out there to help, and I’ll link to some that've helped me at the end of this post.

So where do you even begin if you want people to see your work? Social media is a great place to dip your toes into the marketing/promotion pool because it's free (unless you put a price on 'writing time,' which is something you should do once you're up & running). So, okay, if you're like,

I know. Guess what? You're not alone. A lot of us are introverts by nature, but even if you're not, that doesn't mean you want to run around telling everyone how well you manipulate the English language. We are writers first, not marketers. But for better or worse, it will benefit you in the long run to recognize now that in any market, especially a saturated one, you can't sit by the sidelines and hope for the best. Start creating your online presence today—even if your book isn't finished yet. The more interested parties you have when you hit publish, the better. And I promise, the kind of self-promotion that gets you ahead in the romance genre is not the terrible kind that might immediately come to mind. Once you see that it's more about connecting with existing and potential readers (something I'll go into depth on in a later post) instead of trying to get people to buy something they don't want, it can actually be fun. Later on, you can decide if there's a better way for you, but this is the quickest and cheapest way for most people to see if there's interest out there without investing a lot.

Here are some actions you can take right now that'll cost you nothing but a few minutes: sign up for a Twitter account and a Facebook Page (this is different than your everyday Facebook account). Then, start a mailing list. Add the sign-up link to any teasers, excerpts or promotion you do. On release day, send out a blast. When a platform like Amazon sees early interest in your book, it likes that. It wants to help you help them by putting it in front of even more people. Only managed to snag 10 emails by the big day? That’s 10 more potential sales than you have right now. A mailing list is a great selling tool that gives you some control over marketing your product.

Now that you've got a little marketing set-up going, let's take a look at your book. If you're at the very start of self-publishing, here are some links to start familiarizing yourself with (if you’re not, skip ahead 1-2 paragraphs):

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which is Amazon's digital self-pub platform. Other platforms to look at for digital publishing (unless you're enrolling in Kindle Unlimited, which is a whole other topic), are Barnes & Noble (nookpress.com), Kobo (Kobo Writing Life), iBooks, and Google Play. Authors also have the option of going through a distributor like Draft2Digital, Smashwords or Book Country to knock out most of these all at once. For a percent of your profits (typically 10-15%), you can upload one document to their system and they'll format it for most of those platforms and more (costs and available platforms vary by distributor, which I'll cover in another post).


For paperbacks, I use Createspace, an Amazon subsidiary, which is fairly straightforward and provides info on formatting and cover design. Through CS, you sell your paperbacks via Amazon "on demand" so neither you nor Amazon is holding any inventory—the book is only printed when it's ordered by a customer and then it's shipped directly to them. There's no upfront cost (aside from what goes into making a paperback). They take a percentage plus the cost of printing. Easy! (Note: there are options to distribute your on-demand paperbacks to other online retailers as well, such as Barnes and Noble.) Do I sell many paperbacks? No. I'm not in any brick & mortar stores. They are less than 1% of my overall sales. I still recommend taking the time to do it. They make great, physical promotional tools, especially at book signings, and sales is sales, know what I mean? (There's also no feeling like holding your own book in your hand.)

You might be asking—what’s the bottom line? What's self-publishing going to cost me? In my experience—leaving marketing & advertising out of it for now—you can decide what you're willing to learn and what you prefer to outsource. Self-publishing can be less expensive (or cost nearly nothing at all) if you're open to DIY. I taught myself formatting, and I did the covers of my first series, howwwweever I don't really recommend doing either without taking the time to learn to do it well. (Like most things the last couple years, my covers have been through a couple iterations, and the evidence is out there forever.) If I were getting into craft, right about now I'd be brainwashing you about the benefits of hiring an editor, but I'm saving that for another post. This is definitely something you want to add into the budget, though.

What's awesome is that there are a wealth of freelance options available and more cropping up all the time—just make sure to stay smart and do your research. Cover photos typically come from stock photo sites like DepositPhotos (free trial, upper left hand corner), but since self-publishing is a flourishing industry, you do run the risk of stumbling upon your beautiful, unique, took-me-forever-to-find stock photo on another book (or more likely, it's already on one). You also run another risk, the one where you search "sexy couples" and are assaulted by some pretty gnarly visuals that are ANYTHING but sexy. But that's a price you pay for creative freedom... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Many authors these days choose to hire a photographer for custom photo shoots or purchase an exclusive license for an existing stock photo—both of which can be expensive.

And that covers some of the self-publishing basics of how to make money selling ebooks on Amazon, but there’s plenty more out there on the topic and loads to learn. As I said above, every day I encounter something new, from solving the mystery of an unexpected spike in sales to reaching readers looking for romance books about affairs to deciding if adding another social media platform will help or hurt (I'm looking at you, Snapchat).

Have questions about what you've read? Feel free to tweet me @jess_hawk. This was an introductory post for both you & me, but I do intend to write more on a slew of different topics. (And who knows? It could turn into much more. Like, I don't know—a book?) Sign up for my self-publishing mailing list to get notified about new posts. (See what I did there? Putting actionable tip #1 to good use.) Below, I’ve added some of my favorite resources from over the years for those who’d like to dive deeper into what I’ve covered here. Some of them are affiliate links, but I don't recommend anything/one I haven't tried or know other authors are happy using.

