Hello, REUTies! Cait Spivey here. Many of you know me already as an editor for REUTS, and later, an author. I’m very excited now to be taking over the marketing department.

via Giphy

When I first started authoring, I was petrified of marketing. There’s a lot of frightening statistics out there about how many books are published in a year and the average number of sales for a debut book, and plenty of messaging, implicit and occasionally explicit, that authors have one shot at “making it.” But that depends on how you define success, and what you want for your book and your career. It may be true, for some people, that one shot is all they want or need. Here at REUTS, we’re interested in building careers. To us, that means marketing in a way that’s steady, thoughtful, and realistic. I’ll be using that philosophy to support our excellent books and fabulous authors.

Post a photo of yourself:

From the time Acquisitions Director Kisa Whipkey and I went to the EMP Museum in Seattle during the Star Wars costume exhibit!

Post eleven random facts about yourself.

1. I’ve only been out of the US once, for my honeymoon to Scotland.

2. The first “novel” I wrote was a sci-fi when I was 14 years old, about a Neptunian princess, set to a soundtrack of Avril Lavigne songs.

3. I’ve been listening to the Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack for approximately a month straight. (I am, as you may guess from the picture, a fan.)

4. I love calenders. I really do. I try to pick ones every year that are unique and beautiful.

5. I get very flustered about gift-buying, which is why I only ever give books as gifts except in very special circumstances.

6. I really, really, really am not a fan of talking on the phone, and will avoid it whenever possible.

7. I’m bad at these kinds of games, so I went back to some old (2008!) notes on Facebook where I’d done “random facts” lists, and I’m sort of surprised how many are no longer applicable.

8. I hate wearing glasses and headphones at the same time.

9. My dog Jay’s full name is Mockingjay, because I adopted him shortly after finishing that book.

10. I’m really more of a cat person (but then I married someone allergic to cats).

11. I really love Disney’s live-action Cinderella movie.

Answer the questions given to you by the tagger’s post, and then create 11 new questions and tag someone else to answer them.

1. Did you have a pet growing up? What was its name?
Several. We moved a lot, and often this meant needing to re-home pets, but our house was never without a pet for long. The longest-reigning of these was a cat named Harley, who I had for eleven years, until she developed a terminal illness and died.

2. What is your favorite type of flower?
Lavender. I don’t know if it’s technically a flower or an herb but it’s still my favorite!

3. In your opinion, what is the weirdest animal?
I’d like to fill a room with biologists and ask them this question.

4. What is your dream car?
A Tesla, any Tesla.

5. What is a topic that you’re an expert on? Give a cool fact about it.
I don’t know that I’m an expert on anything outside reading and writing, certainly not anything that springs cool facts to mind. *crumples in shame*

6. Rock music or pop?
I tend to prefer rock over pop, but so few things in music are absolute.

7. Have you ever ridden a horse/pony? Did you like it?
I grew up in the country, so there was always a pony ride at the fairs and I made ample use of them. I also had five official horseback riding lessons when I was in middle school, but it’s an expensive pursuit, so alas, it could not last. But I love riding.

8. What’s your favorite YouTube video?
I’m a bit obsessed with Postmodern Jukebox, and picking a favorite from them is impossible, but this was a recent love!

9. What’s the last website in your browser history?
YouTube.

10. What’s the last song you listened to?
Other than the PMJ songs, “The Starkiller” from the Force Awakens soundtrack. >.>

11. Do you try to bite jawbreakers?
Nope!

Questions for the NEXT MEMBER OF THE REUTS TEAM  *wink wink nudge nudge*

1. If you could learn how to do one thing instantly, what would you want to learn?

2. What’s a strange food that you like?

3. If you could live the life of a fictional character (in their world) for one day, what character would you pick?

4. If you met a genie, what 3 wishes would you make?

5. Mac or PC?

6. How do you like to deal with writer’s block?

7. What song can’t you get out of your head right now?

8. What’s your most visited website?

9. What’s one thing you are determined to do in your lifetime?

10. Based on your personality what animal are you most like? Why?

11. Do you cook? If so is there one dish that is your specialty?

The post Meet the Staff: Marketing Director, Cait Spivey appeared first on REUTS | Boutique Book Publisher |.

