5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR BLAKE CROUCH

When I speak about writers who have taken the Indie path by choice, author Blake Crouch is "Exhibit A."  He had books published with St. Martin's Press and was gaining a foothold in the traditional publishing world when his new thriller, "Run," seemed to linger on editor's desks without any enthusiasm for the work.  Blake felt this was his best novel and became disenchanted with entire process.  That's when he decided to publish it himself.  It's turned out to be a game-changing decision for him.  The novel is consistently one of the top selling eBooks on Amazon and deservedly so.  I read the book in one sitting.  I've honestly never done that before or since.  It's that good. What's even better, though, is the pitch:

5 d a y s a g o

A rash of bizarre murders swept the country…

Senseless. Brutal. Seemingly unconnected.

A cop walked into a nursing home and unloaded his weapons on elderly and staff alike.

A mass of school shootings.

Prison riots of unprecedented brutality.

Mind-boggling acts of violence in every state.

4 d a y s a g o

The murders increased ten-fold…

3 d a y s a g o

The President addressed the nation and begged for calm and peace…

2 d a y s a g o

The killers began to mobilize…

Y e s t e r d a y

All the power went out…

T o n i g h t

They’re reading the names of those to be killed on the Emergency Broadcast System. You are listening over the battery-powered radio on your kitchen table, and they’ve just read yours.

Your name is Jack Colclough. You have a wife, a daughter, and a young son. You live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. People are coming to your house to kill you and your family. You don’t know why, but you don’t have time to think about that any more.

You only have time to….

R U N

Good, huh?  Anyway, Blake's obviously a rock star in the Indie world, but he was kind enough to spend some time to play 5 questions with me.  Thanks, Blake.

1- How nerve-racking was your decision to go from the comforts of St. Martin’s Press to the complete uncertainty of Indie publishing?


SMP was never comforting. It was an exercise in frustration and people making stupid decisions beyond my control. Still, pulling RUN from submission was a little scary, but the payoff has been amazing, and I'm so glad I took the leap of faith.

2- Now that you have complete freedom to create whatever story you want, is there a tiny part of you that secretly pines for an experienced editor to give you boundaries?

No. My writing friends with whom I swap manuscripts and brainstorm ideas are the best editors I've ever had.

3- Certainly a good cover and a low price helps an eBook’s sales, but ultimately doesn’t it have to be a really good book to succeed in today’s market?

Of course. The same as with traditionally-published books, it takes great word-of-mouth for a book to go supernova, and that just can't be faked or bought. It takes a book that connects with a lot of people to generate the word-of-mouth necessary to create a bestseller.

4- If a first-time novelist bumped into you at Starbucks tomorrow morning and asked if he should pursue an agent and try the traditional route or go immediately to Amazon with his work—what would you say?

That's a tough one. Releasing a novel on your own in the current climate is probably ideal, but only if you have the skillset and knowledge to do it right. I would probably just tell them to read Konrath's blog.

5- Is there anything along this digital road which concerns you about the future of the publishing?

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 impossible for people to find the good stuff.

Below is the Amazon link to "Run." 

http://www.amazon.com/Run-ebook/dp/B004PGNF0W/ref=pd_rhf_p_img_2

IT'S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO INDIE AUTHORS

When I started this journey as an indie author, I went reluctantly.  I even avoided the subject, hoping no one would out me.  Why?  After all it was my choice.  I'd turned down a book deal to go indie.  Here's why.  Remember when indie publishing was called self-publishing?  I do.  As recently as a couple of years ago, announcing yourself as a self-published writer was the equivalent of going to a singles bar, walking up to a pretty girl and saying, "Hi, I have leprosy.  What's your name?"

Why is that?  And what's changed?  Well, it began in the music industry when bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse decided to get their music to the public directly, via their website.  Cut out the middle man and let their listeners decide if they liked the music.  It worked.  Many other bands have tried it since without as much success.  Why?  Because they weren't as polished.  It didn't resonate, so it didn't become popular.   

Then, once iTunes came into play, bands with record contracts like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails decided they'd put out their music directly as well, without the record company's meddling input.  They were lauded for their creativity and innovation.  Radiohead went as far as to allow the listener to choose what price to pay for the download. 

The same thing is happening now in the publishing world. Writers like Blake Crouch, J.A. Konrath and David Morrell who were well established authors within the literary world have decided to forego the traditional route for the indie path.  Is this safe?  Probably not.  Is it working?  You bet.  Their sales are enormous.  Especially with eBooks.

Which brings me to my point.  When the Sunday New York Times lists the top eBook sales for the week they completely ignore any indie writers, even though they are clearly outselling traditional writers with publishing contracts.  This week for example, Michael Connelly's "The Fifth Witness," was rated the #1 bestseller for eBooks, yet when you go to Amazon and look at the top 100 eBook bestsellers, "The Fifth Witness," isn't even in the top ten.  It's being outsold by at least two indie authors.  Don't get me wrong, I like Michael Connelly.  A lot.  This has nothing to do with established authors with established writing contracts.  This has everything to do with an old system which needs revamping.  

So why is the print industry afraid to acknowledge the success of these fine indie writers and their growing number of fans?  I think you know already, don't you.  They see the future and that's not a pinhole of light at the end of the tunnel, it's a train.  And it's coming fast. 

So let's all agree there are indie authors who don't exactly have polished material.  They lack certain editing skills and literary muscles to create a good book.  But that doesn't mean we should ignore the writers who are out there publishing fantastic work on their own, via Amazon or B&N.  And as far as the New York Times goes, you might want to step aside before that train gets there.  Or at the very least send a journalist to report the damn thing.

BLOG TOUR DE FORCE IS HERE-- SO SPEAK UP AND WIN A KINDLE

Okay, so I got involved with this whole Blog Tour de Force thing without really knowing too much about it, but the people running it are great and very supportive.  I ask a stupid question and they make it sound like I'm a genius for thinking up such a wonderful query.

So here's what I know for sure:

1- Every time you leave a comment on this post you automatically receive a free eBook copy of my Award-Winning novel, "A Touch of Deceit."  Just leave your email within the comment.

2-Every time you leave a comment you're automatically in the drawing for a free Kindle with the 12 Tour de Force books pre-loaded.

3- Check out my sponsors who have actually left a review of my novel on their blog.  They're all good reviews because I'm holding their dogs hostage until the tour is over.

A Tale of Many Reviews
http://ataleofmanyreviews.blogspot.com/

Tiffany's Bookshelf
http://tiffanysbookshelf.blogspot.com/

Bob Moats Murder Novels
http://www.facebook.com/l/9542c2Ww2ZG3hvqDG9Oj_XYATmQ/bobmoats.com

4- Author who receives the most comments gets a professional book trailer made.  Guess who has a sequel coming out next month and needs a book trailer?