Resources
 
Podcasts:
Rocking Self Publishing (beginner-intermediate)
The Creative Penn (intermediate-advanced)
Author Strong
Kobo Writing Life

Books:
APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers

Community:
You can read questions & answers for days here: KDP Community Boards and Kboards.com Writer's Cafe

Websites Worth Exploring:
BookBub Blog
The Creative Penn

Editing/Covers/Promotion:
Recommendations from other authors are a good place to start with this, since my own experience is limited to the books I’ve published. I don't feel completely comfortable recommending editors blindly, but I've listed a few well-known ones below. Comment on this post with what you're looking for—you never know!

For proofreading/copyediting, I use Elance.com which is now UpWork.com
Editors - AdeptEdits, WriteDivas, Unforeseen Editing
Mailing list - Mailchimp (my preferred choice, but there are others)
Website - I'm tech-dense, so I use drag-and-drop website builder Weebly 
Stock photos – DepositPhotos, BigStockPhoto, iStockPhoto
Cover design – CoverIt! Designs (Ari), LM Creations (Louisa), Joshua Jadon
Promotion – The Book Enthusiast (Debra), Love Between the Sheets, IndieSage PR (Nicole)

As promised, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or want to make like milk and skim, here are 5 business-oriented steps you can start now:

1. Sign up for a KDP account, get to know the platform and check out the KDP Community Boards/Kboards I mentioned above. Research Kindle Unlimited before you move on to other platforms.

2. Ask other authors for recommendations on editing, formatting and cover design so you can begin the process outside of writing.

3. During writing downtime, get social media accounts set up. Begin with the platform you're most comfortable with (generally a Facebook Page) and a website. Start paying attention to things like fonts, colors, themes, etc., which will help your cover designer and will also give you some ideas about your brand.

4. Decide if you want to do any kind of pre-release and/or release day promotion (recommended). If you have even a small social following when you hit publish, that helps.

5. Browse through stock photo sites to get ideas for a cover (fun at first, and then really tedious). Who knows? You might get some inspiration for your next book, and you can't put a price on that.

DISCLAIMER! Although I’ve added my personal recommendations to this blog post, I urge you to do your own research and exploration before committing to anything. This post is meant to be a helpful guide for getting started, but what works for me may not work for you.

JH: Louise, welcome to #ScriptFlip! I'm happy to have the chance to get my questions answered about the Lightning series. Have you always written fiction, or did something in particular spur you to write and publish your first book, Faithful?

Louise: Until 2013, I’d not written any fiction since school. I walked out of a job I didn’t like and I knew I wouldn’t find something else straight away so I wanted a task or a goal that would keep me occupied and give me some routine.

When I started Faithful I didn’t tell anyone until I was about half way through the book because before then I had no idea whether I’d give up. At the half way point I realized I could do it and more that I was really enjoying it.

JH: Sounds a lot like my process with Come Undone. I didn't tell anyone I was writing for a while. Jake Harrison from What The Lightning Sees seems to have it all—looks, ambition, humor. Is there one thing all leading men must have in your books? If you can say, who was your inspiration for him?

Louise: I think that all the men in my books have to be man enough to deserve the women they end up with. When I say man enough I mean I think I write men who are grown-ups. They’re not perfect but they’ve got broad shoulders and are determined to win their women round.

I didn’t really have inspiration for real life for Jake. Haven came to me first so Jake had to be man enough for Haven and that takes some doing. What’s nice is that they heal each other but it’s not until Haven that Jake realizes that’s what he needs.

JH: Haven writes for Rallegra, a women’s magazine. If you had her job and her deadline, what topic would you write about right now?

Louise: I would right about the rise in self publishing. People who aren’t readers or writers in the genre still see it as a fringe thing. Someone I know asks me from time to time whether I’m still “vanity publishing”.

JH: Oh, boy. Hard to believe they're not seeing the potential. Where did you come up for the title of What the Lightning Sees?

Louise: The title is taken from the lyrics from the Prince song Raspberry Beret. In the middle eight the song goes “The thunder drowns out what the lightning sees.” I’ve always loved the lyric and I thought it fit Haven and Jake well because I see Jake as being Haven’s lightning. He can light her up like no one can and see parts of her that she keeps hidden from most people.

JH: Haven had a few little quirks that were quite endearing, like constantly smoothing back her hair. What physical gesture gives you away when you’re feeling something specific, like nervous, excited or upset?

I have precisely NO poker face. Everything I’m thinking shows on my face, unfortunately. It’s a problem. I also babble.

JH: [Spoiler alert] Ash doesn’t have much of a filter. What do you think she would’ve said if she’d come face to face with Millie in the final scenes after learning the truth?

Louise: It’s true, Ash doesn’t have much of a filter but I don’t think she’d waste her breath on Millie. If she did, I’m sure she would just offer her a single, withering put down.

JH: Thank you for giving me a glimpse into Brit speak. It was fun getting to know some new colloquialisms. Are there any Americanisms that you find weird or humorous?

Louise: That’s so funny because I work quite hard so there isn’t much Brit speak!

