AUDIO IS THE NEW DIGITAL

First there was print.  Then there was digital E-Readers.  Now 2013 seems to be the breakout year for the audiobook.  The popularity of MP3 players has turned this form of literature into a new venue for writers to get their voice heard.  Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry.  There was a time when people would buy CD books and listen to them on long road trips.  Now, the iPod has turned this entire industry into a launching pad for a new stream of books to be heard.  People are tuning in to digital downloads while jogging, driving to work, or doing chores around the house.

Surprisingly I'm hearing from readers who've already read my first Nick Bracco thriller that they downloaded the very same book in the audio version because they wanted to hear it instead of reading it.  Almost as if they've read the book and now they want to see the movie.  Maybe the accent of the narrator, or the phrasing of certain words can make the experience seem like a completely new book.  Like seeing the same play twice and noticing a different cadence to the dialogue the second time.  Maybe it was more sardonic.  Maybe more humorous.  Either way, there's a new trend happening out there and there's no denying it will grow stronger.  Critics argue that listening to a narrated book isn't the same as reading, but I say listening to a narrated book is better than most activities that don't include listening to the written/spoken word.  After all, back in the day, that's how most fiction got its start.  The spoken word.  So it's come full circle and I couldn't be more excited about it.

Audiophiles rejoice.  Listen to the new Imagine Dragons record on your iPod, then switch over and have a good narrator turn your mind into a movie theatre and watch the movie inside your brain.

If you're a writer and interested in knowing what a professional narrator can do with you words, just listen to what R.C. Bray did with my first book, A Touch of Deceit:

http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00CXXFYJ4&qid=1369407241&sr=1-1

 

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR CHRIS ALLEN

Born in western Australia, author Chris Allen went on to join the Australian Army and become an elite paratrooper.  It was no doubt these experiences along with the three different law enforcement agencies which gave him the tools to build such great thrillers.  Both his books, Defender and Hunter have climbed up the charts on Amazon and made him one of the hottest new thriller authors out there.  He was kind enough to spend a few minutes to discuss his career and his thoughts on the future of publishing.

1- With all of your military training and law enforcement skills, are there scenes or themes in your thrillers which are a direct result of your experiences?

Sure are. There will be the occasional specific scene in the stories, for instance there’s a parachute scene in Defender that immediately comes to mind, but mostly there will be themes throughout the books that I draw on directly from my experience to create in the stories. In fact, the whole point of Intrepid is based on my views about having a more international focus and increased collaboration to bring nations together. We tend to focus a lot in popular culture on what individual countries and their agencies are doing – CIA, MI6, the Mossad and so on. I’m a bit tired of that and wanted something new!

In addition to scenes and themes, I draw on different aspects of my personal experience to create Alex Morgan’s attitudes and outlook on life and to an equal extent on the patriarch of Intrepid, General Davenport. There are many habits and idiosyncrasies and points of view within Davenport that are directly mine. But it is up to the reader to decode those characters as they wish.

2- You have obvious writing chops.  Where did you develop your talent for writing with such a strong command of using all the senses?

I’ve never actually undertaken a writing course. I tend to write the way I speak and I’ve been told that I have a very experiential tendency in the way that I tell stories. So as things occur to me, they appear on the page. Reading back over my work, I try to focus on keeping pace and ensuring the interest level of the reader is maintained. I also try to bring out the characters experiences as they are occurring in real time as much as possible – in all the scenes, but especially keeping the action scenes realistic. That said, it took ten years to pen the various iterations and self-publish my first book, Defender, and six months to get through Hunter on deadline with a publisher, so those two vastly different experiences are what I refer to as my writing apprenticeship!

3-Alex Morgan is not your prototypical protagonist.  What makes him different from other government agents?

First and foremost, Alex Morgan serves the world community. He and his compadres are international in every way, and that’s really important to me. Secondly, Morgan is not an assassin. That is not the role of Intrepid or the ethos of what General Davenport imbues. I read a review of one of my books recently where a reader felt that I should have killed off a baddie during a conversation. That’s not the way my stories work and it’s not what I want for my characters. If it was, they’d just be like every other action hero. I like to take the view that real life is a lot more complex and the simple solution to just shoot someone is more of a Hollywood affectation than reality.

4- Where did you come up with the idea for the Sword of Interpol?  And does this give you license to achieve a certain level of subterfuge that other agencies couldn't offer?

I really like this question. When I came up with the idea for Intrepid, I felt that Interpol was the perfect environment for it to belong to, because of the international relationship that exists between the member nations of Interpol. In terms of the Sword of Interpol, it is quite literally a play on Intrepid being the sharp end of what in reality is an intelligence co-operative. Being that sharp end, it fits nicely with the Interpol badge, which features the sword balancing the scales of justice. In relation to the subterfuge, given that Intrepid does not act in a single nation’s interest, then there is inherently international co-operation that facilitates Intrepid agents undertaking their covert missions with a great deal of behind-the-scenes support minus the petty jurisdictional distractions that usually abound in these kinds of stories. It means my agents can just get on with their missions and I think that’s pretty cool.

5- Where do you see the future of publishing heading and how will you fit into that paradigm?

At the moment I’m straddling the traditional /digital publishing divide, having started my journey hanging onto the coat-tails of the self-publishing revolution back in 2010. I’ve discovered some really cool things about the digital and social age – such as, by experimenting with what is called an ‘author platform’, building personal relationships with my readers, and working to create a cohesive look for my author brand – from books to online, media, events and beyond!

I know where my future lies – creating a full series of Alex Morgan thrillers as well as a separate Crime series that is in production, realising my aspirations for publication and circulation of the Intrepid series, building a strong team to partner with, and working through to when I can see Intrepid on the big and small screens! How the future of publishing will fit into that, I’m not sure, other than to say we’re game to take it all on and give any emerging trends a red hot go.

