Claire Ridgway

Best-selling author and blogger

Jul
31

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My New Book – Interviews with Indie Authors: Top Tips from Successful Self-Published Authors

Category: Books, Self-publishing Tags: , , , , 3 Comments

Today is the official launch of Interviews with Indie Authors: Top Tips from Successful Self-Published Authors, so a very exciting day!

Let me share with you the story behind this book…

Tim and I were inspired by my journey into self-publishing in February 2012. I found lots of books to help me with the technicalities of self-publishing, but what inspired me and helped make my own books successful was reading the stories of authors who’d been there and done it, and done it successfully. I wanted to learn from the masters and find out what tools and techniques they used to ensure success. I knew it wasn’t down to luck, but hard work, and I wanted to get it right. As my own books hit the bestseller lists, I began to be asked how I’d done it and what advice I could share. That’s when the idea for Interviews with Indie Authors hit me. I knew that different authors had very different stories and strategies, so why not collect them all together and publish them to help newbie authors? The book was born.

It’s a wonderful book because the authors concerned have been so giving. Their stories are truly inspiring and their advice is sure to help other authors navigate their way through the minefields of self-publishing, marketing and promotion.

You can find out more about the book over at the book website – InterviewswithIndieAuthors.com or click hereto go directly to Amazon.com.

Book Blurb

Learn how to succeed in indie publishing.

With interviews from 34 of the hottest names in self-publishing, “Interviews with Indie Authors” contains a unique view into the world of the indie writer. Each bestselling self-published author shares how they ensure their books are a hit, and what led them to indie publishing in the first place. You will also find out what they think the future of self-publishing will bring. Their first hand experience is invaluable for anyone planning to succeed with their own books.

Whatever your background, you will learn from these incredible interviews.

With diverse genres such as thrillers, young adult fiction, the paranormal, romance, comedy, fantasy, horror, science fiction, mystery and even non-fiction, whatever you are writing about, this book has it covered.

Contains interviews with indie authors such as: Michael McCloskey, Nick Russell, Connie Suttle, Michael Prescott, Terri Reid, Hugh Howey, Scott Nicholson, Kristen Ashley, Aaron Patterson, Carol Davis Luce, Claire Ridgway, Alexa Grace, Marie Force, Shadonna Richards, Colleen Hoover, Barbara Freethy, Joseph Lallo, Rebecca Forster, Caryn Moya Block, Denise Grover Swank, Mainak Dhar, Imogen Rose, CJ Lyons, Bella Andre, Maria Murnane, Theresa Ragan, Russell Blake, Linda Welch, Debra Holland, J. Thorn, James Somers, Karen Cantwell, Tracey Garvis Graves and Elena Greene.

50% of the royalties from “Interviews with Indie Authors” will be given to charity. The money will be split between two charities – ROPE (Relief for Oppressed People Everywhere) and Goal for the Gambia.

Jul
9

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Documentary Interview – The Boleyn Project

Category: The Anne Boleyn Files Tags: , , 2 Comments

Back in April, I was interviewed for a documentary by Charli Burden and Kathryn Dowling, two MA Broadcast Journalism students. They also interviewed authors Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory, and some Anne Boleyn ‘fans’.

Here are clips from my interview when I was asked about how The Anne Boleyn Files started and also whether I saw The Anne Boleyn Files site as a ‘fan club’.

and

Jul
9

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In the Top 100 Indie Authors Again!

Category: Books, The Anne Boleyn Collection, The Fall of Anne Boleyn Leave a Comment

For the second month running, I’m in the list of IReaderReview.com’s Top 100 Indie Authors! It is an honour to have my name listed with some of my favourite authors and also to be one of only two non-fiction authors on the list.

The list is based on the previous months’ book sales, so a big thank you to those who have bought copies of  The Anne Boleyn Collection and The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown and who have spread the word – thank you!

I have been blown away by the support I have received and please know that I am eternally grateful. I feel truly blessed to be able to research the Boleyns and Tudor history on a full-time basis.

You can see the Top 100 list at Top 100 Indie Authors for July 2012. I’m at 77!

Jul
2

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Interviews with Indie Authors Coming Soon!

Category: Books, Marketing your book, Self-publishing Tags: , , , Leave a Comment

Mock-up of cover

When I started my journey into self-publishing in January 2012, I wanted to know:

  1. How to do it – Print on Demand versus packages from companies like AuthorHouse, how to format and sell e-books, how to get a cover designed, how to get an ISBN, tax implications etc. etc.
  2. Other authors’ experiences of self-publishing and whether it actually worked.

Number 1 was easy. I found some excellent resources, online and in book form, on how to actually self-publish a paperback and e-book, but number 2 was harder as I actually had to find authors who’d done it and who had blogged or written about it. I wanted to know their real stories, why they’d done what they did, how they’d done it and how successful they’d been. It is inspiring to read accounts of self-publishing success and to learn from others who’ve been there, done it and are happy to wear the t-shirt! I’m always being asked how I did it and how I managed to sell my two books so successfully, so people want to know.

“Times are a changin”, as the song says, and more and more people are considering self-publishing, so Tim and I decided to interview some of the top indie authors – authors we admired and who had inspired us – and share their stories in a book, Interviews with Indie Authors – see the Interviews with Indie Authors website. These authors have been incredibly giving, both of their time and their experiences, and I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to them. Their stories will inspire and their tips will help other authors find success. The book will be released at the end of July 2012.

50% of the royalties from Interviews with Indie Authors will be given to charity. The money will be split between two charities – ROPE (Relief for Oppressed People Everywhere) and Goal for the Gambia. See the Charity Page for more details.

Interviews with Indie Authors: Top Tips from Successful Self-published Authors is due out the end of July 2012.