We are so used to Americanisms because of US film and tv being so prevalent in our culture so not many surprise me. But one thing that when I’m in America that always surprises is that I get asked if I’m “all set” all the time. Mainly by waiter and waitresses but it’s so funny because we don’t use the phrase at all. It also suprises me how formal Americans are, particularly in business. In the UK we never address each other as Mr Jones or Mrs Green – even if we’ve never met each other before and would never use madam or sir. Oh and how can I forget “fanny pack” *titters*. Fanny is vagina in the UK. 

JH: Aha! That brings me to my next question! I’ve stalked your page and discovered Ash is getting her story. You know I love a good triangle, but just as much, I am a sucker for unrequited love. Care to share any details of what we can expect?

Louise: I love a stalker, particularly when it’s mutual!

Ash’s book picks up where Lightning finishes so Ash is trying to put some distance between her and Luke so she can hopefully find a love for herself.  We follow her journey. Is that too much of a tease?

JH: That's perfect! Looking forward to getting to know Ash and her filterlessness. (Yes, that's a word.) Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

JH: I'm beyond thrilled to welcome author Lisa Suzanne to the blog today & to have the chance to ask her some questions about her latest series, Vintage (Vols. 1 & 2). Lisa, thanks for indulging me! Have you always written fiction, or did something in particular spur you to write and publish your first series, the He Feels Trilogy?

Lisa: I’ve always written fiction—at least back to high school. I think the first book in the He Feels Trilogy goes back probably fifteen or so years. It wasn’t meant to be a trilogy, but after I published the first book, I had to explore what happened to Travis! And so the series was born.

JH: In your other life, you’re a high school English teacher. What’s your favorite book to discuss with your classes? When kids enter your classroom, what hashtag pops into their head?

Lisa: My top favorite is probably The Great Gatsby, but I also love teaching Into the Wild! As for a hashtag, probably something like #figureitout or #sheisobsessedwithherdog.

JH: Ha! Roxy Price is a complex, layered character. Which of her qualities do you admire most?

Lisa: I love her ability to bounce back. She’s been through a lot, but she’s tough even when she doesn’t want to be. I also love how grounded she is. She could easily get caught up in the world around her, but she remains true to herself.

JH: Completely agree—grounded is a great way to describe Roxy. During both books, I felt like I was right there on tour with Black Shadow. What kind of research went into creating that experience for the reader?

Lisa: I’ve always loved music and attending concerts. I’ve been lucky enough to get front row seats and meet & greet opportunities with some amazing artists. But the one piece of research that stands out the most happened last summer. I scored VIP passes to the Uproar Festival in Tucson from a new member of the band Seether. He and my brother played in a band together in high school, and he not only took us backstage, but he took us on his tour bus. To see a huge tour like that from behind the scenes was an amazing experience that I knew would end up in a book.

JH: That's amazing. Lyrics aren't easy, I'm sure. What’s the scoop on your current work in progress?

Lisa: I’m working on a romantic comedy that is set to release August 27! Not Just another Romance Novel is about Piper, a woman working toward her master’s degree in Psychology. She comes up with a project where she combines her love for romance novels with her passion for psychology. Her social experiment is to date all of the stereotypes in the books to find out which one will lead her to her happy ending. My beta readers are just starting to get back to me with feedback, and so far I’m hearing awesome things! I can’t wait to share this one!

If you enjoyed the interview, be sure to sign up for my mailing list to see more. If this is your first time visiting my page, welcome! You can find my books on Amazon or check out my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest.

With a week at the beach ahead of me, I needed a light-hearted romcom for my sunbathing, and I knew exactly where to find it: author R.S. Grey. Lucky for me, she has a new release that turned out to be everything I was hoping for & more. I laughed. I swooned. I almost lost my Kindle to an aggressive wave. The Allure of Julian Lefray delivers on its promise of comedy and romance, plus it incorporates pop culture, fashion and the ever-so-hot blogosphere. Jo's story is every girl's Cinderella fantasy, except in The Allure of Julian Lefray, the ball is New York Fashion Week and the glass slipper is a vintage Chanel leopard-print flat.

From my review: "It’s clear from the start that Julian Lefray has as much heart as he does wit, and matched with sharp, humorous Jo, the pair keeps readers entertained from page to page."


I had to find out more, so I reached out to R.S. Grey, and she generously took time out of her busy, wedding-planning, book-writing schedule to answer some questions for me... 

JH: FANGIRLING. I mean... welcome, R.S. Grey! First question: have you always written fiction, or did something in particular spur you to write and publish your first book, Behind His Lens?

R.S.: Writing wasn’t a part of my life until a few years ago. I was always an avid reader, especially in my teen years. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for me to take two to three trips to B&N a week back then. My love for reading naturally morphed into a dream of writing my own novel one day. I had a good friend who convinced me to give it a shot and the rest is history!

JH: In The Allure of Julian Lefray, Jo is an in-the-know fashion blogger. Is fashion a passion of yours or did you have to do a lot of research?

R.S.: My guilty pleasure is to follow fashion bloggers on Instagram. My feed is littered with women who are living such glamorous lives (or at least it looks like it!). They served as the inspiration behind Jo.

JH: I love the title. Was it a lightning bolt of genius, or were there other contenders?