A TOUCH OF DECEIT AUDIO BOOK PROMO IS HERE

Big announcement: A Touch of Deceit, the Audio Book is now available on Audible.com. The extremely popular R.C. Bray has done a fantastic job narrating the thriller. Since the first couple of weeks of sales are so important to its success, I will be offering a free autographed copy of the paperback version of the book ($11.47) to anyone who purchases the audio version of the book ($9.79) from Audible.com.

That's right, you'll receive $11.47 worth of value for just $9.79. I'm working on the honor system so just email me your address at gary@garyponzo.com once you've purchased the Audio Book and I'll mail you the paperback version. Maybe you have a friend or relative who might like the series but doesn't have an E-Reader? A Touch of Deceit makes a great gift.

Check out a sample, Here’s the link to the Audio Book:

http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00CXXFYJ4&qid=1369407241&sr=1-1

ARE INDIES RUINING THE PUBLISHING WORLD?

Let's face it, Indie writers have completely ruined the pool for all the other real authors to get properly paid for their work.  If it weren't for Indie's, readers would be paying $9.95 for every ebook no matter the title and people like Dan Brown wouldn't be forced to give away copies of the digital version of "The Da Vinci Code" for free.  Those bastards.

Mary Shelley's book was rejected by dozens of publishers.

Digital publishing has sure effected the publishing world and Indies have used the one element they have to promote their work against the stalwart names in the industry.  Lower prices.  There was a time when Indies were the slutty sorority girl who showed up at a formal dinner to whispers of, "Who invited her?"  Things have changed for sure, but is this new craze going away?  Probably not. 

Now, has the market been flooded by some marginal manuscripts which were thrown up on Amazon or B&N just because someone can do it?  Sure.  But if someone writes a good story, they'll receive the appropriate reviews.  And if someone doesn't . . . well, the opposite will happen.  I've never begrudged a traditionally published author for becoming successful the old-fashioned way.  As a matter of fact seventy-five percent of the books I read are traditionally published and I've interviewed many of them on this blog.  People like Tess Gerritsen and Janet Evanovich and Catherine Coulter just to name a few.  And they've been gracious and down-to-earth writers.  And I root for them to succeed.

But the publishing world is changing and we all need to adapt.  At least this is what my typewriter repairman tells me.  Especially now when so many traditionally published authors are deciding to publish independently as a choice.  It's hard to tell anymore whether someone is publishing a book by themselves because they want to or because they have to.

Don't forget, J.K. Rowling was rejected by twelve publishers before an eight-year-old daughter of a Bloomsbury editor insisted he read the entire book.  Louis L'Amour received 200 rejections before Bantam took a chance on him. Nowadays these authors could've published on their own and would've been Indie sensations.  Why?  Because they wrote good books and would've received good reviews and would've gone on to become very successful writers.

Are Indie's ruining the publishing world?  Doubtful.  Stay tuned, however, because the landscape is changing and opinions stated today may prove very archaic just months from now.  Which reminds me,  my blacksmith has been warning me about these mechanical horses which seem to be gaining in popularity.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR LEE GOLDBERG

Lee Goldberg's literary credits are way too numerous to list, but you can check out his Wikipedia page here.  He's an author, screenwriter and producer of over a hundred books, TV shows and/or movies.  And that figure may be low.  One of his many accomplishments is writing a popular series of novels based on the TV show Monk, which he also wrote for.

I found him to be very engaging and extremely thoughtful with his answers.  Thanks, Lee, for spending a few moments to play 5 questions with me.

1. Tell us the difference between writing for a TV show and writing a novel.

They are entirely different experiences. Television is very much a group effort and what you are writing is a blueprint that lots of other people are going to use as the basis for their creative work, whether it’s the actor, the director, the production designer. And when you write a script it’s not locked in stone. It’s going to change. It’s going to change because everybody has notes. It’s going to change because production concerns force rewrites. It’s going to change because of actors and directors. It’s in fluid motion all the time.

A book is entirely my own and unaffected by production concerns or actors. I’m the actors, the director, the production designer… it’s entirely mine. It’s not a blueprint. It is the finished product and it won’t change much once I am done with it.  It’s not a group effort -- I plot it myself and I write it by myself. It’s entirely in my head and I live it for months.

Creatively speaking, there’s a big difference between writing prose and writing a script. In a book, you are seducing the reader. You are bringing them into your imagination and holding them there for as long as they’re reading the book. You construct everything. You construct the sets, the wardrobe, the world. You’re God. You can even read a character’s thoughts. In a script, everything that happens and everything the characters do has to be revealed through action and dialogue.

In a script, you could introduce a scene like this:

INT– RESTAURANT– DAY

It’s a cheap Chinese restaurant with very few customers. There’s an aquarium with live lobsters, fish, etc. in the window. Monk is disgusted by what he sees...

But in a book, you have to describe the restaurant in detail. You have to tell us everything that’s going on. You have to set the scene for the reader. It’s an entirely different skill. That’s why some novelists are terrible screen writers and why some screen writers can’t write a book. They can’t jump back and forth.

The only thing that TV and books have in common is that both are mediums for sharing stories...in books, you tell stories, in TV you show them. That simple distinction is a difficult one for many writers to overcome when moving into one field from the other.

2- You've written such a variety of genres, do some of your readers get frustrated when they follow your work and read outside their realm of familiarity?

Not that I am aware of.

3- Update your publishing status right now.  Do you have traditional publishing deals and publish as an Indie as well? And do you approach the act of writing differently depending on the route you take?

