5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR J.R. RAIN

J.R. Rain is an ex-private investigator, who now writes full-time while living on a small island in the Pacific Northwest with his dog, Sadie.  Doesn't every writer want to live on a small island writing for a living with your dog sleeping on your feet?

Well, here's where J.R. differs from the rest of the publishing world.  When I say he writes full-time, I really mean it.  While in college he wrote two books and over 80 short stories.  Currently he's ranked #11 on Amazon's author rating for the extremely popular Fantasy genre.  There's no question he's one of the most prolific writers on the planet with 18 books being released in 2013 alone.  Oh, and he's sold over 2 million e-books so far. Understandably, it took some time for him to respond to my interview request, but when he finally did, he was extremely warm and engaging, and obviously spent some valuable time putting together his answers.  Thanks J.R.

1- You’ve had an agent and have worked with some very influential people in your career, what made you decide to publish your work as an Indie author—and have you been tempted to go the traditional route?

Hi Gary! And great question. Early in my career I did all that I could think of to connect with major publishers...even starting my own literary agency! I had a few close calls, and three different times I thought I would, in fact, be working with major publishers. But all the deals fell through, and I spiraled into depression and drinking and exotic drugs. Okay, that’s not quite true. I’ve never done a single drug, and I rarely drink. Although I like to binge eat! What happened, Gary, was that I started accumulating all of these unpublished manuscripts, although I did publish two novels with two very small publishers, but the money just wasn’t there and I had to rethink, well, everything. I had just decided to start my own publishing company (I’m a stubborn cuss), when Amazon Kindle opened their doors to authors. And, shortly after that, I coined the term “Indie author”. Okay, I didn’t coin it, haha, but someone did! And  I love it and use it often. Yes, I have been tempted to go the traditional route. A Big Five publisher offered me a lot of money for my Samantha Moon series but I told them no. I was literally sick to my stomach at the thought of giving it up to someone else. Instead, I went with BenBella, a wonderful mid-sized publisher who now distributes just the paperbacks to bookstores far and wide, while I keep the ebook rights. Win, win. Oh, and I’ve recently sold two standalone mystery novels to Thomas & Mercer...The Body Departed and Silent Echo.

2- Tell us how you developed the Samantha Moon character, and I’m sure I’m speaking for most male authors when I ask—what’s it like getting into the head of a female protagonist?

Oh, man...great question! I was dating a Federal Agent in 2003 and was just floored by how gutsy and tough and imperturbable she was. Oh, and she was only 5’ 3”, and carried a gun, and could kick most men’s asses. So, she was the starting point for Sam. Next, my sister and author, Elaine Babich, got the nod. I based Sam’s family life and home and actual residence around my sister. But before all of that, the original idea for Samantha Moon came from watching a different Samantha...yes, the TV show Betwitched. It was one of those episodes in which the nosy neighbor across the street was absolutely certain that something was very off about her neighbor. Well, something was very off. Sam was a witch--hell, her whole family was witches. And yet the world at large mostly didn’t know. Meaning, they were able to assimilate into the neighborhood and look normal. So I asked myself in 2003, how would a vampire assimilate into a neighborhood, have a mariage and family, and appear to be normal. Yes, this was before the big vampire boom. Moon Dance nearly sold to a big publisher way back when. I’m glad it didn’t. I’m glad I can keep writing these stories on my terms. I love slipping inside a woman’s thoughts. It’s a fun challenge. How do I do it? Haven’t a clue...I just become Samantha. Make sense? No? Sigh....

3- To say the least you’ve led a very interesting life with wildly high successes and some really low collapses, yet you’ve seemed to overcome tremendous obstacles to become one of the most popular Indie authors on the planet.  What is your life like right now?

Ha! Well, I’m certainly the most popular indie author in my own house. Which is to say, I live alone haha. So, yeah, I’m a bit of a loner. Haven’t been married in 10 years, and have no plans to do so. Yes, I’m single...but not quite ready to mingle haha. I prefer to do the mingling with my characters. I’ve lived too long struggling and frustrated with the whole publishing process. That frustration is gone, and for that I’m eternally thankful for those who have helped me. Most days you will find me writing 1000 words a day, or editing, or helping my writing friends, or at coffee shops, or walking my dog. A simple life.

4- Okay, so you’re obviously a very talented writer and no question extremely prolific, but you’re releasing an incredible 18 novels in 2013—exactly how long does it take you to write a novel from beginning to end?

Okay, I think you got that information on a Facebook post from a few months ago...let me count the novels I have published in 2013 so that we can nail the number down. Okay, done counting...looks like it’s going to be 18 novels...wait, what did you say? 18? Then, yeah, wow...I’m a freak! It was going to be more, but I decided to back out as co-author on some books, and act only as a publisher. In fact, I finally did start my own publishing company J.R. Rain Press. We will be publishing 13 books this year, many of which are based on my original ideas, although some I’m truly buying and acting as a publisher. To answer your question, it takes me two months to write a full novel. Bear in mind, my novels are between 40K - 50K words. I keep them short and fast. Why? I have a chronically short attention span. I need to keep these books short and fast to entertain me. I used to do novels in about 6 weeks...but now I’ve cut my workload in half. 1000 words a day, with Sundays off. I used to do 2000 words a day, every day, like clockwork. Also, I take off two weeks between novels. Still, I do have free time in the evenings, and often spend that time co-authoring books with other writers.

