Elle Lothlorien
Elle Lothlorien
Littleton, CO, UNITED STATES
Elle Lothlorien, author, is a dynamic speaker and self-publishing expert
Media
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Biography
A “military brat,” Elle was born in Germany and spent her childhood in Puerto Rico, Charleston, S.C., Italy, and Washington D.C. Sadly, the only language she ever became semi-fluent in is English.
Elle’s first self-published romantic comedy, The Frog Prince, became an Amazon bestseller in December 2010–a distinction it kept through the summer of 2012, when it peaked at #1 on Amazon’s Top 100 List for Humor ahead of both Tina Fey and Janet Evanovich. She was one of the first authors to sign on to Amazon’s KDP Select and to take advantage of that program’s “free promo days,” which she used on Valentine’s Day 2012 to giveaway 45,000 copies of her novels, catapulting her second novel, Sleeping Beauty, to the besteller list.
Elle’s appearance on the Digital Book World’s (DBW) Successful Self-Published Authors panel in January 2012 alongside New York Times bestsellers Bob Mayer and Bella Andre was noted in Publishers Weekly. She is considered a “reluctant expert” on the topic of electronic, independent-publishing (self-publishing), and consumer purchasing psychology, and she is well-known for taking advantage of her full creative control by pushing the envelope–and advising other independently published authors to do the same.
In April 2012, Elle was invited to blog for Digital Book World’s Expert Publishing Blog, an industry blog with 20,000 subscribers. She almost immediately created a firestorm of controversy by suggesting that authors should respond to negative reader reviews. That blog was named to the Top 10 Digital Publishing Stories of 2012.
Elle was a featured Author Speaker at the DBW Discoverability and Marketing Conference in New York City in September 2012 alongside John Fine from Amazon, Sasha Norkin from Barnes & Noble and Patrick Brown from GoodReads. She was invited to attend the annual meeting of the Genius Mastermind Network–a group of cutting-edge entrepreneurs–in New York City in August 2012.
Her latest contemporary romance, Alice in Wonderland, was released in November 2012; it will be followed by Rapunzel in spring 2013. She is currently working with the producers responsible for the “enhanced content” for the e-book version of Dennis Leary’s Merry F#%$in’ Christmas to create and embed enhanced content in her novels, starting with Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty.
Elle lives in Denver, Colorado, and keeps a miniature dachshund named Bacon around the house to provide comic relief.
Industry Expertise (5)
Media - Online
Writing and Editing
Publishing
Social Media
Print Media
Areas of Expertise (1)
Self-Publishing
Accomplishments (36)
The Frog Prince Becomes a Bestseller (professional)
2011-06-12
The Frog Prince is #859 in the Amazon Kindle Store (out of 750,000 titles). It’s also ranked #25 Books/Literature & Fiction/Comic, #31 in Kindle Store/Kindle eBooks/Humor, and #66 in Best Rated Contemporary Romance.
"Chick Habit" Gogo Dance Performance (personal)
2011-10-15
The Diamond Dolls performed “Chick Habit” at the Lindy Diversion Weekend in Denver, Colorado. I float into the left side of the frame at about 00:14. Pink pedal pushers, beehive, ponytail”"you can’t miss me. Choreography by Sara Deckard and Becky Vigil.
Guest Blog About Self-Publishing (professional)
2011-12-06
I had the privilege of guest-blogging for New York Times bestselling author J.A. Konrath on the topic of pricing for self-published e-books: “Why Your Novel is a 6-Pump Vanilla, Breve Latte Grande, Extra Hot, Heavy Whipping Cream, Extra Dry Cappuccino (Or It Should Be).”
Virgin (A Thriller) is Released as an e-Book (professional)
2011-12-07
Virgin (A Thriller) is released as an e-Book on Amazon.
Denver Diamond Dolls at 1940s Winter Ball (personal)
2011-12-08
DANCE NEWS: A quartet of Diamond Dolls dragged ourselves to Boulder at 6am to appear in a promotional spot on KDVR Fox 31 for the 1940′s Big Band Christmas Ball. Save yourself the cringe-inducing agony of the goofy reporter chasing the event organizer around while we pose and smile awkwardly in the background; skip ahead to 01:34.
Mention in Publisher's Weekly (professional)
2012-01-26
NAME IN THE NEWS: My first mention in Publisher’s Weekly, which covered the “Doing It on Their Own: Self-Published Authors Find Success” panel from the publishing industry conference Digital BookWorld Expo in New York City. I was privileged to be on this panel with Bella Andre and Bob Mayer.