5- Like my Facebook fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Author-Ponzo/120694977955559

TODAY'S CAGE MATCH

"A Touch of Deceit," by Gary Ponzo vs "Nearly Departed," by Ann Charles:

Here's how I have this handicapped.  A Touch of Deceit is clearly the front-runner.  A Sicilian FBI agent recruits his Mafia cousin to track down a terrorist. C'mon, that right there is enough to win this match.  But the competition is tough.  Ann Charles has also written an Award-Winning novel, "Nearly Departed," where love, mystery and paranormal all come together under one roof.  Okay, that's good.  Throw in a couple of Zombies and I might vote for the damn book myself.

So, comment, comment, comment and see who will win this match.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR LINDA SANDS

Linda Sands is the founder and editor of scratch, her award-winning short stories and essays can be found in Skirt! Magazine, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and too many more to count.  For those who don't know her she's . . well . . . fun.  Better yet, here's a direct quote from Sands herself,  "People who write fiction for a living are basically insane. They tell lies that you will believe, create worlds you'll get lost in, steal your time and stories. They can majorly mess with your head. It's a powerful gift.  I'm a writer." 

See what I mean?  Anyway, she's an extremely talented writer who's recently received a flood of terrific reviews for her new Ebook titled, "Simple Intent."  She was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to play 5 questions with me.

1- Which form of writing were you drawn to first, the short story or the novel?

I began this crazy journey by writing children's picture books- which to me are really graphic novels told in a very, very short story format. So, I guess I have always been doing both, and in reverse, if you ask my friends they will tell you I can turn a two minute story into a thirty minute one if you'll stand still long enough.

2- How does a novel begin for you, with a character or a storyline?

Hmm. Good one. It's the storyline, I think. Because I can sit here and say a girl goes into a bar, asks for a job and ends up dead, and see the whole novel, including the who, why, where, when and how. But if I say there's a girl who's blonde with blue eyes who used to live in the mountains of Kentucky... it just dies. Who cares about the character, if the character isn't doing something interesting?

3- Tell us about your affiliation with Write by the Water?

I have this thing about water. Being near it fuels my creative spirit. (A fact confirmed by a local psychic.)

Tired of paying a lot of money to travel to "retreats" that were really more of a conference/ meeting/ bar gathering with newbie writers and jaded teachers, I began making my own writing retreats- escaping to lakes, rivers, and oceans. Writing pals would say, "Hey, that sounds great. Call me the next time you go." One of those pals and I decided if we felt that strongly about needing an escape, we could bet at least ten other writers felt the same way, and if the retreat was a learning experience with an author in residence, included a Skype call to a NY agent, well, hey, we'd have a program unlike any other. Write By the Water was born. We' had one fantastic event on the Emerald Coast of Florida and are currently tweaking the program, putting all our efforts toward a large event this Fall.

4- You’re an extremely prolific writer with deep roots in print publications, what made you decide to go digital with “Simple Intent?”

I love technology. I have to have the best, newest thing and I jumped onboard the Kindle wagon as soon as I could. Going digital made sense- MAKES sense. I figured electronic publishing would be part of the package in a traditional NY publishing house deal- something my agent and I have been striving for, with two novels being shopped. So, when I was approached by an international publisher who had read my shorter work, and asked me for something longer- ebook sized- I declined, saying they were all promised to the agent, all being read in NY. And then, I remembered that manuscript in my file cabinet...

I will be distributing a series of my short stories for e- readers in a summer debut, as soon as I finish the WIP, a mystery featuring the unstoppable female trucker, Jojo Boudreaux.

5- With the popularity of digital technology exploding, what do you think the publishing world will look like in  5 years?

There will be more readers of all ages, and more books. Books everywhere! Americans are slow to catch on, but I can see the electronic book becoming the new cool. The stories will be shorter, more visual, and book trailers-a must. To be able to choose what type of book you want to read today, not just by which popular author will be great. To take the market share away from the top thirty authors who suck up the best seller lists, and open the field to independents (authors who don't need $100 million contracts for 17 books they aren't even writing. Hello James Patterson. Authors who turn down $500k contracts with traditional publishers to go electronic on their own. Hello Barry Eisler.) would be an amazing, liberating, empowering movement.

The new industry will not be brick and mortar stores selling paper products that were written, edited, rewritten, published, pushed back, promoted, shipped, stocked, and then remaindered- a process taking YEARS. The new industry will be instant gratification, will less judgmental control from "powers that be." Which, could be dangerous, and could leave us with a lot of crappy writing to sift through, but hey, if Dan Brown could sell... I'm just saying.

With more than 50 e-readers out there, plus smart phones, laptops, netbooks and tablets, we can take our books- and I do mean more than one- anywhere. Only problem I have is the flight attendant telling me to turn off my Kindle, when I'm in a good part of the book. Does she seriously think Michael Connelly will crash the plane?

GUEST POST-- STUART ROSS McCALLUM

Some writers can tell a great story, other writers are the great story.  When you have both, you have Stuart Ross McCallum.  I met Stuart on Twitter and found him to be genuinely engaging. There was something personal about his tweets which stood out among the, "I think I'll have cheesecake for dinner," posts.  When I looked into his background I discovered a fantastic story lurking under all of that persona.  I'll let him tell you a little about it and his book, "Beyond my Control, One Man's Struggle with Epilepsy, Seizure, Surgery and Beyond." I think you'll agree, his story is remarkable.  

Thank you Gary, for the opportunity to share with your readers the reason why I wrote, Beyond my Control, One Man’s Struggle with Epilepsy, Seizure Surgery and Beyond.


I believed there was a need to write a story about epilepsy that was not necessarily geared exclusively towards the medical community. The many books I had read on the subject were overly clinical and difficult to fully grasp. I hoped to write a story, which would make epilepsy real and not some abstract medical disorder. The feedback from readers with and without epilepsy has exceeded anything I could have ever hoped for.

My story begins when I was a 17-year-old and started to experience déjà vu sensations followed by severe headaches. I set out in search of a diagnosis which proved to be an arduous undertaking. I received many wrong diagnoses. An example is when a psychiatrist (of sorts) declared that I was suffering psychological episodes and given mind-numbing doses of antidepressant medication. Eventually leading to (incorrectly) being placed in a sanatorium for my mental health. My mystery condition (finally) revealed itself when I had a full-blown convulsion at the side of the road.

Beyond my Control spans over a 20-year period. During this time epilepsy caused a significant, often frightful, impact on my life and the lives of everyone close to me. For 15 turbulent years, I operated my own business, managed staff with ever increasing seizure frequency. This created an unstable and at times, highly dangerous working environment. The magnitude of my condition escalated, resulting with a post seizure response of a menacing and sinister nature, prone to violent outbreaks.