No, I take exactly the same approach regardless of who is publishing my books. I simply write the best book that I can. I don’t worry about who is going to publish it – whether it will by me, one of Amazon’s imprints, or one of the Big Six. I’ve had great success self-publishing my out-of-print backlist, selling over 100,000 copies in the last two years, and just released a new novella, “Fast Track.” My crime novel “King City,” the first in a new series, was published last May by Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint, and my on-going, bi-monthly “Dead Man” series is published by Amazon’s 47North imprint (in fact, my novel “The Dead Man #1: Face of Evil” was 47North’s very first title!).  William Rabkin and I co-created the “Dead Man” series and recruit novelists we know, or love to read, to write the books. Our authors include Christa Faust, Joel Goldman, “Star Trek” writer/producer Lisa Klink, Bill Crider, Aric Davis, Mel Odom, Anthony Neil Smith, and Emmy-award winning writer-producer Phoef Sutton (“Cheers,” “Boston Legal,” etc.) We’re up to 18 “Dead Man” books  so far with more coming. I’m also very much in bed with so-called traditional publishing. “Fox and O’Hare,” the new series I am co-writing with Janet Evanovich, premieres June 18th with the publication of “The Heist” from Random House. And, of course, my 15 “Monk” novels remain in print with Penguin/Putnam. I think it’s a big mistake for writers to limit themselves by being strictly “indie” or “big six.” I’m a writer first-and-foremost. I have written for big publishers and little publishers, movie studios and small production companies, major television networks and cable channels. Ultimately,  for me it just comes down to telling great stories, regardless of the medium or the distribution channel.

4-One of your latest projects is a short film titled, "Bumsicle," which has been invited to quite a few film festivals and has actually been nominated for awards.  It's extremely difficult to get into some of these prominent festivals.  Tell us about the film and your involvement?

“Bumsicle” is based on a short-story of mine that was published some years back Michael Bracken’s anthology “Fedora III.” It’s about a small-town detective investigating the death of a homeless woman who froze in a park. It’s a sequel of sorts to “Remaindered,” a short film I wrote & directed for Riverpark Center in Owensboro, Kentucky as part of their International Mystery Writers Festival. They approached me about making a short film as a teaching exercise for film students in several of their local colleges and universities. Riverpark and the schools would pay for everything, the only catch was that I had to use all local talent in front of, and behind, the camera and treat the set as a classroom. I jumped at the opportunity. Shooting “Remaindered” was a fantastic experience and the short film ended up screening in festivals all across the country. We had so much success with “Remaindered” that Riverpark asked me to do it again, which is how “Bumsicle” came about. What’s great is that the city and people of Owensboro really get behind the films, donating their time, energy and resources. Making the movies was great fun. The fact that we are getting some acclaim and attention for them is an added delight.  I hope we’ll do another one before the year is over.

5- You're scheduled to write a series of books with Janet Evanovich.  How did that come about, and how will you two work together?  One chapter per person, or will it be more integrated?  

Janet and I have been good friends for many years. In fact, we’re both surprised that it didn’t occur to us long ago to write a book together! We have a very similar sense of humor. Once we came up with an idea for the book, things moved very fast. Random House snapped it up and we wrote the “The Heist,” in less than six months (it helps when there are two of you at the keyboard!). We are now deep into writing book #2. We plot together, trade drafts back and forth as we’re writing, and talk frequently throughout the process. We also get together at her place in Florida.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR L.J. SELLERS

In order to keep pace with the ever-changing publishing world I've kept in contact with several traditionally published and Indie writers to check the pulse of the industry.  Approximately six months ago L.J. Sellers moved from the Indie world into the fold of Amazon's publishing company, Thomas and Mercer.  As a collection, her books are unquestionably selling better now than ever before, so I thought I'd bring her back to offer her insight to her success and her thoughts on all things publishing.

1- Your Detective Jackson mysteries have always been a popular series, but your career seems to have really blossomed since joining T&M.  Are you surprised at how successful you've become so quickly?

I'm very pleased, and yes, a little surprised. I expected to see my readership expand but not necessarily double. Of course, Amazon has been heavily promoting the Jackson books post-release, but I don’t expect that to last. However, I do see the company running specials for other T&M authors periodically, so they do support authors' books even after the initial release, which traditional publishers rarely do. So I’m optimistic that my books will remain visible for the long haul.

2- How is your relationship with the editors at T&M?  We hear about long waits for traditional publishers to return calls and emails.  Of course you would never trash anyone, but is there just a different standard for large houses like T&M and others?

I love the whole T&M team. Everyone is very responsive, especially my editor. He's answered my emails from home, late at night, which I never expected. I tell him, "Don't work on weekends because of me. It can wait until Monday." I guess he figures if I'm working at nine on Saturday night, he should be too. Alan is very supportive. He keeps saying, "It's your book, your decision." Additionally, the marketers and PR people at Amazon always talk about "the customer experience" and how they want every customer to have a good experience. It's just part of the company culture.

3- Along those lines, if you were to bring a new manuscript to your editor right now, how long before we would see it available for the market?

I would expect that timeline to run six to eight months, at most. I'm in a odd pattern now because they bought nine backlist titles, created covers and edited the works, then released them all at once. And I wrote two front-list titles while that was happening, one of which they published last month. So after having ten books released this year, I'm waiting for my turn to be published again. But after this year, I hope to publish a new book every six months with T&M.

4- What distribution channels does T&M have other than Amazon?