I kind of liked when Ashley called y’all REUTies, so I’m going to do that! Hi REUTies I’m Gabrielle, an editor at REUTs. That means I get to read all the awesome books that we acquire and help the writers make them even better.

I have loved books and writing ever since I was a kid, which I blame on my mother, who was an English teacher and taught me a lot of what I know. Along with writing, horses are one of my passions (so if you have a novel with horses, I’m your girl!). I maintain that my first true love was an American Paint Horse named Nick. He probably weighed 1200 pounds and most of that weight was bad attitude.

Post a photo of yourself:

This is what happens when one of my younger brothers, my nephew, and I hang out!

Post eleven random facts about yourself.

1. I have a sticker of Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants taped to my computer. It was a gift from my nephew.

2. I love the song Thrift Shop by Macklemore. When it comes on the radio, I sing it at the top of my lungs.

3. I’m a lucid dreamer, which means I get to control what happens in my dreams. I do a lot of flying!

4. One of my birth certificates says my name is Gabriella, and the other says it’s Gabrielle.

5. I’m allergic to flavored chap-sticks. It’s really sad.

6. When I sleep, every single light has to be out – all the lights in my room, the ones in the hall, the one in my suitemates’ room. Otherwise I cannot sleep.

7. I drank coffee once in my life, and it was when I had to make a writing deadline.

8. I think the Hunger Games movie is better than the book.

9. When I read the last Nightshade Trilogy book, it made me so mad I threw the book across the room and then ran to my sister to vent.

10. One of my favorite places to be is in the back pasture at the barn when the sun is coming up and it’s just me and the horses.

11. The next pet I’m going to get is a Harlequin Great Dane.

Answer the questions given to you by the tagger’s post, and then create 11 new questions and tag someone else to answer them.

1. What’s the most you’ve sneezed in one time? What’s the norm? Just three. That’s not very impressive, I know. Normally I sneeze twice.

2. Are there any instances where you prefer the movie over the book? Yes. The aforementioned Hunger Games. The book is okay, and I was sad some of the book elements couldn’t get into the movie, but overall I think film was the better medium.

3. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Dirty rice. Am I allowed to have ketchup on it?

4. Do you prefer to be the writer or the editor? That’s a toughie, but I guess I’d have to choose the writer. Making a story come to life is an amazing process.

5. Do you have any crazy talents? I can pinch people with my toes, a useful skill with six younger siblings. You never know when you’ll need to pinch someone.

6. Are there any other languages besides English that you wish you could speak? I wish I could speak Korean. I love listening to KPop and watching KDrama, and if I could do that without subtitles it would be awesome. I’m learning Spanish right now, and I wish I was fluent at that already.

7. If you could rewrite one book, what would it be? The last Nightshade book, Bloodrose. Then I could have everything my way! Haha.

8. If you could recast one movie, what would it be? And who would you cast in those roles? I would like to recast just one position in the movie 3:10 to Yuma. I’d pull out the kid who played the MC’s son and get someone else who actually looked like a cowboy.

9. How do you decorate your hot dogs? Ketchup and only ketchup! None of that other stuff.

10. What’s your favorite word? JUST ONE? I really like the word somnambulism, but legit, chick, antagonize, and harassment are close runners-up. I love a lot of words.

11. How often do you find yourself saying “um”? Not that much, actually, but I use a lot of replacements for it. I say “hm” a lot.

Questions for VERONICA ZHU

1. Did you have a pet growing up? What was its name?

2. What is your favorite type of flower?

3. In your opinion, what is the weirdest animal?

4. What is your dream car?

5. What is a topic that you’re an expert on? Give a cool fact about it.

6. Rock music or pop?

7. Have you ever ridden a horse/pony? Did you like it?

8. What’s your favorite YouTube video?

9. What’s the last website in your browser history?

10. What’s the last song you listened to?

11. Do you try to bite jawbreakers?

The post Meet the Staff: Junior Editor, Gabrielle Upshur appeared first on REUTS | Boutique Book Publisher |.

