Phoenix Forrester, Phoenix Rising Promotions

AM – Today we are talking book promotion with Phoenix Forrester, owner of Phoenix Rising Promotions.  Thank you for taking time to join us today Phoenix!

PF – I am very happy to be here.  Thank you for having me.

AM – Please tell us a little more about yourself.  Are you an author?

PF – Well, I am 28 years old with two wonderful children, Danny (8) and Abby (3) and a husband that is highly supportive and a family that drives me absolutely crazy. I have two great cats, a tuxedo ragamuffin/manx mix named Cairo (7), and a seal point siamese named Bailey (1), plus an electric yellow african ciclid named Mellow Yellow, (2).  I am a lover of animals, a lover of books, and I am very easy going and love to make friends.

I am an author.  I write under the name Tuesday Richards, I have 5 books out with Changeling Press right now, with 2 in edits and about 6 more on the roster for rest of 2009 early 2010.

AM – So let’s get down to business.  To you, why is book promotion important?

PF – I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at promoting my own work.  Yes, I know.  I own my own promotions company and I couldn’t promote my own work to save my soul.  LOL.  That is why even I have a promotions manager.  Promoting is important to me, because anybody with a lick of talent can be published, but if the readers do not know you are out there they are not going to think to look for you.  They may happen to come across your name while looking for another author, or if they buy an anthology with their favorite author, then they will come across your name and title.  However, that is not enough, in order to build the fan base one needs in order to succeed in the publishing world, you have to promote.  You have to post your excerpts, write blogs, give interviews, hold contests and generally be out there in the loops, letting the readers know you are there.  The one thing I was always taught is that you have to bludeon the readers. If they see your name only a few times it will pass right through their brain and ooz out the other ear, however if they see you out there having fun on the loops, holding contests, your excerpts are showing up all over the internet, your reviews are coming back awesome and you are putting those out there, the reader will come to you.

AM – At PWC we work with quite a few new and unpublished writers.  Isn’t book promotion something that only established writers need to worry about?

PF – Promoting is something that everybody should worry about.  The biggest thing an author can do is gain friends.  All people are a little shy especially around people they don’t know, and the same goes for online in yahoo groups and what not, your going to be shy until you feel the people out.  An author has to get over that the best start to a fan base is friends.  Your friends, especially online friends are going to go out and buy your book to show support for a friend.  Then as they read they will realize what an awesome author you are and then become a fan, but they will always be a friend.  The key to being a successful author is to be out there where the people are, plastering your name all over the place, and getting to know the readers.  Epublished authors have a network of people and readers that they can communicate with from all over the world, where new york published authors only get their name out by actually having a name, the only contact with the readers they have are at scheduled book signings, and through fan mail.  Whereas epublished authors can be out there with the fans, readers, and people in the yahoo groups and become friends with the readers, therefore the reader has the opportunity not only to get to know you as an author, but as a person.  Promoting is important no matter what stage of the game you are in.

AM – What are some of the most successful ways you have found to promote?

PF – The most successful way to promote is to be out there where the readers are at.  If you are an e-author, you need to be in the yahoo loops, talking with the readers on their turf.  If they do not know you are there, they are not going to know to look for you.  So a strong presence among the readers is a very successful tool.

AM – When is the best time for an author to promote a new release?

PF – There is a schedule to a new release.  Promotion actually starts a good month before the book is actually released.  With small tid bits of information about whats going on.  Then it progresses to two weeks before the release where you start releasing excerpts and blurbs, cover art if you have it in, and this is a good time to do a pre release contest just to get the hype up.  Then bit presence on release day, get to as many yahoo loops as you can and get it out there, plus a new release contest is always good, with fun prizes.

AM – Phoenix Rising has quite an author list.  What are some reasons that authors choose to use your company?

PF – I would like to believe it’s because of the awesome owner!  LOL!  Actually, I think it is because of our prices, which are drastically lower then most promo companies out there.  I also like to think it is the family atmosphere, yes we are managers, but we can also be crit partners, line editors, friends and family.  We are very close to our authors and each other and have a very laid back fun atmosphere, but I also crack the whip and we get the work done.

AM – What services does Phoenix Rising offer to it’s authors?

PF – At this point there are far to many to list here, but I can send you to the website at www.phoenixrisingpromotions.com and under the services tab you will find a full list of services with pricing, along with our ala cart items.

AM – What do you think is the most important piece of promotion advice that you would give an unpublished Pagan writer?

PF – NEVER GIVE UP! The deck may seem stacked against you, but with a great imagination, determination and the ability to get out there and play with all the readers and have fun, you will see all your dreams come true!  LOL! You also need an awesome promotions manager! seriously though, get out there, put yourself where the readers are and show them what you can do, and that you are willing to talk to them, and then they will be willing to buy and read your work.

AM – Last question, if someone wants to get in touch with Phoenix Rising Promotions with questions or begin using your services, how would they go about doing that?

PF – You can email me at prp_phoenix@yahoo.com or at Ravistar28@yahoo.com, just put promotions in the subject line, and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

AM – Thank you so much for your time Phoenix!  Happy promoting!!

PF – Thank you so much for having me! This has been great!