Amazon Publishing is a new business, and distribution to bookstores/retailers is still the biggest hurdle. Amazon Encore, the flagship imprint that's based in NY, has a distribution deal with Ingram, and I believe all T&M books are listed with Ingram. Whether bookstores will order them remains to be seen. But honestly, I gave up on bookstores two years ago, so I had no expectation that my novels would suddenly be displayed at Barnes & Noble. And the way things are going, B&N soon won't be displaying novels at all. The trend—even in print fiction—is to purchase online, and Amazon owns that space, so I'm not worried. Also, my Jackson series will soon be available in the German language, so my worldwide distribution is expanding.

5- Do you ever see the day where you could be an Indie writer again, maybe with an entirely different series of characters?

It's certainly possible. I'm writing a new thriller now with a very strong character who could carry her own series. I already have ideas for future novels with her. I plan to submit the manuscript to T&M, but I’m under no obligation to sign with them. Yet, why wouldn't I… if the terms are as good as the last contract? Especially now that I know how effective the marketing machine is. So yes, it's certainly possible, but I'm very happy with T&M, and I hope to continue to partner with them. The only thing that might make me hesitate would be a long delay in time to market.

CHASING THE DREAM 101

Recently I'd become acquainted with an ambitious writer who's chasing the dream of becoming a published author.  He'd read one of my books and asked if I would meet him for drinks and discuss my travels along this path.  When we got together one of the first questions he asked was, "So how do I go about getting published?"  To which I responded, "Is your book finished?"  Well, you seem like a very smart audience so I'm sure you've already guessed that he hadn't even started writing a book yet. 

You see, asking about the publishing process before you've finished polishing off your book is like a golfer asking what they should wear to the champions dinner before ever entering into an event.  Or even learning the sport.

We ended up having a terrific evening of drinks and appetizers and hours later I agreed to exchange chapters with him so we could critique each other's work along the way.  I'm always searching for new eyes for my writing and he was excited about the idea of working together. 

Now fast forward a month.  This writer sends me the first 40 pages of his book to review and we agree to meet once again for drinks to discuss his writing.  I must say this guy was an English major and had probably one of the strongest command of narrative I've ever seen.  There was no doubt he could write.  His story began with a young woman trapped in a torrential rain storm up in the mountains where a strange man finds her unconscious and keeps her safe and sheltered through the night.  I was fascinated to find out where the story was going only to discover the woman fantasizing about having sex with her rescuer the moment she awakes.  And when I say fantasizing, I mean a body-thrusting, orifice-penetrating, erection-filled sexual fantasy that would make Hugh Hefner blush.  Then , two scenes later, she's reminiscing about the first night she'd slept with her husband and explained parts of her anatomy her gynecologist hadn't thought of checking.

Although these sexual interludes were sandwiched between some very intriguing storylines, I was curious if the writer knew exactly what type of story he was writing.  Surely he understood this was an erotic novel, right?  Wrong.  He told me that the sex scenes stop after the second chapter, but that his wife told him to throw some steamy action into his book because, well, sex sells.  He doesn't even like writing that stuff, he was just trying to tap into the E.L James fan base.

Everything I've just told you is true.  And I'll bet this isn't the only incident of a writer chasing after a dream which turns out to be someone else's.  Getting anything published these days is hard.  Try selling a short story to a literary magazine with a circulation of 300.  It's damn tough.  And while I am certainly no expert on which path to take on the way to success (whatever that may mean to you.) Please, if you really want to chase the dream and become an author and maybe even develop some loyal readers along the way--chase your dream.  You will have very few regrets along the way. 

A TOUCH OF MALICE IS FINALLY HERE.

http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Malice-Bracco-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00BMRTDPS/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_2_5JN1

The year-long wait is over.  The latest Nick Bracco thriller is now available exclusively on Amazon.  I rarely do any self-promotion, but once a year I release a new book and I've had so many readers asking when it will be released.  Well, the answer is today!

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR/DIRECTOR JOHN PENNEY

John Penney is one of those rare talents who can write screenplays, direct films, and create novels with the same effortless ability to keep you on the edge of your seat.  He's worked with actors like William Hurt and Katherine Heigl and yet finds himself turning to novel writing as his outlet for free expression.  It's the one great advantage an Indie author has over any other medium--he/she can let the creative juices flow without a filter or an agent telling them to stay within the lines.  This choice requires accountability, however, and John speaks with us about the measures he takes to assure the quality of his work and many other things Hollywood and publishing. 

 

 1- You've written more than a dozen screenplays which have gone on to make it to the big screen.  Tell us about that process from concept to production.

I’ve had a relatively pleasant experience as a screenwriter.  I think it’s because I managed my expectations. Aside from my early work, where the projects never made it out of development Hell at the studios, the films that I have had produced have never been extensively rewritten.  Of course, the entire filmmaking process is a real team effort, but I came up through the ranks of film production as an editor so I went into screenwriting with my eyes wide open.  I knew what I was getting into and I used my background in production to help get on some of the projects as a producer, which in turn allowed me to stay on and do the production rewriting.  Still, even with the advantages of being involved through production, I learned to take my satisfaction from the process of writing, not the end result.  Once I turned the script over to the director and the production I let it go.  No matter what, when you’re dealing with film, if you expect it to be what you had in your head you’ll inevitably be disappointed.  It’s a kind of Zen mind set, I suppose.  Even now that I am directing my own material, there are so many moving parts and unpredictable elements that go into making movies that the script never comes out exactly as written.  The advantage now is that I am able to go through the birthing pains and make the adjustments that must be made when you take a story from the page to the screen.

2- As a director, do you treat every actor the same, or is it a bit like being a schoolteacher and knowing how to deal with the problem child?