R.S.: The title took a little while to come up with. The title was originally The Danger of Julian Lefray, but I later changed it as I realized that there was nothing inherently dangerous about him, haha!

JH: Actually, the chiseled cheekbones/tuxedo combo kills more women a year than genetically-modified dinosaurs. True story, look it up. You design your own covers. Jo scrimps & saves by doing graphics & development for her up-and-coming blog, What Jo Wore. Is there a little of yourself in Josephine, and if so, in what ways?

R.S.: ABSOLUTELY. Before I wrote full time, I worked for a woman who owned a graphic design company. I’d help her with design in the mornings and then nanny for her in the afternoon. It was a fun set-up, but it was definitely a time in my life where I knew I was striving for more.

JH: Jo and Julian are stylish, attractive and kinda goofy. When they enter a room together, what’s their hashtag?

R.S.: HAH! This is a hilarious question. #Blessed <- but they would use it ironically, for sure.

JH: Jo has an unfortunate accident involving a bumpy car ride, too many beers and a face-to-face with Julian’s lap (not the good kind). Any embarrassing moments of your own involving a guy you were dating or interested in?

R.S.: There’s no moment that pops out, but I will say that I am someone who moves first and thinks second, so I’m always tripping over things. It’s seemingly charming, but I end up with a perpetual line of bruises on my shins because of it!

JH: Carter, thanks so much for stopping by the blog today for #ScriptFlip. I absolutely loved The Closer You Get. Have you always written fiction, or did something in particular spur you to write and publish your first book, Not A Chance?

Carter: I’ve always written fiction, but I considered it a guilty pleasure. I’d intended to pursue other avenues in the book industry, but then I read my first romance novel (Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie), and it was like a heavenly light burst forth and illuminated the path to my future. Yes. You heard me right. I’m saying that God wants me to write smut. I ask frequently, “Are you sure God?” So far, he seems pretty certain.

JH: Tell us a little about Rye and Cash Holcomb from The Closer You Get. Were the brothers based on anyone in particular?

Carter: I’m sure they’re composites of people and ideas I’ve encountered throughout my life, but I didn’t have anyone specific in mind. To be honest, I have never known where my characters germinate from. Rye and Cash were born in my mind together, though. They were brothers from the very beginning.

JH: Any fun facts you can share about The Closer You Get?

Carter:

• It’s actually the sixth book in the series in terms of chronology. It just happens to be the first one I finished. Is that weird?
• This and all the books in the Fidelity series are titled after country songs.
• Cash’s traumatic background is based on real events from my hometown back when I was in high school (not exactly a “fun” fact).
• TCYG was rejected by several literary agents who believed the strong male/male side story wouldn’t be marketable in contemporary romance.
  

JH: Cora has a habit of playing herself down, especially with her gorgeous, Amazon-like sisters. Aside from her peek-a-boo dimples, what specifically do you think Rye fell for first (or the hardest)?

Carter: I think he liked when she flipped him off in the restaurant before they go to the bar. She showed some attitude and it caught his attention. She also rejected him, which offered him a challenge. So from that point on, I think he was falling in love with her subliminally. He just had to dig his way out of his own issues before he could really see her and truly appreciate her beauty.

And then because he was gay, my second goal was to make sure he wasn’t treated as a “token” gay character or as a convenient plot device for Rye. I want to buck those trends. (Jessica: Hear, hear!) We’re constantly reading/hearing/saying the mantra, “Love is love.” That’s what I wanted for Cash. For his romance to be romance. I believe gay romance belongs shelved with the mainstream romance. I’m not saying everyone has to like it. We all have preferences. But to be told by our friends, our media, even our Supreme Court that “love is love,” and then to walk into the bookstore and find out that “love is love, but gay love is inherently erotic and kinky and therefore located in that little section over there”…that’s just ridiculous to me. 

JH: Do you have any tips or tricks that get you through dreaded writer’s block?

Carter: I’m the absolute last person who should answer this question. I’m a sloppy, undisciplined writer. When I get blocked on a project I either start a new project or lie around the house in a depressive state checking my temperature trying to find some physiological reason for my malaise. So no. I don’t have any tips.

JH: Can you share anything about what you’re working on now? (Any chance we’ll get more of Franny, Sully, Lyssa and the rest of Fidelity?)

Carter: Sully has caused me some problems. But I am pleased to say that I finally have him figured out and am going strong on his story. I hope to announce a release date in the next month. The title is Play It Again and it does directly follow The Closer You Get. Sully’s been keeping a very big secret for a very long time and, Franny is determined to uncover it. I’m so excited about this one!

It’s my pleasure to welcome Aly of Reading Shy With Aly to today's edition of #ScriptFlip! Aly started RSWA a little over six months ago, because of her love for books. Bloggers & readers: Aly is currently looking for a co-blogger and/or reviewer, and you can find more info here. Authors: Aly is accepting review requests! She is a self-described romantic at heart, but she’s open to all genres except for children’s books, non-fiction, and most erotica. Find her at the blog, Facebook and Twitter.

JH: Welcome to #ScriptFlip, Aly! Lovely to have you on the blog today. For those of us who aren’t familiar with you or Reading Shy (but who will be now!), tell us a little about yourself.