One of the early episodes occurred in my stained glass studio. The moment I shouted, "I'm having an aura (a warning sign that many sufferers of epilepsy experience)," our seizure plan was immediately activated, and I was locked inside my studio. The seizure passed, and I entered my postictal state (lose touch with reality). In a trance-like condition, I began aimlessly walking around the showroom, glaring at the display of fragile glass and lighting. After a few minutes, I clenched my hand into a fist and randomly lashed out, striking the glass panels. With my fist bleeding, I focused on the doors, kicking them over. As my postictal state was beginning to end, I calmly walked into the manufacturing area and lay down laughing and smiling. Once I finished laughing, I sat down staring and wondering why my hand was bleeding. I heard Rhonda unlocking the back door. She went straight to the first aid box and attended to my hand. Fortunately, my hand wasn't too bad and Rhonda kindly cleaned the cut, and dressed my wound. Ashamed and hesitant I asked, "What have I done this time?" Rhonda explained the ludicrous rampage, walking around my showroom, breaking glass.....I felt extremely gutted. As always, I had no recollection of the episode once the seizure had passed.

Whenever a frightening situation occurred not only was I in danger, my staff, and often customers were as well. Individuals perception and understanding of epilepsy clearly showed, which had surprising results. My socially unacceptable behaviour ultimately influenced me to undergo two major brain operations, in the hope of gaining seizure freedom.

My story provides an honest, emotional, and (sometimes) humorous look into living with the world’s most misunderstood serious brain condition. Thankfully, since successful surgery I am now free from (the invisible enemy) and no longer fear when or where the next seizure may strike.

Here's a link to Stuart's Web Page:  http://www.beyondmycontrol.net/

HOW JOHN LOCKE IS SAVING THE PUBLISHING WORLD

Back in January, John Locke played 5 questions with me here at Strong Scenes.  He's the author of the wildy successful Donovan Creed series of novels.  Back then he'd only had 3 Kindle  novels published at .99 cents each.  His latest at the time, "Saving Rachel," was #15 on the Kindle bestseller list.  Pretty amazing for a guy without a major publishing house or publicity campaign to support him.

Fast forward 3 months.  The guy is blowing up.  He currently has 4 novels in the top 20 of Kindle's bestseller list, hitting the top spot with regularity.  Even though he could easily price his books at a higher price, he maintains the .99 cents price and readers all over the world are discovering his talent for writing exciting thrillers with witty dialogue.  Now his seventh Donovan Creed novel, "Vegas Moon," has just come to market and already the buzz is deafening. 

Why is this important to writers and readers alike?  Because major publishing companies have been ignoring the John Locke's of the world for far too long.  Instead of discovering new talent, New York publishers have decided to stick their marketing money behind brand name authors and forget anything novel.  And when I say brand name authors I mean brand name period.  Because even though supermodel Tyra Banks is not exactly know for her literary skills, she's received a large chunk of money for a 3-book deal with Random House.  Really?  Tara Banks?  It's the same reason Hollywood is releasing no less than 27 sequels this summer. 

Does this mean big name authors aren't worth the money?  Of course not.  I just spent 17 bucks on Nelson Demille's latest novel, "The Lion," and it's worth every penny.  It's just that now I have more choices, that's all.

So where will readers find new talent?  Bingo!  The Kindles and Nooks of the world are gamechangers.  Big name authors can't afford to sell their books at .99 cents because they have agents and publishers and publicists and who knows who else with their hands out, they can't make a living at that price point.  So here comes John Locke with his ability to create fantastic thrillers with pitch-perfect dialogue.  Without Locke, readers might fall prey to lesser skilled indie authors and get a sour taste in their mouth.  They might not give other talented authors a chance and resort to paying 10 bucks for an author with a brand name--like Tyra Banks.  See what I mean?  John Locke, and Amanda Hocking, and J.A. Konrath are quite possibly the most important writers in the country right now.

Without them, we'd be forced to read the latest Sci-Fi thriller by first-time novelist, Charlie Sheen.  See?

"THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT" NOW IN SPINETINGLER MAGAZINE

I normally use this blog to promote other indie and lesser known authors, but occasionally it makes sense to showcase my own work.  A few posts back I offered an opening line contest and threw in one of my opening lines just for fun.  As it turned out the readers chose my opening line as their favorite.  It came from a short story I'd written a couple of years ago.  The line was, "You're here to kill me aren't you?"  Pretty good opening I must admit.  

Anyway, the story is now published at Spinetingler Magazine.  Below is the link to the story.  Let me know what you think.
http://bit.ly/h6d88g   

GUEST POST by GERALDINE EVANS-----TO EPUB OR NOT EPUB?

While the ebook versus traditional publishing debate rages on, Geraldine Evans is caught right in the middle of it.  She's an accomplished British mystery author with 18 novels under her belt and on the verge of the biggest decision of her life. Rarely will you find someone as open and honest about their dilemma.  I'll let her explain the details:

TO EPUB OR NOT TO EPUB

by Geraldine Evans

With all the seismic events in the world of publishing, I don’t think there’s any author more affected than the midlister. To ebook or not to ebook? Think about it. Midlisters like myself have always been the flotsam and jetsam of the publishing world, in danger from every passing wave. It could truly be said that, in many cases, we’re more printed than published, in that all those littler extras that make you feel your publisher loves you, are conspicuous by their absence.

Certainly, we get none of the supposed benefits of traditional publishing. Not for us the publisher-arranged book tours with all expenses paid. Not for us the talk shows and radio interviews, not unless we’re able to organize them ourselves. And whoever heard of a midlister guesting on Oprah, for instance? Not me, that’s for sure.

I have to make my own postcards, bookmarks and flyers. I make my own trailers and pay for the pictures I need. I write a blog and a monthly newsletter. I belong to various lists where I try to post as often as I can. I’m on facebook and twitter, linked in and goodreads. crimespace and– well, you get the picture. By the time I’ve finished doing all of that, I hardly have time to write the damn books. It’s a common problem, compounded by a chronic lack of cash. You can’t imagine – or perhaps you can – how eagerly I await my Public Lending Right income (UK) from the public libraries. After Christmas has cleaned me out, January is always a pretty grim month, with teeth gritted till we get to February and a reasonable pay day. It could all be so much better. Couldn’t it?

Midlisters stand balanced on a tightrope at the moment: should we take the plunge totally into ebooks and abandon an often unsatisfactory traditional publishing experience? When you read blogs like J A Konrath’s you think you’d be a fool not to. And yet. And yet. My esales aren’t anything like as impressive as Konrath’s. Admittedly, so far, I’ve only got two ebooks up on kindle, nook and the rest and he’s got loads, so it’s unsurprising that my numbers compare unfavourably. Though perhaps the 216 I sold in February would be regarded by a lot of people as pretty good. I expect to have a third out of print novel, Death Line, up as an ebook by the end of March, but that’s still only three. It takes time and money to make the formatting professional and the cover design perfect. And money is in short supply when you’re a midlister with no other visible means of support.

