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Purpose

The purpose of Loblolly Writer’s House (LLWH) is to design, publish, promote, and sell novels of popular fiction created by writer Charlsie Russell. The House offers tales of mystery, suspense, and sensual romance in historical, Mississippi settings. The product targets adults, aged 16-80+, with a taste not only for entertaining, thought-stimulating plots with a mystery to solve and edge-of-the seat suspense, but also for readers who love to escape into the past. All stories come replete with sensual romance.

Marketing tools include superior book construction, advance galleys and press releases for specific newspaper and periodical reviewers, Mississippi’s independent bookstores, Mississippi gift shops, craft fairs, and local stores comprising part of the bookselling chains (i.e. Barnes and Nobel/B. Dalton, Borders, Books a Million, Waldenbooks). Loblolly Writer’s House is developing a strong internet marketing plan.

The traditional marketing structure based on distribution/wholesales to bookstores regionally and nationwide, which evolved with the traditional publication industry, is an impractical one for selling this house’s self-published “fiction.” As a result, Loblolly Writer’s House is developing a marketing plan better suited to meet its needs.

1. Ms. Russell’s writings are niche works, romantic historical suspense in a regional setting.

2. The print run for each novel is small (2,000) and unappealing to distributors/wholesalers.

3. Promotional opportunities among conventional media outlets are shrinking.

4. The internet has opened scores of promotional opportunities.

5. One on one sales at individual book signings (i.e. bookstores, craft fairs, gift stores) have proven effective for selling books.

6. Gift stores have proven excellent sales outlets.

7. Readership demands will dictate distributor/wholesaler requirements vice the other way around.

Romance fiction comprises 35 percent of all popular fiction sold in the United States. Mystery/suspense makes up 25 percent. Additionally, LLWH’s books will be of interest to readers of historical fiction.

Gothic suspense is a popular sub element of both the lucrative romance and mystery genres. Charlsie Russell prefers to market her stories as historical suspense vice romance because her niche includes so much more than romance.

1. Plot-driven stories no longer fit well into the ever-polarizing romance genre, which now tends to restrict romance to idealistic, formulaic, relationship-driven plot lines with limited settings.

2. The romance market is saturated, and breaking-in has become extremely difficult.

3. Historical accuracy/believability is important to Charlsie Russell as is writing about her country, state, and attitudes. Conventionally published historical romance heavily favors settings in the British Isles. Charlsie Russell is a Southerner who knows and loves the South. She can describe her Mississippi settings, and she respects Mississippi’s history. The South provides a historical backdrop rife with centuries of compelling conflict.

Weaving historical data into a mystery/suspense has proven successful in the mystery genre (i.e. Anne Perry). With the very popular thread of sensual romance prevalent in Charlsie Russell’s stories, topped off with the prerequisite happy ending, this author has created an emotionally satisfying tale. Among readers of escape fiction, there will always be a market for Charlsie Russell’s books.

Over the next five-years, 2008-2013, LLWH plans to market locally and throughout Mississippi. LLWH will expand marketing opportunities outside the state via the Internet.

Copyright Notice

"Loblolly Writer's House Site" Copyright © 2006 by Charlsie Russell

All rights reserved on all material on all pages in this site, plus the copyright

on compilations and design, graphics, and logos except as noted. For information

on reprinting material from this site, please contact

Charlsie Russell at loblollywriter@aol.com.