Aly: Well, my name is Aly, I'm twenty years old and I'm a third year university student, majoring in History, and minoring in French and Classics (You do not know how often I've said that. I'm sure I could say it in my sleep if someone asked). Oh and Classics is pretty much history but it's more so ancient history (Greece and Rome) than medieval or renaissance. I'm Canadian and I do not say eh....okay well sometimes I do.

I got started on Reading Shy With Aly because I was reading a book one day and I kept exclaiming over things and trying to discuss it with my friend. But she hadn't read the book yet and I felt myself bursting with all these feels. I'd looked around and seen some book blogs and looking once more I thought, this could be a way to discuss books with others and do something I love. I decided to take a chance and start Reading Shy and so far I've loved it. I've gotten to read a lot of different books and interact with a lot of authors that I don't think I could have read or interacted with before. It's been great and I hope to continue doing this as long as I can.

JH: There's no denying the amazing energy within the book community, from bloggers to readers to authors. I think we all know that feeling of wanting to burst at the seams because of a book! But there might still be some readers nervous about making the leap to blogging. Any advice for them?

Aly: Just do it. Never let the self-doubts and others tell you you can't. I started out, trying to tell myself it wouldn't last because I can't write as perfectly as other people. But once I took the chance it morphed into something that I love. Yes, my reviews aren't perfect and sometimes I need to work on getting some of the things I didn't like about a book out there better but I'm learning and trying to improve as well as doing something I love. So, just jump right in, find a book blog you love or that might need a co-blogger or reviewer, or start up your own. Whatever you feel more comfortable with. And let your voice shine out! 

JH: Great advice! I think the #1 reason to do it is a love for books and the rest will come. Sounds like that was the path for you, but can you pinpoint your favorite part of blogging so far?

Aly: The fact that I've gotten to experience so many new and different books, as well as new authors. There's been some books that honestly I probably wouldn't have picked up or found otherwise. The fact that I've found these great books that I really do love after reading them just makes me feel extremely glad that I started blogging and get this experience.

JH: Okay, but with all those great books out there (and there are a TON), how in the world do you choose your next book to review for RSWA?

Aly: It all depends. If I have book tours or books that have specific times that the review needs to be posted then I'll read those first. Next it just depends on what kind of genre I'm feeling at the time (Romance, Young Adult, New Adult) or what kind of book I've been craving recently (MC, soul mate, etc). Besides that it usually comes down to when I receive requests. I try and keep it in order as best I can and that seems to be the fairest way to go about reviewing them.

JH: You bring up a great point. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a certain type of book and that's the best way to choose what's next. But surely you have your favorites... now, don't get shy on me Aly. Cough up the goods. You're stranded on a desert island with only three books or series... and go!

Aly: Toni Aleo's Assassins' Series, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series and......Shelly Crane's Significance series.......oh my goodness that was so hard! Why did you make me choose???

But yes, Toni Aleo's Assassins' series fills me with joy especially Empty Net (I need a Tate Odddddddeeerrrrrrrr). The hockey and romance and just....sigh.

The Harry Potter series was my childhood go to and I still love reading it at least once a year. It's my favorite series and it probably will be when I'm old and blind.

And now Shelly Crane's Significance series. I just love the whole Soul Mate concept and that series just fills me up with all the sigh-y, goopy, romance feels that make me want that. So while it was a difficult choice I had to put it down. (JH: Hey! I just checked & book 1 is free on Amazon.)
JH: Okay, I know that was tough. Thanks for being a good sport. Now for an easier question... just kidding. This one might be even harder. First I have to know, though—who's your favorite book couple? 

Aly: Right now and for the past few months it's been Tate Odder and Audrey Parker. Tate's the main goalie for the Assassins' in Toni Aleo's Assassins' series. And Audrey is the cupcake making, beautiful, shoe obsessed woman that loves him.

JH: Great. Now I want to know, if you had a chance to steal Tate from Audrey... would you?!

Aly: This is actually really hard. Because I feel like I kind of would.... because Tate is sweet and adorable and I wish I could find a guy like him. And he and Audrey are perfect for each other...plus I don't want to be that girl. You know the one. But at the same time, he's sweet, adorable and romantic. What more can a girl want?

JH: Scandalous! I'm pretty sure most women wouldn't be able to resist their favorite book boyfriends in the flesh—no matter what. Okay, last question, and this one's a fun one. If you or someone else were writing a romance novel loosely based on your life... what would it be called?

Aly: The Invisible Bae (my friends got me started with the bae, haha).

Good one! Love it! Well, Aly—thank you SO much for dropping by today. It was fun getting to know you and poking around your adorably-green blog. I enjoyed having you!

Don't forget, Aly is looking for co-reviewers and—hey, authors!—she is currently accepting review requests. Here's where you can find more from Aly: blog, Facebook, Twitter. Thanks for reading!

Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.

I can hardly contain my excitement about today's #ScriptFlip feature, because I get to interview three of my favorite book people: Lisa, Kayla and Yolanda of A Risqué Affair Book Blog. Lisa was one of my first readers ever and has been on this self-pub journey with me since then. In fact, she also acts as my PA and has accompanied me to a book signing in NYC! Kayla & Yolanda have also been amazing to me, and as a whole, the blog has been a pillar of support for me for a long time.

