Stella Marie Alden

In 2015, after winning RWA’s Molly Brown contest, Soul Mate Publishing LLC offered me a three novel contract. A small company, they offered no marketing, experienced editors, or skilled cover artists, so I said adieu. From there, I decided to self-publish my contemporary thrillers, gradually found my voice, and added more humor. Recently retired from Microsoft, I devote my days to finishing one 40K, romcom action thriller every eight to ten weeks. I have an active following of 8K Facebook fans and a newsletter subscriber list of 7K with a 35% open rate. With these two primary forms of marketing, I net about 5K per year. I netted ten times that amount when I purchased ads, but now, it’s more important to stay in the black. I’m an active member of Rehoboth Beach Writer’s Guild, but honestly, my favorite thing to do is write. I also enjoy watercolors, step class, DIY home projects, and hanging out with friends and family while eating my husband’s delicious cooking.