I’ve had eighteen novels published: fourteen in one mystery series, two in another mystery series, one historical and one romance. I’ve been published by Macmillan and Worldwide, by Isis Soundings and St Martin’s Press. My current publisher is… Well never mind their name. It’s irrelevant anyway.

At the moment, I’m in a bit of a cleft stick. My publisher has said he wants the rights to epublish all my books that were published on his list, including my soon-to-be out of prints. Indeed, he seems of the opinion that the rights are his for the taking. Admittedly, he’s ‘thinking’ (sic) of offering 50% royalties for the older books, but he only wants to pay 25% for the newer books, which, as JAK so rightly says, means something pretty paltry by the time my agent has taken her 15%. And the rights could be tied up forever when you consider that ebooks need never go out of print. Trouble is, because I’m otherwise unemployed, I rely on my publisher’s advances to pay the bills. What if I decide to plump all out for epublishing and the sales don’t come? I’ll have burned my bridges. I have to wonder, even if I agree to the 25% for the newer and next in my series, but retain my epub rights in the rest, whether my publisher won’t flex his stronger financial muscles and demand all or nothing.

This, at present, is my situation. Perhaps it’s yours, too? I don’t know what to do. And I’ve nearly finished the next in the series. Should I keep it or send it to my publisher? Any advice?

LIFE AS AN INDEPENDENT WRITER

About a year ago I was offered a publishing deal with a print publisher.  The deal didn't offer any advance or any marketing money, but it was an offer to have my book published and I should've been thrilled.  I was, until I heard the details.  First of all this was a hardcover publisher only and they sold their books for $27.95, no exceptions.  I felt uncomfortable asking my mother to spend 30 bucks on my book, nevermind complete strangers.  Then when I asked people in the industry how many copies I'd expect to sell at that price the answer was a resounding, not many.  Maybe 500-800 for a first-timer.  

Around that same time I had a literary agent, Robert Brown, who's a prince of a man, suggest I try publishing the book as an ebook on Amazon.  He told me to charge 1 or 2 bucks and get a lot of readers to try it out.  He thought the book was strong enough to attract many fans.  After all it had won the Southwest Writers Contest, Thriller category.  So I went into this indie publishing thing very reluctantly.  The question was, "Did I want readers, or did I want to tell my writing friends I had a traditional publishing deal?"  The fact was, I wanted readers.

Now's where I come out of the closet, so to speak.  I'm not J.A. Konrath, so I'm not comfortable talking numbers like he is, but it's time to reveal whether this indie thing had been worth it.  Last June when I placed my novel, "A Touch of Deceit," on Amazon as a Kindle book for $1.99 I sold 35 the first month, mostly to friends and family.  Then 48 the following month.  I felt my decision might have been a faulty one.  Then something happened around September, I began receiving solid reviews from big name blogs and they were posting their comments on Facebook and Twitter.  Then word of mouth spread and in December I'd sold over 800 copies.  It was thrilling to see the support I'd received from so many readers and reviewers.  Finally last month alone I sold over 1400 copies of the book and surpassed the 5000 mark overall.  

It's been a long road, but the future appears bright.  With the sequel, "A Touch of Revenge," coming out next month, I've decided to lower my price even further to .99 cents.  This upsets my mother to no end, since she knows how many years it took me to write and publish etc. . . But this project has always been a long term one and right now it's all about readers and exposure.  Is this the choice all writers should make if they're trying to break into the business?  Absolutely not.  The traditional method is certainly valid and should be given serious consideration.  Am I happy with my decision?  Yes.  I've gotten so much enjoyment hearing from readers who really appreciate my skills and it's humbling to be able to communicate with them in this socially active society we're now in.  Besides, think of how many trees I've saved doing it this way.   

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR DAVID P. ELLIOT

David P. Elliot's debut novel ‘CLAN’, a historical, supernatural thriller, was published in December 2008 and so far has sold in 14 countries.   The supernatural is a recurring theme in much of his writing.  He now lives in Abingdon, UK, with his partner, a native of Munich.  He has 3 grown up children and 2 grandchildren one of which inspired the novel.  Thanks to David for playing 5 questions with me.

1- The theme of “The Clan” draws heavily from the Clan system in Scotland, what sparked your interest in this particular period of history?


My father bought me a book, ‘The Steel Bonnets’ by George MacDonald Fraser (author of the best-selling ‘Flashman’ series.) But Fraser’s real passion was the history of the Borders of Scotland during the era of the ‘Border Reiver’ – a 300 year period from the late 13th to early 17th centuries. These so-called ‘riding families’ invented Blackmail, the protection racket and cattle rustling 300 years before Chicago was founded! They raided with impunity often putting hundreds of men in the saddle to raid or ‘Reive’ on both sides of the Border. I soon discovered the ‘Elliot Clan’ was one of the most outrageous and active of these families and I began to trace my family history, which led me back to ancestors who were associated with Robert the Bruce and William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace. When I discovered a man just as real as these giants of Scottish legend, William de Soulis, who was powerful enough to challenge The Bruce and Wallace, had a reputation for being truly evil and was apparently boiled in lead on a bronze age stone circle - well – a novel had to be written! ‘Clan’ was the end result.


2- “The Clan” is successful throughout the globe. How do most of your readers find you?

‘Clan’ has sold in 14 countries so far and continues to sell well since it was first published at the end of 2008. It appealed initially to what you might loosely refer to as the ‘Scottish Diaspora’ Not only was it popular in Scotland but everywhere where people of Scottish descent lived. Given the nature of the Scots, this is almost everywhere in the World, particularly in English speaking countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc As the book became known, it then became popular also with those who just enjoy historical fiction, with a great deal of accurate history included. Add a supernatural element, and a modern day thriller thread as well and readers of many genres have found it entertaining.


3- There’s a supernatural element to the novel, so it’s hard to define the genre—that’s good for readers, but does it make it difficult to market?

Genre is a double edged sword. Many booksellers and some readers are very prescriptive about genre and as a result if you get it wrong you can miss out on readers who have preconceived ideas about what they will like. I personally call ‘Clan’ a historical supernatural thriller, others have called it fantasy or even horror. I think the story is pretty much beyond genre frankly, having elements that would appeal to many types of reader. A common comment is, ‘I would not normally read this kind of novel but...’ and similar. The only description I don’t like really is fantasy, because that genre suggests whole fantastical worlds. Supernatural for me involves strange things happening in the real World, which is far more accessible to me and requires a lower level of suspension of belief. Personally I think it is great if readers are open to giving a book the benefit of the doubt for a chapter or two. If the writer cannot grab the reader by then, then that is probably the fault of the writing.


