Inventing a Mystery Series that Sells: An Interview with Leslie Caine, Part I

making a good living at it are as slim as winning the lottery. If it were simply a matter of pouring money into promotion, the writers with the wealthiest spouses would be the bestsellers. Success is based first and foremost on a great story, just as Donald Maass says, but marketing and promotion are also absolutely critical. With insufficient marketing, even a great story will go unnoticed. (One of the best books I personally have ever read is WHERE THE ROAD GOES by Joanne Greenberg, which failed to get the sales it so richly deserves, whereas THE DA VINCI CODE is also a great story but had the most extensive marketing campaign that I've seen). There is also an element of just plain old dumb luck in the formula for success, and there's simply no way to control that.

DC: That is so true. And I agree with your comment that if book sales were simply a matter of pouring money into promotion, the writers with the wealthiest spouses would be the bestsellers! My interview with Leslie Caine continues next week, March 14. More info on Leslie's books can be found at her website: http://www.lesliecaine.com/leslie.html

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