Writing in Multiple Genres: Author Interview with Michele Brouder

Your bio lists you as penning women's fiction, contemporary sweet romance, holiday romance, and young adult paranormal. Which genre is your favorite and/or easiest to write?
I wouldn't say any are easy to write. There's a level of difficulty to each genre. For me, I write what I feel like writing at that particular point in my life. I started with young adult paranormal because that was the popular at the time and I was reading a lot of YA paranormal. But I had also been writing this one romance for years that I really liked. That book became my second published book, A Whyte Christmas, and it exceeded my expectations so I wrote more in that genre. The Christmas books were fun to write because I love Christmas. 

Then I decided to write a romance series based in Ireland, because I love Ireland. When my mother passed away in 2018, I began to think of the relationships among women; mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends. When she was dying, my mother made a throwaway comment about how old friends were the best of friends. 

That was the seed for the Hideaway Bay series. It focused on 3 sisters and their grandmother and her two friends. It showed the lifelong relationship between the grandmother and her two best friends, especially since all three are vastly different characters in background and temperament. Today, my favorite genre is women's fiction. It could be something else tomorrow.

It looks like your first series was Soul Savers. What drew you to writing YA? Had you planned on it being a series? 

At that time in my life, I was reading a lot of YA paranormal. And one day, I was standing outside, staring at a cloud, waiting for my husband to pick me up and I could see so clearly, this snarky heroine, Claire Daly, and thus Soul Savers was born. I had planned on it becoming a series but paranormal is a lot more difficult to write than you could imagine. I had planned to write a 3 book series but alas, we're stalled at 2. I hope to someday get back to it and wrap it up as I hate loose ends.

Many of your books are based in Ireland which is where you currently live, but you grew up in the US. Do your reviews for your Irish books on Amazon come more from UK readers or US readers? Why do you think readers like your Irish stories?

The majority of the reviews are US based. The series was written intended for Americans, especially those who love all things Irish or have been to Ireland. So most of the reviews are coming from the US. I think because I live here in rural Ireland, I'm able to give some authenticity to the story in regards to the setting and some of the characters. A lot of Americans visit Ireland and this allows them a further behind the scenes look. Now in saying all that, the core of the story is romance and even if you're not that keen on Ireland or have ever been here, the romance is there.

You’re an indie author, which means you’re in charge of everything from writing to publishing and marketing. Other than writing, what other parts of the process do you personally do or hire others to do?
Indie writers wear multiple hats. The most important thing is the writing. If no books are being written and released, nothing else matters. I do not rapid release. I don't have the stamina for it. I release about 3 books a year and I'm happy with that schedule. There is so much to do, it never ends. From marketing (book promos, AMS ads and FB ads) and I like to take courses. (Would highly recommend Sarra Cannon's HB 90 course. Game changer).

Then there's the formatting (I use Atticus, which I also highly recommend).  I'm also trying to open my store on Shopify. (took a course for that, too) Then there's the newsletter (which is the most important tool after the actual writing) and there is something to do every day other than writing. I have several people who help me out. There's Jessica, my editor, who's been with me since book 1. Our effort is truly collaborative. My sister, Bec, does my book covers. And I have a VA, Erynn, who helps with a lot of the behind the scenes work, like creating landing pages for Unbounce and uploading content to LULU and sorting out my Shopify store and creating images, etc. All 3 are invaluable to my business. 
 
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

The night of my high school graduation, my English teacher approached me after the ceremony and said that she'd hoped someday to see my name in print. I never forgot that. What a difference that teacher made. I was recently made aware that she celebrated her 95th birthday and I was able to get a signed copy of Coming Home to Hideaway Bay to her and she was delighted. I'm fortunate that there are people who write the most amazing reviews of my books and that really encourages me to keep writing.

Marketing is the biggest key to making sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
Getting a Bookbub had been by far, the most instrumental in increasing sales and moving my books up in rank. I've taken some FB ads courses but the one course I'm still working through, AMMO (Author Marketing Mastery Optimization) taught a really detailed section about FB ads and testing, testing, testing. The cost was worth it for that alone. It's a course about direct sales. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?

That you don't know what you don't know. I made so many mistakes in the early years of my career. I genre hopped, cycling initially between Christmas and YA paranormal. Instead of having a continuing series, I made them all standalones. But the biggest doozy was switching genres within a series (do not recommend), the first book in my Christmas series is a romantic comedy and the rest are sweet romance. I've made so many mistakes it would stagger your imagination. But live and learn.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

Never, ever give up. Believe in yourself. Learn everything about your craft and your business. It took me years to get to a level where my income is where I want it to be. I was not an overnight success (like my sister) but I just kept writing and publishing, believing that I had a story to tell and that my readers were out there and I just had to find them.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

I love this piece of advice from one of my favorite writers:  Jojo Moyes said, 'Give your readers something they didn't know they wanted.'

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

The next book is coming out September 15th, it's the 3rd book in The Lavender Bay Chronicles, titled Second Chances in Lavender Bay. It's another dual timeline story focusing on the 3rd Cook sister, Angie, and her grandmother Diana, both who have life changing events which turn their lives upside down.