Knowing the various techniques and approaches to acting is important, but basically I have found you have to relate to every actor as an individual.  I need to give them the tools they need to do their job and find their footing with the character.  Sometimes it happens through endless discussions over the script, some times they just need to know which direction to head.  I have only directed movies that I have written, so I have lived each character as I created them and I have the answers if they want to hear them.  Some of the great actors that I have worked with like William Hurt are able to see their character’s arc and also see how their character fits into the whole of the story.  They are your story telling partner.  It’s a lot of fun when it works, but it can also be a real struggle if your actor is having trouble seeing the same story you want to tell.

3- Your books, like your films, tend to be dark thrillers. Have you always been interested in the dark side of humanity?

I think it’s a journey to find your voice as a writer.  You have to try it all.  I have tried comedy, but I think at the end of the day, I am really most interested in exploring the shadows.  However, I don’t think my work is pessimistic or nihilistic.  Far from it.  I took a charcoal drawing class once and one of the exercises was to create a picture by defining the shadows.  In other words, define the light by drawing the dark.  I think that’s what I do.  I define the dark side of man to reveal what is inherently good and positive.   I have a supernatural thriller I wrote and directed out now from IFC Films entitled “Hellgate” with William Hurt and Cary Elwes.  It’s about a man who suffers a great loss and goes though a very dark journey but finds his way out the other side. I spent time on the festival circuit with the movie last year where we were fortunate enough to win Best Film at the Bram Stoker International Film Festival and also Best Horror Film at the Fantasy Horror Awards in Italy.  In the question and answers sessions that I did afterward, I was able to really get a feeling for how the film played.  What struck me was the sense of optimism it conveyed. The film really stood out against the other more pessimistic films in competition.  People’s response to the film depended on their underlying beliefs about the human condition.

4- Have you considered developing a screenplay for either of your novels—Killing Time or Truck Stop?

I absolutely have. A couple of years ago, my friend Steve Carpenter ( “The Grimm Trilogy”) turned me on to the whole Amazon Kindle world. The means of distribution and publication are finally in the hands of the artist. We can reach out directly to the audience with our stories.  At the same time I was working with Brian Yuzna (“Honey I Shrunk the Kids” “Re-Animator”) on a couple of film projects that were being simultaneously developed on several platforms at once (graphic novel, screenplay, novel.)  The experience of developing the story in more than one medium was really exciting to me.  Each form can tell the story differently and each one informs the other. The screenplays for both “Truck Stop” and “Killing Time” are already in place and I am currently writing a new novel with a companion screenplay. As I mentioned, the greatest pleasure I get is in the process of writing and the chance to tell the story in more than one form is very thrilling for me.   I am hoping to make “Truck Stop” the next film I direct.

5- As an Indie author, there's a lot of responsibility to make your work look as professional as possible.  Tell us about your method of writing novels and the editing process.

The ability to publish on your own is very exciting to me.  The hurdles are removed between you and the audience, but it does come with a great responsibility.  You have to provide an experience to the reader that is worth their time and money.  I take that very seriously.  I want readers to follow me from one novel to the next and the only way to do that is to offer them something of top quality.  I employ an editor for my novels.  The editor takes a hard and careful look at continuity and logic as well as the technical and grammatical side.  I think this is very important to do.  I also employ a graphic artist to help me design the cover.   I usually throw out ideas, then the graphic artist comes up with a few approaches.  We go back and forth until we zero in on one concept.  Then I try it out on a number of people to get their response.  Because the e-book cover is usually seen in a form no bigger than a postage stamp, it has to be bold and easy to grasp.  Nick Rucka, the graphic designer I use has a background in designing DVD covers for films that are sold on Amazon.  He clued me in on the realities and limitations of the covers.  So far, the covers have worked very well in reaching the people interested in reading the kinds of suspenseful fast-paced supernatural thrillers that I write.

 

You can find John's books on Amazon: Killing Time- http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Time-ebook/dp/B00ASNFXOM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356388048&sr=1-1&keywords=Killing+Time+John+Penney

Truck Stop- http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Stop-ebook/dp/B006OFX5OS/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR/DIRECTOR STEPHEN CARPENTER

Stephen Carpenter created the NBC series Grimm, and has written screenplays for Ocean’s Eleven, Blue Streak, and other films.  A graduate of UCLA Film School, Carpenter has also written and directed several thrillers, including Soul Survivors, starring Casey Affleck and Eliza Dushku.  His first novel, Killer, was a #1 Amazon Bestseller, and dubbed a “blockbuster” by Entertainment Weekly.  His next book, The Grimm Curse Trilogy, will be available March 8, 2013 on Amazon. My thanks to Stephen for spending some quality time with me. 

 

1- Let’s go back a little. I understand you actually wrote a screenplay for Steve Martin’s novel, “The Pleasure of my Company.” What was it like to work with a legendary talent like him?

I didn’t really work with him.  We only had one meeting, but it was fascinating.  We had a long lunch in Beverly Hills, and it seemed he wanted to talk about anything but the book.  He had kind of moved on, and he was really mostly interested in checking me out—like, would I screw it up?  I brought my dog-eared copy of his novel and peppered him with questions, which were mostly met with a shrug.  I got the feeling he kind of tossed off the book and didn’t look back.  He was fairly self-deprecating, and he had a sense of humor about himself, which is unusual for a guy like that.  I made him laugh once.  Having grown up with Steve Martin as a comedy icon…that laugh was a high point for me.

 2- You’ve successfully adapted so many projects for TV and movies, yet you continue to focus your energy on novels. Why?

 I like working without interference.  Screenwriting is half political.  You have to serve so many masters—the producers, the studio, directors, actors.  Not to mention there’s a fair chance you’ll be rewritten by another writer after you’ve labored over a script for years.  I worked on one script that had 33 writers.  It’s hard to hold onto authorship.  With a novel you’re the boss, you have the final word.  You’re alone with it, which can be hard, but you can concentrate on what you really want to say.  You get the final cut.  Also, just practically, you can write anything.  You don’t have to worry about budget, casting, etc.  It’s only your imagination that limits you.

