Author Interview With T.L. Clark

Self-published authors can help build a following by publishing book series. If they start with a strong first book, they can build a devoted fanbase by continuing the story through multiple books. T.L. Clark is one author who has broken into the romance genre using this very method. Check out my interview with Clark below.

Book titles:

Young’s Love

True’s Love

Dark Love

Rekindled Love

Broken & Damaged Love

Genres: Romance (contemporary/suspense/self-help; depending which one you choose but all are romance novels)

How long have you been a published author?

I pressed the publish button on my first book on 25^th May 2013.

1. What made you decide to become an indie author? What do you like to write about?

Embarrassingly, it’s because of the book that sounds like a paint chart. You know the one.

You see, I read the whole trilogy (for some unknown reason) and thought it was dreadful.

“Even I can write better than this tripe,” I thought, somewhat arrogantly. So I tried.

2. How did you publish your first book?

I self-published straight away on Amazon KDP, and haven’t looked back since.

3. Did you ever try to submit to traditional publishers? If so, what was your experience like?

I did once, after I’d built up a small following. I got accepted, but it felt like a vanity publisher so I declined.

Then it occurred to me, I’d already done the donkey work.

To get access to the top publishers you need to try to get a publishing agent. And they only really like to see authors who have put their own name ‘out there’ and got a basic reader base. So, why would I want x2 lots of people taking large chunks of money out of my royalties after I’ve done most of the hard work? :-/

That’s just my opinion btw. Each to their own.

4. How did you market your first book? Has your process changed with subsequent books?

I’ve learned loads over the years. I’ve tried many things; paid ads on Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads, getting highlight spots on blogs, author interviews, blogging myself, posting in appropriate Goodreads groups, business cards…I’ve not found the magic formula yet.

But at one point I was promoting more than writing. I have a full time job, and my writing time is precious little as it is.

So now I don’t sweat the small stuff. I’ll have a big launch campaign, and then just let my books chunter away in the background.

5. How do you support other indie authors?

I’ve read over 100 indie author books, and I leave reviews for them (and contact them if they need a friendly hint).

And I’m just starting to post the reviews on my blog site too.

6. What responses have you received from telling people that you are a writer?

My friends just sort of shrug their shoulders. And lots of people have told me, “I’ve often thought about writing a book.”

Nobody’s gasped in amazement yet, but there’s still time! ;-p

7. What/who has been your biggest support as an indie author?

Jacqueline Rhoades has been amazing. She’s a fellow indie (and now a successful one I’m happy to say).

I had read one of her books as I was just starting out (and have subsequently read all of them). I tentatively reached out to her to ask some advice.

She’s read each one of my books now, I think. And she used to give me praise and gentle encouragement/pointers. She’s so busy now she just leaves a rating, but it still gives me thrills.

Oh, and my husband! He needs a mention; the poor long suffering man. He’s very patient and tries to give me space. And he also keeps my food and fluid levels up (I can forget to eat and drink mid writing frenzy).

8. Quote from a positive review of your work.

I wrote one book about a child abuse survivor who finds love on her path to recovery (Broken & Damaged Love).

I agonized over that book for 18 months, trying to smash down the barriers to talking about the subject, being informative yet not sordid in my brutal honesty.

So, this is one of my most treasured review quotes:

“Firstly before I start off about this book can I just say well done to TL Clark. Who decided to write a novel about this type of abuse. She is very brave to write about this as it’s a very serious and sensitive subject.”

The reviewer had no idea how much I’d pooped my pants over whether it was OK to release this hard hitting book. I was over the moon to see that someone recognized the courage it took. I confess I got a little teary at that point.