How to Build a Strong Online Presence While Maintaining Privacy

I've got a very special guest today, the awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh. He's got a new book out (can I squeee?), I get to help spread the word.

If any of you follow Alex's blog, you know he's the king of authorly support and the father of ISWG (Insecure Writers Support Group). He's also a major player in the wildly popular A to Z phenomenon.

He's also done a rather amazing job at keeping his identity very low profile. Because of that, I asked him to write a post about how he's managed to have such a huge following and still be unknown.

So, take it away, Alex!

How to Build a Strong Online Presence While Maintaining Privacy

Thanks for having me today, Donna!

You asked if I would share some of my reasons for having such a broad social presence online while still maintaining some privacy–and mystery.

Writing was never my passion. There – I said it! Music has always come first for me. Writing was fun and enjoyable, but published author was never my goal.

And then it happened.

I made a promise to my wife – our life would never become a three-ring circus. I would not let the insanity of the publishing world spill over into our personal world. Since I have to devote so much time to social media, which takes away from our personal time, the only way I could adhere to that promise was to keep our personal lives out of the limelight. My personal life is just that – personal.

I never intended to be a man of mystery. That just sort of happened with the whole Ninja persona. And then Elise Fallson made Mini-Alex, and I had an avatar. It was easy to keep my promise to my wife.

How it all exploded into such a huge following? That still blows my mind.

Through all of the means, I have over 2700 blog followers. Add in Google+, and that’s another four thousand followers. (Plus almost fourteen million page views – whoa!) And I have about 3900 followers on Twitter. Plus there’s Goodreads. It just boggles my mind.

I think it all comes down to a willingness to share the joy of others. Not looking for something for us or compensation, but just a genuine desire to celebrate the accomplishments of others. If you possess that, then everything else will fall into place.

 And now the book ...

Dragon of the Stars

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure/Military

Print ISBN 9781939844064 EBook ISBN 9781939844057

What Are the Kargrandes? Click here

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | CHAPTERS | AMAZON UK | GOODREADS | 

iTUNES | AMAZON PRINT | OVERDRIVE

About the author 

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.

BLOG | ISWG | TWITTER

Have you read any of Alex's fun books? Hubby and I read them together. Well, I read them to him. :)

Do you follow Alex's blog or participate in ISWG or have done (or are in the throes at this very minute of) A to Z? 

Have you found it difficult to keep your public persona from taking over your private life?

Special Ninja Cap'n Guest Post

I'm coming out of blogging hiatus to give you a treat: the awesome

 Ninja Cap'n Alex J. Cavanaugh!

I'm a huge Science Fiction fan myself, and I asked Alex to share a bit about his history with Science Fiction and what draws him to it. Take it away, Cap'n.

What Drew Me into the Wormhole of Science Fiction

I think I’ve always had a thing for science fiction. (And fantasy.) Both genres allow the imagination to run wild because anything is possible. Anything! When you’re a kid, that just sounds awesome.

I spent part of my childhood in Japan and was inundated with Godzilla and other Japanese monsters. I watched the movies and played with the toys. I was also into comic books and the DC super heroes were my favorite. I could see myself fighting right along with the Justice League of America!

Movies and television shows also caught my attention. Star Trek was an instant favorite, both the original series and the cartoon. And remember the original Wild, Wild West? It was very early steampunk. It was also a western, and the combination of elements probably started me on the space opera path.

I like all types of science fiction, although I tend to shy away from the heavy tech and science aspects. (I don’t care how something works, I just need to know that it does work.) I’m more drawn to science fiction that’s set in the far future or somewhere else in the galaxy. A world beyond our own is an adventure to me, and that is what I like best.

When you really think about it, science fiction is a blend of genres or another genre masquerading as science fiction. It can be part thriller, horror, romance, and of course western. Star Wars is a western set in space. (Outland is literally High Noon in space.) The Thing is horror. Galaxy Quest is humor. Starman is romance. Science fiction is very diverse when you examine it closely.

What are some of my favorites?

Books - Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars books, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Heinlein, Alan Dean Foster’s Flinx series, Ray Bradbury

Movies - Aliens, Serenity, Star Trek First Contact, MST3K The Movie, John Carter, Jurassic Park, Super 8, The Avengers, T2

Television - Firefly/Serenity, Star Trek (all), and Stargate SG1/Atlantis.

Science fiction just satisfies the imagination. And those of you who aren’t science fiction fans, I think there are stories out there you would enjoy regardless. Maybe you’ll even enjoy mine. Would it help if you knew they were about adventure, friendship, and love?

I like Alex's tastes! So many of my own favorites are listed here. And, it should be no surprise that his Cassa series is a favorite one of ours. I read them to my hubby, so we can share the experience. Following is some information on the third and concluding book in the series. 

CassaStorm

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Goodreads

And if, by chance, you don't know who Alex is:

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Have you met Alex online?

Read any of his fun books? There are 3 of them.

What are your thoughts about SciFi? 

CassaStorm

I'm excited to have a special guest today. The Cap'n Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh is on deck, so front and center. Hubby and I are huge fans of his Cassa series, so you know what we'll be doing in the next little while since it came out YESTERDAY!

Well, Alex invited folks to ask him questions that he would answer, and if you comment on his blog this week you have a chance to win a Cassa mug, mousepad, magnet, and sway!

Me: Pick two celebrities to be your parents.

Alex:  A couple come to mind, but no one could ever replace my own parents, because they are awesome.
Me: Good answer!

CassaStorm

By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

“CassaStorM is a touching and mesmerizing space opera full of action and emotion with strong characters and a cosmic mystery.” – Edi’s Book Lighhouse

“Cavanaugh has created wonderfully moving moments of great poignancy… CassaStorm could have been a dark story full of hardship and angst, but instead it's a cleverly balanced story about hope and triumph.” 

- Lynda R. Young, author of Make Believe

“…mesmerizing story of survival, personal sacrifice, tolerance, and compassion. It’s a rare jewel that successfully utilizes both character and plot to tell a story of such immense scope and intimate passion…” - Nancy S. Thompson, author of The Mistaken

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Reveal - CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh

I've been at a writing conference, so I'm a little late jumping in . . .

CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013
Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure
Print ISBN 9781939844002
E-book ISBN 9781939844019

I can't wait!