I’m the Senior Editor here at REUTS, helping authors with everything from structural edits, to copy-edits, to proofreading. Together with my fellow editor, Gabrielle (who you’ll meet soon and who’s been behind the informative “What Editors Look For” posts), I hone manuscripts into their final, polished form. I also assist the Acquisitions Director with screening submissions and scouting new talent. And I love every second of it!

Before REUTS, I was working as a freelance editor, but actually have a degree in Video Game Art and Design. Completely random, I know. I’m also a writer, as is everyone on our staff. That’s part of what makes us awesome. We have personal experience being in the shoes of our authors. To learn the rest of what makes us awesome, you’ll have to read on and let each of us tell you ourselves.

One last thing you might need to know about me– I’m snarky. But I wield my sarcastic powers for good. Mostly.

The Rules of the Game:

1. Introduce yourself, providing a little background on your role at REUTS and any other important tidbits. (Not part of the original game. That’s what happens when you get to go first– you get to change things!)
2. Post a photo of yourself. (Seriously? Ugh, guess I better go dredge something out of the archives where I don’t have 3 extra chins and look like I’m completely high.)
3. Post eleven random facts about yourself. (Hmmm, this could get interesting.)
4. Answer the questions given to you by the tagger’s post. (Thank you, Captain Obvious. Isn’t that the whole point of participating?)
5. Create 11 new questions and tag someone to answer them. (10-4. Time to come up with some really embarrassing informative questions and a willing victim participant! ;))

Got it? Good, then let’s get to it!

The Photo:

This one seemed appropriately mischievous, and I only have two chins, so that’s a plus:

Looks like I’m about to send that poor guy (aka my husband) barreling down the side of the cliff on a spooked horse, doesn’t it? I would never do that, of course. Especially since this was taken on our honeymoon and I still rather liked him at that point. (Just kidding, I still love you, babe!) But yeah, that’s me, looking all evil and stuff. On to the next part of the game!

11 Random Factoids:

1. I’m a vegetarian who hates all things vegetable. How’s that for a difficult diet?
2. My first concert was The Backstreet Boys. (Yep, that’s not embarrassing in the least.)
3. I have a weird obsession with all things office supply.
4. I hate having stuff on my feet, but absolutely love shoes.
5. I’m a shopaholic. When I’m not broke as a joke, that is.
6. I think chocolate should be its own food group. Which explains why photos of me with 3 chins exist.
7. It drives me nuts to get stuff on my hands. Dirt, charcoal, chalk, stickiness, whatever. I don’t like it!
8. I still listen to The Backstreet Boys. (That’s even more embarrassing!)
9. I don’t think I’m funny. It amazes me when people laugh at something I meant as truth.
10. I think in pictures. Seriously. Like animated pictures. (Who wins the freak award of the day? This girl!)
11. I loathe pink but look amazing in it, so half my closet is pink.

Andrew’s Questions for Me:
(Syndicated from Nightwolf’s Corner)

1. What was the last book that you read?

Oh jeez, I’m all about embarrassing myself today! The last book I read was…wait for it…50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James. Yep, that’s right. I read it. In its entirety. I think any time a book rockets to that level of stardom it’s worth reading, if only so you can catch all the references to it that surround you for the next 6 months. But in all honesty, I kind of liked it.

2. If you could retire within the next five years, to where would you like to retire?

This is an easy one. Hawaii! Or pretty much anywhere that’s warm and near the ocean. I don’t care for the rain and have an extreme dislike for snow. So naturally, I moved to the rainy capital of the pacific northwest. Makes perfect sense, right? No one said I was the brightest crayon in the box.

3. What genre are you writing – and have you attempted any other genres in the past?

Currently, I’m writing Urban/Contemporary Fantasy. But the bulk of my work is actually in Dark Fantasy. I suppose, if you want to get technical about it, they’re both the same genre– Fantasy. I have yet to step outside that realm, but I do have a few plans for branching into Sci-Fi. Other than that, I’m pretty set in my ways. For now. Who knows, I might randomly decide to tackle Mystery, or Literary, or Hamster Romance. ( No? That’s not a thing?) That’s the beauty of creativity– you can do whatever you can imagine.

