PUYB Virtual Book Club Chats with Krystal Lawrence, author of 'Cat O'Nine Tales'

Krystal Lawrence lives in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of three novels—— two vampire stories, Risen and Risen II: The Progeny, and a trilogy entitled, Be Careful What You Wish For which is currently under consideration to be turned into a television series. Cat O’Nine Tales is Krystal’s first and much anticipated collection of short stories. Her books are available through Amazon and all major book retailers.

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About the Book:

What evil dwells within the pretty lady next door or the ordinary house cat?
What happens when you pursue your dreams into the desert after dark?
Beware the man borne of your imagination. He could seek vengeance on the one who created him.
Visit a bookstore offering a most alluring and sinister service.
Journey to the dark side with ten twisted tales of horror, malevolence, and the truly uncanny.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

The beauty of this book was how little research was required. Writing a collection of short stories requires a great deal less preparation than writing a full-length novel does. Or perhaps, because it’s done in smaller segments and stretched out over a longer period of time it just feels like less.

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

This is my fourth book, published by Telemachus Press out of Ohio.

If published by a publisher, what was your deciding factor in going with them?

They had been interested in my first book and I stayed with them ever since.

If published by a publisher, are you happy with the price they chose?

The hardback seems a little pricey, but it does seem to be the going rate for hard cover books. I didn’t have much say in that matter, I’m afraid.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

Because I write in the horror and suspense genre I always try to release around the bewitching month of October just before Halloween.

How did you choose your cover?

It was a collaborative effort between myself and the house. They have an incredibly good design guy who has the amazing ability to turn my ideas into reality.

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I always do an initial first draft and then go back and do three or four rewrites before it goes to the editor, and then I do final revisions after it comes back all polished up.

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book?

I had really cool vampire bookmarks done for my first book, but haven’t done that since.

Did you consider making or hiring someone to make a book trailer for your book?  If so, what’s the link?

I don’t have a trailer.

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

For me it’s all about getting as many people to read my books as possible, much more than it is about sales. I always keep a stack on hand and have been known to give them to unsuspecting strangers in the grocery store. Once I tossed one into the bed of a pick-up truck that had a skull and cross bones on the bumper sticker. The owner struck me as someone that might enjoy a good scary story. Does that answer your question?

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Be prepared for less than five star reviews, it was a life lesson for me that the entire world was not going to love everything I penned. You have to develop a thick skin and be able to read reviews about your work without taking everything to heart.

Remember why you wrote the book in the first place. It wasn’t to become a best-seller it was because you were inspired. Hold on to that inspiration.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Come up with a really good marketing strategy…I know a lady that does an amazing virtual book tour for instance… J

Find reviewers, even if you have to give them free copies. The more positive reviews you get the more viability you have as a writer and the more your book will sell.

Try to get book signing events. I did one in a furniture store during a Labor Day sale once. You would be amazed at how many books you sell, even when you aren’t in the perfect venue.

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out?  

I didn’t really do much prior to the book being released apart from submit some of the individual stories to magazines for consideration. (As the Crow Flies was published in edition 48 of Sanitarium Magazine.)

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

Like my second book, Be Careful What You Wish For, I would like to create a treatment (screenplay idea) for several of the stories in the book that would translate well to the screen.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

Thanks for your continued support…oh, and you might want to leave the light on.