Introduction by J K Mullins
I became acquainted with Erica after developing The Book Hook Online website and Erica has been a strong supporter of the site and regularly likes my posts on social media.
For those that are familiar with the site you will know how this all came about. For those that aren’t check out About The Book Hook Online. To know a little more about Erica, check out the interview I did with her Erica Ma Interview
Erica’s merchandise
When I diversified into merchandising Erica was enthusiastic about creating merchandise based on her book cover. Based on blue and white the cover would be a great print on t-shirt and hoodie, mug and so on. I always thought that the cover of Erica’s book It’s Just The Haze, reflects the title very well. The cover graduates from blue to white from top to bottom, with a hazy moon providing a focal point. The back cover features one of her poems and I thought that this would make a great wall canvas, with the front cover on one half and the poem on the other.
The challenge of getting noticed
The merchandise is available on Etsy, at https://thebookhookonline.etsy.com and the merchandise related to Erica’s book is presented in its own section. Visiting the shop, shoppers will notice sections for other authors and also discover it has expanded into generalised products. The reason for this happening is that I realised I had to attract a wider audience to gain traction. In reviewing on-line videos from Etsy sellers most mentioned that nothing much happens until sellers have around seventy to a hundred products on offer and then sellers need to keep going. I have realised myself the truth in this.
I am hoping that creating more awareness of the unique offerings that indie authors like Erica have to offer, as group of diverse individuals from all over the world we can help each other achieve our goals and get our works recognised.
Erica’s passion
For Erica, the passion is in the writing as much as anything, as Erica describes in her own words:
After the release of my first book, I’ve been drafting my second book, it will probably come out next year. Apart from that, I’ve been writing poems, collaborating with many poets, meeting new ones, and learning different styles of poetry. It’s been such a beautiful journey.
Sometimes, the confusion lies in deciding where to put which poem, whether in an anthology, an Instagram post, or the next draft, ha-ha. But isn’t that what every poet faces? And as human nature goes, sometimes the sales don’t match the effort. But the excitement, the reason you started, and that first sale they’re always special. It can be hard to keep going, but it’s important to always remember why you began in the first place. Because in the end, it’s not about the numbers, it’s about the words that found a home in someone’s heart
Erica Ma (Author) / J K Mullins (The Book Hook Online)
