What drew you to writing middle grade mysteries?
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Don't waste time trying to figure out who or what is beneath you. For many years, I was a trad pub snob. I assumed that the only people who published their own books were people who couldn't make the cut in trad pub, and I was going to be one of the ones who did, thank you very much. Now, I realize how wrong I was. I spent so much time trying to figure out where I ranked in the imaginary global ranking of all authors everywhere that I carried in my head. I did this because deep down, I feared I wasn't good enough.
Your website shows you’re doing an interactive mystery in October. That sounds like a lot of work. What made you decide to put this together? And what all does it entail?
It certainly is a lot of work! :D
Middle grade fiction has always been special to me. In my professional life as a children's librarian, I loved working with all age ranges. But there was just something special about the 8-12 category. I guess you could say that although I love taking vacations in other age categories, middle grade fiction feels like home!
I grew up in a family that loves mysteries in any form: Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Diagnosis Murder, Murder She Wrote, Simon & Simon, Ellery Queen, locked room mysteries, Golden Age mysteries, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators, CSI, Rizzoli & Isles, Castle, The Mentalist, Numbers, Psych, Monk...I could go on. Can it truly be a great story if there's not at least one dead body that pops up somewhere??
What made you decide to have the lead characters as cats and dogs rather than people?
I don't remember consciously deciding to do an anthropomorphic universe for my first book series. It's just how the idea came to me. It started as a warm nod to Superman lore--including the hardheaded, bossy, know-it-all reporter who was also quite brave, brilliant, and dedicated to discovering the truth. But I also wanted the books to be fun and full of ridiculous shenanigans, a la Bloodhounds Inc. After all, the crimes can't be too intense in a series for young children.
Alex Digger, my dog main character, was inspired by my brother's Havanese, who was a fluffy white cloud of hyperactivity and teeth. Meanwhile, I've always owned a cat, so I'm very familiar with their personality tendencies. It seemed like the perfect species to carry off a Lois Lane personality. So, Alex Digger and Mittens Meow were born.
Middle grade chapter books can go anywhere from a few thousand words to 20,000 words. How do you decide what's the best length for your story?
I try to keep the books between 12-15k, although staying under that cap is the most difficult part of the entire process. My hope for Collar Cases is that it's a good independent read for children in the 7-10 range who are above average reading level, but don't want huge books yet nor do their parents want mature content on the page. My second goal is that they be excellent family read-aloud books for on-target readers, so I try to make them as funny and engaging as possible.
Prior to writing these books, what experience did you have with marketing and publishing?
I've been on the path to being a children's author for as long as I can remember. It was clear from an early age that God had given me some skills in this area. I was a voracious reader. I started "writing" stories before I even knew the alphabet. Once I was actually old enough to write, I spent most of my free time doing it. Like many writers, I have thousands of pages of stories, scenes, and one-shots that provided my practice space as I worked on my skills.
I try to keep the books between 12-15k, although staying under that cap is the most difficult part of the entire process. My hope for Collar Cases is that it's a good independent read for children in the 7-10 range who are above average reading level, but don't want huge books yet nor do their parents want mature content on the page. My second goal is that they be excellent family read-aloud books for on-target readers, so I try to make them as funny and engaging as possible.
I've been on the path to being a children's author for as long as I can remember. It was clear from an early age that God had given me some skills in this area. I was a voracious reader. I started "writing" stories before I even knew the alphabet. Once I was actually old enough to write, I spent most of my free time doing it. Like many writers, I have thousands of pages of stories, scenes, and one-shots that provided my practice space as I worked on my skills.
In addition to my regular education, my parents enrolled me in Jerry B. Jenkins' professional development course, The Christian Writers Guild. I was a student from junior high until halfway through college. Through them, I received my formal education on craft topics such as dialogue, plot, exposition, etc. I also did a lot of self-study using books on craft from places like Writer's Digest.
How much of the non-writing (formatting, cover design, website design, etc.) did you personally do?
