5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF

 

I was first drawn to Alexandra Sokoloff by her book blurbs. I came upon them because one of her books was listed under the "Customers who bought this item, also bought," category on one of my book pages. She was very responsive to the idea of coming on the blog and I'm grateful to have her.

For those who don't know, Alexandra is the Award-winning author of the supernatural thrillers THE HARROWING, THE PRICE, THE UNSEEN, BOOK OF SHADOWS, and THE SPACE BETWEEN, and the new bestselling indie crime thriller HUNTRESS MOON. She is also a co-author of the paranormal KEEPERS series, with Heather Graham and Harley Jane Kozak. She is a Bram Stoker and Anthony Award nominee. The New York Times Book Review called her novels "Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre."

As a screenwriter, Alex has sold original thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, west, and the board of the Mystery Writers of America.

In non-fiction, she is the author of SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS (AND SCREENWRITERS!), and WRITING LOVE, workbooks based on her internationally acclaimed blog and workshops.

In her spare time (!) she performs with Heather Graham's all-author Slush Pile Players and dances every chance she gets.

 

1 - You tend to write dark, suspenseful, sometimes even paranormal thrillers. What drew you to the shadowy side of the genre?

I think that all authors – and all people, really – are only working with a handful of themes in their work and their lives, and one of my themes is the question of how to deal with the evil in the world, and what evil actually is – nature, nurture, something spiritual or a spiritual lack? How do we fight it? How do we survive and triumph? So the darker side of the genre draws me because it lets me explore those questions. And I have to attribute the slightly supernatural bent to my growing up in Berkeley, which is a kind of supernatural place!

 2 - You’ve received praise from writers like Michael Palmer to Lee Child. How did those wonderful testimonials come about?

It’s one of the most magical things for me about being an author – that authors I admire now read me, even when I don’t ask!

 But if you’re asking on a practical level:

A – I never ask an author for a quote unless I’m a die-hard fan of theirs. You have no idea how many people ask me for blurbs who don’t even know what genre I write in – they haven’t even done that much basic research. I’ve read everything Lee Child has ever written and I didn’t ask him for a quote until I’d written a book that I knew he could recommend to his own readers without reservation. It wouldn’t make sense for him to blurb a ghost story. You have to take those things into account.

B— I write a great letter.

C – I only ask once. Authors are crazy busy 24/7 and they do NOT need seven follow-up e mails asking them if they’ve read your book yet. Once an author has agreed to take a look and you’ve sent the book, leave it alone. An author will blurb your book if they have time and if they love it. Those are two big ifs.

3 - Is there a common denominator for any good thriller?

The name says it all – above all, a thriller has to thrill. Personally I read mystery, suspense and horror for the intensity of the experience – the adrenaline rush, the feeling of being involved in a high-stakes adventure with possibly earth-shattering consequences, so that’s what I strive to create in my books. And there’s also for me the good and evil thing that I talked about, above. I need that in the thrillers I read as well as the ones I write.

4 - You made the move from screenwriting to novels for creative reasons. Are you a control freak, or has Hollywood become too predictable?

I don’t think I’m a control freak like some control freaks I know! Any screenwriter can tell you horror stories about how nonsensical and degrading the film development process is – they don’t call it “development hell” for nothing. At a certain point I realized that if I ever wanted to do the work I knew I could do, write the stories I knew I was capable of writing, I would have to do it somewhere else. And I have never been so happy with a decision I’ve made, ever in my life.

5 - What is your opinion of the level of success some of the new crop of Indie writers have reached, and is that good for the industry?

Is it good for the industry? I don’t know, but I do think the rise of indie publishing is the best thing that’s ever happened for writers, and for readers too, I believe. No one has to indie publish, and probably they shouldn’t if they’re not up for the incredible amount of work it is, work that writers aren’t necessarily used to doing. You have to be up for running your own business, essentially. But to have that choice? It’s like being let out of prison. More income streams for writers, more creative choices – it’s all good.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR MICHAEL PRESCOTT

Michael Prescott is a very accomplished author with over one million print books sold and now over a million ebooks sold as well.  Staggering numbers from a guy who began his career back in 1986 writing horror novels under a pseudonym.  He's been here before, but his career has really taken off and I wanted to explore his latest publishing endeavour.  He recently signed an agreement with Amazon's publishing company Thomas and Mercer.  It's a risky move for an independent with a lot of momentum, but as you'll see, he's excited about the opportunity.  Anyone out there who ever wondered if there were other options besides the Big 6 publishers should listen to Michael's story.

As with most writers I interview, I found him attentive and considerate.  Just a real down to earth guy who deserves all the attention he receives.  Thanks Michael for your time and your thorough answers:

1- Tell us about your newest release, Grave of Angels. It’s already inside the top 50 on the Kindle bestseller list. Did you expect to see this success so quickly? 

I didn't know what to expect. Some of my self-published books have climbed that high on the Kindle list, but it took time — a month or two, usually. This book is put out by Thomas & Mercer, a division of Amazon Publishing, and it has the force of Amazon's marketing behind it. And that makes a big difference!