 3-What does the success of “Grimm,” do for someone like you? Does it open doors for certain projects which might not have been available to you before?

 Somewhat.  Hollywood is in chaos right now—more than usual.  Having a hit show helps to establish credibility, but when a network is considering spending millions of dollars producing and marketing a new show, they get pretty cutthroat.  Grimm helps to put the network at ease—they think I know something, when, in fact, I’m still just blindly trying to make something work, like everybody else.  We’ll see.  The jury’s still out on that question.

4- Who is an author and a former boxer. How much of Jack is autobio- Tell us about your Jack Rhodes charactergraphical?

Jack is an amalgam of myself, people I have known, and a little of Robert Parker’s Spenser character thrown in because I’m such a fan.  I grew up like Jack—kind of scrappy—but the rest is a kind of cultivated projection of things that I have experienced.  Killer deals with how authors rewrite their past, and I’ll let that stand for itself.  Some things have to be forgotten if you want to go on living. 

5- I believe all your novels are exclusively sold on Amazon. Tell us about that decision and the future books you’re working on.

There was interest in Killer from traditional publishers after it hit #1.  I went down the road with one of them, but it just took forever.  Maybe I could have published on paper, but I’m too impatient.  These people dither and deliberate for months.  I’d rather spend the time writing.  As far as the future, I don’t know.  My life is a lot less complicated without agents and publishers telling me what to do.  The great thing about ebook publishing is that you can do whatever the hell you want—not to mention the 70 percent royalty.  Just leave me alone and let me write.  For now that’s how I’m progressing.  Meanwhile, look for The Grimm Curse Trilogy coming March 8, when Grimm is back on the air.

 

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR CHERYL BRADSHAW

For years writers were able to focus on the one things they were good at—writing.  It was prudent to be creative and find someone else to handle the business side of the publishing industry.  That was fine when agents and publishers were actually accepting work from unknown authors.  But now Lindsay Lohan's illiterate housecleaner will become a NY Times bestseller and Jack Plummer with an MFA and tremendous writing chops will be consistently snubbed for more reality TV pseudo celebs.

In steps Cheryl Bradshaw to the scene.  Cheryl decided to self publish her first novel, Black Diamond Death back in 2009, when Indies were considered pariahs in the publishing industry.  It was a risky move but it has paid off fantastically.  Her books are constantly on Amazon's bestseller list for several categories.  Cheryl has been very prodigious at marketing her work and dealing with the business side of the industry, something that today's author needs to become more efficient at.  I've invited Cheryl to discuss some of her tactics and her ability to juggle all things writing.  By the way, Cheryl's latest release is Strangers in Town and is receiving tremendous reviews.
Now, here's Cheryl:

 

1- It's a different world than it was even five years ago when writers wrote and agents sold books. Nowadays, how much time do you spend writing compared with being socially active and marketing your work?

I would say I write and promote equally. But, I have help. I hired a publicist in 2012, and she takes some things off my plate so I have more time to write. I also hope to have a full time assistant by the end of 2013. Right now, I have someone who helps me, but it’s still not enough. I would love to spend most of my time writing, as most writers probably would, but I do enjoy actively engaging with my fans.

 

2- How long did it take you to write your first Sloane Monroe mystery, Black Diamond Death? And when did you start the promotional process?

I had no idea what I was doing, and I knew little about the industry when I wrote Black Diamond Death, the first novel in my Sloane Monroe mystery series. It took me a year to write, probably because I spent more time trying to learn that first year. Now I can write a novel in about four months if I really hunker down and commit.

I started promoting Black Diamond Death as soon as it was published, which is very different than what I do today. Now I start beforehand, releasing the first chapter on my website and blog as soon as it’s written so my fans can get a feel for the book, the title, the storyline, etc. I also do a soft release for two to four weeks before my hard release. I promote everywhere and run contests. I’m sure there’s more I could be doing, but all of these things have helped book sales.

 

3-You created the Facebook page, Indie Writers Unite, which currently has over 1,600 members. Was this a mechanism for Indie writers to share their experiences or were you feeling a bit lonely out there?

I searched and searched for places to meet writers when I was first starting out, and I found a few, but nothing that was the right fit for me. I wanted a positive environment where writers could get help from each other, ask questions, and learn about the business. I didn’t want a place where authors belittled one another or used it as a venue to promote their books and then leave. When I couldn’t find that combination, I created Indie Writers Unite. It was the best thing I could have done for myself. I’ve made many friends and learned more about the current state of the industry than I ever would have on my own. Now I get to share that knowledge with other authors starting out. I love the opportunity I’ve been given to pay it forward.

 4- Is it possible for an Indie author to simply publish a book without any have success?

I suppose anything is possible, but this would be a rare occurrence in my opinion. Black Diamond Death entered the top 100 list in both mystery and thriller six weeks after its release on Amazon, but now I believe it would be harder to do that without a following. Authors are publishing books at astonishing rates. There’s a lot of room for everyone, but there is also a lot of competition. It took three novels in my Sloane Monroe series before I felt I’d established life-long fans that would buy anything I wrote as soon as it was out. I still have a long way to go, but I believe an online presence is vital to building your brand, and I think every author should have a website, blog, a Facebook author page, and an active Twitter account where they talk about things that have nothing to do with their books.

 5- When traditional writers are going Indie with their backlists and Indie authors getting traditional deals from NY publishers, it does seem like the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Where do you feel is the best place for a new writer to get published in 2013? And how will that change in five years?

