Harry Styles, Noodles and Money

I give you, the wonderful Keris Fox

How do I introduce the lovely Keris Fox?

I’ve been sitting here trying to work out the best way.
Is it by telling you about when I first met her? On a writing forum where we were both trying to get published? Keris was the first person I met in real life from meeting online. Look at this photo of us back then!

Or do I tell you about her amazing books, and how she has been my writing inspiration for all those years? Or how about the books she has out now? The Harry Styles Effect and Rock the Boat (as Olivia Harvey)?

You know what? I’ll just put the interview here and let it do the work…

Tell me about your writing and your books, and your Substacks and how they fit in with your writing life.

This is a big question!
In the past fifteen years, I've had fifteen books published - two this year, one fiction, one non-fiction. I'm currently working on a new novel. I'm about halfway through, but had a revelation a couple of weeks ago, which basically means a full rewrite. Bugger.

I started my money Substack, The Ladybird Purse, almost four years ago to talk about women and money at midlife. It's since expanded to include women and non-binary people of all ages (literally - I did a 'Decades' series where I interview a woman for every decade from teens to nineties).

I've also recently completed Trauma of Money coaching certification and I'm about to launch as a midlife money coach with Messy Middle Money, which uses narrative structure to help women rewrite their money story. (I say "their" but I'm right there in the "messy middle" too.)

I also have an author Substack, Happy Endings, with all the 'behind the books' author life stuff along with snippets from my WIPs. Plus photos of our cat, Noodles, who is adorable, hilarious, and way more popular than me.

What are you doing at the moment that's working in marketing your books?

Embarrassing as it is to admit, I've always been a bit apologetic about my books. I always used to feel - and therefore act - like this:

This year, I think maybe because I had two books coming out - and maybe also because it's been fifteen years and I am 54 and what am I even doing?? - I decided to just go for it.

So I've been accepting every invitation to interviews, podcasts, zooms, Substack Lives. I'm doing a book festival (which scares the bejesus out of me). And I'm constantly yelling about both books on social media.

What have you found is a waste of time in terms of marketing your books?

I'm going to sound very cynical, but I'm not sure anything really works. Or some things work for one book but then not another. So anything that you don’t enjoy is probably a waste of time.

When I started out, I'd be so excited to get a dump bin or a promotion or an awards shortlisting or a quote from a big name author (Rainbow Rowell on One Italian Summer) but I'm not convinced any of them made a difference.

I think the main thing that works is the publisher putting a lot of money and time and creativity behind the marketing, but that doesn't happen for the majority of books and also even that isn't guaranteed to work. It's a crapshoot, really.

What advice would you give a complete newbie on Substack?

Don't worry about what anyone else is doing. Do what you want. There are a LOT of opinions about what Substack is and who it's for and it's all made up. I remember quite early on seeing someone saying something like 'Substack is for serious, considered, long-form writing' and it enraged me! If I want to make a Substack that's just photos comparing Harry Styles to my cat, I can and I will. Mind your own business!

Do you find that readers find your books through Substack?

I don't think so. But that may be because my money substack is the more popular one and I rarely mention my books on there. I should do that more...

What book marketing tips have you got in general?

Don't feel there's anything you must do. If you don't want to do TikTok you don't have to do TikTok. (But maybe give it a try to make sure.) Don't be afraid to be yourself. And try to have fun.

What's next for you?

Hopefully I will fly through the new draft of the novel, get a fantastic book deal and become instantly rich and glamorous (also taller).

Or did you mean today? Today I'm going to the gym cos I've agreed to do another bastarding 5k with my 16yo in August. Last year he left me in the dust after 30 seconds, so I’m determined to do a bit better this year.

THANK YOU KERIS!

See? Told you she was lovely!

Keris’s website is here, her Substacks can be found here and her books here and here.
Go have a look and buy some of her brilliant books.

And if you’d like to be featured here - you don’t have to be a published author, if you write and you’re in the game, I want to read about how you’re finding it, so send me a DM and let’s chat!

Hope you’re having a lovely weekend,

PS. Sorry this is going out on a Saturday, it’s usually a Friday but my husband was chopping the hedge and chopped his fingers in the process so I was in A&E instead of at the computer and didn’t manage to send it out! (He’s fine by the way! Absolutely fine.)