As for the book itself, Grave of Angels is the story of Kaye Malick, a former Carmelite nun who runs a personal protection service for Hollywood stars. When hard-partying teenage celebutante Chelsea Brewer is kidnapped, Kate has to search the city's darkest corners in a desperate attempt to save the girl's life. The story takes place in the course of one frantic night, as the kidnapping plot is gradually revealed to be part of a complicated and deadly conspiracy.

2- Back in the 90's you were a traditionally published author who wrote under the name Brian Harper, then you became Michael Prescott and one of the first authors to go the Indie route with ebooks. How did your new agreement with Thomas and Mercer (Amazon's publishing house) come about?

My self-published ebooks have done very well — much better than I expected, and better, really, than I ever did in print. I've sold well over a million digital copies so far. As the sales added up, Amazon Publishing took notice. Acquisitions editor Maria Gomez contacted me, and we set up a phone call that involved Maria and other members of the Thomas & Mercer team. Initially I had some doubts about going with them, but the phone call convinced me that the experience would be different from my experiences in traditional publishing. Amazon is much more author-centered and really aims to deliver services to the author, rather than just treating the author as a resource. Their enthusiasm and the prospect of working with a new kind of publishing house convinced me to give it a shot.

3- So, after all these years of complete independence, did you have any concerns over losing artistic control?

I do like the independence of self-publishing, but on the other hand there can be advantages to working with a publishing house. In this case, I felt Grave of Angels could use the input of a professional editor, because it had gone through several drafts and still wasn't entirely satisfactory to me. Maria assigned a very good developmental editor to the book, a guy named David Downing, who was enormously helpful. Sometimes you need somebody to tell you where you've gone wrong. In that respect, I'm quite willing to give up a measure of artistic control, if it will make the book better — although Thomas & Mercer have gone out of their way to make sure that the final decisions are always left to me. And that includes not only the editing but also the cover art and promotional copy.

4- Was there trepidation about placing all of your eggs into the Amazon basket?

I had two main worries: first, they were acquiring these particular books effectively for term of copyright, meaning I will probably never get the rights back; and second, they don't want to put out ebooks on any platform other than the Kindle, for obvious reasons. I have a lot of readers who use the Nook and a few who use the Sony Reader, and I worried about disappointing them. But I decided those readers could always buy the paperback edition or download a free Kindle app. Admittedly it's less convenient for them, but the prospect of significantly expanding my readership through Amazon's marketing efforts was too tempting to pass up.

5- Okay, since you've probably done this yourself before you signed on with T&M, give us your best case scenario and your worst case scenario, five years from now. And what do you think the publishing world will look like?

I see the signing as a test case. It involves only two of my books, and one of them is a backlist title, The Shadow Hunter, which Amazon will reissue in September. I don't yet know how I'll handle the remaining titles in my backlist or any new books I put out. I want to see how it goes. There's something to be said for running the show yourself, but there's also something to be said for having the power of Amazon.com behind you, and working with professional editors and designers. Of course, I also don't know if Amazon will want to continue the relationship. Time will tell.

Five years from now? I don't think that far ahead! When I was younger, I used to worry about my future, but as I get older — I'm 51 now — I find it isn't very helpful to worry about best or worst case scenarios, since neither is likely to happen. Generally, we muddle through. If someone had told me ten years ago that my print career was going to collapse, I probably would have been in a panic, but as it turned out, it wasn't that big a problem. I made money doing something else, and when the ebooks took off, I made money on that. It all worked out. So don't worry — be happy.

As for the publishing world, I think ebooks will largely replace mass-market paperbacks, which are already suffering from diminished distribution. The main appeal of pocket-sized paperbacks is convenience, and ebooks are even more convenient. The other appeal is price, but ebooks will be cheaper, and even dedicated ebook reading devices will soon be cheap enough to qualify as an impulse buy. I also don't see a big future for hardcovers; they're too expensive. Once people get used to paying $4.99 or less for ebooks, they'll probably be unwilling to spend $30 or more for a hardcover, unless it's a coffee table book, a limited-edition collectible, or a finely illustrated children's book.

So is print doomed? No, I think trade paperbacks — large-format, so-called "quality" paperbacks — will survive and even flourish. Some of them will be put out by traditional houses, some will be put out by upstarts like Amazon, and some will be self-published print-on-demand titles. I also think the universe of readers will expand. There will be more variety in content, appealing to niches that nobody ever knew existed. All in all, it's a very good time to be a writer!

HOW THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY HAS STIFLED CREATIVITY

Yesterday I received an email from a fellow writer announcing his resignation from the writing business.  By the way, he's not making a living from his writing.  Not even close.  Oh, he's a terrific writer with a history of publishing short stories in very reputable literary magazines and he's even had a literary agent for a while.  He's also never been seriously close to getting one of his novels published and that's where the frustrated email was born. (He's since backed off his threat to quit writing, but that doesn't diminish his intrinsically exacerbating situation.)

It's easy to see why he'd gotten here.  After all the publishing industry is about making money, not discovering new literary talent.  So if a publisher has a choice between a new author with some serious writing chops and the twentieth unauthorized Frank Sinatra biography, well, you see what I mean.  When an illiterate like Snooki gets a books deal, I think it's obvious traditional publishing has become a place for no-talent big names to get their book deals.  Think Kardashians and Paris Hilton.