5- Can you give us a sneak preview of what your readers can expect to see this coming year?  Any new characters you’d like to introduce?

I re-introduced Allison Lopez, who first appeared in Vampire Games, and has had a supporting a role in each subsequent Vampire for Hire novel. She now has her own series, “The Witches Series.” Yes, she is a psychic and a witch. Turns out Sam was, too, in a past life. I’m writing a new young adult novel with Piers Anthony, called Dolfin Tayle, which will be out shortly. Other than that, I’m bringing out the latest Jim Knighthorse novel, which I will begin writing tomorrow, September 2nd! You see, I take Sundays off...well, doing interviews doesn’t count!

  

5 QUESTIONS FOR NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR THERESA RAGAN

Theresa Ragan is the epitome of the rags to riches story.  After struggling as a writer for 20 years she decided to self-publish her first book with Amazon back in 2011 and went on to sell over a half a million copies in less than two years.  She finally signed a publishing contract with Thomas and Mercer in 2012 and has gone on to become a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author.  She's an inspiration to every writer who dreams of that type of breakthrough success and was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to play 5 questions with me.

1-   You began your career writing romance.  Tell us the difference between that and writing thrillers?

For me, a great book equals great characters. Make me care about the characters and I’ll follow them anywhere. Whether I’m writing a romance or a thriller, the characters are the most important element. With that said, there are big differences when it comes to writing a romance vs. a thriller.

When I write romance, my focus is on the internal conflict—how can the professor deal with his love for his student? How will my heroine explain to the new man in her life that her father is the one responsible for ruining his company?

When I write a thriller, my focus turns to the external conflict—who is causing the chaos in my story and why? How is my protagonist going to find the killer? She has little time for self-doubt and internal monologue if she plans to find the killer before he finds her.

2-   Understandably you use T.R. Ragan for your Lizzy Gardner series.  Do you ever hear from readers who like your romance novels, but don't like the Lizzy Gardner books simply because they don't like thrillers?

I plan to use T.R. Ragan for all of my thrillers, not just the Lizzy Gardner series. I use Theresa Ragan for everything else. Readers are smart. They figured out the difference between the pen names all by themselves and nobody has complained.

3-   Do you have a preference of genre, or do you like to switch it up?

After writing for twenty years, and more than a dozen novels later, I wrote my first thriller out of pure frustration with the industry. I had finaled six times in RWA’s Golden Heart, signed with two agents, and worked with a couple of NY editors, but nobody wanted to give me a chance. It was time to kill off a few characters. Even before my Lizzy Gardner series took off, I knew I had found my niche. I love writing thrillers and that’s what I plan to write for the next few years.

4-   You've had unbelievable success as an Indie author.  How did your relationship with Thomas and Mercer develop, and have they raised your profile more than you could have done on your own?

Although I sold thousands of romance novels prior to releasing my first thriller, Abducted, I was approached by two NY publishers and Thomas & Mercer after Abducted hit #5 for a second time. Abducted had never been submitted to any publishing house prior to being released as a self-published book. I went with T&M because, in my opinion, they are king when it comes to ebooks, innovation, and thinking outside of the box. I think we make a good team. And, yes, I believe they have helped me find readers that I wouldn’t have been able to reach on my own. Thomas & Mercer did that with email blasts, kindle daily deals, and by mentioning my name in their newsletter and Jeff Bezo’s letter to shareholders—and that’s just a few things they have done to promote me and my books.

5-   What is the publishing world going to look like in 5 years?  The Big 3 and a bunch of small boutique houses?

Gosh. Who knows? More and more authors are starting their own publishing houses. They are offering great covers, editing and decent royalties. The changes we’ve seen in publishing have only just begun! Great copyediting and developmental editors will be easier to find--maybe with a mere click of a button. Another click of a button will make it possible for writers to get their books translated in other languages. The only thing that will not change and the only thing that matters, though, is great storytelling. That’s what readers care about. That’s what reader’s want and that’s the only thing writers need to worry about--writing a great book!

 

TODAY'S HOTTEST WRITERS TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING

Over the past couple of years I've been fortunate enough to interview some of the most influential writers in the publishing world.  During our interview I asked each author their opinion of what the future of publishing would look like in 5 years.  I thought it would be interesting to look back and see what these industry giants thought of the tumultuous publishing landscape.

Hugh Howey

 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.

