I met Rosalie at Malice Domestic a few years ago. We had an instant connection as we were both military spouses, but Rosalie is also a veteran! I’m delighted to welcome her back today.
Rosalie: Thank you for having me, Sherry!
You suggested I discuss writing and promoting two series, specifically what happens when their releases are close! I write for the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series, a multi-author series set in Kauai, but I also write my own series, the Hometown Mysteries, set in Idaho. My most recent Aloha Lagoon, Hallo-waiian Murder Mystery, was released on the 3rd of October and my next Hometown, Murder Comes Home, is coming on 7 November. Close releases occasionally happen when you write multiple series, even if you plan carefully.
When signing contracts for multiple series, I had to first look carefully at the most obvious aspect – due dates – but also necessary to consider is the release date. I am lucky that all my contracts are with the same publisher, and they asked for my suggestions for my own deadlines. They also take into consideration all of the release dates, but I sort of sprung a Halloween one on them, so I set myself for this crazy promo. My bad!
Most of this combined promo tour is via blog, so sometimes, a blog will ask me to focus on one series or the other, but I usually slip in a mention of the other book as well. Especially since my publisher is making a donation to the DAV of a portion of their presales for Murder Comes Home, and I want to get the word out on that. (See? Slipped that right in there!)
If you know me, you know I’m Excel obsessed. In order to keep all my blog deadlines and events straight, I created a rather extensive Excel spreadsheet. I even have boxes to check for written, turned in, posted, and commented, as well as which book the blog wanted me to focus on, contact person, and blog URL.
But promotion is not just leading up to the release dates! I’m getting to be a seasoned pro at representing both series. At Malice Domestic last spring, during the Author-go-round, I carried two hats with me. I started off wearing a big, floppy beach hat to talk about my Aloha Lagoon books. When I finished that abbreviated spiel, I pulled off the beach hat and pulled on a winter cap to talk about my Hometown Books, set in Idaho. It made for some messy hair by the end, but I think it was effective. At least people might remember the hats!
In person, I am attending the Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookstore Cozy Fete on 14 October (Mechanicsburg, PA) and they want to focus on my Hometown books. On the 22nd of October, I will be at Hooray for Books in Alexandria, Virginia, with a few other authors at their Spooktacular Halloween Reads event. They want Halloween-themed books, so I’ll be talking about Hallo-waiian Murder Mystery. Either way, I’m happy to oblige! But I always mention the other book as well – and that donation coming from preorders – so if what I’m there to talk about isn’t someone’s cup of tea, perhaps the other book is!
This author thing is a wild ride, and sometimes, we just have to hold on to our floppy hats and hang on!
Readers: How are you at multi-tasking?
Please join me on my Facebook page, Rosalie Spielman author, or my Facebook group, You Know The Spiel. I also have a newsletter named You Know The Spiel, and you can sign up for it on my website. All new newsletter subscribers in September and October and all members of my You Know The Spiel Facebook group are entered into a raffle for a book of choice!
**Gemma Halliday Publishing is donating a portion of the presales to a veterans’ charity, the Disabled American Veterans, or DAV.
7 November 2023: #3 in the Hometown Mysteries, Murder Comes Home
Preorder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9S126XG
US Army retiree Tessa Treslow and her Aunt Ednaput their auto restoration business on hold to host an “American Pickers”-style TV show, hoping their trash might be treasure to fun their new business. But not only do the pickers come with cameras and likeable stars, but a murderer…
3 October 2023: #20 in the Aloha Lagoon mystery series, Hallo-waiian Murder Mystery
Order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C97PSPBP
Aloha Lagoon’s own dive tour leader Kiki Hepburn investigates the untimely death of one of her landlady Auntie Akamai’s oldest friends in between diving, attending a zombie wedding, and being stalked by a “monster”!
BIO:
Rosalie Spielman is a mother, veteran, and retired military spouse. She was thrilled to discover that she could make other people laugh with her writing and finds joy in giving people a humorous escape from the real world. She writes for the multi-author Aloha Lagoon mystery series and her own Hometown Mystery series.
She currently lives in Maryland with her husband in a rapidly emptying nest. For more information on her books or to subscribe to her newsletter, go to http://www.rosalie-spielman-author.com, follow her Facebook page (Rosalie Spielman author) or Instagram (Rosalie.Spielman). Rosalie strives to provide you a cozy escape…one page at a time
As a lifetime homemaker, I don’t think there’s a way to survive this world without doing some form of multi-tasking. Some just do it better than others. I think I fall in the middle some where. Doing or concentrating on many tasks at once seems to go along just fine and then it’s like a train blocking me. At that time, I have to step back, assess the situation(s), regroup and start over. It’s called life! If things went smooth all the time think how boring it would be. 🙂
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I couldn’t agree more, Kay. Thanks for stopping by!
I know the issue of promoting releases in two series, Rosalie. Congratulations on both.
Love what you did with the hats. Four or five years ago I had a Country Store mystery coming out within two weeks of a Quaker Midwife historical mystery (written under two names). At my launch party, I brought an Indiana ball cap and a Quaker bonnet, and Maddie Day and I interviewed each other! It was fun and the audience loved it.
Oh, wow, what a great idea! I would have loved to see that. Maybe I should try my two characters having a conversation?
I have always been a great multi-tasker. I was an Office Manager in my career and it came naturally to me. Now that I’m retired, I still keep a pretty organized life and am a minimalist. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
Yes, I found office work a good fit for me, too. I can’t say my writing desk is the most organized – except when I’m editing. Then everything is neat as a pin. lol! Thanks for stopping in!
I can multi-task and if you breakdown what you need to get done, it’s can be so easy.
Hi Dru! I agree – I’m a bit To Do List maker, with tasks within tasks. Feels great to check things off.
Woot, congratulations, and what a wonderful publisher.
Multitasker? Of course, I have a grid set up on One Note by month, two planner calendars on my desk and keep an Excel spreadsheet for everything else. It feels so good to tick those boxes!
Hi Kait! My husband thinks I’m crazy but I went back to a paper planner calendar as well. He thinks the calendar on my phone is enough. Nope!
You’re right— this is a fun post on a fun blog. I don’t know how you do 2 series, Rose! You & your floppy hat (and the winter one) are amazing!
Thanks, Korina! <3
I used to say that I wasn’t good at multi-tasking. I tend to get very involved in a project and need to see it through until the end, not handling interruptions well. But it recently dawned on me that I am multi-tasking quite a bit. Now that I work from home, attending meetings doesn’t mean I can’t keep working. Especially if I can plan on something that doesn’t require 100% of attention. Ironically, I’m still one of the people who participates in meetings the most. So maybe I am good at multi-tasking after all.
It sure sounds like you are, Mark! Your comments remind me of that commercial where the guy is listening to a podcast about multitasking during a meeting. 😉
I will be at the Mechanicsburg Fete tomorrow and look forward to meeting you.
Awesome! It’s going to be a lot of fun. I look forward to meeting you too!