So why do I bring this up when I've been doing quite well with my own little career writing thrillers?  Because many writers have been stuck in the old model of query an agent, get a publisher, then wait two years to see your book in print.  It's an antiquated system which rewards very few authors who wiggle their way through the hoops to get to their goal.  It also doesn't allow for writers to try new things.  If a new writer attempts to write a story in first person from several different people, it's considered edgy and too much of a risk.  Meanwhile Pulitzer Prize winner Cormac McCarthy can write an entire book without using quotation marks for dialogue and that's just fine.  Don't get me wrong, McCarthy is obviously an unbelievable writer, it's just that he makes money for the publisher, which means break any rules you'd like. 

So if you're a new writer, stay within the lines and don't stray too far from the norm.  In other words, don't get too creative, please.  And what about self-publishing?  Well, that's even more frustrating for newer writers because the pool has begun to fill up and now they're supposed to suddenly go from concentrating on writing to becoming an expert on formatting and marketing on the fly.  Or pay a large fee for someone else to do that for you.  Is this how the system should have gone?  No.  There was a time when publishers actively searched for new voices, then when they found him/her, they would throw some marketing money behind the book and get it off the ground.  But somewhere along the line they decided to go for the quick buck.  People like Kato Kaelin, (remember OJ's poolboy) who struck a $500,000 deal with St. Martin's Press were lurking in the alleys whispering to the industry with soft, alluring words of guaranteed profit.

Am I indicting the entire industry?  Of course not.  Am I suggesting publishers could have prevented a lot of this mass exodus toward independence by creative writers?  Sure.  I feel for my friends who have struggled to reach the masses and I will always champion their work.  Writing is the one profession where fellow competitors for the same readers would help each other whenever possible.  I've seen too many of my talented friends get lost in the shuffle and I hope the day will come where they can find their audience so I'll never get an email like the one I received yesterday.          

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR ANN CHARLES

Ann Charles is a rising star in the publishing world.  Just put her name in the Amazon search engine and you'll see exactly what I mean.  She is also a real treat to interview.  If you want to know about her writing style, just read her answers and you'll quickly understand why readers are flocking to her books.  She has two separate series going, one takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, the other in my backyard, Jackrabbit Junction, Arizona.

 Ann was very gracious enough to spend a little time to play five questions with me and I think you'll be glad she did:

1- What’s a nice wholesome girl like you writing about a place called Deadwood, South Dakota?

 Okay, who’s going around spreading rumors that I’m wholesome and nice? Ha!

 I spent summers growing up in and around Deadwood, South Dakota, learning about the history of the place, daydreaming about what life used to be like in the Black Hills during the area’s rough and rowdy past. Several years ago, when I was back in Deadwood visiting my mom, who still lives there, a story idea hit me about a single mom of twins trying to make it on her own in a town full of colorful characters and a past that just won’t die. That was the birth of my Deadwood series, and I’m loving every minute of writing one book after another with many of the same characters and several new ones appearing along the way.

 2- Your protagonist, Violet Parker, is a single mother of twins—how is Violet different from you?

 While I’m a mom of two kids, I’m not a single mom, nor are my kids twins (whew!). I am lucky to get to tag-team with my husband and have down time to keep from pulling my hair out some days. I can’t imagine how single parents handle the constant responsibility of be “on” for their kids. I have tons of respect for parents raising children on their own, and that was at the forefront of my mind when I came up with Violet. I wanted a heroine whose strength is not necessarily in her ability to shoot a gun or kick the crap out of a bad guy, but rather more in her determination to keep standing while taking one hit after another.

 3- Tell us a little about your career path and how did your relationship with your agent stay afloat during your Indie phase?

 My agent grew as frustrated as I did with me making it “close” to getting a contract time and again only to be rejected for a book that wasn’t considered to be able to draw a big audience. Together, we decided to put it out without going through a New York publisher and let readers to determine if it could draw an audience or not. She’s been by my side throughout this whole venture and is loving seeing my success.

 4- Between work and family, when do you find time to write?

 I don’t sleep much. Ha! No, seriously, I don’t sleep much. I average about five hours a night for most of the work week, dragging my sorry hiney into work every day and slamming the caffeine throughout the day and into the evening. Once a week, I try to get seven or more hours of sleep to catch up a little. Then I’m back at it. Until I can afford to quit my day job, this is the routine. I would love to write/publish books faster, but three a year is my absolute max because my books average 100,000 words.

 5- With your experience writing about marketing, how do you see authors like yourself finding an audience in the future?

 Using whatever means they can get their hands on. There is no one thing that makes you successful. Building your empire takes a lot of time and hard work. You have to build with long-term in mind, focusing on different areas of your platform at different times. I have done everything from blog tours to writing articles, winning contests to buying ads. I have also given over 150,000 ebooks away through Amazon’s Kindle Select program. Somehow, you have to get visibility, and the competition is fierce for readers’ attention. You’re competing with television, movies, video games, other books, and more. I joke about all of the chickens I have sacrificed to the publishing gods to get my name out there, but it’s tough. Patience, persistence, determination, and a lot of stubbornness pays off.

Thank you, Gary, for the fun interview. I appreciate you having me on your site!

