Ask the Author: Seeley James
Answered Questions (14)
Seeley James
Sorry for the SLOW response. I just discovered questions waiting for me on Goodreads! Yikes.
The best marketing is to write a story so compelling people are dying to recommend it to their friends. Yes, that's the holy grail for everyone, including NYT chart toppers who're working on their next book. After that, it's all about getting in front of readers via interviews sites, your own content, and engaging readers on your newsletter.
When online ads were new, they paid for themselves. No longer. Publicity is 100x better than ads.
Hope that helps.
The best marketing is to write a story so compelling people are dying to recommend it to their friends. Yes, that's the holy grail for everyone, including NYT chart toppers who're working on their next book. After that, it's all about getting in front of readers via interviews sites, your own content, and engaging readers on your newsletter.
When online ads were new, they paid for themselves. No longer. Publicity is 100x better than ads.
Hope that helps.
Seeley James
Sorry for the SLOW response. I just discovered questions waiting for me on Goodreads! Some as old as three years. Yikes.
Death & Betrayal, Sabel Security #8 came out Feb-2020, just in time for the pandemic. Because it didn't involve diseases, it garnered terrific reviews.
To catch up on the series, visit the series page on SeeleyJames.com/Amazon. If you prefer a different vendor, replace Amazon with Kobo, Nook, Google, or Apple.
Thanks for asking!
Death & Betrayal, Sabel Security #8 came out Feb-2020, just in time for the pandemic. Because it didn't involve diseases, it garnered terrific reviews.
To catch up on the series, visit the series page on SeeleyJames.com/Amazon. If you prefer a different vendor, replace Amazon with Kobo, Nook, Google, or Apple.
Thanks for asking!
Seeley James
Teenagers read all kinds of violence, strong language, and sexual encounters, ask any English teacher. My books have less violence than the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, only implied sex (I like the movies from the 40s where you see their intent in their eyes, and it cuts away to the morning after), and realistic language, that is maybe 20-50 expletives uttered in anger.
Over forty-five years of parenting, I found it better to put books in front of teenagers that will fascinate them, rather than worry too much about adult-life content. They're not dumb. They know what we adults do when we think they're not looking.
Over forty-five years of parenting, I found it better to put books in front of teenagers that will fascinate them, rather than worry too much about adult-life content. They're not dumb. They know what we adults do when we think they're not looking.
Seeley James
Since my reading preference is current events, I'd stay in the here and now and try to make the world a better place. (Which is what I'm doing... at least, I think so.)
Seeley James
Several years ago, I joined Goodreads. Today, I discovered a question submitted a year ago! (That's any author's nightmare!)
Seeley James
Since this question came in a year ago, I don't recall last summer's reads. As for this coming summer ... I've not looked at the new releases yet. :)
Seeley James
It's in the future, but nothing scheduled yet. I've heard many horror stories about Amazon's domination of the market. Now that several other services are providing some serious competition, I believe the reader side of things will improve soon. Then I'll dive in.
Seeley James
Since mine was published eight months before yours ... I'm guessing you thought up the same random title I did :) Good thing we're not German where that kind of thing is not allowed.
Seeley James
Death and Dark Money was inspired by the current state of affairs in the US that allows anyone to donate money to political campaigns. The current mechanism was called money laundering when Richard Nixon did it in 1972. I took that system and showed what might happen if a dictator or terrorist wanted to contribute -- nothing. Except that Jacob Stearne and Pia Sabel weren't going to let it slide.
Seeley James
I look at my bank account.
Seeley James
Book #5 of the series is called Death and the Candidate, although I will probably change the title to something else. (Death and Power? Death and Terror? Death and Freedom?) It's about an ultra-rich man who wants to change the political landscape and hires ten terrorists to help him.
Seeley James
Have a rich uncle.
Seeley James
Entertaining readers. Every email, message I get from a fan who says they stayed up late, or read all weekend, or loved the part where Jacob did ___, or Pia ___, fills me with joy. I live for those moments.
Seeley James
With the complex plots I enjoy writing, I sometimes find my story going astray. That causes me to sit and think through what I should write. When I stare at a blank screen too long, I go straight to the outline and take a good look at it.
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