Guest Blog on Randomize ME (professional)
2012-02-11
GUEST BLOG: ”Let’s Talk About My Pants. No, Seriously.” appears on Randomize ME’s “Indie Saturday.” Although it may sound like an odd lead-in for a guest blog, I found it a cathartic way to deal with my notorious TSA run-in at LaGuardia Airport on January 26th. It was either guest blogging or counseling; this was cheaper.
Guest Blog for "In One Eye and Out the Other" (professional)
2012-02-14
GUEST BLOG: “Finding Your Inner Bitch On Valentine’s Day“ appears on Amazon Top 100 reviewer Susan Tunis’s In One Eye and Out the Other.
Top 25 Self-Published Authors to Watch (professional)
2012-02-16
TOP 25 LIST: EMG names me on their “Top 25 Self-Published Authors To Watch” alongside indie-pub titans Joe Konrath, Barry Eisler, Amanda Hocking, and John Locke.
Added to "The Writing School" Staff (professional)
2012-02-23
THE WRITING SCHOOL: Joined as a member of the regular guest faculty, alongside author (and good friend) Mario Acevedo.
Diamond Dolls Dance Performance of "Radio Rhythm" (personal)
2012-03-03
DANCE NEWS: I perform “Radio Rhythm” at the Denver Diamond Dolls Dancetacular with Lindsay Ragsdale, Sara Deckard, and Becky Vigil. Choreography by Becky Vigil and Sara Deckard.
Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up! Alternate Ending to Sleeping Beauty (professional)
2012-03-27
SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES UP! After conceiving a harebrained idea in early March to write an “alternate ending” version of Sleeping Beauty for an April Fool’s Day promo, Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up! in order to appease fans of the novel who thought the heroine ended up with the “wrong guy.” My crazy scheme would later be covered by USA Today’s Happy Ever After, GoodEReader, Jennifer Wilkov’s “Your Book Is Your Hook” and others.
First Digital Book World Expert Publishing Blog Post (professional)
2012-04-24
My first Digital Book World EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG Post: Getting E-Book Readers to Dumpster-Dive (It’s a Good Thing)
Interview with Andrew Rice (professional)
2012-05-02
INTERVIEW REQUEST: I had the very great shock (and pleasure) of receiving a phone call from Andrew Rice (then with New York Times Magazine) to interview me for an article on self-publishing he was writing. [That interview would later contribute to the Time Magazine article "The 99¢ Bestseller: It's Easier Than Ever For Authors To Publish Themselves—but Tougher By the Day To Find Fame. Inside the Race to Become the Next E.L. James."]
Expert Publishing Blog: When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End: Why Authors Should ALWAYS Respond to Negative Reader Reviews (professional)
2012-05-18
The first part of a controversial series, ”When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End : Why Authors Should ALWAYS Respond to Negative Reader Reviews” posts on Digital Book World.
Expert Publishing Blog: When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 2): The Dos and Don’ts of Responding to Negative Reviews (professional)
2012-06-07
The second part of a controversial series, “When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 2): The Dos and Don’ts of Responding to Negative Reviews” posts on Digital Book World.
When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 3): Author-Reader Contact Case Study #2 (professional)
2012-07-01
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: The third part of a controversial series,”When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 3): Author-Reader Contact Case Study #2” posts on Digital Book World.
“When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 4): Author-Reader Contact Case Study #2” (professional)
2012-07-04
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: The fourth part of a controversial series, “When You Wish Upon a Star, You Get the Pointy End (Part 4): Author-Reader Contact Case Study #2” posts on Digital Book World.
Sleepy Stories: How Real Life Makes For Great Fiction (and Vice Versa) (professional)
2012-06-22
“Sleepy Stories: How Real Life Makes For Great Fiction (and Vice Versa),” guest blog on The Henderson Files.
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “My Online Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Say Hello To My Ugly Friend” (professional)
2012-09-10
The first part of a series, “My Online Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Say Hello To My Ugly Friend” posts on Digital Book World.
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “Hang Up Your Pimp Costume, Kids: Why Free Book Promos on Amazon Don’t Work Like They Used To (No Matter How You Spin the Numbers)” (professional)
2012-09-19
My piece “Hang Up Your Pimp Costume, Kids: Why Free Book Promos on Amazon Don’t Work Like They Used To (No Matter How You Spin the Numbers)” posts on Digital Book World.
GUEST BLOG: ”Fairy Tales: What They Teach Us“ (professional)
2012-12-04
”Fairy Tales: What They Teach Us“ on Luca Lashes. Blog now known as "Fairy Tales: Making Your Kids Hate You, Lie To You, and Run Away From Home Since 1812"
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: The second part of a series “My Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Don’t Be Ugly by Accident” (professional)
The second part of a series “My Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Don’t Be Ugly by Accident” posts on Digital Book World.