HOW TO MARKET YOUR NOVEL

I generally despise how-to posts.  It's the reason after two years I've rarely posted one.  But I recently received an email from Geoff Nelder, a writer who entered a monthly writing contest I ran on this blog back in 2010.  He felt his honorable mention in my contest helped get him a book contract for his novel, Left Luggage.  He thanked me for running the contest and offering attention to relatively unknown writers. 

I think he may have overstated my influence in his accomplishment, but it brings me to the genesis of my topic: What are the best ways to market your novel?  Facebook? Okay.  Twitter?  Fine.  Ads? Sure, why not.  Blog? Eh.  What am I getting at here?  The fact is, I don't believe any one of these things can garner big sales all by themselves.  And all together they amount to name recognition, but not much more.  What I found to be the best method of getting your name out there is to find other authors like yourself and help them out.  And I'm not talking about sucking up to people for pure reciprocal purposes.  I'm talking about sincerely promoting people who you believe are good writers with good reputations.

This blog originally began as a monthly contest for writers to get exposure for their work.  I offered a $50 Amazon gift card each month to the winner of the strongest scene. (Yes, that's where the title came from.)  I never charged a submission fee and paid for the gift card out of my own pocket.  Why?  Because I thought it would help promote other writers.  Period.  There was no ulterior motive.  Then, I became so inundated with submissions I couldn't find time to write, or spend time with my family, or eat regularly, so I turned to interviewing writers instead.  I interviewed John Locke before he was John Locke--Rick Murcer, before he became an Indie sensation--and Robert Bidinotto right before his career took off as well.  I always do the research and ask specific questions for each author and it pleases me to see their careers progress.

So is this the best method of marketing yourself?  Getting to know other writers and developing relationships with them?  Yes, I believe this is a grass roots way to gain attention from other writers and therefore tapping into their readers' radar screen.  Am I saying you need to start your own blog to make it happen?  No.  A simple Facebook share every now and then for a writer trying to get their books noticed is good.  A Retweet.  A Facebook "Like."  These all add up.  Again, pick someone who you respect and believe deserves attention.  Don't expect anything in return.  It's a good gesture and that should be its own reward.  For me, I was able to receive a nice blurb from John Locke for my books.  Rick Murcer actually thought enough of my work that he invited me to participate in an anthology with six other writers.  I was very humbled.  Did I expect any of these things?  Of course not.

Maybe the most important part of this concept for me was the friendships I've developed.  I'm online less and less these days, but I do try to keep up with people like Claude Bouchard and Luke Romyn and Stuart Ross McCallum.  These are writers whom I first met when starting this blog and I still try to help them whenever I can.  I've read their work.  They're fine writers. 

See how this works?         

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR HUGH HOWEY

Hugh Howey is a rock star in the Indie world. Publishers and production companies are literally throwing themselves at him for attention. Less than a year ago, he was a complete unknown. Today, his "Wool," series of Sci-Fi stories are the hottest commodity on the Amazon top-selling list. His "Wool Omnibus E-book," is constantly in the top 50 overall on the Kindle list and with 830 reviews, he has a 4.9 ranking. That means 811 of 830 reviews are either 4 or 5 stars. Plus, Random House has just signed on to publish the hardcover version in the UK in 2013.  Wait, I'm not done.  The latest USA Today Bestseller list has "Wool," listed #98 for overall books (Ebook and print book combined) and the NY Times, which normally turns their nose up at Indies, has "Wool," listed at #31 on the Ebook fiction list.  Like I said, he's making a big splash in the pool and publishers are taking notice.   

Oh, did I mention that Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Prometheus, etc . . .) has purchased the option for the movie. Pretty wild, huh? So does he have a big head about this? Uh, no. Even though he's been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Variety, and the Huffington post, he was very generous with his time as you can tell by his thorough answers.

Thanks, Hugh, we wish you all the best:



1- First of all, "Wool," is obviously tremendously written or it never would've received all the accolades, but the series seems to have touched a nerve. Do you attribute any of its success to the whole Fed-Up, Occupy, Anti-Establishment, Anti-Greed thing going on--or am I digging too deep?

"Digging too deep!" I like what you did there. I think anyone who's read the series probably just chuckled along with me. But yeah, I think you're right about this story striking a nerve with people. What's fascinating to me is that I have avid readers right across the political spectrum. Some are drawn to the struggle against injustice. Others see this as a case of the blue-collar class being able to rise to power and make the world a better place. There's also a lot of gray areas in the book. As despicable as those in charge can be, many readers come away with at least some understanding of why they do what they do. And then there's the question for those rising up: At what point are the costs of revolution greater than what is suffered under an unjust regime? Or is it right to ever willingly suffer injustice? These are questions posed but never answered in the books. Perhaps it's the complicated nature of these issues and the honest treatment of them that has so many people discussing the series.


2- What was it like to be contacted by Ridley Scott (or his people) to buy the rights to "Wool?" And how were you contacted?

 I had a lot of amazing phone conversations during the media rights phase of all this. I spoke with producers whose work I absolutely adore, and I talked with people from TV who create some of my favorite ongoing shows. It was a jarring and surreal process. You're on the phone with five people at a time, all these people chiming in and telling you how much they loved the work, and that they can't wait to get started on this, and you just get so flattered by all the greasing-up that you want to sign up with anyone and everyone.

