How/why did you start to write?
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Once when I was about eight, my parents thrilled me with the news that we'd be going to Maine on vacation. I was so excited, I ran off to write a story about it!
How did you become an author?
The desire to write stories my own children would enjoy turned out to be the driving force behind my first published novel, Open Door. I kept working at it until my 14-year-old daughter claimed she could not put it down. My daughters are the best beta readers I could imagine having. I wrote a blog entry about that, actually, at http://christinelockebooks.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-best-beta-reader-secret.html
What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?
Before I decided I would e-publish Open Door, I worked in many jobs, most recently retail management and manager training. Before that, I received a master of arts in comparative lit and did some teaching at the same time. I was given four sections of freshman English at Texas A&M my last year there. Teaching young people how to communicate effectively through writing was actually one of my favorite jobs.
Please share one of your successful marketing techniques
The most effective way to get others to read my book turned out to be the thing I was most nervous about doing: self-publishing and asking all my friends and family to believe in me and the book and to help me promote it through social media. So many more people than I would have imagined showed interest in Open Door and in its sequel. (I hope to have In Time published this fall after the children are back in school.) I've been very lucky.
Here's the absolute BEST thing about indie publishing and the online writing community: the support of other indie writers. I've been overwhelmed by how easy it is to get your book out there and the warm welcome of other authors. Both google+ and twitter have been tremendous resources for me, and I've greatly enjoyed connecting with other writers through their blogs, like this one! Thanks for having me! (You're most welcome, Christine. Thank you for visiting. And all the best on your author journey.)
I'd love to be in your circles
Please follow me (I #followback !)
I'd love your feedback on my book, Open Door:
http://www.amazon.com/Open-Door-Legacy-Series-ebook/dp/B008C8B02Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1341838685&sr=8-5&keywords=open+door