HONORED: Sleeping Beauty and Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up! were named among the Best Reads of 2012 on Kindles & Wine. (professional)
2012-12-26
HONORED: Sleeping Beauty and Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up! were named among the Best Reads of 2012 on Kindles & Wine.
TOP 10: My Digital Book World blog “When You Wish Upon a Star You Get the Pointy End: Why Authors Should ALWAYS Respond to Negative Reader Reviews” named to “Top 10 Digital Publishing Stories of 2012.” (professional)
2012-12-27
My Digital Book World blog “When You Wish Upon a Star You Get the Pointy End: Why Authors Should ALWAYS Respond to Negative Reader Reviews” was named to “Top 10 Digital Publishing Stories of 2012.”
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “Strip the Market Bare and Whip It: Ten Things Authors Must Do to Survive 2013″ posts on Digital Book World: “THING 1. Balls, Cookies and Getting Lucky: Ask the Right Questions About Self-Publication.” (professional)
2013-01-07
The first “thing” in my series “Strip the Market Bare and Whip It: Ten Things Authors Must Do to Survive 2013″ posts on Digital Book World: “THING 1. Balls, Cookies and Getting Lucky: Ask the Right Questions About Self-Publication.”
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “Strip the Market Bare and Whip It: Ten Things Authors Must Do to Survive 2013” (professional)
2013-01-01
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: The introductory piece in my series “Strip the Market Bare and Whip It: Ten Things Authors Must Do to Survive 2013” posts on Digital Book World
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “My Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Beauty Is Only Thumb(nail)-Deep” (professional)
2013-01-22
The third (and final) part of a series “My Date Using the Almighty Amazon Algorithm: Beauty Is Only Thumb(nail)-Deep” posts on Digital Book World.
WRITERS DIGEST ARTICLE: “Banking on E-Books” in Porter Anderson’s piece on whether or not the average writer can make money self-publishing (professional)
2013-01-23
WRITERS DIGEST ARTICLE: Find out what I have to say about “Banking on E-Books” in Porter Anderson’s piece on whether or not the average writer can make money self-publishing in the February issue of Writer’s Digest.
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “THING 2. Successful Seduction and the Naked Truth: Rethink Book Cover Design for a Small, Small World” (professional)
2013-01-24
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “THING 2. Successful Seduction and the Naked Truth: Rethink Book Cover Design for a Small, Small World”—part of the 10-part series “Strip the Market Bare & Whip It: 10 Things Authors Must Do To Survive 2013″—posts on Digital Book World. Mystery author Nancy Tesler takes her great covers and makes them BETTER by following a few of my tips and designing “for the thumbnail.”
HONORED: Caren Crane's blog post “So What Are You Reading These Days?” (professional)
2013-03-03
Romance Bandits Caren Crane says that The Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up and Alice in Wonderland are ”incredibly funny and full of three-dimensional characters….fodder for anyone who loves romantic comedy with, again, lots of heart and soul” in her post “So What Are You Reading These Days?”
INTERVIEW: Authors on the Air’s Pam Stack interview of myself and Martin Crosbie (professional)
2013-03-13
Authors on the Air’s Pam Stack says of this interview with myself and Martin Crosbie: “One is hysterically funny, the other is the mystery/thriller author. I’ll let you decide which one is which.” Find out what I would want the title of a book about me to be, which one of my blogs Martin Crosbie read and put into practice, how I came up with the idea for The Frog Prince and more. Fast forward to 44:45.
EXPERT PUBLISHING BLOG: “THING 3: Prostitute Your Book: The Art and Science of Becoming a Successful Free Book Pimp on Amazon” (professional)
2013-03-14
“THING 3: Prostitute Your Book: The Art and Science of Becoming a Successful Free Book Pimp on Amazon”—part of the 10-part series ”Strip the Market Bare & Whip It: 10 Things Authors Must Do To Survive 2013″—posts on Digital Book World. Do you know the formula for a success book promotion? Well, it’s rdrrrerb (where re=v4+v5/vt). Find out what this formula means and why, if you don’t give away at least 20,000 books during your promo, you may as well not do it at all.
BESTSELLER: The Frog Prince hopped all the way to #622 in the Kindle Store (professional)
2013-03-17
After a two-day free book promotion where over 40,000 copies of The Frog Prince were downloaded, it hopped all the way to #622 in the Kindle Store, becoming a bestseller for the fourth time in 2 years and 8 months.