I became attached to several parties during this process and didn't want to upset any of them by making a choice. Then we heard Steve Zaillian was reading and really enjoying the book. Ridley Scott got involved. When I spoke to the people at Scott Free and Film Rites, the companies associated with both of these mega-talented men, they had the same passion I felt about the material. The more contact we had, the more right it felt. And when we took their offer, the other interested parties completely understood. I reached out to them to explain my decision, and their graciousness and excitement for me really took the sting out of having to disappoint them.


3-Walk us through the thought process of when and if you might sign with a U.S publisher for the rights to the hardcover version of the series? Do you secretly nibble on a loose cuticle or two trying to calculate the right decision?

 That is a test I will face in the next few days, actually. A publisher is flying me to New York to sit down with them, and my agent has lined up quite a few similar meetings for the three days I'm in the city. So yeah, I'm already biting my nails and rehearsing.

 The nice thing for me is that the decision to remain independent gets stronger with every passing day. The book is doing great. I'm on several outlets right now and selling well. The feedback from readers is excellent, and I'm getting major media mentions, like a half-page story in Entertainment Weekly and a mention in Variety. This kind of exposure normally requires a major publisher. I'm less eager to give my work away in exchange for something the word-of-mouth is providing on its own.

My question for publishers here in the States will be simple: What exactly are you guaranteeing me? Because I'm not handing over a manuscript, which is what they are used to dealing with. I'm handing them something with brand recognition, something with a major film option and huge names attached. I'm handing them over a hundred thousand fans. There are reviews, interviews, and articles on major web sites.

The last time we went to publishers, much of this was already in place, and they offered me the same thing they would offer a promising manuscript. One publisher wanted to change the name of the work! Another wanted to take everything off the market and re-publish almost a year later. These are old ways of thinking. What Century and Random House offered in the UK (which is why I am so excited to have signed with them) was far more progressive. Everything that worked over here, they want to emulate over there. They want to augment what I've already done. I need to hear the same from a domestic publisher. The ideal pitch would be to make an offer on the physical rights and leave the digital rights alone. There's a lot of money for them to make in printing a book and putting it in stores and feeding off the media mentions I'm garnering. The problem, though, and the reason I doubt I'll ever sign with anyone over here, is that they want to take everything I'm making and offer no guarantee in return. That may work for a hopeful writer with a manuscript. It's a more risky gamble to take when you've quit your day job and are trying to subsist on your existing sales.

 4- Okay, we love a good rags-to-riches story. What's been your biggest indulgence so far?
Or have you had one yet?

 There has been one indulgence. I'll get to that in a moment. First though, the story of the last few hectic months: Before any of this really took off, my wife sought a new job in Jupiter, Florida in order to be closer to her family. We've been dealing with all that's involved in that as all the book news poured in. So I've been writing on the road as we drive down for her interviews, again to look for a house, dealing with selling our house up here while buying one down there. The stress of owning two houses for a brief period has me very cautious about spending on anything. There's also the 60-day delay in getting paid from Amazon, which means I still haven't seen the vast majority of what I've made there, nor have I seen the advances from all the foreign deals or the film option. Those things take time.

Because of all this, and also from being keenly aware that the fall comes faster than the rise, we are being extremely cautious with our sudden good fortune. The house we purchases in Jupiter is 900 square feet. The list price on it was $125,000. My wife and I have had a happy ten years together by living simply, and I hope to continue doing so. My dream is to write for the rest of my life without ever having to get a day job again. That means saving up as much as possible. And it isn't like I'm making millions of dollars. Only a handful of writers make that kind of money in a year.

So what's been my indulgence? Cover art. I recently received some awesome cover art from a professional in the Netherlands named Jasper Schreurs. Simply breathtaking stuff. He's a huge fan of my stories, and so he created these original digital paintings for the covers of the Wool Omnibus and the first Molly Fyde book. You have to see these to believe them. They are dynamite. So I asked Jasper what it would cost to commission covers for the rest of the Molly books. He gave me a huge discount, and my wife still squealed when she heard what it would cost. And I'm doing it anyway. This is a lot of money for me to spend, but I am such a huge fan of Jasper's talent, and his work has already given me such joy, that I'm viewing this as a gift to myself.

Pretty lame, eh? My big indulgence is a business expense. Cover art. But really, there's nothing I could enjoy more than seeing what Jasper does with the sequels to the Molly series.

 5- Since you dabble in science fiction--create a vision of what the publishing world will look like in 5 years?

 Five years normally isn't all that long, is it? But I think you've nailed how quickly this industry is changing. Look at what Napster and iTunes did to the music industry. Or what digital cameras have done to film. E-books are showing phenomenal growth. We're talking triple-digit increases year on year while physical books see double-digit decreases. The trends point one direction. As someone who worked in an independent bookstore for the past two years, I've been watching this unfold from the retail as well as the production side.

I think the biggest change will come from the success of the indie writer, to be honest. And I don't say this because of what I'm experiencing. Rather, it's because of the dozens and dozens of friends I've met online who are having success with writing and publishing on their own. People are quitting their day jobs because their e-book sales are able to support them. They are now free to concentrate on their craft, supported by the small purchases of thousands of people around the world, all of whom have access to more choice in reading material than ever before.