That's all for today's interview. Hope you'll check out her books. I'm already a fan of her Irish books! Here's how you can learn more about them.
Bookstore: www.michelebrouderbookstore.com

Website: www.michelebrouder.com

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/michelebrouder

And here's a bonus for my readers... Leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of  Michele's eBooks of their choosing. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!

Mixing It Up with Multiple Genres: Author Interview with Vikki Kestell

You have definitely proven yourself as an author with multiple books in different genres that you have published. What inspired you to write that first book?
I wrote my first book, A Rose Blooms Twice, during one of the darkest periods of my life. It was 1987-1988. I had a notebook and wrote in it everywhere I went. In three months I had a complete story—and was amazed.

I didn’t publish that first book until 2012—twenty-five years later. I would say to new indie authors that this long wait proved to me that our great God never wastes anything.

At what time did you think you could make a career of it?
It was after I’d written and published three additional books in the series that I started thinking, “I could do this full-time.”

You’re an indie author, which means you’re in charge of everything from writing to publishing and marketing. Other than writing, what other parts of the process do you personally do or hire others to do?
I have, on occasion, used cover designers, but design most of my own covers. The only part of the process I always contract out is the proofreading. I have two dear team members, Greg McCann and Cheryl Adkins, who see my writing as I do: as ministry. They have been with me for more than ten years. I not only value their work and input, I know I could not do this work without them. They are truly heaven-sent!

How do you go about doing research for your books to make them believable – especially when the storyline is tech related?
I have a five-book spy series, Laynie Portland, but my first thriller was Stealthy Steps, book 1 in my seven-book Nanostealth series. At the time I conceptualized Stealthy Steps, I worked for the Department of Defense’s Nuclear Weapons School on Kirtland Air Force Base here in Albuquerque. Among other things, the school taught military personnel how to respond to nuclear or dirty bomb attacks.

Part of the school’s instruction was conducted in the old Manzano Weapons Storage Facility where much of the nation’s nuclear stockpile was once stored. The Manzano facility is composed of a labyrinth of tunnels and hardened warehouses carved into a small mountain located on the base. The first time I set foot in the tunnels I thought, “This would be a great setting for a book!”

Nanostealth relies upon a strong science/technology “backbone.” Plausibility makes for good sci-fi; emerging real technology makes for great sci-fi. So much of the technology of this series is both emerging and plausible, which makes for a very suspenseful storyline!

My husband Conrad and I worked together on many aspects of the research on Stealthy Steps. It was a totally new and enjoyable experience for the two of us to throw around plot possibilities and come up with new twists and new terminology. We even took field trips to determine exactly where my heroine would go under the Air Force base’s perimeter fence and how she would defeat the PIDAS (perimeter intrusion detection and alarm system) and enter the tunnels. Those field trips were fun!

I also did many online searches on the Manzano weapons storage facility (particularly looking for maps) and asked questions of old colleagues who would have more information than I did. After a few calls, I was referred to the head office in DC. (Translation? I asked too many questions about classified stuff.)

Because of the online searches and the questions I asked, because I used to hold DOE and DOD security clearances, and because of our visits to the base perimeter (which is under video surveillance), my husband and I started to wonder when the FBI would show up at our door to ask what we were doing. 

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The wonderful reviews and emails from my readers! So many of them have read and re-read my books. An author knows she’s “done good” when her readers re-read her books!

Marketing is the biggest key to making sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
For several years I made the first books in my series free and bought BookBub Featured Deals to advertise those free books. However, the market has changed since COVID. At first, people who were quarantined read more and bought more books. At this point, however, I believe the economy has impacted enough readers that they can no longer afford to buy as many books. I still offer free books (Stealth Genesis, Laynie Portland, Spy Rising, and A Rose Blooms Twice). I hope they are a blessing to new readers.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
My best writing advice is this: Pray. Pray each day before you begin to write. Ask the Holy Spirit not only to lead and guide your writing but also anoint it with his power. Submit all your plans to him, and let him lead you.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
I’ve just started a brand-new series, The Tahoe Mysteries (A Miss Finch Novel). The first book, coming out later this year, is #1 with a Bullet. Here’s the short synopsis:

Diminutive Miss Finch is never what people expect. Sooner or later, she upsets the proverbial apple cart. And around her? Pretty much everyone ends up off-kilter—including and especially those she’s investigating.

Investigating? Yes. Although BD Finch (BeeDee Finch) is many things, she is also an investigator. The private kind. And when Miss Finch arrives on the south shore of Lake Tahoe for a summer of rest and recuperation? Not only do things not go as planned, but “things” go strangely awry.

Dangerously awry. Prepare yourself for . . . The Tahoe Mysteries.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Vikki's books, check out the following links.
Website: https://www.vikkikestell.com/
Amazon (for the Nanostealth series): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074CB3PRG

Links for the free eBooks mentioned in this post:

https://www.amazon.com/Laynie-Portland-Spy-Rising-Prequel-ebook/dp/B07Q2BRL2L

https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Blooms-Twice-Prairie-Heritage-ebook/dp/B007FGI91Y

https://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Genesis-Nanostealth-Vikki-Kestell-ebook/dp/B0BTDYMPDM