FEATURED: Chick Lit Central featured Alice in Wonderland on their “Reads of the Week” page for the week of March 18th. (professional)
2013-03-18
The gals over at Chick Lit Central featured Alice in Wonderland on their “Reads of the Week” page for the week of March 18th.
BLOG: Staying True To Your Characters—Whether You Like Them or Not (professional)
2013-04-15
BLOG: Staying True To Your Characters—Whether You Like Them or Not “The word ‘her’ used here gave me pause. Did the reader mean me or did she mean Leigh Fromm? Did readers feel as if we were one and the same?” What do you do when readers mistake your characters for YOU? “Staying True to Your Characters–Whether YOU Like Them or Not” -The Review -First Person POV: Tricky At Best -From Your Character’s Mouth to the Reader’s Ears
Education (1)
University of Colorado Denver: Bachelor's, Biological Anthropology 2008
Links (1)
Testimonials (4)
Jeremy Greenfield, Editorial Director | Digital Book World Discoverability and Marketing Conference
I booked Elle Lothlorien to come speak at the Digital Book World Discoverability and Marketing event in New York this September. She put together an engaging presentation and handled the assembled crowd of 350 publishing marketing experts with aplomb. I would absolutely book her again and recommend that others do the same.
Ron Hogan, Founder & Publisher | Beatrice.com bestselling author
Elle Lothlorien did a fantastic job of presenting at Digital Book World's fall conference last year. She tells a story that's both personally engaging and has larger points to make about the publishing industry, showing us how she'd earned her experience and knowledge the hard way--but in a lively manner that didn't put herself too far above the valuable information she was presenting. (Obviously, what she had to tell us about her relationship with her reader-customers was "about her" in a very tangible way, but it wasn't ALL ABOUT HER, if you see what I mean.)
Janet Reid, Literary Agent | Fine Print Lit
I attended the Digital Book World presentation by Elle Lothlorien in September 2012. I was very taken with her concise (and funny!) points that illuminated a point of view I was skeptical about. Her presentation was so persuasive, I came around to her point of view (responding to negative reviews.) She was thorough without being boring, and funny without being silly. I learned a lot and enjoyed her talk. She made it all look very easy and from my own public speaking I know that means she worked very hard. I highly recommend her as a speaker or panelist.
Porter Anderson, Journalist, Critic, Writer, Speaker in Publishing, contributing journalist for Writer’s Digest and Virginia Quarterly Review | Writer's Digest, Virginia Quarterly Review
Elle Lothlorien's presentation of her interaction with reader-detractors is both controversial and logical. Logical because the idea of engaging one's critics makes perfect sense in the simplest terms. Controversial because it's considered bad form and counter-productive for the subjects of reviews to answer their reviewers. ("Don't engage," in truth, is good guidance in most instances of Internet negativity, and readers are generally considered to have a right to their opinions, expressed as commercial reviews on such sites as Amazon.) A still, businesslike, level-headed presentation, anything but flamboyant, can become memorable and provocative, and Lothlorien has an unorthodox reaction to reviews to describe.
Event Appearances (8)
Digital Book World's Successful Self-Published Authors panel
Digital BookWorld Expo New York, New York
2012-01-25
From Virgins to Frogs: One Author’s Journey of E-Publication
The Writing School Highlands Ranch Library, Highlands Ranch, CO
2012-01-23
A World Without Bookshelves: The Nuts & Bolts of Self-Publication.
The Writing School Highlands Ranch Library, Highlands Ranch, CO
2012-02-12
A World Without Bookshelves: Navigating the World of Self-Publishing.
The Writing School Castle Rock Library, Castle Rock, CO
2012-04-09
Kissing Frogs & Straight Down the Rabbit Hole: One Author’s Journey of Self-Publication.
American Society of Journalists and Authors Denver, CO
2012-04-04
Self Publishing: What It Is, What It Gives, What It Takes.
NaNoWriMo Kick-off Aurora Public Library, Aurora, CO
2012-11-07
Mystery, Mayhem Romance, Suspense, Horror!” Is a zombie horror or sci-fi if it’s created by a new and terrifying strain of the flu? It’s a bird, it’s a plane–it’s both! Lines are blurring; how do you find your place and create your brand?
Writers for New Orleans New Orleans, LA
2012-12-15
A Romance Novel with Two Different Endings
Your Book is Your Hook Womens Radio Network
2012-08-12
Sample Talks (1)
Self Publishing: What It Is, What It Gives, What It Takes.
Self-published authors as entrepreneurs.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Author Appearance
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