4. Fruit or chocolate?

Chocolate. Duh! See Random Factoid #6, where I declare that chocolate should constitute it’s own food group. (Seriously, who do we have to convince to make that happen?)

5. What stage is your current WIP at?

Right now, it’s languishing on the corner of part-way-done and never-getting-finished. In all seriousness though, I’d say it’s roughly a third of the way complete.

6. What colour is your hair – and your eyes?

My hair is medium brown with grey highlights, thanks to my inherited curse of premature grey. I’m still hoping for an awesome skunk stripe, but so far, it’s not that localized.

According to my driver’s license, my eyes are hazel. But they’re more toward the green end of that spectrum. With the right clothing and make-up, I can actually push them into green, which is awesome. I love green eyes.

7. Agent or self-publish? And why?

Both. I’ve spoken quite a bit about my reasons on my personal blog, so if anyone is curious, I suggest browsing the archives for the full disclosure. Basically, it came down to branding. Since my Urban Fantasy series is the anomaly among my work, I’m choosing to self-publish those, while seeking to place everything else with a traditional publisher. I find the freedom and challenge of self-publishing appealing, but there’s still part of me that can’t let go of seeing my work on the shelves of Barnes & Noble someday. Although, if they close too, I suppose I won’t have to worry about that dream anymore.

8. What was the last movie you went to see? With friends or alone?

The last movie I saw was Oz, The Great and Powerful. I saw it with my husband. I’m not brave enough to see movies alone, so he gets dragged to a lot of films I’m sure he’d be alright passing on. But I do have to say, Oz had some of the best 3D I’ve ever seen. The stunning visuals were well worth the price of the tickets.

9. How long have you been with WordPress – and what was your first post about?

I’m actually coming up on my 1 year anniversary, on May 4. I signed up a few months before that, but waited to start posting articles until I had finished setting up the rest of the site. Well, most of it, anyway. I still have to finish some of the things I had planned, like the Art Gallery. But I’ll get to them eventually. I hope.

My first post was basically my thesis statement, explaining why I was starting this blog and what I intended to write about. For the most part, I think I’ve held pretty true to that thesis. Although that first post is probably the shortest one I’ve ever written that wasn’t an announcement of some kind.

10. What can you see beyond your screen? If it’s a wall, what’s immediately behind you?

Aw, my blank white wall isn’t good enough for you? Let’s see…*turns around*

Behind me is a window, looking out on one rather large tree in the middle of the lawn. Beyond that is the road, and across that is some kind of weird church thing. I don’t know, I think I need better surroundings. That was almost as exciting as the wall.

11. Do you type head-down or head-up?

If by head-up you mean looking at the screen instead of my fingers, then yes, head-up. I’m a secretary by day and a writer/editor by night. So I pretty much type all the time. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most definitely in my future. Yay for impending surgery!

~

That’s it for me! Time to introduce you to the next member of our little family– Acquisitions Director and Co-Founder Jessica McQuay. But even though I’m officially tagging Jessica, I encourage the rest of the team and all of you– the readers– to answer the 11 questions in the comments below. Just for fun. It’s always interesting to find out more about the people around you. You never know what you might have in common with someone from the opposite side of the world.

Alright, Jessica, it’s all yours!

My 11 Questions to Jessica:

1. Where are you from?

2. If you’re a writer, what genres do you write? If you’re not a writer, what’s your favorite genre to read?

3. What’s your dream job and are you lucky enough to have it?

4. Name someone who inspired you and tell us why/how.

5. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t?

6. What’s your favorite animal? (Real or Fictitious)

7. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

8. You’re getting shipped to the proverbial deserted island and can only bring 3 things. What are they?

9. List your top five all-time favorite songs, including the artist.

10. Where is your happy place?

11. What’s your favorite girl’s name? Boy’s?

**Parts of this post have been syndicated from Nightwolf’s Corner. To read the original post, please click here**

The post Meet the Staff: Senior Editor Kisa Whipkey appeared first on REUTS | Boutique Book Publisher |.