As publishers see their market diminish, and I believe they already are, I think they are going to become open to working with authors in a more equitable fashion. E-book royalty rates have to change. They simply have to. The publisher offers almost nothing and in exchange they want almost everything. In five years, we'll hear about more and more authors signing physical print deals with major publishers while they retain e-book rights. That may not sound like much (since it's so logical and fair) but it will signal a monumental shift in how business is done.

Another change we may see, though I think this is ten or fifteen years away, is the end of stocking all titles on shelves, which has meant shipping books back and forth between printer and retailer and then back again for remaindering or pulping. It's a wasteful system. We have the technology now to simply print the book the reader wants in under five minutes, while they wait. I'd love to see more bookstores that highlight the social and community aspects of reading. A place to come and discuss books, to find out what's being written, to meet local authors and attend book signings. Bookstores are already becoming coffee shops that sell board games and children's toys. That trend will continue until they mostly carry bargain books and bestsellers, and everything else is printed behind a counter while you sip on a latte.

What won't change is the supply of books worth reading and people eager for each and every one of them. We have thirsted for stories since we received them around campfires. The method of delivery is not the thing. It's allowing another's words to stir our imaginations. And so we should concentrate on this and care less about the manner in which it happens.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR BEN LIEBERMAN

I first came upon Ben Lieberman when his book kept on showing up

on the Amazon page for my first novel, "A Touch of Deceit."  Apparently readers were buying his book quite a bit, because it stayed on the first page for a very long time and it's been wildly successful.

Ben Lieberman is a 20 year Wall Street

veteran and well aware of his industry’s reputation. While working in this

volatile environment as an institutional bond trader, he was also an

aspiring author. And nearly ten years ago, fiction writing became
Lieberman’s refuge while Wall Street melted around him.
But working full time and raising three children didn’t leave much
time for his new hobby, so Lieberman did the bulk of his writing
every day before work in a coffee shop across the street from
his Wall Street office.

Writing his first book this way took more than six years, but the

finished product Odd Jobs, earned him praise from James Patterson and Donald Trump who sent him glowing endorsements for the book. He also won the Tommy Award for Excellence in Writing for

Odd Jobs, from WritersNewsWeekly.

I'm very glad he found time to play 5 questions with me.

1- What caused you to go from bond trading to writing fiction? Was it a longtime burning desire?

That depends on the time of day you ask me. Often, I believe it was a longtime burning desire and often I believe it's a birth defect that just can't be corrected. There are so few things I enjoy more than getting a positive reaction to a piece of writing. This "Jones" kept developing with each situation. For example, I was taking creative writing classes at Columbia University after work. During classes and workshops when anything clicked and made people laugh out loud or get a reaction I was aiming for, I swear it felt like I just hit a three - pointer for the Knicks.

2- You received some blurbs from Donald Trump and James Patterson. The Patterson blurb is worth it’s weight in gold—How did that come about?

That blurb is worth more than its weight in gold because it goes way beyond sales. First and foremost, here is a guy that has reached every level of success and was willing to help a stranger. That in itself set an example beyond writing and how to be a person. After Mr. Patterson read the manuscript he spoke to me about the my writing, the marketplace and his writing - that is worth more than its weight in gold . Then, oh yeah, having his endorsement will give me some credibility and improve sales. Who would have thought that last point would come in third place?

I would like to say the endorsement came about over some wild story, but it came about simply because I had the chance to meet Mr.. Patterson and have a discussion. I nervously asked for a blurb and he said he would "take a look." A few days later he actually called me to discuss. It was surreal.

3- Kevin Davenport is your average guy lured into unusual circumstances once he discovers his father’s murderer. Was it a conscious decision to create a protagonist who was an average citizen, rather than a homicide detective or a forensic scientist?

Yes, it definitely was a conscious decision. This story was written in the first person, present tense, because I was hoping to put the reader in the middle of the action for each punch taken and thrown. If I was going to do this right, anyone reading this could either be Kevin or know a Kevin.

4- Is the success of “Odd Jobs,” allowing you more time to write, or less?

I wish it was creating more time but if I'm going to be honest, its less time. The desire to write more is there but the reality is that some conflicts have developed which can make it more difficult. When I wrote Odd Jobs there was no type of marketing or presentation to worry about. It was all about filling the pages. As you know, it takes a lot of effort to support your work and unfortunately, the effort to maintain and market can conflict with creating new work.

5- If you aren’t already, is it a goal to become a full time fiction writer? And what are you currently working on?

Being a full time fiction writer is definitely the goal. I don't know how realistic it is but if you are asking about goals or even dreams, full time writing is certainly up there. Creating stories and entertaining people seems like a great way to spend a day to me.

I'm working on a follow up to Odd Jobs and really like how the story is coming along. I definitely learned a lot from my debut work and enjoy improving and developing. I'll let you know when it's ready.  