4- Tell us about your online magazine.

‘Clan Magazine’ had an interesting genesis. The editor of a local print magazine asked to do a ‘meet the locals’ type article on me as a locally based author. During the course of that interview she also asked if I would be prepared to write a short article for the magazine, which I did. Based on the format of a popular TV series in the UK called ‘Grumpy Old Men’, I wrote an article about some things in modern life that often people find irritating. The article was apparently very popular and as a consequence she asked if I would be prepared to contribute every month. These became known as ‘Monthly Grumps’ where I was able to vent my spleen, hopefully in an amusing way on issues both serious and not so serious. After several months of this the print magazine went out of business! Suddenly I started receiving emails from all over the world, mainly from fans of ‘Clan’ asking me what had happened to my ‘Monthly Grumps’. I had no idea anyone outside the immediate area was reading them, but apparently unknown to me the magazine was also published online and they were being read as far away as Australia, Canada and the USA! I said I would try and find a mechanism to keep them going online and hence ‘Clan Magazine’ www.clanmagazine.com Over time it has grown somewhat to include other things, including Scottish Matters, Alternative Health, Fun and Games etc and I have a few other contributors as well.


5-With the digital age upon us, where do you see the majority of your readers purchasing your books 5 years from now?

I love books. Perhaps it is my age, but I find e-book readers or trying to read on a computer screen uncomfortable. I would personally much prefer to curl up with a paperback than an e-book reader. I also conducted a very unscientific survey of my readers and far and away the major response was that, with certain exception, they preferred traditional books to. However I want to engage with all readers and I am also very keen to encourage reading amongst the young, so I always publish books both in the traditional way and in digital format. I believe quality is an issue with digital publishing as there is very little in the way of ‘quality control’ in digital publishing – often no human intervention is involved at all. Personally, even if I used e-book readers, I would be resistant to buying a book that had only been produced in digital format. It seem to indicate to me that nobody, even the author was prepared to invest in the book. It is the equivalent to me of a film that ‘goes straight to video’ and is never seen in cinemas. I will always provide both options but I really cannot see digital books taking over entirely in the next 5 years. I foresee a major shake-up in the e-book market, I suspect that most e-book readers will probably lose out to tablets of one kind or another. If I were to predict, I still think I will be selling more paperbacks than e-books in 5 years time, but the market will decide and hopefully I will have that covered whichever way the market goes.

OPENING LINE CONTEST FOR FEBRUARY- WINNER IS . . .

Okay, I seriously didn't mean this to happen, but the opening line which was voted as the readers favorite was actually from my short story, "The Birthday Present," which will appear in the March edition of Spinetingler Magazine.  I can never predict what will happen when I open it up to a vote.  To be fair I'm going to give a $25.00 Amazon Gift card to both writers who received votes, Philip Ellis wrote the line from letter A and Wynn Mercere wrote C, so I'm going to be sending them both gift cards for their efforts.

I'll post "The Birthday Present," here once it's released so you can read the entire story.  Anyone interested can "Like" my FB Fan page where I'll be posting other short stories prior to the release of my short story collection in April.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

A- "Anybody would think you'd never seen a ghost before," Alice says to me as we walk down the drive to Bedford Manor.

B- The living sculpture could no longer control its body, even to blink its eyes or turn them away from the horror in the mirror.

C- There was no heroic last stand to stop the invasion.

D- "You're here to kill me aren't you?"

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR/DIRECTOR STEPHEN CARPENTER

Stephen Carpenter's resume is impressive.  He's a graduate of the UCLA Film School and has written and directed several films, including "Soul Survivors" with Luke Wilson and Casey Affleck. He's also written screenplays for "The Man" starring Samuel Jackson and Eugene Levy and oh yeah, the screenplay for Ocean's 11, starring everyone in Hollywood.  Now you can add bestselling author to the list.  At the time of this post, his first novel "Killer" is #35 on Amazon's Kindle Bestseller list.  It's #1 in Occult, Police Procedurals, and Hard-Boiled. Impressed?  I am. What's this experience been like? He explains below:

1- How does it feel to have an actor like George Cloony reciting your words on the big screen? Do you mostly cringe or smile?

All smiles. It's one of the best things about screenwriting, especially after working on a script for months and only hearing the dialogue in your head. With Clooney it was always better than I had imagined. All actors
are different--some improvise more, etc. But with actors like Clooney and Sam Jackson, they tend to stick to the script, more or less. And whenever they do stray from the written words, they make it their own, and that makes it better. Actors of that caliber can take my worst stuff and make it sound good.

2- The plot for Killer is unique. Crime novelist Jack Rhodes discovers a series of murders which mirror the plots of his novels. Only the murders take place before he'd even written the books, making him suspect numero uno. Nice twist. Was that technically hard to pull off?

Very hard. The book changed a lot as I was writing it. The hardest part was making the judgment call about how much to give away and how much to hold back from the reader. I wanted to lead them in a certain direction without making it seem like I was cheating when the final twist was revealed. It was one of the hardest things about writing the book--that and the change of tenses and point-of-view.

3- Are you surprised by the success of Killer?

I'm stunned. Especially since it is my first novel. I was satisfied with the final version of the book, but not at all sure that readers would respond. When the numbers from Amazon started coming in it was like opening night--I didn't sleep much. As the weeks have passed I have just been in a kind of state of shock at the response. I really credit Amazon for their internal promotion process, in the way they target readers who might like the book.

4- Which do you enjoy more, directing a story you've written, or writing the story itself?

Each job has its challenges. Writing can be very isolating, as you know, and sometimes the problem-solving gets a little overwhelming to take on by yourself. Directing is a completely different ballgame. It's physically demanding, the hours are brutal, and you have to answer to the studio about cast, budgets, everything imaginable. Directing is not something I'd like to do all of the time, although it can be very rewarding. I'm much more suited to the writing process. It's nice to only have to worry about the story and the characters. I prefer it to getting up at 5 every morning and worrying about schedules and studio notes and constant rewrites and working 18 to 20 hour days for months on end.

5- What's your take on this entire digital publishing revolution? Freeing, or frightening?

I think it's an incredible step forward for authors and readers alike. I read a columnist the other day who likened the development of the e-reader to the Gutenberg press, in terms of progressing the written word. That's obviously an overstatement, but I think it's great that so many people have access to so many books inexpensively--and that so many authors can publish without going through traditional channels. I still buy paper books, and I always will. I just bought Keith Richards' autobiography and I chose the hardcover edition for the quality of the photographs, among other things. But I read a lot, and when I get on a plane I'd much rather take my Kindle than lug around ten pounds of books, I can promise you.