 I still believe Indie is the way to go, probably because right now it works for me. I can see myself signing with a publisher one day and I can see myself not signing. I would love to work with a publisher who understands the changing industry and has the kind of mindset that makes Amazon so successful for authors today. For all Indies do for themselves nowadays, I think publishers should give more thought to the percentages and the royalty rates they are offering. There are many Indies out there right now who understand the business and could benefit legacy publishers in a lot of ways.

If I had a crystal ball I would guess that in the coming years we will see Indie authors getting traditionally published deals with houses that offer more than what they have in the past. I also believe writers will fall into two categories: successful and non-successful. Those who don't promote well, find an audience, or work hard to develop their brand will become frustrated. Many will give up and get out of the business altogether. Others will shine, make their mark and go on to be well known household names.

Thank you for having me Gary!

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR ALAN RUSSELL

Here's just a few things you should know about this terrific writer: He's been writing fiction since the age of six.  His books have received rave reviews from such prestigious publications as The New York Times,  L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune and Publishers Weekly.  He's six-foot-seven, has a sharp sense of humor and is fortunate enough to have friends with last name like Connelly and Gerritsen.  Also, he currently has two books in the top 10 of Amazon's bestseller list for Police Procedurals.  If you haven't heard of him before, that is about to change very soon.  Thank you Alan very much for your time.

1- Tell us about your previous publishing experiences and how the agreement with Thomas and Mercer came about?

I have always written the book I wanted to write, which in the world of publishing is probably not the best success strategy.   My first two novels were classical whodunits (“No Sign of Murder” and “The Forest Prime Evil”) featuring a private investigator.  Those novels came out about the same time everyone in publishing was saying the PI novel was dead.  I then surprised everyone by doing a bit of an about-face and writing two comedic novels (“The Hotel Detective” and “The Fat Innkeeper”) loosely based on my day job as a hotel manager in La Jolla, California.  Then I switched courses again and wrote two psychological thrillers (“Multiple Wounds” and “Shame”).  As if I hadn’t hopped around in the genre enough, I came out with two suspense novels (“Exposure” and “Political Suicide”).  It seemed every time I tried to expand my voice and writing muscles I had to find a new publisher.  I went from Warner Books to Simon & Schuster to St. Martin’s.  The reviews were great, and I was nominated for a number of writing awards, but I wasn’t having commercial success.  When my literary agent broached the idea of submitting “Burning Man” to Thomas and Mercer, I was initially skeptical.  I didn’t know if I’d be comfortable with the idea of a novel not coming out in hardcover.  And when I talked with editorial and they told me that over ninety percent of my sales would come through Kindle, it did give me pause for thought.  But then I said, “What the hell, the other way isn’t working.”  I did a leap of faith and I’m glad I did.  And it didn’t hurt that they promised to bring all three books out in audio, as well as let me revise and update “Multiple Wounds” and “Shame.”

2- You've just released a brand new book, "Burning Man," and have reissued "Multiple Wounds," and "Shame."  Tell us about Burning Man and where you came up with the concept.

When I was told by Thomas and Mercer that they would be bringing out “Burning Man” on the same day they were reissuing “Multiple Wounds” and “Shame,” I thought they were crazy.  All of the books were released on December 11, 2012, and so far it seems my publisher knows a lot more about marketing than I do.  It’s great to be wrong and benefit from it.

I think I was attracted to writing “Burning Man” because of the unique partnership of cop and K-9.  Before I wrote the first word I visualized Gideon and Sirius going through the crucible of fire.  Both come out the other side, but both are forever changed.  My favorite novels are usually those in which the hero is not the same person at the end of the book than he was in the beginning.  In most of my books there is definitely the element of redemption.

3- You're such a locally known favorite in San Diego, (Alan's won 2 San Diego Book Awards) do you ever get recognized when you're out on the town? And what's that like?

I don’t think I’ll ever have to worry about the paparazzi, and as far as I know there are no literary groupies.  One of the great things about my craft is that my time is spent writing for smart people.  As a whole, readers are educated and bright.  I’ve been told that one percent of the population buys over ninety percent of the fiction, so I am writing for a very specific audience that cares about the words, and not the progenitor of them.  But I’m begging the question.  Yes, there have been a few times in my life where I was recognized as a writer outside of San Diego County, but I think the only reason I was noticed on those occasions is that I am a head taller than most people, which is what jarred their memories.  It’s always wonderful to be noticed by someone outside your family.

4- Are you active on social networks, and, in general, how much do you think that helps in promoting your books?

My 14-year-old daughter insisted that I go on Facebook.  And then everyone told me I needed to have a Facebook professional page promoting my books (www.facebook.com/AlanRussellMysteryAuthor).  Because I am not comfortable tooting my own horn, I hired a social media person.  She does all my posts that say things like, “Buy Burning Man,” and, “Did you see Alan’s great review?”  I like hearing from people, and enjoy responding to their comments, but I’m still not comfortable with the megaphone (if you go to my website you can see I have the category of “Propaganda” where I comment on that – www.alanrussell.net).   I am glad my social media goddess is out promoting me, but sometimes I find myself blushing when I see something she’s posted.  It almost feels like I am the one on the mountaintop shouting what a wonderful person I am.  My two words to describe social media?  Necessary evil.

5- How has the industry changed since your first book was released and where do you believe the majority of your fans will be reading your books five years from now?  Paper, or digital?

When I talk about how publishing was when I first started writing, I feel as old as Methuselah.   The changes have been enormous, as has been the fallout.  I still like “physical” books.  I like dog-earing pages.  I like writing in the margins.  When I was young, I was that kid with a flashlight reading a book under the covers hoping that my parents wouldn’t discover me.  But nostalgia notwithstanding, the digital age is here.  One of the things I like best about the Kindle is that books are affordable.  I used to feel guilty when I would be signing my hardcover books that cost $27.95.  That’s a lot of money, and most people can ill afford such a luxury.  And if you’re an unknown writer to the reader, can you really expect them to make an expenditure of that kind?  I like it that readers can take a chance on you and not be out of pocket much.  Slowly but surely I am becoming a reluctant convert, but my home library will always have a place for actual books written by authors I consider special.