 

 

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR NINA WRIGHT

Nina Wright is author of the humorous Whiskey Mattimoe mystery series, featuring Abra the Afghan hound, the bad girl of dog fiction. Book #6, Whiskey and Soda, is due out in late May 2012 in both trade paperback and ebook formats. In addition, Nina has published two urban fantasies, Homefree and Sensitive. She is also a playwright, director and actor.  In her spare time she rescues stray dogs and converts them into drug sniffing police K-9's.  Okay, just kidding about the last one, but she keeps a busy schedule, so I was grateful for her time. 

1- What do you feel is the main difference between writing a play and writing a novel?

Thanks for asking this perceptive question. Writing for the stage requires, first, an education in how theatre technically works (the jargon and the mechanics of it), and second, a vision of what will beboth possible and emotionally powerful in a theatrical experience. The essence of good theatre is that it reaches the minds and hearts of its audience through their willing, collective participation inan active illusion. That is to say, theatregoers know that they are watching a simulation of life happening a short distance from their seats, but if the piece works, it draws them into another world and moves them to the perspective-altering response the playwright intended. Strangers gathered in a darkened room simultaneously witness and respond to moments of “live” human crisis. In this anonymous group setting, audience members may be more likely to squirm or sigh or weep or guffaw than they would be while reading a novel. To that end, theatre, when it works, is both more engaging and more objectifying than any other art form I know. It’s also massively collaborative in that the playwright conceives the vision and crafts the story, but a team of talented individuals—including producers, directors, designers, technicians, and of course actors—must ultimately put their fingerprints all over it in before the play comes fully to life.

Writing a novel requires skills in thematic and plot development, characterization, pacing and dialogue similar to those demanded of playwrights. A novelist, however, has greater flexibility in choosing point of view and setting, as well as the number of characters and scenes. Whereas a playwright is necessarily limited in the size of her cast and the cost of her sets, costumes, props, etc., a novelist has no such restrictions. Conversely, it is the sole responsibility and burden of the novelist to build every fiber of her world and the characters who inhabit it. She must be a master at revealing motivation, not to mention molding language, tone, action, and sensory images in such a way that her story comes to life for individual readers. The world of the novel must exist so vividly in the reader’s head that she does not want to put the book down.

2- Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a fairly structured outline, or do you fly by the seat of your pants?

Usually I start with a situation that has captured my fancy: a specific person has a sticky problem or question. Then I wonder and wander all over a hypothetical landscape, repeatedly asking myself “why?”, “how?”, and “what if . . . ?” Always I imagine the character encountering unexpected and increasingly troubling complications, including people who are not what they seem to be. By the time I actually sit down to write the novel or play, I have a strong sense of my major players, my setting, my rising action, my climax, and my resolution. The rest I find once I dive in and begin crafting scenes. The best part of working this way for me is that the thrill of discovery becomes part of every day’s labor.

3- What was it like the first time you saw an actual performance of actors reading your dialogue onstage?

To be bluntly honest, I was bathed in sweat! Perhaps that was partly because I had been a professional actor before I became a playwright, so I was vicariously experiencing the on-stage process at the same time I was judging my own work. Fortunately, that reaction never recurred. I learned another valuable lesson very early on: trust other professionals to care for your work. Backstage at Chicago Dramatists Theatre, I was introduced to the cast of my play only moments before curtain. I was silently horrified at the casting choices the director had made; each actor seemed physically wrong for the roles I had written. I did my best to mask my concerns, but my stomach was in knots until the lights went up, and I realized that the director had chosen the right professionals for each role.

4- Your reviews have been remarkable--How do you keep your protagonist, Whiskey Mattimoe, fresh throughout you entire series?

Keeping a protagonist fresh is one of the biggest challenges for any writer of series fiction. I was never more mindful of that than when I wrote my latest Whiskey Mattimoe mystery, Whiskey and Soda, due out in late May 2012. When we last saw Whiskey in the fifth book of the series, Whiskey with a Twist, she was worried that she might be pregnant by her ex-husband. The answer to that question, unveiled in the new book, will doubtless change the course of her misadventures.

From the start, I’ve taken the position that Whiskey Mattimoe, though a fully formed adult, is capable of yearning and learning, which means that her life can and must change as time passes. Like the rest of us, she has experiences that cause her to question her previous assumptions and consider new choices.

I respect that my readers have specific expectations of Whiskey based on her distinct foibles. For example, Whiskey doesn’t seem to realize that she’s as impulsive and libidinous as her naughty dog, Abra the Afghan hound. She’s the least intuitive person in town, which means that her friends are often frustrated as they try to guide her. In series fiction, as in real life, characters must encounter situations that neither they, their readers, nor even their author saw coming. Having a dog who’s prone to run away and wreak havoc helps keep Whiskey’s responses lively. 

 5- How has the publishing industry changed for you over the past decade, and where do you see it headed for the next ten years?

Although my first novel was published less than seven years ago, I’m astonished by the changes I’ve already seen in the publishing industry, most of which, of course, have been driven by costs and technology. As recently as the early 2000s, I mailed queries and copies of my manuscripts so often that the staff at the local post office knew me well. Now I use email and social networks for virtually all professional communication.

I’m a huge fan of hardbound books, and I believe they will not become extinct, although their number will grow smaller and more elite. The future of mass market paperbacks looks bleak, and I expect fewer trade paperbacks, although POD will continueto enliven that branch of publishing, producing increasingly customized books in order to appeal to print readers.

