Self Publish Author Series – Interview with M.J. Macie

As part of the jexbo self-published author series, today we speak to M.J. Macie. As a mystery writer, M.J. has three self-published books available on jexbo.com in the “Mysteries and Thriller” section at http://www.jexbo.com/categories/150/subcategories/176.

Here is what M.J. had to say:

Tell us about your self-published books.

The Devil’s Pawn is the story of Robin Wilder, a novelist and creative writing instructor who struggles to heal from a tragedy that traumatized her life and compelled her to flee her hometown. She settles in the quaint town of Heritage, SC, and spends the next four years living the pretense of an ordinary life as a novelist and creative writing instructor. However, Robin's facade unravels when someone murders her fiancé then begins threatening her life. After a student's warning leads to the young woman's murder, Robin realizes she must confront her past and find the killer before she, or someone else she cares about, becomes the next victim.

The Palmetto Connection is the story of Anne Corey, a Literature professor living under the Witness Security Program. After years of running, she decides to settle down only to discover the enemies she thought she’d eluded were close to finding her and killing the people she cares about. Moreover, when she sought aid she discovered the only person who could help her, the link between her former identity and her new, was dead. Anne Corey finds herself alone, unable to share her secret, and too frightened to trust anyone. Now she must either flee from the home and friends she loves, or confront her enemies; risking her life and the lives of those about whom she cares.

A Cruel Legacy is the story of Caressa Cruel, a television newscaster who returns to historic downtown Charleston, SC to comfort her dying father only to have him reveal a shocking secret. A confession that not only verifies her life is in danger, but also rouses agonizing memories of her troubled past. When her father dies before revealing a vital piece of information, he leaves Caressa to search for the answers that would reveal the identity of a killer. Caressa’s dilemma intensifies when she discovers the body of a loved one, murdered. Now she is left heartbroken and without answers. Will she be able to decipher the details of her father’s confession? Can she uncover the truth and expose the killer before he catches her?

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I decided to self-publish because I felt the traditional method was taking too long. Also, I knew with self-publishing I would not only maintain the rights to the novels, but I’d have full control over the writing and publishing process.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?

I felt the biggest challenge I had to overcome in self-publishing was figuring out a marketing plan, which by way of the Internet, has turned out to be more rewarding than a challenge. I've also created a blog at http://m-j-macie.blogspot.com.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?

The best part about self-publishing my novels is the ease of publishing and the instant availability of the books to the public. I chose the POD (print-on-demand) method, and as soon as the novel is uploaded to the publishing site, it is available for me to check over a first draft.

Once I approve the draft, customers can begin purchasing the books. The internet and book sellers such as jexbo.com make that possible.

What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?

The advice I would give to other potential writers and self-published authors is to take the editing process seriously. We have self-published authors who haven’t put the time and energy into editing their books properly, or having a professional edit them, and the outcome is a self-published book that gives the industry a bad reputation.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Finally, I’d like to add that all self-published authors should be active on the Internet marketing and promoting their novels. The Internet provides many wonderful avenues for promoting novels. Websites, blogs, and agent and author sites offer great advice to published and aspiring authors and answer many writers’ questions. They also provide contests and other promotions to help get the word out on new authors or an author’s current novel.

Thanks for your great tips and insights M.J.! To find out more about M.J.’s novels, visit http://www.jexbo.com/categories/150/subcategories/176 or http://www.mj-macie-mysterybooks.com.

And for help with self-publishing and selling your books online, please write to me here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks!