Best selling author Mysty McPartland Answers Some Marketing Questions On Penny's Tales

I am so pleased to have Mysty McPartland visiting with me today.  Mysty is a best selling author of  MANY romance stories.  I checked out your website www.mystymcparland.webstarts.com and WOW, what a site it is.  Bling and sparkles everywhere.  Really one of the best sites I’ve seen. 

Thank you it’s a free website and I just hunted around and put it together myself. I wanted something everyone could enjoy and have some fun while they checked it out.

Okay, Mysty.  Let me get started with some questions.

I would like to thank you it’s a pleasure to be asked to be interviewed.

How many books have you written Mysty and are they all romance?

At the moment I have twenty novels published and yes they are all romance stories. I am a sucker for romance and have a very romantic husband. Though he keeps telling me to write something different I have to many stories going around in my head that it’s already too full for any other thoughts.

Are your stories contracted with a publisher or have you self-published any of them?

I am very lucky all of my novels have been accepted and published by publishers.

What would you say your number one and two marketing strategies are for your success?

I leave a lot of business cards and bookmarks at various businesses and since I travel a lot hand them out to everyone I meet. I have my husband and children do the same. It is a great strategy and it seems to work for me.

Which social networks work for you and which don’t?

I have a fanpage on facebook, use twitter and linkedin when I have a new release out. I also have two websites.

http://mystymcpartland.webstarts.com

Author -  www.mystymcpartland.com 

Facebook Fan Page -  www.facebook.com/mystymcpartland

Do you, or have you, ever paid for marketing services and if so, were you happy with the results?

No, but have had offers which I have thought about but decided that at the moment I’m doing okay.

Do you use book giveaways, bookmarks, postcards, etc?

I am working on my fourth manuscript of The Mathews Men and when I finish intend to have a contest to give away all four of the series. I do give bookmarks away to anyone I meet and I have all my children do the same.

How much time in a day, or a week, do you spend on promotion? 

When I have a new release out I spend an hour everyday promoting it then probably once a week for a month. After that I occasionally advertise one of my novels on the social networks.

 

Mysty, I really appreciate you sharing some of the secrets of your success.  Now of course the most important question.  Where can we find you and your wonderful books?

Well if you are ever in Penang Malaysia drop on by beautiful, exotic location but make sure it is soon sadly after three and a half years will be leaving to places unknown at the middle of the year. I do go home to Perth Western Australia every few months to see my children. My books though can be found at

SolsticePublishing…Bookstrand…Fictionwise….Amazon…Smashword…Goodreads…Maniac Reader…Barnes and Noble…Kobo Books and many other sites as well.

Thanks again, Mysty for stopping by and folks let me encourage you to stop by Mysty’s website – Most Impressive!  Here is just one of the many wonderful covers that adorn Mysty's books.

I would like to add

To all authors or budding authors I would just like to say never give up on your dreams. As the old saying goes dream, believe, create, success. To all those who have read or will read my novels I thank you. I consider myself very lucky because I can devote so much time to something I love so much, my writing. I know many can’t and can only take a few hours out of every day to work on their manuscript but just remember your dedication will be worth it in the end.

As for advertising yourself yes I believe it is worth it, but there is also overkill. Hitting people with it every day or hourly can turn potential readers off. Have business cards and book marks made and hand them out to everyone you come in contact with. Ask to leave them in shops, have family members hand them out as well. My husband travels the world and gives them out at airports, hotels and to anyone he meets. However, I know people will take the approach that works best for them and I wish everyone the best of luck.