I’ve know Shelley Stout for years from the online writing community, and I find her to be an author who has excelled in promoting her two novels, which has translated into solid book sales and, most recently, a 
Gatekeepers Post nomination for Radium Halos, where a thousand eBook fans were polled and asked to nominate their favorite eBooks and eBook authors of the Year. Of Shelley’s two novels, Radium Halos is available as an ebook and a paperback, and Celebrities for Breakfast is available as an ebook only. I was interested in what she had to say about publishing with a small house publisher, eBooks, and self-promotion.
Q: What made you decide to publish your first book, Radium Halos, as an ebook?
A: After several years of trying, I was unable to connect with the right agent for Radium Halos. About four years ago, I accepted an offer (for the paperback rights) from a small press which went out of business prior to publication. I continued working with the wonderful and talented editor from that small press, Sandra Spicher. Through networking, Sandra found an ebook publisher in 2009, Girlebooks, who was interested in reading Radium Halos. The publisher and I connected, then signed a contract for the ebook rights.
Q: At what point did it become feasible to publish in paperback?
A: About two months after the release of the ebook, sales were better than we expected. Girlebooks decided to create a print version and launched their print publishing arm, naming it Librifiles Publishing. Radium Halos was their first print publication in October 2009.
Q: Which one of your public appearances or events has been the most successful?
A: My most successful event was in October 2010, when I attended a fund raising event in Ottawa, Illinois, selling 44 books. Radium Halos is based on the true, tragic story of young women factory workers in Ottawa (a small town outside of Chicago), in the 1920s and 30s who were exposed to radiation while painting watch and clock dials with radium paint. The purpose of the event was to raise funds for a memorial statue, scheduled for completion at the end of April 2011. At that time, a dedication ceremony will take place.
During the fund raiser, many of the former dial painters from the subsequent watch and clock dial factory (Luminous Processes) approached my table and spoke to me about their work or how they had lost loved ones and friends to cancer and radiation poisoning. This event was the most successful as far as book sales, but it was also the most heartrending and emotional.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about these events?
A: I have truly enjoyed traveling and meeting people, talking to them about not only my novel, but about how even today, people are blindly following the instructions of their superiors, not realizing the potential dangers until it is too late.
Q: On February 23 you’ll be doing a Radio Interview on Blog Talk Radio. How did you arrange this interview?
A: Anjuelle Floyd hosts the weekly Blog Talk Radio show, Book Talk, Creativity and Family Matters. I connected with Anjuelle via Twitter, soon after I created my profile there last August. She invited me to do the interview.
Q: More recently, your romantic comedy, Celebrities for Breakfast, was published by Girlebooks. How are you promoting this book?
A: Promotion is similar for both novels. I tweet about them, have a BookBuzzr widget on my blog with the first chapter of each, and I participate in several message boards and websites with other writers and readers, such as Goodreads.com, WritersDigest.com and Kindleboards. I also have a Facebook fan page.
Q: In what ways is promoting Celebrities for Breakfast different from Radium Halos?
A: To promote Celebrities for Breakfast, which is an ebook only, I initially sought out romance reviewers and offered giveaways. I promote it on my blog, auto-tweets from BookBuzzr, and on my Facebook page.
Since Radium Halos is also in paperback, I can do book signings, etc. Also, it tends tohave a wider appeal, so I have set up Google Alerts to notify me when anything regarding radium or the dial painters is posted on the Internet. For example, I recently learned that an article had been written about the memorial statue. I contacted the author of the article and asked her if she would like a free copy of Radium Halos to write a review. Her subsequent review generated additional interest (and sales) for the novel.
Q: Do you think you will ever run out of ideas for promotion?
A: I hope not! I’m continually looking for new ways to let readers know my books exist. Recently, I have started promoting Radium Halos to independent bookstores in Illinois, as part of Illinois history. Both of my novels are suitable for age 16 and up, so I can promote them as adult or young adult.
Coincidentally, both Radium Halos and Celebrities for Breakfast take place in Illinois. I recently contacted a large home-schooling group in Illinois, which generated tremendous interest in both novels.
Q: How does publication with a small press differ from that of a major publishing house?
A: There are pros and cons to each, but with a small press, you may be more involved in decisions regarding marketing, book cover design, formatting/production, and pricing. Also, there is less pressure to sell a certain number of books, so you can enjoy a more normal existence, i.e. not quitting your day job. Occasionally, my Amazon sales numbers will increase then fall back again. With a big house, that would be a problem. With my publisher, we are just happy to be selling books!
Q: What’s next with your novels?
A: A few months ago, an agent in Turkey and a publisher in Korea contacted me regarding foreign translation/publication rights. I am waiting to hear back from both of them. It’s exciting, but I have been told it can take several months for the deals to be finalized.
Also, Radium Halos is now available through Baker & Taylor and Ingram, so bookstores can order the paperback. Please contact Laura at Librifiles Publishing regarding the return policy.
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Originally from Annandale, Virginia, Shelley Stout resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys spending time with her two grown sons. She also enjoys volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Shelley is a contributing writer for local and regional magazines, and her award-winning fiction has appeared in anthologies, The Storyteller Magazine and online at WordRiot.
You can order Radium Halos at Kindle Amazon, Paperback Amazon and Other ebook formats. Celebrities for Breakfast is available at Kindle Amazon and other ebook formats: You can also vote for Radium Halos Best eBook of the year at The Gatekeepers Post until the end of February.
Blog Talk Radio, where Shelley will be featured on February 23, is an live online radio show. Call in times are 12 Noon PT, 1pm MT, 2pm CT, and 3pm ET. Call-in Number: (347) 215-7740.
Originally from Annandale, Virginia, Shelley Stout resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys spending time with her two grown sons. She also enjoys volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Shelley is a contributing writer for local and regional magazines, and her award-winning fiction has appeared in anthologies, The Storyteller Magazine and online at WordRiot.
You can vote for Radium Halos Best eBook of the year at The Gatekeepers Post
Thanks for this info. I’m always interested in news about writing and publishing.
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading.
Shelley, congratulations on your success. Your non-traditional approach to the market makes a lot of sense, and it obviously has worked well. Hope to hear more from you.
And Linda, terrific interview. Your questions brought out some very interesting information.
Thank you, Mr. Gill! I think Shelley has so much to offer her fellow writers.