Lisa and Kayla formed the blog in December 2013, and it's been going strong ever since. They're just over 7,000 followers on Facebook—that's almost 1K followers a month! A little later, they added Yolanda to the mix, and now they're up to 4 reviewers. Authors, pay attention to ARABB! They ARE currently accepting books for review and they don't adhere to one genre only—they review all over the spectrum. (FYI: There are a few books mentioned in this interview, so I've linked them up for your convenience!)

JH: Now for the good stuff! Ladies, welcome to the third edition of #ScriptFlip. The four of us are old friends, but why don't you give me the rundown on A Risqué Affair Book Blog & how it came to be.

ARABB: Lisa and Kayla connected on Facebook over their love for Cityscape. (JH: Um, totally blushing here!) They found they were both recommending the series and started talking. They found out that they had a lot in common, including their love of books. It seemed only natural to start a blog together.

Yolanda was always an active participate on the blog. One day, we noticed she wasn't commenting on our posts so we reached out to her. We fell in love with her personality and added her to be a reviewer on the blog. We quickly realized we needed to add another administrator to the blog, once we started growing. Yolanda was our first choice... and the rest is history.

JH: History... or only the beginning! It's amazing to hear when my series (or any book for that matter) has brought people together. Sounds like the friendship between you three runs deep. Based on that, I think I can guess the answer to this, but what's been the best part about blogging so far?

Yolanda: Meeting wonderful people! I love reviewing these amazing stories as well.

Lisa: Meeting and connecting with so many people and authors. There are authors that I would have never discovered without having the blog (since either they or their PA contacted us).

Kayla: Blogging has been amazing. The best part is meeting new friends and new authors. I have met some amazing people that have become true friends.

JH: Yep, that's pretty much what I thought. The blogger and indie author community is full of lovely, passionate, and hugely-supportive individuals who always bring their "A" game. Not only that, but they find a way to stand out in a sea of blogs. How does ARABB do that?

Kayla: I think what makes us stand out is that Lisa, Yolanda and I are like a family (sisters). (JH: They really are, I can attest to that.) We work well together and talk everything out. We each have different things we are picky about and it works well that way.

Yolanda: I think we all have something to give! We all have different favorites and we have introduce a variety to the blog! Also we all have different strengths. We are here for readers and authors and other bloggers equally.

Lisa: We really try to post everything that is recommended or messaged to us. Sometimes our email and messages get totally out of control, but I guess that comes with the territory, right? lol. I think that everyone deserves to have their book posted. I may not love the book, but who am I to determine what YOU should read? If we all read the same stuff, what a boring place the world would be.



JH: I think sometimes we authors don't realize how many messages a blog receives per day. It must be hard to keep up with posting everything—how do you choose what to read and/or review next?

Kayla: When its comes to determining my next book I go by authors that I have already read and have history with.

Lisa: First and foremost, how polite the message is. If you send us a message that starts with 'Hey, read my book', most likely I won't even consider it. Next, I take a look at the synopsis, cover & genre. I'm looking for something that jumps out at me since we really do get a lot of requests.

Yolanda: I usually choose what's next in I have a history with a author or how we are approached with the information. After that I just go by the first come first served.

JH: Okay, so you've selected your next read, devoured it, then what? Do you base your star rating on emotion? Quality? Something else?

Yolanda: For me a 5 star has to have these 3 qualities a. they need to grab me and keep me interested that I must know what happens. b. I must enjoy the plot and connect to the characters. c. a well written book that flows well is a big one for me as well. Amazing question.

Lisa: If a book is a 5 star book, I know as soon as I finish that last page and it's based solely on emotions. There's no wondering because I already know. It's giving less than 5 stars that is always tough for me. I really try not to give less than 3 stars. I feel like that author really did try and put so much time and effort into getting it out there. I try to give constructive criticism either in the review or to the author.

Kayla: Stars on a book to me is how the book is written, the characters development and of course if the books sucks me in.

JH: Sounds like a common thread is a book that brings out the feels. No surprise there, but nice to know that's a priority. So now I'm going to put you on the spot. You've told me what a top-rated book means for each of you—which three books or series are must-haves if you were ever stranded on a desert island?

Lisa: Ugh, seriously? Cityscape Series because, duh! I loved this series before I even started reading. The cover of Come Undone hooked me in right from the start. I'll support that series.. well... forever. (JH: Aw, thank you! As long as you aren't using the pages as toilet paper on the island ;) ) Bright Side by Kim Holden. I recently read this book and it is just one of those books that makes you want to be a better person. It's an ugly cry type of book and let's be honest... we all need to get a good cry out every so often. Sick Day by Morgan Parker. This book is another one of those 're-evaluate your situation' type of books. The best things, they're worth risking it all for. Go big or go home.

Yolanda: Only 3 OMG - 1. To Kill a Mockingbird 2. Manual how to build a boat haha no (JH: LOL! I just spit out my water.) 2. Sick Day by Morgan Parker 3. Love's Suicide by Jenn Foor.