Here's the link to Stephen's novel on Amazon. Download it. I just did.

http://www.amazon.com/KILLER-ebook/dp/B003TZLM3M/ref=pd_rhf_p_img_1

GUEST POST FROM L.J. SELLERS

I must admit I first took notice of L.J Sellers when her novel "The Sex Club," kept showing up ahead of mine in the Police Procedural category on the Kindle bestseller list.  Then I read some of her blog posts and realized she had a tremendous story to tell.  I'll list her credentials below this post, but just know she's an award-winning journalist and author of bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series.  She's also a great sport to give her time to Strong Scenes with a guest post on a very timely subject:

Still Holding Out

                                     L.J. Sellers

I hear from authors everyday—Facebook friends, writers who read my blogs or novels, people I meet at conferences. They often ask about my e-book publishing experience, then many close the exchange by saying, “But I’m still holding out for a traditional publisher.” I politely make no comment.

On one level, I understand this. A publishing contract is a writer’s dream and it’s hard to let go of. But as the industry goes through a major upheaval, writers need to ask themselves: What is more important? Having a traditional publisher or making money? Being one of the chosen or having thousands of people read your book? Some authors seem to have it all, but most midlist writers are already facing these choices.

Just how long should you hold out for a publisher?

After twenty years of having major publishers (and film producers) say “I love this story, but I’m not going to buy it,” I finally self-published my first novel, a police procedural called The Sex Club. I released it in a traditional way and many people, including reviewers, never knew it was self-published. After the book gained traction, I found a small press to pick up the series. That was late 2008 and I still thought I needed a publisher for respectability. I soon came to realize that having a small publisher was more of a liability than an asset.                                                                                        

Why?

1.) There is nothing a small publisher can or will do for writers that they can’t do better for themselves. I don’t mean literally do each thing yourself, but authors can contract for production services as well as a publisher can. Small presses are often run by a few dedicated, but overworked individuals, who typically contract out most services and pay bottom dollar. As an author, you can shop around and find the best editor/graphic designer/e-book formatter that you can afford.

2.) A small publisher will not have a sales staff and or a distribution network (no bookstores) and is not likely to spend any money promoting your book. What a small publisher will do is keep most of the profit of the few hundred books you manage to sell on your own.

There may still be some advantages to signing with a large press. An advance can buy time to write another book, and the Big 6 can get your novel into bookstores. But as the author, you have to sell the book no matter who publishes it. Meanwhile, chain bookstores are closing and Borders is going bankrupt, so the distribution network is crumbling. So that advantage won’t mean much in a few years, especially since e-books are capturing more and more of the market.

What’s left for the author is the label of being traditionally published and the convenience of having someone else contract the production work. Giving up most of the profit for those small advantages is a crappy bargain I finally decided I was done with.

Early last year after being laid off my job, I realized something had to change and I took a hard look at my own situation. No matter which way I looked at it, I kept coming back to the idea that self-publishing e-books was the only way to save my career and my house.

So I left my publisher and released all of my completed stories as e-books. In January, I had one book on Kindle and sold 31 copies. In December, I had six books on Kindle and sold more than 10,000. I also worked like a maniac at production and promotion for eight months to make it happen. I had set a goal of making a living from e-books by mid 2011, and I got there considerably faster than I dreamed.

So far, the numbers and the reviews keep getting better. In April, I’ll release my fifth Detective Jackson novel, and for the first time, thousands of readers are eagerly waiting for it. For me, that is significantly more rewarding than industry approval.

L.J. Sellers is an award-winning journalist and the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series: The Sex Club, Secrets to Die For, Thrilled to Death, Passions of the Dead, and Dying for Justice. Her novels have been highly praised by Mystery Scene and Spinetingler magazines, and all four are on Amazon Kindle’s bestselling police procedural list. L.J. also has two standalone thrillers: The Baby Thief and The Suicide Effect. When not plotting murders, she enjoys performing standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. She’s also been known to jump out of airplanes.

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR DEAN DELUKE

Besides writing medical thrillers, Dean DeLuke is a practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeon and an active volunteer.  He's served on the boards of the St. Clare's Hospital Foundation, the Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York, and the Albany Academy for Girls.  On a separate note, I once volunteered to do the dishes, but didn't know where the coffee cups went so I gave up. 

Anyway, back to Dean.  As if that wasn't enough, Dean has a long history of involvement with thoroughbred horses--from farm hand back in the '70s to current partner with Dogwood Stable.  His new thriller "Shedrow," has been dubbed a cross between Dick Francis and Robin Cook.  He obviously has a busy schedule, but was way too nice to turn down an invitation to play 5 questions with me. 

1- Your novel is a medical thriller involving the sport of horse racing. I realize you're a medical doctor, but have you ever been much of a handicapper when it came to betting the ponies?

I used to be a pretty fair handicapper, but recently I just don’t have the time to devote to it. What I enjoy most about the sport currently is mornings on the backside, watching the horses work and just taking in that whole scene. It’s a unique culture and a world unto itself on the backstretch, and that world is also an important part of the story in Shedrow.

2- Since the anatomy of a horse is different from a human's, did you rely on any help from veterinarian friends to help with some of the medical scenes?

You raise a really important point with that question in terms of authenticity in writing fiction. I wrote about two worlds that I know rather intimately—the medical world and the world of thoroughbred racing. But there are always certain areas that need to be researched in one way or another. Much of the research can be done via the internet, but I never hesitated to check with an insider whenever a technical issue arose that I needed help with. So yes, I did in fact speak with a veterinarian about certain aspects of equine medicine.

3- Do you see the Shedrow thriller as a series?

There is a bit of a “Twilight Zone” ending to Shedrow—one that most readers don’t see coming, and also one that begs for a sequel. I do have an outline and a start on a sequel.

4- What made you decide to write fiction--that seems like such a creative departure from Oral Surgery?

It is a huge leap. I had published a fair amount of work related to my profession, but I set my mind to a work of fiction after meeting novelists Robert Dugoni, Michael Palmer and Tess Gerritsen. Palmer and Gerritsen, both best-selling authors, also had careers as physicians, and Dugoni was a practicing attorney for many years before he published his first best-seller. I learned a great deal from each of them.

5- With the entire publishing world scrambling to get ahead of this digital thing, where do you see most of your readers finding your work 5 years from now?

That is a great question, and a loaded one! Obviously, the whole publishing world is in a state of flux. eBooks now outsell hardcovers, a majority all novels are self-published or come from small independent presses, and the traditional publishing houses are feeling the pressure. Look at the number of Kindle offerings on Amazon for under $3.00. And not all of those are unknowns—look at well-known thriller author J.A. Konrath for one, who appears to have changed his business model, and seems to be thriving. Some are releasing their eBooks in advance of paperbacks. And many novels released only as eBooks—including yours, I might add—become huge bestsellers.

