Extras

A few bits and pieces to answer frequent questions.

Pictured: Heidi Joy’s grandmother was also an author and wrote the book Heidi Joy is reading to her son, Drew.

Stats & facts

  • Books published: 8 novels, 7 business books, 1 children’s book, 6 collections

  • Date of first publication: Dec. 12, 2012 – age 36

  • Education: BA Communications: Journalism, Pacific Lutheran University

  • Genre & categories: New adult steamy romance, adult romance, women’s fiction, children’s literature, business, marketing, writing.

  • Most popular book: Tattoo Thief, with 500,000+ downloads; it hit #9 on all Amazon books.

  • Favorite book: West With the Night (I named a character in Tattoo Thief after this memoir’s author, Beryl Markham)

  • Typical time it takes to write: 45 days for a novel (fastest: 26 days; slowest: 8 years)

  • Typical time to publication: 4-6 months, including writing, editing, marketing and publishing

  • Hours worked per day: 4, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., 4 days a week, plus some weekends

  • Average words written per hour: 1,200

  • Writing strength: Dialogue

  • Writing weakness: External conflict

  • Hardware/software: Mac, Scrivener, InDesign, Vellum

  • Favorite writing resources: Save the Cat; Write, Publish, Repeat; Go Into the Story

  • First month’s earnings as an author: $50

  • Average annual growth in sales: 300%

  • Sell-through rate (readers who buy the next book): 83%

  • Hours spent writing & publishing in 2014: 900

  • Agency: Open to representation

  • What does your family think of you writing steamy sex? My parents are proud of me, but they don’t read it. My daughter is a voracious reader and read my novels at age 13. When I asked if they were too steamy, she just rolled her eyes.

  • Currently writing: Market Force (business), Skip a Beat (Tattoo Thief #5), and a secret project…

Extras for Tattoo Thief

Watch the video book trailer. Hear the song “Wilderness,” with original lyrics from the book, performed by a musician.

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