Kayla: The Cityscape Series by Jessica Hawkins
Sick Day by Morgan Parker
Forever Series by Sandi Lynn

JH: Sounds like Sick Day by Morgan Parker miiight be a blog favorite? Honored to see Cityscape on there too, of course! So, this island you're on is very book friendly. There's also an author there who wants to have dinner with you (probably a coconut or fresh fish or something). Who is it?

Lisa: Ok, since I've already gotten to spend a day with Jessica (yay!) (JH: I second that yay!), I will go with Lily White or Morgan Parker... or maybe both together. Have you read their books? Lily, just because I'd love to see how her mind works. I read her books and wonder, how the heck does she even come up with this stuff? And, well, Morgan Parker because... that guy is hilarious. Who doesn't need a little laughter? And well, if you laugh so hard that soda comes out of your nose, while discussing ways to kill off characters with Lily... then that, my friend, would be awesome-sauce as far as dinners go.

Kayla: This is a difficult question. There are a few I would love to have dinner with but I would have to say Morgan Parker. Morgan seems like a blast and such a sweet down to earth guy. I would love to crawl into his mind and see how he works.

Yolanda: Morgan Parker... why is he has shocked me! I generally have had bad experience reading male romance writers. He is kind and meaningful and an amazing author. I think it would be an amusing yet interesting dinner!

JH: I think it's safe to say everyone reading this interview will be TBR'ing Morgan's books. I know I will! That's all I've got for today—ladies, thank you SO much for being here and for everything you do.

I count myself lucky to know the ladies of A Risqué Affair Book Blog, much less have their endless support. I remember when they had a handful of followers, but it didn't take long for others to see the amazingness I did from the start. Can't wait to see where they go from here. If you haven't already, be sure to check out their blog and Like them on Facebook.

Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.

Welcome to the second edition of #ScriptFlip with author Jessica Hawkins, where I flip the script & put bloggers in the hot seat. Today I'm talking to Brittany of Brittany's Book Blog. She's a full-time student who has been blogging since December 2013—and for any authors reading, she also edits on the side! I'm proud to call Brittany a member of my street team, and I can attest—she brings it every day for her blog and for us indies. You can read Brittany and her co-bloggers’ reviews on Brittany's Book Blog, or also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

JH: Brittany, welcome to #ScriptFlip! You’ve been a presence on the blogging scene for a while now, and I’m excited to get behind the scenes with you. Tell me about the concept behind Brittany’s Book Blog.

Brittany: I'm 19. I stared blogging when I was 19. I worked on a different blog who kicked me off because I wasn't doing things right. After much pushing from many authors, I started my own blog. And I love it so much!

JH: Sometimes things happen a certain way for a reason, don’t they? Now the blog has well over 3,500 followers on Facebook, so you must be doing something right! As you grow, I bet you get a lot of requests for reviews. For any authors out there or curious readers, what goes into choosing your next read?

Brittany: Well, I read what interests me. I also will only accept requests if they seem more personal, not a copy and paste post that everyone gets. If you ask, "hey are you accepting reviews" I'm more likely to say yes, I'll help you, than if someone sends me the synopsis and buy links and such through a message on Facebook, with the request hidden through all that. I honestly don't read those types of messages.

JH: That’s good to know. Authors take note! Chances of review go up with personalized messages. I know many blogs have a rating system to keep things consistent. What’s yours?

Brittany:
5*= yes! Loved it! Need more! Soooo much emotion!
4*= good, there was some emotion missing, but I want to read the next one.
3*= there were some things that bothered me, I don't need more.

I don't rate books below three stars. I feel every reader's experience is different and I don't want to persuade someone from finding their next great read.

JH: It sounds like you’re passionate about your reads, which you'd have to be considering there are new books coming out every day. (Side note: Brittany even started a Facebook dedicated to reading, where she features an author a month. Request to join Brittany's Book Talk here.) What’s been the best part so far, though?

Brittany: Oh the best part!! There's multiple things. I love connecting with the authors and the readers. I absolutely enjoy when someone tells me I helped them pick a book that they loved so much. I just love helping people and sharing my passion.

JH: The thing about bloggers is, their dedication and passion overlaps to help both readers and authors. As you discover indies, readers also benefit by finding their next great read. What would you say to any readers out there who're thinking of joining the blogger club?

Brittany: Do it! Or possibly admin on a blog first, so you can see what it's all about. It's fun, you will love it! Put yourself out there. It may be discouraging at first, but as long as you're friendly and show the real you, people will follow.

Great advice that also applies to authors. Be yourself, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You never know whom you might connect with—it could be your next reader for life! Thanks so much for stopping by, Brittany. Join the discussion on Facebook in Brittany's Book Talk, and check out her fantastic reviews or send her a review request at the blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.

I'm introducing a segment to my blog called #ScriptFlip, where I'll be flipping the script on bloggers and interviewing them instead of the other way around. For my first post, I have Bethany (a member of my fab street team) and Lydia from the fantastic HEA Bookshelf. Check out the blog for their reviews or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

JH: Okay, so let's start by hearing a little about the #HEAGirls and how you got into blogging.

Lydia: Hello, hello!! My name is Lydia, but everyone calls me Ly (Lee) or Hea. I’m in my twenties and happily in love with my soul mate – let’s call him J. I’m a new mom to two amazing boys and I absolutely love our imperfectly perfect life.

