AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Kamilla Reid's Questory for Success
Inspiration can come from many places, but for Kamilla Reid, her 'aha!' moment came while watching the CBS reality series, ‘The Amazing Race.’ The concept for her series, The Questory of Root Karbunkulus, had been forming for some time, but it was as she watched participants of the race compete and perform challenges that the land of Dréamm became her reality. But, writing and publishing is not new terrain for Reid; having published her first fiction story at the age of eight and written and directed over 40 plays for the stage, Reid has spent the better part of her life bringing the “fantastic” to life in print.
Her vision for the first installment of the series, The Questory of Root Karbunkulus: Item One: Miist , was highly specific, and Kamilla recognized that, as a first-time novelist, by self-publishing her work, she would experience the same level of customer support with more creative control than with a traditional publisher. After investigating the ins and outs of self-publishing, she decided that BookSurge was a good fit, offering the best value for her book to achieve her goals.
‘In addition to an entertaining book, I knew I needed a great website and book trailer, all the things that I thought kids would love.’ And, that has been the focus of Reid’s marketing plan – finding creative ways to identify and connect with kids ages 10 and up, her target audience. Today, she has hosted readings at schools, signed copies of her book, and launched a highly interactive website- http://www.rootkarbunkulus.com/ - complete with video weblogs for her most avid fans, a dictionary of terms for the uninitiated, and a web forum for fans to discuss their theories for the next installment.
Kamilla’s hard work and imaginative promotional techniques have garnered interest from the press. Check out a recent article written by Jeff Bertolucci of PC World, praising her web site and book trailer.
Following the finale of Harry Potter, young readers are hungry for another series that will satisfy their craving for adventures beyond the realms of reality. As Reid begins work on her second novel in the six part series of Root Karbunkulus, she is also taking time to focus on marketing this already-successful book. Through her ‘Name Fame’ contest, she stays connected with her readers and offers a unique marketing opportunity, where those who purchase her book through October are entered to have their name chosen for a character in the next title. As her audience eagerly awaits her next book, Kamilla is enjoying the ride of a lifetime, following her dreams. “I knew in my heart [the book] was special, and when you have that, the rest kind of falls into place.”
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