Today I interview author Joylene Nowell Butler about her publication of the crime thriller Dead Witness, as well as on her writing philosophy and experience.
Welcome to Blogcritics for this interview, Joylene. We have been e-mail writer friends for a number of years, either in the same critique groups or out of them, so our discussion isn’t an introduction. Perhaps we might find something more from contrasting our experiences.
Hi Chris. I'm happy to be here. And I think I've got the contrast you're looking for. It's the "Don't do as I do, but as I say" premise. If your readers learn one thing from my experience, then my mistakes were well worth it.
I admit to being surprised this year when you decided to self publish Dead Witness after several years and several agents failed to place it. Can you tell us how that came about?
It started as an attempt to lift my spirits. After collecting enough rejection letters to wallpaper our ensuite, I needed to know that what I do (writing novels) is real. My objective was to print one hard copy. When it arrived in the post, my family's excitement and enthusiasm caused a chain reaction. Before I considered the consequences, I ordered 20 additional copies. They sold within days. After a few sleepless nights, I took a chance and ordered 100 more, then placed them in retail stores in the area. No one was more surprised than I when they sold in less than 2 weeks. I might have stopped there had the stores not called to say they had back orders and when could I fill them. Then the Library of Friends asked if I'd participate in the exhibition by doing readings and book signings. It escalated from there.
Until I entered the post office in Vanderhoof and was mobbed by a friendly group of fans, I had no idea whether I'd made the biggest mistake of my career. Though my online sales at Lulu were small, I received emails and phone calls from strangers praising my book. It's a wonderful feeling knowing your years of efforts aren't in vain.
What kinds of promotions are you doing?
Experience is a wonderful thing. I should have marketed Dead Witness first, then released it to the public. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20. I did a google search, discovered what others had done to succeed, then promptly contacted every retail store in the area that I thought might sell Dead Witness, and negotiated their commission. Currently I'm in discussions with a large food chainstore in BC.
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