We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cindy Quayle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cindy below.

Cindy, appreciate you joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

As a self-published author, I wish I had gotten a small business loan before I had published my first book to spend on advertising and marketing material. A lot of writers, including myself, focus on the creative aspect of writing instead of the business of publishing. It takes time and money to learn the business end of writing.
Another thing I wish I’d done before I released my first book was to attend a book conference. These events bring together authors and readers, and it would’ve been a great way to connect with people to let them know that I was planning to publish a book. It would also have been nice to see what kind of bookish swag authors buy to gift their readers and build an ARC team.
The final thing I wish I had done differently was to tell more people that I wrote a book. I find it difficult to self promote, so I didn’t tell anyone until I released my first book. Later on I realized that I should’ve been promoting my book at least six months before the release date. Whoops! An independent bookseller who used to work as a political advisor once told me that it takes a countless number of times repeating the news before people realize that you were talking.
I’ve taken this message to heart, and I’m working on being a better ambassador for myself.

Cindy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Cindy Quayle, and I became a writer in a roundabout way. I’ve always enjoyed reading, and I’d wanted to be a writer when I was younger, but I didn’t have the courage to write for publication until I was much older. Having life experiences toughened me and allowed me to set realistic expectations.
Additionally, these life experiences became a springboard for my debut cozy mystery series. My main character Claire O’ Keefe is an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher which is similar to what I do outside of writing. Like me, Claire enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and solving mysteries.
Although the main character isn’t exactly like me, people who’ve known me for a long time say that they can “hear” me in the books. I think this is a tremendous compliment because there aren’t a lot of cozy mysteries series with a minority main character.
I believe everyone has a story, and it’s important to be heard, so I’m thrilled that I get to share my passion with readers who value the same things that I do.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

In-person events where I can meet new readers are my favorite way to connect with people, but they are difficult to do because they require scheduling months in advance. So, I’ve been focusing on building my readership by doing author takeover events on social media and keeping up with the current readers through my monthly newsletter.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a writer is having readers tell me that they’ve enjoyed my books, and they are looking forward to reading more of my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cindyquayleauthor.com
• Instagram: authorcindyquayle
• Facebook: authorcindyquayle
• Other: Bluesky @authorcindyquayle.bsky.social

Image Credits

Cindy Quayle