Caleb Wygal is the author of the Myrtle Beach mystery series, the first installment of which, Death on the Boardwalk, won a Pinnacle Book Award for Best Mystery. I got the chance to interview Caleb for the December 14, 2021 edition of the Cluesletter. We chatted about his books and upcoming release, marketing strategy, and indie vs. traditional publishing.
Nab a copy of Death on the Boardwalk here and one of Death Washes Ashore here. Connect with Caleb on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and via his website.
Hi, Caleb! Thanks so much for joining. Your Myrtle Beach mystery series is set in (surprise!) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. What made you pick this idyllic setting as the backdrop for murder mysteries?
Thank you for having me. My family moved to Myrtle Beach when my son was at an age where he didn’t want to take naps in his crib. As a stay-at-home working dad, I needed his naps almost as much as he did. I’d load him in the car and drive him up and down Ocean Boulevard so he could sleep and I could look at the ocean and assimilate myself to our new home. On one such trip, I realized that, while millions of people come to Myrtle Beach every year, the people who work here remain largely the same. Many cozies take place in small towns so that the readers (and the authors) don’t have to keep up with a large cast of characters and get to know those who do inhabit these settings. I did some research and found very few books set here. I thought I could write a series set in Myrtle Beach, but give it a small town feel. If I was able to write compelling books, I felt like I might be onto something.
I notice that, while you have earlier self-published books, your recent titles are published by a small, full-service publishing company. What made you make the switch from indie to traditional publishing? Do you have tips for authors looking to make a similar switch?
Actually, the self-published novels were originally from a small traditional publisher. The contract ran out on them, so I redid the covers and self-published through Amazon. The original publisher did little beyond the cover design and book setup. The marketing was left entirely up to me. A few years ago, I met the owner of my current publisher, Franklin/Kerr Press, at a book signing after I went indie. They treat their writers well and put out polished products. One of my goals was to get into bookstores, and they offered that opportunity. Still, most of the marketing is left up to me, so I’m the one creating and mostly carrying out that plan. I have an eager college intern who’s been helping with some of those tasks since the start of November. She’s been a huge help. It didn’t take an agent to get published. It took having a book that stood out in the area where I used to live (and helps in my current location). I still think of myself as an indie as far as mindset, but have someone that takes care of the publishing side of the business. If I don’t market, the books wouldn’t have had the reception and sales they’ve had. That’s the case with many small publishers.
The protagonist of your series is bookstore owner Clark Thomas. In your opinion, what makes a great sleuth protagonist? Who are some of your favorite literary detectives?
In cozies, readers want a character who, above all, wants to do what is right. At the beginning of a series arc, it helps if the character has a mystery in their backstory they aren’t aware of that will need to be sorted out over the course of the series. A love interest that can be drawn out for at least the first few books helps too. A character, I think needs to have a quirk, hobby, job, etc. that makes him or her more interesting is a key too.
Some of my favorite literary characters are, in no particular order, Nelson Demille’s John Corey, John Lescroart’s Dismas Hardy, and Patrick Lanigan from John Grisham’s The Partner. I also enjoy characters from pop-culture who crossover into the book world such as Jessica Fletcher (Murder, She Wrote) and Adrian Monk (Monk).
Let’s talk book marketing. You are very active on social media, and you are also participating in many book signing events for your new release, Death Washes Ashore. What marketing advice do you have for authors?
Wow. That’s a loaded question. First, readers want to get to know authors on some level, so be authentic. Be yourself. You might think your everyday life is boring or uninteresting, but you’ll be surprised at how much readers enjoy seeing little slice-of-life moments, like, for me, taking a kayak out on the lake, showing my 4-year-old getting into mischief, or what I ate for dinner.
For social media (I learned this the hard way), don’t spread yourself too thin. If you don’t have much time (raises hand) or just starting out, pick one or two platforms to work on first. I’d always have Facebook as one of my two, but that’s because of the robust ad platform that crosses over to Instagram, and they have the most users.
Twitter and Facebook are great for networking with other authors. Get into marketing groups, general and genre-specific. Use the search function in Groups to seek answers and learn. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Create and send out a press release to your local media a few months in advance, announcing the release of your book. You never know who might nibble, and you could end up on TV or in the papers talking about your book. This, for me, was one of the biggest ways I generated buzz for my two most recent books. Post your book’s release in relevant Facebook Groups in your genre, and also post in local Facebook Groups. This generated a lot of buzz and helped cultivate relationships with local businesses that eventually led to signings.
If you’d like to get involved with book signings, go to local bookstores or boutiques, introduce yourself to the owner or manager and leave a complimentary copy and sell sheet if you have one. Offer to be of assistance if they need it. If they like your books, they’ll likely try to stock a few copies. If they sell, they’ll order more. Let them ask you to do a signing. Trust me, they will if they like you and your book.
I don’t see any audiobooks for your titles, and I know that mystery audiobooks are growing in popularity. Do you have plans to publish any?
They are definitely in the plans. Right now, with my primary focus being a dad, I don’t have the time or resources to devote to doing audiobooks. I’ve spoken with a few connected people who would like to aid me in that arena. Hopefully, it’ll happen in the next year or so.
Lastly, the third book in the Myrtle Beach series, Death on the Golden Mile, is slated for November 2022 (and is already available for preorder on Amazon!). What can you tell us about this installment?
Actually, we may move Death on the Golden Mile to an early summer 2022 release if I can get the first draft finished by the end of January (I love the flexibility). It takes inspiration from the movies Clue and Knives Out, but throw in a retired legendary Hollywood music composer and a moody hurricane. My favorite part is going to be the solve, because it took a stroke of genius to carry out the murder and an even bigger stroke of genius to figure out how it was done.
Clark will continue to look into his wife’s death in future books, but will have many obstacles thrown in his way. He’ll have to figure out what really happened on the night of her death before he can cope and move on with his life. And there may be a romantic entanglement (or two) along the way.
Thanks so much to Caleb for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.