 I’m very excited by the explosion of digital publishing, which speeds up and democratizes the process. It also muddies the marketing waters in that so many writers are pushing so many books at the same time. The challenge to stand out as a writer worth reading is more daunting than ever. Yet, sales success is no longer limited to those relatively few writers signed by a few big publishers. Bloggers and readers who post online can now dramatically influence a writer’s success.

 Thanks so much, Gary, for this opportunity to talk about my writing. All best to you in your impressive career!

 

IS AMAZON HELPING DISSOLVE WRITER PROFILING?

The prominent bookseller on the planet, Amazon, has become the target of many publishers trying to break up the company's stranglehold on the e-book market.  It seems the court's ruling this week has done nothing to diminish Amazon's ability to bring reasonable pricing to their customers, and readers everywhere should rejoice.  Instead of increasing their prices, Amazon has actually been trying to reduce those prices.  On any given day the bookseller has hundreds, even thousands of books available for free.  Free.  You can't make it up on volume when you give it away.

Yes, one of the ways Amazon has attracted so many readers is by offering low prices, but there's another reason why they have maintained their dominance in the market--Diversity.  Amazon is completely agnostic when they recommend a book to their readers.  They don't distinguish between an indie writer and a traditionally published writer.  To them, it's simply a matter of offering the best possible chance for the reader to enjoy their next read.  You can't do that on Barnes and Noble's site.  If you don't have a deal with the big 6 publishers, the chance of an indie author getting their book read on B&N are reduced dramatically.  I can bore you with statistics, but I've interviewed enough writers to know this is a real occurrence.

So how does this effect the industry?  Simple.  The lines between indie authors and traditionally published authors are fading and Amazon is the reason.  There was a time when all indie writers were self-published because they had no choice.  They couldn't get an agent or a publisher, so they were relegated to the indie route.  Now, that has changed.  There are so many writers choosing to go indie instead of using a publisher that readers can't tell the difference anymore.  And since readers can't tell, Amazon gives them the choice to decide which book they might like best.  Isn't that capitalism at it's finest?

Why doesn't Barnes and Noble do this?  Boy, I wish I knew.  I could throw all kinds of conspiracy theories out there, but the honest answer is--who knows?  If they're not in bed with the Big 6 publishers, they're certainly in the bathroom slipping on a negligee.  I'd like to have more options to offer my readers, but the reality is, Amazon takes good care of their writers, no matter their denomination.  And more importantly, they take care of their readers.  And that's good, because I'm one of their best customers.  I'm a reader.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR ROBERT CAPKO

Award-winning author, Robert Capko, writes Action-Adventure Thrillers, including the popular John Paxton series.  He is a veteran of the Unites States Air Force and currently lives in Florida, where he is a high school English teacher by day, but a terrific novelist by night.  He has four wonderful sons and two beautiful grandsons and still found time to play five questions with me.  Thanks, Robert.

1-      Tell us about your Air Force career and what led you into writing fiction?

Well I certainly didn’t do anything as exciting or heroic as my protagonist John Paxton when I served in the Air Force.  I served in the time period leading up to Desert Storm.   It was then that I first learned of the Air Force Pararescue Jumpers (PJs) and their mission to rescue downed pilots behind enemy lines.  I was fascinated by their ability to both fight and save lives.  I knew immediately that I wanted to write novels about them.  From there I spent years learning as much as I could about PJs and what they do.  I have been privileged to meet many of them and to tour their training facilities.  They are truly unsung heroes.

2- Would you be able to write "Say Goodbye," without your experiences in the Air Force?

I would have been able to write it, but I doubt it would have had the realism that I was after.  My service helped me to understand and appreciate the way members of the military interact with one another and the atmosphere in which they operate.  Keeping in mind I write fiction, not training manuals, I strive to capture the essence of military life. 

I knew from experience that everything does not work flawlessly and the mission and leadership are sometimes less than logical.  I strive for an accurate portrayal military life; while at that same time take license to stray from strict accuracy if it serves the plot.

3- Tell us about USAF Pararescue units and why John Paxton is different from your typical protagonist?

The United States Pararescue Jumpers (PJs) are the Special Forces operators that go pretty much anywhere in the world to rescue people.  Their primary mission is to rescue downed airmen behind enemy lines, but they do much more than that.  They are also on standby for all the manned space missions ready to rescue the astronauts should something go wrong.  They are also involved in civilian rescues both on land and at sea in the most extreme circumstances.  I find it intriguing that they combine skills as both warriors and first responder medical professionals.

4- You obviously have a knack for writing tense thrillers.  Where did you develop your writing style?

Thank you.  I learned the style from the masters.  I read tons of action/adventure novels when I was growing up.  I loved reading them so much that I wanted to start writing my own.  So I would take them apart.  If I would read some passage that was particularly exciting, I would stop and ask myself, “how did the author do that?”  I still do that to this day (it takes me forever to read a book!).

5- How do you see digital technology changing the publishing landscape of the next 5 years?

Technology will continue to give authors, and, more importantly, readers, more choices.  It brings the authors and their readers closer together, and the economics of it will foster experimentation.  While I still love a printed book, I am excited about the opportunities that digital technology is creating.