Q. When will the sequel of Forever Fifteen come out?
A.Forever Fifteen II: Burial is planned for release in all forms (audio, ebook, print novel) in Summer 2012. A flipbook preview of the first pages is free to read HERE and an excerpt from a later chapter is free to read HERE.
Q. How is the way you release your books different from say, Danielle Steel?
A. I am a 100% indie author, meaning that I do not have a publishing deal. I have chosen to remain independent because I don’t feel that it is worth it to go through traditional distribution methods to reach my fans. I enjoy being able to write what I want to without having to worry that I’m offending general audiences. A publisher would probably cramp my style, but my fans love it when I show my dark side. Also, as an indie, I get to keep far more money from my creative products and nobody “owns” my book. The disadvantage is that my paperbacks are not represented on the shelves of Barnes & Noble or non-indie bookstores, but I can be found in some indie bookstores and all the usual places online, including Amazon.com/Kindle.
Q. How and why did you release your first book, Forever Fifteen, for free?
A. I never expected to write a novel. A series of unfortunate events landed me in a dilapidated country house. I was driven to complete Forever Fifteen within the span of a year. Once the novel was finished, I felt very insecure about it so I released it as one of the first free audiobooks on the internet. I sent it to only one agency, Writers House, and they rejected it. I already possessed recording equipment for my alter-ego as indie recording artist, Queenie, so I thought, hey, why not? The novel was my biggest “hit” to date. Even though I released it around 2005, I still get at least 1-2 emails a week from fans who love it. Fans gave me the idea that I could write, so I have decided to always go directly to the people who appreciate me most.