John Locke

I’m a 100% believer in the electronic book medium. It offers more than a level playing field for self-published authors—it gives us a game that is actually stacked in our favor! Readers are just starting to learn that ebooks can be created and sold at a profit for 99 cents. And this is going to make them re-think their buying options, and their attitudes toward value. If you and I can electronically publish a book for 99 cents and still make a profit, and the giants in the business like James Patterson, John Grisham, Stephen King and Dean Koontz have to charge $9.95 for their ebooks, the onus is no longer on Gary Ponzo and John Locke to prove our books are just as good as theirs. It’s on them to prove their books are TEN TIMES better than ours! And Gary, in a game like that, I like our chances!

 

Tess Gerritsen

In the future, an author won't necessarily have to go through a publisher to have his books available. He can e-publish his work, sell it directly to the reader, and take a larger percentage of the profits. The author who already has a following may actually earn more money this way, than through traditional publishing. However, the unknown author will still find it advantageous to build his name recognition the old-fashioned way. The real challenge for all of us is cultivating new readers, in any format.

 

Janet Evanovich

Good question. I don't have a crystal ball, but I'd say that e-books are going to continue to grow and become a big factor in publishing. Maybe I'm a Pollyanna, but I don't think traditional books will disappear. While a number of my readers come to my book signings and ask me to sign their e-reader covers, most folks who wait patiently in line say they love paper and ink and don't have plans to convert anytime soon.

 

J. Carson Black

 

I’m not very good at that, but I’ll try. I think Amazon is going to dominate publishing for the next three to five years. They are out to bigfoot everybody else, and I’d rather be with them than against them.

This has been a wonderful time for authors, because so many good writers are finally getting a chance to sell directly to readers. I don’t know how long this will last, but it is a Golden Age of sorts. More and more midlist authors who found it impossible to build a career with the New York publishers are coming over to ebooks. And there are talented newcomers who couldn’t sell to New York, but really have the goods.

I don’t know how long this particular phase will last. It might be like the Gold Rush of the nineteenth century. The first adopters may be the ones who do the best. There will be changes—some big, some small---and it’s hard to tell where we’ll be five years from now. But I can’t help but think that Amazon will be running the show.

 

Rick Murcer

Whew! Publishing in the next five years, huh? I'll draw on my business background and simply say that things will never be the same for traditional, or Indies, ever again. I don't think HC or paperback books will ever disappear, but the Big Six will have to figure out how to compete with the proliferation of e-books, and also the pricing. I read once where it takes five miles to turn a cruise ship around, meaning changing direction for something so large takes time and space. Traditional publishing may have to move faster than that. I also believe you'll see more and more offers to Indies for traditional contracts, and many will live in both worlds. New publishers like Thomas and Mercer and their bold new contract system will become the norm and authors will finally get the majority of profits for their work, instead of 15-17%. I've never hammered the traditional system, but evolution is inevitable and they need to get there.

When I first got into the business, someone, another author, told me that if the book is good, readers will find you, if not, maybe you should consider doing something else. I'm mentioning that to say that time is a great equalizer and I actually believe the number of Indies will decrease.

I do believe the public IS the ultimate gatekeeper in this new order and they will answer the questions of quality and readability. Some authors will become discouraged, and I believe, at some point, Amazon, B&N, and others could create some kind of criteria for publishing on their sites. That's just my opinion, however.

 

Michael Palmer

I am a professional at staying in the moment, not projecting, and controlling only those things I can control. It looks like the electronic age will have more people reading, but less of them reading paper books. My job is to keep writing good stories so long as I can earn a living doing it.

 

Blake Crouch

The massive amount of instant-gratification god-awful writing being uploaded on a daily basis. Just take a look at the Smashwords homepage and you'll get a taste of what's being uploaded every hour. It's horribly depressing, and I just hope the market doesn't become so inundated with this sewage as to make it impossiblefor people to find the good stuff.

 

 

WELCOME TO THE SUMMER SPLASH BLOG HOP

If you like reading thrillers, this is the spot for you.  I'll be giving away 10 signed copies of my first Nick Bracco thriller, A Touch of Deceit, plus a grand prize of $100.00 Amazon Gift Card!

And here are your Winners: Barbara Stull, Joseph Hawkshaw, Ginger Hinson, Bonnie Hometchko, Brandy Blackerby-Thorton, Stacey Price, Katie Wrolsen, Alan Tucker, Crystal Craig, Janice Hougland.  And the Grand Prize Winner of a $100.00 Amazon Gift Card is Ron Francis!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and supported the event.  Stay tuned on this blog for more giveaways.

http://www.amazon.com/A-Touch-of-Deceit-ebook/dp/B003O85YEM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1275007929&sr=8-1

 

Over ninety-thousand readers have purchased the Nick Bracco series where FBI agent Nick Bracco recruits his Mafia connected cousin, Tommy, to help him track down terrorists.  It's been discussed as a series for the USA Network and has just been published by Podium Publishing as an audiobook.

Please feel free to hop around to the different author's blogs.  Here's the link back to the Summer Splash Blog http://splashhop.blogspot.com/ and choose another author's blog to visit. Learn how to become eligible to win a Kindle Fire!

Also, for thriller readers only, the first 5 people who Like my Facebook Author page here will receive a Nick Bracco T-shirt and a free signed copy of A Touch of Deceit.

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