My marketing and business education has mostly come from Author Media's excellent resources: The Novel Marketing Podcast, The Book Launch Blueprint, and Obscure No More. I also regularly listen to Bryan Cohen's Sell More Books Show and have taken some of his Amazon ad training.
I hire out everything that is not writing. My audiobooks are done by Trista Shaye, a professional narrator with more than 100 audiobooks to her name. My covers and interior illustrations are designed by graphic artist Sarah Johnson. My editing is done by freelancers. I'm pretty techie, so I did my website and book formatting myself, with help from the appropriate tools (Wordpress.org/Divi and Vellum, respectively).
What’s the hardest part of publishing and marketing your own books?
The hardest part is resisting the temptation to rush. If you can commit in your mind that this is a long-term endeavor, you will find it much easier to get the proper training required, learn the tools, and build your platform slowly to properly support your growth.
Marketing is a big part of increasing book sales. What marketing venue have you found most successful in not only getting clicks but sales as well?
This was my first year diving into Amazon ads. I would say that's a must for any author with books on Amazon, and I recommend you start there before doing other ad platforms like Facebook or Bookbub.
Marketing is a big part of increasing book sales. What marketing venue have you found most successful in not only getting clicks but sales as well?
This was my first year diving into Amazon ads. I would say that's a must for any author with books on Amazon, and I recommend you start there before doing other ad platforms like Facebook or Bookbub.
For me personally, I have a strong background in doing events for children. (I also happen to love it!) So I plan to lean into that with in-person programming, virtual events, classroom visits, homeschool conventions, public library programs, and the like. I love building relationships with kids and find that if I can give them a good experience, parents are thrilled to buy the book that goes along with it.
I'm currently in the process of launching books in two different genres and I agonize over what the covers should look like? What was your process like in finding the right illustrator for your books?
I cheated...my cover designer is my cousin! I will warn readers, though, that if you're going to use family, you must be professional about it. I pay Sarah for everything she does: covers, art, program appearances. She may not be charging me the absolute top dollar possible, but I never ask her to use her professional skills on my behalf for free.
I'm currently in the process of launching books in two different genres and I agonize over what the covers should look like? What was your process like in finding the right illustrator for your books?
I cheated...my cover designer is my cousin! I will warn readers, though, that if you're going to use family, you must be professional about it. I pay Sarah for everything she does: covers, art, program appearances. She may not be charging me the absolute top dollar possible, but I never ask her to use her professional skills on my behalf for free.
I would also say that market research is vitally important. I made many trips to the library and bookstore to study chapter books. It's a bit tricky, because they're not quite middle grade (at least not always), so you have to make sure you get the marketing right. I'm also a big fan of Alex Newton's K-Lytics service. Of course, the standard advice about split testing two covers, researching the top 100 covers in your genre on Amazon, etc. are all good suggestions too.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
I. Hate. Drafting.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
I. Hate. Drafting.
First drafts are a nightmare for me! My imposter syndrome flares up off the charts, I obsess about going over word count (I always do), I'm terribly insecure about the integrity of the mystery puzzle...Words cannot describe how much I hate rough drafting. Revisions are so much more fun because that's when the real writing happens!
I hate rough drafting so much that it can cripple my productivity if I let it. I've recently started dictating my rough drafts to get over this issue, and I have to say, the early results are amazing.
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Hearing from a kid who has read the book and genuinely enjoys it. There is no substitute for that kind of joy! It makes the whole process worthwhile and reminds me why all the effort, headaches, and discipline is worth it.
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That trad pub isn't the only way to get books into reader hands. I spent nearly twenty years prepping for a career in trad pub, only to discover within the last three years that there is a whole other world of indie pubbing--and I vastly prefer it! Both choices are valid. There are people in both camps who do it poorly, and people in both camps who do it extremely well. The decision which is right for you is an intensely personal one. Learn your options, figure out what your goals are, and make the choice that is right for YOU.
