Interview with Kelly Moore

Author of Say You Won’t Let Go

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I’m from Florida living in Idaho.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I lived in Florida my entire life until 2015. I started my journey as a Travel nurse. We, hubby, dog, and I purchased a fifth-wheel trailer and began our journey to see this country. I worked in ICU’s all over the northwest portion of the United States and fell in love with it. We’ve settled in the beautiful city of Boise.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I’ve written as long as I can remember. I wanted to be a songwriter but life had its own plans for me. I didn’t publish my first book until 2015 at the encouragement of a friend.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

Original romance stories with a lot of suspense, laughter, and tears. They are relatable and not perfect characters. They all have flaws and somewhere in the story, you’ll find grains of a lesson in them but love always wins out. My female characters are strong, smart, and kick-ass women.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Women ages 25-65 connect well with my books. Women that want to get lost from their everyday lives and want to go on an adventure.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

What surprised me the most is that I can write a character who is broken and readers will love them. In my book Imperfect, the male character is bipolar. You see his struggles first hand with a lot of harsh realities. He became my readers’ favorite character. I struggled thinking they wouldn’t love him but they did.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Start at a younger age. Get a degree in marketing and graphics. Learn to be bold and go for what you want.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

Millions! I’d love to have my books in bookstores, libraries, on every kindle, and on every audiobook shelf.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Marketing. After 36 books published, I still feel invisible. The market is so saturated with Indie authors, it’s hard to get your name out there without a big publisher behind your name. You have to give it all away in order to gain any footage and with authors giving them away or selling them for 99 cents, it’s hard to sell a full-priced book.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

The writing part comes easy for me. I’ve learned so much in a short period of time and my stories have grown and become so much better. I do a lot of research and have learned the importance of painting a picture in my books.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Marketing, marketing,…marketing!

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m always writing my next book. As soon as I finish one, the next one begins.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I started with traditional publishing but had a bad experience and started my journey of self-publishing. I love the freedom I have with it. I set my own schedule and hire my own people. I like having my own say over covers and the people I work with to make it all happen.