Having said that, I still cherish my library and still read the majority of my books as hardcover or paperback offerings. But as to your original question, I think that in 5 years, the likelihood is that eBooks will not only outsell hardcovers, but may catch up to paperback sales as well. In terms of sales on Amazon alone, that tipping point is already approaching and will come much sooner.

You can read excerpts and reviews, view a book trailer and more at http://www.shedrow1.com/.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A THRILLER?

Lately I've been reading a lot of books labeled as thrillers and I'm beginning to wonder what exactly a thriller is?  I mean some authors are no-brainers: Vince Flynn, Nelson Demille, Tess Gerritsen.  These writers all create carefully crafted thrillers.  Each chapter is suspenseful in their own way.  But recently I've read a couple of books which were slow on the suspense.  In particular I'm speaking of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Now, I realize this is taboo to suggest this novel is anything but a remarkable feat of literature, but I'm 120 pages into this thing and so far I got nothing.  I mean nothing.

Will it get better?  Of course it will.  The entire world can't be duped into reading garbage.  I guess I'm under the assumption a thriller is supposed to capture you from the first page and maintain the suspense throughout the novel.  The above authors know how to accomplish that.  You don't have to go any farther than this month's winner of the strongest opening contest, Luke Romyn.  His novel The Dark Path not only opens strong, but remains tense throughout the book.

The lines are getting blurrier, however, because of the cross-pollination from political thrillers to medical thrillers to legal thrillers, but if it has the word thriller anywhere near the description of the book, please, please, get to the thrilling part.  I guess if it's supposed to be a literary book, then I read it with a different frame of mind.  I think we all read Catcher in the Rye with different expectations than we do Moby Dick.  Just don't label something a thriller unless you mean it.  I realize it sounds more titillating, but don't get our engines all revved up ,then spend a hundred pages telling us about the financial system in Sweden.  Sorry Stieg, I know you're looking down on me shaking your head, but this is not your fault.  
Am I wrong about this trend?  I don't know.  I think I'll pick up a Donovan Creed novel and get on the rollercoaster.  

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR JOHN LOCKE

In Donovan Creed, author John Locke has created a character you'd love to sit down with and share a drink--unless you bring your hot girlfriend.  Creed is an ex-CIA agent who moonlights as a hit man and loves the women.  If you like succinct, fast-moving thrillers with violent plot twists and razor sharp dialogue, then John Locke is the author for you.  He has three Donovan Creed novels out and is working on a fourth.  As of this post his latest thriller, Saving Rachel, is currently #15 on the Kindle Bestseller List.  That's an amazing feat for a guy who used be an insurance salesman, a rock & roll singer and a private investor.  Really, I'm not making this up.  In his spare time he's working on a formula to turn ocean water into draft beer. Okay that I made up.  I want to thank John for taking the time to play 5 questions with me.

1.      You're a successful businessman, who's owned an insurance company and became a private investor, yet you've been a Rock-n-Roll singer and a successful fiction writer.  How do you go from such a dry business career to flourishing as an artist?  And how did you contain all those creative juices for so long?

I love stories. Love reading them, love telling them, and always wanted to write some. But I’m one of those guys who “never got around” to writing a novel because I was too busy building my insurance company. I wasn’t frustrated creatively in the insurance business because I taught training and marketing seminars, wrote and gave speeches, self-published numerous marketing manuals, and two non-fiction books of the “How To” nature. After selling the company, I had more free time and NO creative outlet, a combination that generated the motive force for my becoming a novelist.

2.      If you had to choose between one of these careers, which would you want to do the rest of your life?

It would depend on which one I was best at. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a successful Rock-n-Roll singer? Haha.

3.      Good point.   What percentage of your workday is dedicated to writing?

None.

      And a lot.

 Sometimes I go six months without writing a word. Other times, like this past Thursday and Friday, I wrote for eight and fourteen hours, respectively. In other words, I never sit down at my computer with the thought, “I’m going to write 500 words today.” That might be a smarter way to write, but for me, it would remove the element of fun. Instead, I write scenes, and/or transitions between scenes. I write the entire scene or the transition, or both—but it never comes down to a daily commitment. When the scene is in my head, completely worked out, I park it there until I have to put it on paper. Usually if a scene makes me laugh out loud, or gnaws at me in some other way, it’s ready to write.

       4. Where did you come up with the idea for your Donovan Creed character?

Creed was easy! He’s the man every guy wants to be, and every woman wants to fix. Everything beyond that premise is situational, but reinforces what each gender wants from him. For example, Creed is tough (guy) but has a tender side (woman). He’s irreverent (guy) with redeeming qualities that pop up when you least expect them (woman). He has relationships with hookers (guy) but he’s unfulfilled, and yearning for something he can’t quite put his finger on (woman).  Above all, Creed is unpredictable. If I do my job right as an author, you’re not sure how he’s going to react to a given situation, or what he’s going to say—but after he does or says it, you think “Ah, of course!"

5.      With the changes digital technology has had on the publishing industry, where do you think the majority of readers will be finding your novels in 5 years?

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!

OPENING SCENES FROM 3 TERRIFIC NOVELS

By now we all know how important it is to draw the reader in from the very first line.  Below are the openings to three different novels which do just that.  All three have a thriller undertone to their storyline and move at a rapid pace.  If you're not familiar with these writers, you should be.  They're part of a growing number of writers who understand how to keep up the pace.

Readers can vote on their favorite opening scene to the right side of the page and at the end of the voting I'll be sending one of my followers a free copy of the winning novel.  Enjoy.


A-  SHAKEN, by J.A. Konrath 

This guy isn’t a killer, Dalton thinks. He’s a butcher.

Dalton isn’t repulsed by the spectacle, or even disturbed. He stays detached and professional, even as he snaps a picture of Brotsky tearing at the prostitute’s body with some kind of three-pronged garden tool.

There’s a lot of blood.

Dalton wonders if he should have brought color film. But there’s something classic, something pure, about shooting in black and white. It makes real life even more realistic.

Dalton opens the f-stop on the lens, adjusting for the setting sun. He’s standing in the backyard of Brotsky’s house, and his subject had been kind enough to leave the blinds open. From his spot on the lawn, Dalton has a clear view into Brotsky’s living room, where the carnage is taking place. Though Brotsky has a high fence and plenty of foliage on his property, he’s still taking a big risk. There are neighbors on either side, and the back gate leading to the alley is unlocked. Anyone could walk by.

It’s not a smart way to conduct a murder.

