Up Close & Personal with Jo Denning

Up Close & Personal is one of The Writer’s Life newest features. Here we feature authors who don't mind spilling the beans and telling what it's really like to write, get published and sell that book.  Today's guest is Jo Denning, author of the fantasy romance, Hush Hush City.

On Writing…

I began writing Dead Blood City, the first book in the Saoirse Reilly series, while working in a psychiatric hospital at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and following the death of a thirteen-year-old patient by suicide. The magic and monsters in Reilly’s world are metaphors for the very real evil and darkness that exists in our world. The painful experiences of my characters are things that real people go through every day. Unfortunately, treatment is not always enough to help them escape the darkness inside their own minds. When I have hard days at work, I’m grateful to be able to escape into my writing. Creative outlets have always helped me process my emotions.

On Being Published…

I am shocked and amazed by the reception Dead Blood City received. Over a hundred readers ordered a copy within the first month and now hundreds of people have read it. It may not seem like much compared to the best-selling authors but I never imagined so many people would read this book. I am grateful to every reader and reviewer. Thank you so much!

Writing Hush Hush City, the sequel to DBC and second installment in the Saoirse Reilly series, allowed me to continue a journey of healing and self-forgiveness that I started in my first novel. Reilly is on a treacherous and painful path but we are all walking it together. When I was working on DBC at work, in waiting rooms, at airports, and on my couch, I often wondered if there was any reason for it. And, sometimes, I felt very alone in a very dark place. Now the sun is shining through my windows and I’m publishing the sequel. I hope that you, too, will read and grow.

On Publishing Industry…

I chose to self-publish because it gave me full creative control over the series. Honestly, I don’t know much about the publishing industry. They have their process and I have mine.

On Marketing…

Marketing is a tough one! I’m a big proponent of ARC readers. Voracious Readers Only has helped me find most of my core ARC team. I’ve also worked with a few different book tour companies and really like Pump Up Your Book. These are helpful to get your book title and your name in multiple places. Less helpful for actual sales. But, for me, marketing starts with SEO. Basically, the more hits that are my name, my book, and my series, the better. I’m on all types of social media, too. I’ve had the best luck with BookTok, making videos with short excerpts of my books set to viral sounds.

My biggest mistake early on was spending too much time (and money) on social media and marketing activities. The best advice I can give aspiring authors is to WRITE. Do some marketing, but focus more on writing books than selling them.

On Goals and Dreams…

I’m hard at work on the third book of the Saoirse Reilly series, Black Sight City. My short-term goal is to bust that out. The entire series will consist of eight books so my long-term goal is to write until it’s done. I’m not too worried about success beyond publishing the entire series. That is my goal and anything else is an enjoyable side benefit.

Learn more... http://thewriterslife.blogspot.com/2023/07/up-close-personal-with-hush-hush-city.html