 

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR FRANK ZAFIRO

Frank Zafiro has been the #1 ranked Police Procedural author on Amazon and is currently #8 in that category.  That's pretty solid for a guy who spends his days working for the police department in the state of Washington.  He also spent 5 years working in  Military Intelligence for the U.S. Army .  All I know is the guy spends most of his time atop the best sellers ranking for all sorts of thrillers.  With all of his experience in law enforcement I thought it would be good to find out how reality differs from modern day fiction.  He should know, because he's obviously really good at both of these professions.   

 1- As a major in the police department, what’s the most common mistake fiction writers make when portraying members of the police force?

I think there are always procedural mistakes that occur, but it is impossible to be 100% accurate. Procedural requirements vary from state to state and change as time goes on, due to case law. So I think those mistakes are pretty forgivable.

One mistake I see more often in movies than in crime fiction (but it drives me crazy) is when an officer or detective pulls out his gun and, if it's an automatic, racks the slide. This is a huge error. Wyatt Earp may have rested on an empty chamber but in today's world, every cop's gun is "hot." That is, a round is always in the chamber. I know they do this in films for effect, and it works, but it drives me nuts.

Probably the biggest mistake, though, is that they treat cops as caricatures rather than realizing that this is just another person, like all the rest of us. Maybe he's tougher, maybe he's not. Maybe he has a good heart and maybe he's cruel. But being a cop doesn't make him something more or less than human. It's a job. It comes with training and unpleasant experiences and terrible authority and responsibility...but it's a job. It isn't the man.

2- Without exposing names or places, can you describe a scenario when a real life situation found its way into one of your novels?

If you read my short story "Baker-124", that's a pretty good example. I fictionalized it by sending the cop alone to the call, as well as making him a returning veteran from the wars in the Middle East. But the scenario -- checking the welfare of a small girl in a run down apartment building -- was very real, and it is the closest thing to a true event that I've written.

Now, don't get it excited. It isn't a shootout or anything like that. It is more of an emotional ride. But worth it. The story is in my collection, The Cleaner.

As far as novels go, there is a scene in my first one, Under a Raging Moon, in which a female officer encounters a body builder with anger issues that is going to go back to prison if he's arrested...and she has to try to talk him into the cuffs without a fight, while at the same time being willing to fight if necessary. This kind of call happens to just about every cop, but I had an incident a buddy of mine encountered when I wrote the scene.

3- Most authors have day jobs and dream of writing fulltime. Is that a goal of yours, and if so, how close are you to achieving that goal?

Guilty, your honor. As much as I love my career in law enforcement and am proud of the men and women I serve with, I was a writer in my heart long before I wore a badge. Being a full time writer is my goal, and like most people out there, it's a difficult goal to achieve all on your own, without any other income streams. I'm lucky enough to have a wife who is supportive of the idea and the time may come when we can make the leap. Worst case scenario, I can retire in about six years, and that will be my retirement "job."

4- What gave you the inspiration to publish on Amazon—and did you pursue other avenues first?

I've tried to get published by the big publishers, but was unsuccessful. I have had novels published with three different small presses, with varying degrees of success (regarding sales) and widely divergent experiences. Publishing independently on Amazon was something I initially rejected because of the historic stigma attached to it. But after watching the phenomenon evolve into a legitimate avenue, and doing my research, I decided that it was definitely a viable option. So I took the plunge.

You could say I'm "diversified" when it comes to publishing. My River City novels are published in print by Gray Dog Press, but I independently published the ebooks and Books in Motion is publishing the audio books. My Stefan Kopriva series of mysteries is one hundred percent independently published in all mediums. Blood on Blood, which I wrote with Jim Wilsky, is published by Snubnose Press for the ebook, but Jim and I have independently published the paperback and audio. So I'm all over the map...or maybe I'm just a patata head, too.

5- Look into your crystal ball and tell us what the publishing world will look like in 2017 and how will you fit into that world?

Wow. It's anybody's guess, right? The landscape is changing significantly every year. But I'll take a couple of guesses.

I think author's will become more powerful and more in control of their own work, but I do think that in place of the previous publisher/author relationship, more of a partnership will emerge. I think that publishing companies (as opposed to publishers) will offer services for hire or for royalty share, and the benefit to the author will be the expertise that the company offers, and perhaps the reputation of the company. Now, I know this is already happening, but I think the difference will be that the medium will evolve and become more complex (integrated mediums, links, mutiple mediums in one purchase) and may outstrip the average writer's ability to put together a topnotch product solo. Thus, this partnership will emerge.

I'm talking about the cutting edge of the products here. An ebook with links within and without the title, video and audio sequences, or an audio book version synced in, or whatever. This would be the equivalent of a Blu-Ray movie. Could an authors still put out a book that is the equivalent of a DVD movie? That is, a simpler, straightforward story with no bells and whistles?

I sure hope so.

But I think we'll see a drift toward more interactivity.

I also see things become more author-centric (not just the marketing, which it always has been, but the financial model, too). I think authors will form more co-ops, where they offer each other editing services, maybe get a group rate with a cover artist, help cross-market each others work. Again, this is already out there, but I see it becoming far more prevalent.

That's about all I've got when it comes to predictive powers. Not exactly earth-shattering, I know.

Where do I fit in? Right here, telling stories. Wanna hear one?