Dalton has watched Brotsky kill two hookers in this fashion, and surely there have been others. Yet the Chicago Police Department hasn’t come knocking on Brotsky’s door yet. Brotsky has been incredibly lucky so far.

But luck runs out.

At least Brotsky has the sense to put a tarp down, Dalton thinks.

He snaps another photo. Brotsky’s naked barrel chest is slick with gore, and the look on his unshaven face is somewhere between frenzy and ecstasy as he works the garden tool. He’s not a tall man, but he’s thick, with big muscles under a layer of hard fat. Brotsky sweats a lot, and his balding head gives off a glare which Dalton offsets by using a filter on his lens.

Brotsky sets down the garden tool and picks up a cleaver.

Yeah, this guys is nuts.


B- THE DARK PATH, by Luke Romyn

Antoni knew he had failed. This knowledge burned bitterly through his mind, but he refused to admit defeat. The child had no one else, and Antoni wouldn't turn his back on her. Blood oozed down his left arm, leaving a grisly trail behind him as he shuffled slowly down the tunnel carved out beneath the mountain.

The flow had slowed now, but Antoni knew his loss of blood had rendered him nearly useless. The Four had proven invulnerable, while he had only his mortality to challenge them with.

He had cast aside his armor along with his equally ineffective weapons, after barely escaping from the battle into this tunnel. The only thing he retained was the package wrapped and hidden securely within his clothing.

Blurred images flowed before him; he tried to refocus, but found it no use. Despair coursed through Antoni for the hundredth time, and he paused against the wall, hoping to regain some strength. Never before had the knight failed. Throughout his many battles during the Crusades, at times facing impossible odds, he always managed to prevail.

This time was different.

He was dead; his body simply hadn't realized it.


C- VIGILANTE, by Claude Bouchard 

The old man was drunk again. That usually meant trouble.

The boy backed away into the recesses of the attic, his secret place, as he called it. There, he would be safe as long as he remained quiet because the bastard turned violent when he got drunk.

The youngster worried about his sister though, who had arrived ten minutes before their stepfather had. He had heard, then seen her through the ventilation grill set in the ceiling of her room but she didn’t know he was there. Nobody knew about his secret place. They never used the attic.

“Where the f**k is everybody!” the old man hollered angrily as he plodded up the stairs.

The boy could hear the stupid drunk bounce off one wall, then the other as he stumbled upwards. Laying flat on his stomach, the youth quietly started inching back towards the ventilation grill. Doors could be heard slamming open and closed in the upstairs hallway. He reached the grill and peered down through it at his older sister, wishing that there was some way he could magically beam her up to him, like they did in Star Trek.

She was seated on the bed with knees gripped under her chin, huddled in the corner and trembling with intense fear as she stared at the door. She visibly stiffened as the footsteps approached, causing a nauseous wave to wash over her brother as he secretly but helplessly watched on. The footsteps stopped on the other side of the door and silent seconds went by, serving only to increase each sibling’s private terror.

‘Please go away! Leave her alone!’ the boy pleaded in his mind, biting his knuckles to keep from screaming.

At that moment, door crashed open, causing his sister to jump with fright.

“Howya doin, girly?” their stepfather snarled with a leering smile. “Didn’t ya hear me callin?”

5 QUESTIONS FOR AUTHOR SUZANNE CORSO

Suzanne Corso is an author, a playwrite, a film producer and has written two feature film screenplays.  Her debut novel, "Brooklyn Story," is an autobiographical tale about a fifteen-year-old girl with the desire to leave her abusive boyfriend and dysfuntional family behind and cross that bridge.  She's received wonderful praise from places like USA Today and San Francisco Book Review.  She also took some time out of her busy schedule to play 5 questions with me.

1- In "Brooklyn Story" your protagonist, Sam, has a Jewish grandmother, a Catholic mother and an abusive mob boyfriend. All of these happen to mirror your own real life story. Because it's so autobiographical, how concerned were you about the consequences of your candor?

I did nothing wrong just lived the life that I was handed, and dealt with it in stride and integrity. The entire time I just wanted to get out and make a better life for myself which I finally did and got over the bridge.


2- Do you think you would have been a writer had you not come from such a dysfunctional family?

What a fabulous question. Possibly not. The writing came to me since I had no therapy to get me out of my dysfunction, so the writing became therapeutic for me. The greatest thing I ever mastered. It made me so secure with the woman I became and the little naive girl I left behind.


3- Looking back at your teenage years, how much did you yourself long to cross the Brooklyn Bridge for Manhattan?

One hundred percent of myself wanted to leave. It wasn't Brooklyn. I loved it. It was those few people who were so stifling, I wanted and needed out. I created my character Samantha as an escape.

4- If you had to choose between producing films full time or writing novels, which would you prefer?

Wow! I love to write and I love to produce. The producing is more a colaboration, a team effort. Several great creative minds at work on one project. Its amazing and so rewarding for me. Writing is more isolating, but fulfills the soul. So, my answer is that I'm not choosing one. I want both!

5-Best of luck with Brooklyn Story. What's on the horizon for you?

Thanks.  I'm currently writing the sequel for Brooklyn Story and trying to sell the screenplay. Olympia Dukakis, Lorraine Bracco and Armand Assante are already involved with the project.

WHY WE WRITE, VERSION 2011

There's an old saying in the business world, "Nothing happens until someone sells something."  That's really true. Until someone sells that new beer, you don't need factory workers, administrators, etc.  The same can be said for writing.  When you're listening to that catchy tune on your iPod, remember someone wrote those lyrics.  The last time you saw a really good movie try to remember why it was so good.  Was it the special effects?  The beautiful setting?  Or was it the dialogue?  My money is on the dialogue.  Someone wrote those words which came out of that gorgeous actress's mouth.  Probably some balding, pot-bellied writer who knew what words would resonate in the confines of that particular scene.  The same type of guy who who wrote half of Brittany Spears songs.  What, you thought she wrote, "Hit Me Baby One More Time?"  Sorry to ruin it for you.

Any this isn't just restricted to guys.  Some of our best movies are written by women.  At the 2008 Academy Awards, four of the five nominees for original screenplay were women.  Including the winner, Diablo Cody.

So as we sit in front of our keyboards, we imagine our words making an impact on the minds of our readers.  Maybe even sticking there for years.  I'll never forget Raymond Chandler's description of a beautiful blonde lounge singer: "She had a voice like an angel and a body that would make a bishop kick a hole through a stained-glass window." And I read that over 30 years ago.

So what does this mean?  It means even in the digital age, we're swinging for the fences.  As writers, we're searching for that one true story, or that one line which will resonate in the reader's mind for decades.  The bond between writer and reader is stronger than ever and that's why we write.  Because it's our desire to make our mark in the world of fiction.  And if you don't believe me, well, "You can't handle the truth."