I decided to create a book blog where readers with similar tastes to mine could discover these Indie Authors that I had come to love and admire….and probably stalk via Facebook & Twitter. And so, it all began.

HEA Bookshelf was born.

Bethany: Lydia and I met because she’s a stalker. Seriously. She is. I was just learning about Facebook pages for the authors I was reading, and finding blog pages that I started seeing through the authors I had liked and I started to see her on there. We liked the same pages, agreed on some books and discussions and generally had a great time interacting. We even started to talk in PM’s before she friend requested me in April 2013. We started tagging each other in book sales, book discussions and book funnies. But then….CRAZY Lydia came out. She asked me to guest review on her blog. Hahahaha! I laughed at her….she was high, I was fairly positive. No way. She harassed me for MONTHS. I finally agreed to do it in August and wrote my first review for her. She was all excited and made me feel like I threw a whole bunch of words together, and they actually made sense! So I eventually started to review books that I had bought, and then I started to sign up for tours that I wanted and saw around FB…..and the fun began. I have loved doing it ever since. It truly is a joy and I have her to thank for it!! She's the best #BlogSister ever. <3
 
JH: You two sound like a match made in heaven. And BTW, I'm feeling the hashtag love in your answer! Where did the name HEA Bookshelf come from?

Lydia: I have a few rules as far as my reading goes. One VERY important rule being that the book MUST have a happy ending. MUST. I can handle cliffhangers if books are parts of series, but that last and final book in the series/trilogy MUST end in a HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Bethany: This was Lydia's baby....so I'm just along for the ride!! (tee hee) Lydia's the one that stalked me....so the name was already picked. I suppose she could have named it 'Stalkers R Us', but the name probably wouldn't have went too far. Hahaha!!!

JH: Hey, stalkers need happy endings too. (Wait, that came out wrong...) Moving right along. Here's a question every author wants to know—how do you determine what your next read will be?

Lydia: I use a few things to figure out what I want to read but the major factors I take into consideration are the author's message and attitude, synopsis and genre.

Bethany: I am a synopsis, cover and review looker--in that order. If it's a new book and there aren't any reviews available, I look at the synopsis and if it's part of a series or if it's a standalone (time plays a factor sometimes), genre of the book and then finally the cover. I do love a good cover.

JH: It's good information to hear that an author's message/attitude are determining factors in whether or not you'll review their book. What are some of your other do's & dont's for self-published authors who approach you for reviews?

Lydia: 
DO: be nice and down to earth... get to know the blogger behind the blog before even thinking about asking for favors.

DONT: if you've never even talked to the blogger, don't ask them to like your page or share your work.

Bethany:
DO: personalize your request, instead of saying a general 'hello lovely ladies', make sure you address the bloggers directly. It feels more personal that way and it lets us know that you actually know who we are. Check out our BIO on our blog page so you know what we are about and what we like to read. 

DO: be excited to get your book out there. We want to share in your excitement too!!

DONT: send an email/synopsis/teaser riddled with errors. I only say this because if an email/synopsis/teaser has errors and I notice that, I won't want to read it. I don't want to be rude, but a lot of people pick on that and it gets very distracting (to me too). ALWAYS proofread....have a friend lend an eye, be a sounding board, look stuff over. 

DONT: be upset when a blogger turns down a book. Time and schedules are crazy sometimes and we never mean any disrespect when we can't promise a review or any available time. I know that I have stopped taking books for a 'review whenever' because I feel guilty with books sitting there waiting for me and I have 6 tours coming up. Never give up. <3

JH: I think one thing at least is clear: you guys really care for the authors your promote. I know that firsthand since HEA Bookshelf has been such an amazing supporter of my series. So, if you could have dinner with any author, who would it be and why?

Lydia: Since I have so many, two that come to mind are Kristen Proby and Sylvain Reynard. 

Bethany: I have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few authors (even having dinner and breakfast with them), but I don't know how to answer this....would I go back out with some favorites and pick their brain for their next book, their life and inspiration, or would I pick someone new to see what makes them tick? Such a common question; one that I have the hardest time answering!! It changes all the time...ha! 

JH: Bethany and I actually met & got to spend some time together at the Indie Mashup book signing in Arkansas last year. That's what I love about those signings the most—connecting with bloggers, readers, and other authors. Do you have a favorite part of blogging so far?

Lydia: I think the best part, for me, is the TRUE friends I've made along the way.

Bethany: I *LOVE* the people I've met, the books I've fallen in love with and the authors that have become friends. I love this blogging world!! 

JH: I love how passionate you both are about what you do. What makes HEA Bookshelf unique? 

Bethany: I think the fact that we are best friends as well as #BlogSisters plays a big part in things. We never disagree on things....ever. Like, ever! And we always talk about books....every.single.day. We call/text/message and FB with each other every day.

JH: I love that. It's amazing how people come together with one common cause—to support indies in this community—and end up finding friends for life. Well, it's been a pleasure having you ladies on the blog—thank you so much for stopping by! To see more of HEA Bookshelf, head over to their blog, Facebook or Twitter.

Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.

Here's a sample of the newly redesigned teasers for The Cityscape Series. Follow the Jessica Hawkins Facebook Page to make sure you don't miss any of them!