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That trad pub isn't the only way to get books into reader hands. I spent nearly twenty years prepping for a career in trad pub, only to discover within the last three years that there is a whole other world of indie pubbing--and I vastly prefer it! Both choices are valid. There are people in both camps who do it poorly, and people in both camps who do it extremely well. The decision which is right for you is an intensely personal one. Learn your options, figure out what your goals are, and make the choice that is right for YOU.
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
If you really want this, all you have to do is stick with it.
That advice was given to me in a college classroom by bestselling mystery author Amanda Flower. She said that this business is tough and full of people who think they want to be authors. If you truly want this--I mean the "deep down in your bones, keeps you awake at night" type wanting--then all you have to do is persevere, because the rigors of the publishing process will kill off anyone who is not committed. :)
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Don't waste time trying to figure out who or what is beneath you. For many years, I was a trad pub snob. I assumed that the only people who published their own books were people who couldn't make the cut in trad pub, and I was going to be one of the ones who did, thank you very much. Now, I realize how wrong I was. I spent so much time trying to figure out where I ranked in the imaginary global ranking of all authors everywhere that I carried in my head. I did this because deep down, I feared I wasn't good enough.
Stop that.
If you're a Christian, you know that your design wasn't an accident. God made you the way He did on purpose, including your talents. So take what He's given you and be faithful with it. Learn how to grow your skills, learn how to be a better writer, figure out what you're supposed to be writing...and then go do it.
Don't worry about the people behind you. Don't worry about the people in front of you. Just show up to your work and do it to the best of your ability. Maybe you'll be a six-figure author. Maybe you won't be. But you will have lived your life using your talents in a way that honors the One who gave them to you, and because of that you will find peace. There are a lot of wealthy and famous people who will never be able to say the same.
Your website shows you’re doing an interactive mystery in October. That sounds like a lot of work. What made you decide to put this together? And what all does it entail?
It certainly is a lot of work! :D
This program heavily draws on my decades-plus experience running programs for kids. I've been a mystery nut ever since I was a kid. If you had invited me to a (free!) party where I got to show up and help solve a mystery by interviewing the suspects and collaborating with the detectives, you would have made all of my Nancy Drew dreams come true. I'm trying to provide that kind of experience for these kids. I'm also a huge mystery dinner theater fan (go figure), so this program was inspired by that format.
As far as what it entails, it basically comes down to collaboration and scheduling. I've collaborated with friends and theater-loving types to be the victim, Mittens/Alex, and suspects. I've constructed a basic mystery, created a blurb of critical info for the suspects to reference when speaking with the kids, and had to estimate how long it will take the kids to rotate through the various stations. There are about a million boring logistical details I also had to tackle: where we would hold the program; how to get the word out; how many times we should repeat the program in the day and what start times would work with families, etc.
Yes, that is a lot of work! I pray that it will run smoothly and be a fun time for all. Now, tell me about the next book coming out.
Collar Cases #3: Case of the Angry Avians sees Mittens Meow and Alex Digger chase Ruffled Feathers, the bird criminal mastermind from the first two books, to a remote mountain in Canada. A blizzard sets in and traps them all in a ski lodge. Mittens thinks it will be an easy collar (pardon the pun)...until they discover all the guests at the lodge are birds! Things get dangerous when someone starts knocking off guests, one at a time. Can Mittens and Alex expose Ruffled Feathers before the storm clears? And is he the one behind the attacks--or is there a second criminal element at work?
The text and audio work are all finished. We're just waiting on covers and interior illustrations. The goal is to have it out Fall 2022.
That's all for today's interview. Hope you'll check out her books. When you buy them you'll get extra features beside the story. I'm going to let you discover what that is on your own. If you'd like to learn more about the series, you can find everything you need to know at https://amandatrumpower.com/collar-cases/! If you want to get started on the first book, you can find it here.
That's all for today's interview. Hope you'll check out her books. When you buy them you'll get extra features beside the story. I'm going to let you discover what that is on your own. If you'd like to learn more about the series, you can find everything you need to know at https://amandatrumpower.com/collar-cases/! If you want to get started on the first book, you can find it here.
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